Welcome to my Route 66 blog!

My wife and I were planning to ride Route 66 in 2011, it had long been her dream, unfortunately that wasn’t to be. In August 2012 I’ll be riding Route 66 on my own on a Harley Davidson® Electra Glide®. I’ll try to keep this blog updated with my progress and adventures on a daily basis as I go, internet connection willing!

Since my Route 66 trip I’ve added blogs from other trips, and will continue to do so, so keep checking back from time to time!

For the uninitiated Route 66 was established in 1926 and at that point not all sections were paved. It ran from ChicagoIllinois through  Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New MexicoArizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). During the depression many Oklahoma farmers headed west along it in an attempt to better their lot in California, as chronicled in John Steinbeck’s novel ‘The Grapes of Wrath’.

Over the years the route of Route 66 has changed many times to bypass town centres as the townships grew, giving rise to ‘alignments’ where modern day travellers can pick one of several ‘Route 66s’ to travel on. Today Route 66 no longer exists as a US highway  it was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985 after it had been decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System. It is no longer possible to drive Route 66 uninterrupted all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles but much of the original route and alternate alignments are still drivable with careful planning.

Some people are fanatical about covering every mile of remaining Route 66 pavement. That is not my intention. I am more interested in travelling across middle America to meet the people and see the sights in a way that could not be done if I were to just travel on Interstates. Where I feel it would be more appropriate to use the Interstate roads I will do so, but want to keep that to a minimum.

ROUTE 66 MAP

(Parts of the above have been adapted (lifted!) from the Route 66 Wikipedia entry)

The trip is dedicated to the memory of Simone Monnier Handy, who wasn’t able to make the trip in her lifetime.

 

10 thoughts on “Welcome to my Route 66 blog!

  1. Sorry I missed your B/day I was away from my comp for a few daays resting on the beach. I hope you have a great time on 66.

  2. No worries Dickie, hope you’re keeping well over there. I’m having a great time in Chicago, the music is great. Tomorrow I collect the bike and start riding.

    Stay cool :)

  3. Hey Chris, we don’t know each other but I hope to ride with you a bit on your trip. I did just over 2200m in California and Arizona in Feb with my best mate on a Heritage Softail and a Road King and we loved it. We’re both from Germany but I live in Scotland. Hope you’re having a safe trip and I know you will enjoy your ride. Take care mate and I’m looking forward to checking in now and then.

    Best wishes

    Balou

  4. Hope you have a trip of a lifetime pal, I’ll be checking in now and again to see how your getting on, I’m off touring Portugal for a few weeks on Aug 20th, but would trade for the mother road anytime. Hope to get across to the states in next couple of years, not cheap coming from Ireland to the states and hiring Harley for couple of weeks, but I’ll save extra hard..cheers!

  5. G’day from Australia Chris. I guess you will have finished your trip by now. Hope all went well and that you arrived in L.A. safe and well.
    My wife and I travelled Australia together for a year, a while back, and had planned on riding Route 66 together too. Unfortunately, she is dying a slow, agonising death (as result of a “Botched” operation), but I am heading to Chicago with an old riding mate of mine, in May 2013, to do the trip for her. I wish I had been able to ride it with you – Another time perhaps.

    • I’m sorry to hear about your wife Russ, you both have my thoughts and best wishes.

      Whilst I’ve finished Route 66 I’m still on the road riding up the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) to San Francisco and having a great time. I’ll be flying out on the 24th so still have a few days left.

      I’m sure you and your mate will have a great time on the Mother Road, too bad we couldn’t have ridden together. If you have the opportunity plan to tack on the trip up Highway 1, it’s a great way to finish your trip and a great ride. I’m taking several days to do it, but you could do it in 2 or 3 days at a pinch.

      The other piece of advice I would offer, and this goes for anyone riding (or driving) Route 66 is to leave a little more time in your itinerary for the earlier parts of the trip (Illinois, Missouri) than states like New Mexico, Arizona and the early part of California as the distances between towns and attractions in these later states is much further so you spend more time travelling and less stopped.

      Have a great time when you go next year!

  6. Dear Chris,
    My wife and I were also planning to ride route 66 in 2012, but infortunately she passed away in june this year. So I’ll ride the route in memory of her. Thanks for the information given in your blog, it will certainly help me preparing this trip.

    • I’m sorry to hear that Patrick. I can only say that I found my trip to be helpful to me in coming to terms with my loss. I hope that you find your trip does the same for you. If I can help you prepare in any way please get in touch.

      Best wishes

      Chris

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