Route 66 Has anyone tried it?

[Mark80]

My understanding is that it is a shell of its former self.  Killed by the interstate, most of the cool stuff is now out of business and a lot of it is just gone.

[Irv]

On 3/2/2023 at 2:44 PM, ArdmoreRyno said:

Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma is a must stop for food. The writers of the movie "Cars" spent a lot of time in that place coming up with the script.

 

(I'm from Oklahoma, never driven the whole Route 66)

 

But it sounds like fun! Just make sure you don't leave the dog tied to the bumper

 

 

 

I specifically ordered the Antarctic Blue Super Sports Wagon with the CB and the optional Rally Fun Pack.  

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Irv

[GaryPinC]

Well, I know from visiting the blue hole in New Mexico, much of it is simply I-40 now!

https://www.santarosabluehole.com/

[Jrb1979]

23 hours ago, Guffalo said:

We were kicking around some ideas for a vacation. Watching some different documentaries and came across "Passport to the world : Route 66" and wondered if anyone has done the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica via the old route 66.

 

Lots of interesting restaurants and nostalgic sites along the way.

Anyone tried it?

Is it worth the drive?

Tips for best things along the way?

Look up the Carpetbagger on YouTube. He did a vlog doing route 66. It would give you an idea if it's worth it. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

4 hours ago, Mark80 said:

My understanding is that it is a shell of its former self.  Killed by the interstate, most of the cool stuff is now out of business and a lot of it is just gone.

So... Radiator Springs is dead? They won't build a dome there?

 

😏

[SinceThe70s]

5 hours ago, Irv said:

 

I specifically ordered the Antarctic Blue Super Sports Wagon with the CB and the optional Rally Fun Pack.  

 

I specifically ordered the Antarctic Blue Super Sports Wagon with the CB and the optional Rally Fun Pack.  

 

Not the Family Truckster in metallic pea green? If you think you hate it now, just wait until you take it cross country!

(paraphrase)

[WotAGuy]

I did it in 2006 with a buddy in his Corvette convertible. I flew into St Louis where he picked me up. We went out to the Grand Canyon and then came back to NY. 
 

I did a lot of research into all the old places to see and whatever old tourist traps still exist. We weren’t obsessed about taking the old abandoned parts of the road, but tried to take it as often as possible whenever the option was there. 
 

There was a lot to see back then; not sure how much of it all exists 17 years later.  The Blue Whale in Catoosa?, Oklahoma was a treat.  We met the son of the guy that built it so he told us all about what it was like in its heyday. 
 

Williams, AZ was another cool spot. Elsewhere, there was a soda museum-like store, round barns, train car motels, etc.  A HUGE cross and life-size stations of the cross in Groome, TX. The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM was a trip; the rooms were all decorated with 50s phones, etc. 

 

Very cool peek into our recent cultural history and you’ll see a lot of this beautiful country. We came home north through Colorado and drove Independence Pass. Beautiful!

 

RIP Kevin!❤️

Edited March 3, 2023 by WotAGuy

[ExiledInIllinois]

9 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

I did it in 2006 with a buddy in his Corvette convertible. I flew into St Louis where he picked me up. We went out to the Grand Canyon and then came back to NY. 
 

I did a lot of research into all the old places to see and whatever old tourist traps still exist. We weren’t obsessed about taking the old abandoned parts of the road, but tried to take it as often as possible whenever the option was there. 
 

There was a lot to see back then; not sure how much of it all exists 17 years later.  The Blue Whale in Catoosa?, Oklahoma was a treat.  We met the son of the guy that built it so he told us all about what it was like in its heyday. 
 

Williams, AZ was another cool spot. Elsewhere, there was a soda museum-like store, round barns, train car motels, etc.  A HUGE cross and life-size stations of the cross in Groome, TX. The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM was a trip; the rooms were all decorated with 50s phones, etc. 

 

Very cool peek into our recent cultural history and you’ll see a lot of this beautiful country. We came home north through Colorado and drove Independence Pass. Beautiful!

 

RIP Kevin!❤️

Interesting... Of course you know you can take an automobile from Chicago to Catoosa, Oklahoma... BUT, did you know you can also take a boat from Chicago to Catoosa. Yup. 

 

@BringBackFergy

[ArdmoreRyno]

On 3/3/2023 at 5:46 PM, WotAGuy said:

I did it in 2006 with a buddy in his Corvette convertible. I flew into St Louis where he picked me up. We went out to the Grand Canyon and then came back to NY. 
 

I did a lot of research into all the old places to see and whatever old tourist traps still exist. We weren’t obsessed about taking the old abandoned parts of the road, but tried to take it as often as possible whenever the option was there. 
 

There was a lot to see back then; not sure how much of it all exists 17 years later.  The Blue Whale in Catoosa?, Oklahoma was a treat.  We met the son of the guy that built it so he told us all about what it was like in its heyday. 
 

Williams, AZ was another cool spot. Elsewhere, there was a soda museum-like store, round barns, train car motels, etc.  A HUGE cross and life-size stations of the cross in Groome, TX. The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM was a trip; the rooms were all decorated with 50s phones, etc. 

 

Very cool peek into our recent cultural history and you’ll see a lot of this beautiful country. We came home north through Colorado and drove Independence Pass. Beautiful!

 

RIP Kevin!❤️

 

I've driven past that thing 100 times and never stopped. My best friend lives right outside Catoosa in Claremore, I lived in Broken Arrow for a few years. 

 

BTW: There is a "Port of Catoosa" there which got millions after 9/11 for "port security" and people outside of Oklahoma got so pissed because they didn't understand why the government was giving money to a place in the middle of Oklahoma. They didn't know it's a huge transport port that can offload shipping containers. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 hours ago, ArdmoreRyno said:

 

I've driven past that thing 100 times and never stopped. My best friend lives right outside Catoosa in Claremore, I lived in Broken Arrow for a few years. 

 

BTW: There is a "Port of Catoosa" there which got millions after 9/11 for "port security" and people outside of Oklahoma got so pissed because they didn't understand why the government was giving money to a place in the middle of Oklahoma. They didn't know it's a huge transport port that can offload shipping containers. 

Intermodal. 

 

Catoosa is the farthest point on Inland Waterways... Petrochemical products more cost effective to move by water than rail or truck. Adds an ancillary transportation system to an already clogged national system.  

 

Here in Chicago... We get petrol-Chem products shipped via waterways from Texas/Oklahoma...

[Buffalo716]

On 3/2/2023 at 2:11 PM, Guffalo said:

We were kicking around some ideas for a vacation. Watching some different documentaries and came across "Passport to the world : Route 66" and wondered if anyone has done the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica via the old route 66.

 

Lots of interesting restaurants and nostalgic sites along the way.

Anyone tried it?

Is it worth the drive?

Tips for best things along the way?

My buddy and his girl did it this summer 

 

they said they tried taking the old route as much as they could 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Buffalo716

[Guffalo]

8 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

My buddy and his girl did it this summer 

 

they said they tried taking the old route as much as they could 

That seems to be a recurring theme, as we get closer I expect we will jump back and forth from the various super highways to see the attractions. If we are retired and have no definite schedule, time is not an issue. My first thought is we would start in a rental car from Chicago, drive one way covering the route and then take the California Zephyr from Sacramento to Denver and fly home from there. Give ourselves a decent cushion to allow for the train/flight connections and just enjoy the drive.

[ExiledInIllinois]

After Route 66... You should do the Great Loop!

 

https://www.greatloop.org

 

 

[Big Turk]

I've been on random stretches of it but never actually intentionally drove it the entire way or part of the way.

31 minutes ago, Guffalo said:

That seems to be a recurring theme, as we get closer I expect we will jump back and forth from the various super highways to see the attractions. If we are retired and have no definite schedule, time is not an issue. My first thought is we would start in a rental car from Chicago, drive one way covering the route and then take the California Zephyr from Sacramento to Denver and fly home from there. Give ourselves a decent cushion to allow for the train/flight connections and just enjoy the drive.

 

Love Amtrak...have been on the Zephyr a few times.

[Guffalo]

46 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

After Route 66... You should do the Great Loop!

 

https://www.greatloop.org

 

 

I have looked into the Great Loop, the only issue I have with it is my current boat uses considerably more fuel than would be advisable. The average speed on the loop is 8 MPH between the locks and the various wake limits. To change out boats I would prefer to go to a diesel powered around 32-34 in that class I love the Mainship Pilot 34 Sedan, (Rumrunner edition). The loop also requires about a year to complete and I would be best served doing it when and if we sell our current home, prior to moving on to the next one.

[ExiledInIllinois]

15 minutes ago, Guffalo said:

I have looked into the Great Loop, the only issue I have with it is my current boat uses considerably more fuel than would be advisable. The average speed on the loop is 8 MPH between the locks and the various wake limits. To change out boats I would prefer to go to a diesel powered around 32-34 in that class I love the Mainship Pilot 34 Sedan, (Rumrunner edition). The loop also requires about a year to complete and I would be best served doing it when and if we sell our current home, prior to moving on to the next one.

Yeah... That's the tough part... All in or out. Do partial trips... Like rent houseboats in Ontario for summer and do the Trent-Severn part... Would be nice if someone did that in the Southern US for the winters...