As many of you know Route 66, which runs from Chicago, Illinois, and ends at the Santa Monica Pier in California traveling across eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. will be 100 years old next year. It would take two to three weeks to fully enjoy see the sights along the way, including smaller towns and attractions. I am wondering if any organization is setting up a road tour of this famous highway? I feel attached due to the fact that my father was in the Air Force and I in the Army have travel parts of it many times. What do you all think?
While I think it would be great to celebrate the centennial, I shudder to think of a wagon train of a large group. Over a hundred cars and 150+ people all trying to find food and lodging would overwhelm many of these little places. It would require a lot of careful planning, even with reliable cars and flexible and forgiving people. Better to treat it more like a rally start, a few every 6 hours or a small group starting each day. More pleasurable, too. It's more fun to explore without having to stay in formation. Better for the businesses along the route, having a steady stream, not big clumps.
A friend of mine is planning to take a trip, and invited me along. We don't have any firm plans yet. But I've been on a few organized trips on 66, with a couple dozen cars. It's fun. Also a bigger adventure with a lot more. As long as it's well planned, and folks are spread out over a bit of time, it's not a problem, there are plenty of cities along the way that have a significant number of hotel rooms. You're probably better off doing something yourself, or find a small group that's planning a trip. Have you searched yet to see what's being planned?
My wife and I did the route to California after attending the NSRA event in Springfield Missouri a few years ago. On the way home to northern Illinois where we live we picked up 66 again in Missouri to do the route we had not traveled on the way. No time constraints, no rooms booked ahead, easy pace we throughly enjoyed and probably could’ve spent even more time if we’d done more side trips. We wanted to experience of driving the route, staying at the older motels, eating at the non chain restaurants along the route and not be on a regimented time schedule. Which ever way you decide to go, gather info and plan your adventure and “just do it”. Good luck!
There is a book telling of the idea spark, the planning and development, of another cross continent road, The Lincoln highway. The project was promoted by Carl Fisher. He solicited help ( financing ) from any one he could. Firestone comes to mind plus other industry moguls Governments at any level He had made his fortune selling acetylene tanks. Prior to this the driver would fuel the light with calcium carbide. The gas was then produced by adding water. A sketchy system that out-shined oil lamps. Fisher's idea was to readily provide the gas in a tank. The light was steady and easier to deal with. My book was on loan 30 years ago
I know here in New Mexico, there are a lot of old Route US66 towns planning events. I don't know how coordinated they are going to be from town to town. Albuquerque already had light pole banners up and a police effort to clear out all the homeless that hang around. I have some friends that are planning on driving their 1926 YOM vehicles...100 year old vehicles on 100 year old route. I am going to do some driving and attending....but I am lucky...I live right on old US66...Zuzax was a tourist trap on 66... Stop on by and I will show you some historical treasures about the route through Tijeras canyon...
When traveling in my trailer truck I was able to stop at sites in Oklahoma and new Mexico. Museums, Some quaint, some not. There was one fellow with a full service restaurant. A step through a glass partition puts you in the owners collection of vintage cars.
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