Ronan

PREPARATION

As I have posted periodically on travelling Route 66, the various places I have seen are not in route order, so I thought it might be useful to do a proper guide to the entire journey, from Chicago to Los Angeles, 2448 miles, through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas,Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. It is of course incomplete, as I have not visited everywhere,and will continue to supplement it on subsequent trips. There is a state by state guide in the next posting complete with photos.





(1) WHY ROUTE 66?

Route 66 is a superb way to see the hugely varied geography of the US, from the cosmopolitan cities of of Chicago and LA, to the green agrlcultural land of Illinois, the Ozarks of Missouri, the bare and windy Texas Panhandle, the incomparable majesty of the the desert landscapes of New Mexico and Arizona, out to the Pacific coast of California. On the route you will see small town America, feel the freedom of an endless road, and get feeling for the history of the car here. There are parts of 66 that are 9 feet wide, some is just dirt. There are ghost towns, declining towns, revived towns, and amazing people. Eccentrics abound. There is an endless amount to tourist tat. There are amazing side trips.
You generally do not need any special vehicle, and this is not an autobahn trip. It is best no to try to see everything, but to take it easy, drop into the things you want to see, and above all, get off the big interstates that were designed to go around towns, not through them. Its a vast place, the US and there are parts of the trip where you can be utterly alone.

I am not an American, and am aware that it is not universally loved.. Yet, I always come away from a 66 trip feeling refreshed and having discovered some sight I never knew existed. and having had nothing but great hospitality.
It was not always so accommodating as these audio clips show:

The darker side of Route 66 »
http://route66news.com/2014/05/14/darker-side-route-66/

JUNE 2014: This is a very nice little ten minute film amazing made by an Oklahoma high school film class. It does a better job that I could in describing the lure of Route 66:



(2) INFORMATION SOURCES

The two absolutely essential items are

(a)- E-Z guide to Route 66 by Jerry McLanahan.
This is a turn by turn guide to the entire route, a good description of every town and the relevant things to see or do. Do not buy an old used edition...things change on 66.

(b)- the Here It Is! 8 map pack of route 66, which is essential for getting on and off the interstates. Original 66 is broken up, and in some cases hard to find. It is not usually indicated from the Interstates

-for photographers there are many books.
My favourites are:

(c)- Route 66 sightings, ( McLanahan,Ross and Graham)

(d)-Ghost towns of Route 66




(e) A good atlas or map is also a handy planning tool. especially if you want to do some side trips like teh Grand Canyon or Monument Valley...






On line, by far the best overall information site is Route 66 news.
This is very current and well worth checking out out before a trip. Often you will come across something new that just opened, or find that something has closed down:


Route 66 News » A clearinghouse of news and events pertaining to historic Route 66, the Mother Road. Route 66 News



(3) ACCOMMODATION

I will not spend much time on this as I usually just book on the run. just booking from the car once I know where I'll stop.

However, in terms of chains, The Hampton Inns are very reliable and predictable, usually conveniently located off the interstates.

For those who want more economical places, I have stayed in Super 8 motels often, and the Baymont Inn chain is amazingly cheap and usually very clean. However, theses chains are franchises and vary widely, so check out trip Advisor or the like before booking. For example. the Baymont Inn in Amarillo ( about $50 a night) was excellent, while the same chain in Tulsa was the worst place I have ever stayed in.

In large cities such as St Louis or Chicago it is important to book if you are staying downtown, and avoid shadier areas.

There are some very historic accommodations right on Route 66, and I will mention them specifically for those who want to have the whole experience

(4) WEATHER

Depending on when you travel weather can be a major factor. I usually travel in Spring or Fall, and check weather daily. You can get tornadoes, windstorms, snow, hail, thunder, and searing heat. Not a big problem as long as you are aware in advance, but a major weather event can close the interstate.



















Don't forget to take a few selfies

Ronan

PART 2 ILLINOIS
Here is where it all starts - Chicago. In 1926 there was finally going to be an interstate across the US,after lots of wrangling. Led by a Tulsa businessman, Cyrus Avery, the states hammered out an agreement. It would be narrow or wide as the states could afford, and it would be a while before it all got paved, but it would begin the era of long distance driving. Illinois is very broken up when it comes to Route 66, so using the E-Z guide is essential.

The beginning (and end) of Route 66 is opposite the Art Institute of Chicago on two parallel streets. This is not a guide to that city, but it is a wonderful place, superb restaurants, art, and architecture. Surrounding the Institute is some wonderful public art.














Strolling on 66 you cannot miss the El, Chicago's famed elevated railway which always reminds me of the French Connection (even though it was filmed in Brooklyn)...





The waterways are also very pleasant:




A very traditional Route 66 restaurant since before 66 existed is Lou Mitchell's which serves good diner food, especially great omelettes.





The Berghoff is also a well known 66 institution:




WILMINGTON

Route 66 roughly parallels I-55, and as you travel south you will come to Wilmington, Here on old 66 you will find the first of the three Illinois Giants, huge advertising figures used to lure in travellers. The Gemini Giant was the mascot of the Launching Pad Drive In, now defunct.





There is a nice old diner just South of the giant:





ODELL

In Odell there is a beautiful preserved gas station, one of several on 66




PONTIAC ILLINOIS

Not to be confused with Pontiac Michigan, Route 66 runs right through here, and the town has decorated a square with murals.. The Mayor, ( who had a shirt embroidered with "Mayor of Pontiac"), is an affable fellow who showed his 1938 Pontiac. Aso here is a Route 66 Museum and a Walldog ( Signs) 66 Museum, and an auto museum. The streets have little kid seats of concrete from the movie "Cars" which used a lot of real 66 iconography.
















A new business, Octane 66 had opened that week, with original memorabilia and a variety of classic cars...no time to visit it this trip.

[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Route%2066%20May%202014/P5030462_zpsd600c619.jpg[/IMG


BLOOMINGTON

DIxie truck stop,-reputedly the first truck stop has a small 66 museum






ATLANTA
Home to the excellent Palms restaurant, the small town of Atlanta Ill is also home to one of the three giants of Illinois, huge fibreglass figures used as advertisements to lure travellers to a variety of businesses on 66. This figure was originally Paul Bunyan holding an axe, (now misspelt Paul Bunyon) and now holds a hot dog in a Bun. A Czech film crew and Harley expedition arrived when we visited. It is quite common for foreign visitors to rent a guide and a troop of Harleys to make the trip.










SPRINGFIELD, the state capital

Abraham Lincoln Home:

. Old Abe lived there till he went to Washington, and ,of course, never returned. His wife was committed to an asylum, ( in my view, because of the wallpaper) and ultimately the house was given to the nation. The Parks service conducts an excellent and free tour, worth the visit.












The outhouse contains a rather convivial three-holer….



The third giant, the Lautenbach Giant lives in Springfield:






LITCHFIELD

The Ariston Cafe was founded in 1924 along the side of what became Route 66 by Pete Adam. In 1935, 66 was rerouted, and he moved the restaurant to a new building that year, built at a cost of $4300. Despite the Depression, the restaurant prospered, at one time boasting a couple of gas pumps. Once again 66 was re routed, from the front to the back of the restaurant, so he simply moved the entrance to the other side.! Today, his son Nick, still runs the restaurant, largely unchanged, and it is being passed down to Nick's son. Nick shows us Route 66 books in a variety of languages given to him by their authors. The German books are autographed and annotated by German visitors, the Japanese in Kanji by Japanese Route 66 fans and so on. He tells me that Germans are particularly fascinated by Route 66 lore and are frequent diners. The food is very good, and the place looks much like it did in 1935. Prices are moderate, but not quite at the level of the original menu on the wall, when a steak was 85 cents. Unlike so many places along 66, business in booming. Here in Illinois, you have to look for historical parts of 66 and very little of it remains unchanged. Update 2015: The restaurant continues as usual, but the family has announced that it is for sale. Sad to see it leave family ownership.














Nick, the Proprietor:



MOUNT OLIVE

A Shell station in the same family from its opening in a1928 to closing in 1991 sits in 66, not preserved, though the sign needs some work. A small museum and T shirt store is inside..





Staunton, Ill, is where Rich Henry runs Henry's Rabbit Ranch. Rich is a Route 66 aficionado, and likes Rabbits. Outside is a mini- Cadillac Ranch display of VW Rabbits (For Europeans VW Golfs, but they do not fit the story as well:





In the yard are more VWs and other cars , and a very large rabbit...







Some Route 66 Memorabilia:



A Rabbit graveyard:



While inside the store,some live rabbits chew away contentedly:

Ronan

PART 3 MISSOURIMissouri is a big state with plenty of Route 66 lore. St Louis is right on the border and the first place you hit. There were numerous different routs for 66 through the city, but it s a pretty tough town and many of those rods go through dilapidated areas, so my advice is to follow the E-Z guide for the area.



ST LOUIS
St Louis is a big town and I usually stay at the Hilton Arches hotel, very central. There is plenty of night life in the tourist areas such as the landing, and a wide variety of restaurants. You can go up in the Arch,but its a small slot to see out and the view is uninspiring. 66 ran across the Chain of Rocks Bridge, (still standing) but it is closed to automotive traffic.



[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/9411cf7b.jpg[/IMG







STANTON
On a recent trip we finally dropped by one of the major sights, Merimac Caverns, a 16 miles deep cave complex, only about a mile and a half being accessible. Discovered by a born promoter, it was the first place to produce bumper stickers and also promotes a highly doubtful story that the caves were the hiding place of Jesse James.Nonetheless, the caves are very impressive.









BOURBON




CUBA
Exploration day. We leave early, with our first stop being the small town of Cuba, Mo through which 66 ran. They have painted just about every available space with murals ,advertising commercial businesses, civil war events, even a tribute to a long ago Mayor. The Route 66 cafe has sadly closed:
















The wagon wheel motel sign remains, but the motel is long gone



An old Chevy sits on a service bay of a former gas station nearby



We see the first of many religious messages and admonitions for better behaviour:



Leaving Cuba, we decide to skip the Vacuum Cleaner Museum and stop swearing:





Near to Cuba is the worlds largest Rocking Chair.....





We head back on the soulless interstate past the large Bourbon container, but not for long:

Ronan

ROLLA

An original Route 66 trading post is still in operation here.



NEWBURG John's modern cabins.
l
Late in the afternoon I hit Newburg MO, maybe 100 miles South of St Louis. Here, on a completely abandoned stretch of old 66, closed at both ends, sit the remains of John's Modern Cabins, slowly rotting away. They will be gone in the not too distant future. Yet, once, the was an infamous Juke Joint, where the segregated black people came to drink, hook up and play music. From 1935 to 1965 it operated, the cabins with no plumbing and a single outhouse at the back. It has no markers beyond a small plaque requesting that it not be vandalized. Standing there in the cool evening sunlight and looking at the silent remains, it is hard to imagine those bad old times before people finally gained civil rights A little of the neon from 1951 still clings to the sign which is standing to this day.






























Here is a short video of John's:

http://route66news.com/2012/04/11/a-...modern-cabins/



LEBANON

In Lebanon MO, the Munger Moss Motel offers authentic 1950s clean, very basic accommodation. For $53 a night you want Cappuccino?. Originally it was constructed as a motor court, a semi circle of cabins, each with an individual garage for your car. The place was modernized in the fifties and the owner is more than willing to discuss the history in the Motel office which sports a large collection of old tin toys. Nearby is an original general store which had not opened on my early departture. Food is not exactly Haute Cuisine in the area, but there is a very good catfish BBQ place within ten minutes. Like many of this type of restaurant alcohol is not served.



[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/0416c908.jpg[/IMG





















PARIS SPRINGS

66 curved through the tiny crossroads of Paris Springs Mo. Here lived Gary Turner, who recreated the Gay Parita gas station that had burned down many years ago. He steps off his old Ford model N tractor and offered us a Route 66 Root beer. He was a mine of 66 lore and gave us a tour of his garage and the gas station. Sadly Garry passed away in 2015, but his gas station lives on.












There are many visitors::



There are strips of 66 that still have the original Portland cement and are utterly unchanged from the beginning, such as this one:

Ronan

KANSAS
66 Just cuts the corner of Kansas , and at 13 miles long is by far the shortest strip of 66

A quick run down through the 13 mile strip of 66 in Kansas ( the shortest in any state) brought me to Galena , home of a well -known sight, the truck used as the inspiration for the tow truck in the animated movie " Cars".







In the town on Baxter Springs KS, there is, inexplicably, a Renault breakers. I notice a Dauphine on the racks. Opposite the yard sits an old ****** Jeep in the 88 degree sun:










The more interesting find was a very,very rare and easy-to-miss strip of original 9 ft wide Route 66 from its earliest days, when some states could only afford very basic links. Here you can see the original concrete of 66, much of it obscured by gravel. The weather here can be very harsh. Hard to imagine making this trek in a clapped out Model T, but people did it.

Ronan

Oklahoma is a big state and there is a lot of original 66 intact here. Coning out of Kansas you hit the small town of Miami ( ****. Myammuh), which has a magnificent restored theatre. and on to Afton:


AFTON

There is a converted filling station here, (admission free) where a collector has his Packards ,and a gift shop. (excellent for Route 66 literature)













Two versions of Packard









Saw a couple of derelict cars on the street.....






and back to the main highway, under the world's biggest McDonalds (now under reno at latest visit)




VINITA

A minor stop , though the cafe sign is quite famous and the food is excellent diner fare. The restaurant , Clanton's, has been in the same family since 1927.http://www.clantonscafe.com/








Very friendly staff too.

CLAREMORE

Nothing much here, but a giant Indian guards the truckstop



CATOOSA

A brief detour onto Route 66 to see the exceptionally kitschy blue whale of Catoosa; however it was a functioning bathing platform and was late to 66,being built in the seventies.



TULSA

This will be covered in the next visit and added here.


STROUD
The well known Stroud Cafe is a 66 instution beloved of bikers. The owner,Dawn Welch was the inspiration for the Porsche character in "cars"












ARCADIA:
Into Oklahoma which has a very long,unbroken stretch of 66 and on it, the OK county Auto trim and Museum near Arcadia OK. If the gate's open, just drive in .John Hargrove has built a combined working garage and museum. He repairs and refurbishes old cars for local customers. There garage is an amazing mixture of artifacts and cars under repair or construction. There is not a computer or electronic diagnostic
tool in sight, but lines and lines of tools. John can build a car pretty much from scratch, except for chrome plating. It looks like it was there forever, but he only built it in 1998, using old shipping containers to construct his buildings.










A model T racer based on period designs is not too far from completion:





Outside there are all sorts of references to the sights of Route 66, real and imagined:

A rare split window VW Microbus represents the character Filmore from the movie "Cars".



Buried nose-down, a VW bug is an homage to the Big Ranch in Conway Tx, itself an homage to the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo




Captain America's Harley from 66




Another Bug emerges from the second floor.,and visitors can sit on the driver's seat….




In a side building is a 1932 Ford speed racer that John has had for 37 years, with competition history…






..and then there's this…street legal, road registered. John was inspired by Morgan three-wheelers, and set out to build his own, from…a…1979 CHEVY IMPALA…

"Does it run?" I asked. " Of course' He said, pushing the remote and unlocking it. " I used the original wiring harness"…….








Its a lot of fun to drop in on john, a genial and friendly host:



Just down the road. past the Red Barn in Arcadia is one the newest Route 66 attractions. Pops has a huge LED bottle outside, a massive cantilevered canopy, and 6-- different types of sixty drinks...












OKLAHOMA CITY


We arrive in Oklahoma City, surely the quietest place on earth on a Sunday. If you ever saw the movie 28 days, its like that. Basically all restaurants are closed, so we eat at the hotel. We walk over to the the Oklahoma City Memorial on the sites of the Alfred P Murrah building, where Tim McVeigh left a truckload of fertilizer and racing fuel and killed 168 people, including children in a daycare centre. His motivation was revenge on the Federal Government for Waco. The memorial consists of a chair for every victim with half size chairs for the children. It sits on a quiet reflecting pool.













WEATHERFORD

Lucille's roadhouse in Hydro, Oklahoma was an institution until Lucille Haman died at a very advanced age in 2000. The building has been preserved and a modern version now sits in nearby Weatherford. It sits on original Route 66.

[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Route%2066-
2012/3eb44ab0.jpg[/IMG]

In the evening light, Lucille's looks like an Edward Hopper painting:




We stay on old 66 and cross a long bridge imagining how long lines of 1950s cars managed this in heavily congested traffic:





CLINTON

Clinton OK is a small town with a surprisingly good Route 66 Museum, with excellent video of the history of Route 66, and a nicely curated set of artifacts. Much better than the one in Elk City:













On the wall of the museum of a photo of the toughest place to reach on all of 66, the Painted Desert Trading Post. It is on a five mile abandoned, very dangerous strip of broken up 66 in a remote location. We will get there eventually, but if you are not experienced in 4x4 offroading and dealing with desert conditions, this is remote and risky. We will do it eventually, but will not be showing a route. We planned on doing it on this trip:









ELK CITY

We stop at Elk City for the Route 66 Museum. Definitely not worth it.








ERICK
Took a brief run into Erick, ( home of roger Miller of King of the Road fame) where there is the well -preserved old West Winds motel, now a private residence, and the mad Sand Hills Curiosity shop, which was closed, (growl), but is a must-see on my next trip.











TEXOLA

Just at the border of Oklahoma and Texas sits the ghost town of Texola, which was variously in TX or OK as the border moved periodically,. It appears to have a handful of inhabitants but is mainly abandoned, with the county Jail standing open:

Ronan

66 runs across the windswept plain of the Texas Panhandle, the narrowest part of the state. This was originally a dangerous part of early journeys West, dry and featureless. Today this is still quite a lot of 66 to see.




SHAMROCK
Shamrock is the home of the famous U-DRop Inn, which has been there since 1936. No longer a gas and diner emporium ,it is recently being upgraded to once again serve shack.s We passed aa truck graveyard and an auto scrapyard on the way in . Amazing how many cars seem to be restorable.



















McLEAN

McLean is a small town, now somewhat faded. If you have an interest in barbed wire, the Devil's rope museum is here..( Not visited).
There is also a nicely preserved Phillips 66 gas station, the Cacus Motel, and a very credible little steakhouse, ( no alcohol) called the Red River...very good for lunch on the way, great catfish.













GROOM

Route 66 is very wide through Groom.. a lonely town. Here the is one BIG deal...a 19 storey cross. No idea who funded it. On a smaller scale the leaning water tower was a deliberate illusion to attract routists.


















CONWAY

Everyone visits the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, but there is a slightly more modest version before you get there made from VW Bugs off the Conway exit.







AMARILLO

Amarillo is a handy place to overnight with lots of accommodation. 66 runs North of the interstate and is fairly seedy with a lot of car repair shops and a shorter strip with antique shops and the well known Golden Light Cafe, a music spot since 1946 and a Route original.

Once , the Big Texan steakhouse was on 66 but it has moved to its present location off of I-40. Home of the 72oz steak, free if you can eat it in an hour, with all the fixins' and no leaving the table. About 15% of the people suceed. If you fail the tab is $72. If you are staying in the area they will pick you p and drop you back in a huge old stretch Caddy with steer horns on the front, no charge.









The Cadillac Ranch was never on 66 but is a popular attraction. Usually littered with spray paint cans, it must be the world's greatest graffiti attraction.












On original 66 there are myriad abandoned garages and yards






BUSHLAND

Here sit the great grain elevators, and you will soon be assaulted by the strong smell of cattle as you pass the vast herding pens at Wildorado.







ADRIAN

A popular litte restaurant ( great pies) is situated here. You are now half way from Chicago to LA.!

The original owner of the MidPoint Cafe, Fran, sold out to Dennis, the new proprietor. IF you can find room, you can sign Fran's truck still, as she has opened up a gift shop next door.

















GLENRIO

Straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico is the ghost town of GlenRio. There have been many such towns, but most have nothing left but the foundations. Here the old Motel and the Juarez Cafe still stand. Originally, because of differing state gas and liquor taxes and rules, the liquor stores were on one end of the town and the gas stations on the other.












You have an option here. You can go back on I-40 to New Mexico or take the abandoned and unpaved section of 66 to Endee, NM. (Do not attempt if it is wet)

Ronan

n New Mexico. Route 66 had one very significant variation. In its earlier years it looped up to Santa Fe a fair diversion from the straight shot West. Later on the loop was cut , and 66 ran through Albuquerque, a shorter route West. Both versions of 66 are well worth doing.

New Mexico 66 starts at the end of the Ghost Town of Glen Rio onto an unpaved road, ( if it is wet, best stick to I-40 and skip this part.)

FROM GLEN RIO
On the Texas/New Mexico border sits the ghost town of Glen RIo, which we had visited previously. However, if you continue onto the dirt road, it is the original, now abandoned Route 66, down to Endee NM. This should not be attempted in wet weather. As we drove to Endee we noticed a vast scrapyard on the left, long abandoned and inaccessible, even the access roads gone. Lots of "keep out" signs, and walking through the snake-infested long grass is not a wise idea.



















Interesting little vid of Glen Rio here:


http://route66news.com/2013/04/04/a-...e-borderlands/



You can run the entire dirt road to Endee and come out at the Russell's Truck stop. or exit I-40 if you went back to the highway.





ENDEE

Back on the highway, we exit at 369 for the Russell's truck stop where the owner has a rotating exhibit of his classic car collection. Notable is a Corvette that has never been driven. The original owner, a car dealer who had retired put it in storage, and the current owner bought it from the kids after his passing:













TUCUMCARI

A long strip of 66 goes through this town, once home to thousands of motel rooms.

The beautifully restored Swallow Motel is the pick of the traditional places to stay.
Rich Henry at the Rabbit Ranch had recommended that we stay at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari. It is a much-photograped place, but staying there is entirely more satisfying. When motels ( originally called Motor Courts) originated in the thirties, the style was to have a garage beside each room where your car was parked. The Blue Swallow is the best preserved of these, with some of the original garages. The rooms are original too, except that the beds are modern, comfortable with very good quality sheets. Outside each room are small fifties-style metal chairs and tables where guests sit out and drink their wine or beer and converse ...it is a wonderful atmosphere, and the owners are hospitable and good humoured. A definite, highly recommended 66 experiece:













When is the last time you used a functioning dial phone? They are in every room:



We ate at the Pow Wow Cafe, good because they shuttle you back and forward to your motel, food good for Mexican, steak disappointing. However, the pictures of staff and customers on the walls were interesting:







Early next morning it was time to go, and we found our first Porsche...right outside:






Route 66 was quiet as we departed:









an old Pacer



and more abandoned motels on the same route















The flatness continues:









SANTA ROSA

and we hit a kitschy but fun Route 66 auto museum



nice Auburn for sale for $45000.













Option 1 SANTA FE LOOP

We head up the loop to Santa Fe..











anta Fe even has Starbucks...
























OPTION 2 MORIARTY

When we took the direct route to Albquerque through Moriarty NM, we met Archie Lewis. Archie was sitting in his easy chair at the entrance to his warehouse, a fly swatter in his hand. His wife sat opposite in her easy chair. Behind him sat 40 cars inside, and 700 of his other cars outside. Covering acres, all sorts of domestic cars and trucks sit in a massive parking lot. Conditions varies from eminently restorable to scrap, but Archie likes them anyway. A man came up when I was talking to Archie and said" Congratulations on your collection, Mr Lewis. I have a 1923 Model T Truck,and need a rear fender". Archie smiled and easily said ""Kinda hard to find. those, and in any case I am not selling"….Archie sells nothing> He charges no admission either, but accepts a donation. He also has thousands of toys.











































ALBUQUERQUE

If you are not staying, there is a quick breakfast at Garcia's Cafe not far off the exit for Central Avenue:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/ROUTE%2066%202015/P4261171_zpsnptnkavc.jpg[/IMG]

On one trip Albuquerque was in a snowstorm, fairly routine by Canadian standards, but they do not use salt there, and the roads were lethal, Hard to believe that it was 88 the previous day.







Route 66 runs for about 17 miles through the centre of Albuquerque, although it can be rough at night. Manny's restaurant has good food but utilitarian interior








A brief stop in Albuquerque on another trip was worthwhile as we lunched at the Route 66 Diner, originally a gas station, but with good diner food:












BUDVILLE

The hamlet of Buddville is names for Bud Rice who had the trading post here and named the place after himself. After many years here, old Bud was gunned down by desperadoes in a botched robbery. The trading post, now closed, still stands.






mccartys


GRANTS

The town of Grants NM was once a centre of Uranium Mining and had a wide stretch of 66. Today, there are many abandoned motels and it is a little forlorn, but it has great period signs, including the surviving sign of the Uranium Cafe, now a fairly good burger joint....













CONTINENTAL DIVIDE


GALLUP
Gallup is a railroad town and also has a lot of 66 history. The Railroad and the street are parallel, and 24 hours a day the trains rumble through, horns blaring. There are numerous motels and hotels, but the best is El Rancho, Founded in 1937
by a guy called Griffiths who used the celebrity of his brother, the legendary director DW Griffiths to attract movie stars. Each room is named after a movie star. Amusingly, when Mr. Griffiths died it transpired that he had no blood relationship whatsoever to DW Griffiths. Now owned by Armand Ortega, this charming gentleman sits like a Don on the front porch and people come to visit. Beggars know him by name and he seems to have a roll of dollar bills as they give him a slight bow. The rooms are not modernized. Late time I stayed I had a Great Dane and a Poodle, so my room was clean, but a little tired. I joked with the receptionist that there might be a better room this time. "Well", he said " it'll cost you".

"How Much?"

$53 extra.

That's how I ended up in the Ronald Reagan Presidential suite











Armand Ortega- proprietor was a lovely guy, sadly passed away in 2015.












Gallup is famous for its trading posts and pawn shops. The most famous is Richardson's which has very high quality stuff, though if you want an Albino bison they will oblige:
















Cheap motels abound...and not that much changes:

Here is a shot from this trip and one from 1995
2013




1995


There are some great surviving signs here:


















The dogs had a look at John's used cars:

Ronan

Arizona is very rich in Route 66 lore, and had some of themost magnificent scenery on the entire journey.


PAINTED DESERT NATIONAL PARK

So called because the sky and ground interact to often give the impression that the desert had been sprayed with colour. Route 66 ran across the park, but has ben pulled up. A marker commemorates it, though there is a complete abandoned trading post and an abandoned, crumbling stretch of 66 out there which I have not yet been able to locate.





The Painted Desert Inn, once a hostelry, is now preserved as an information centre







Once, Route 66 ran right through the Painted Desert. Now grown over, the shell of a car marks the site where millions of people once travelled…








Out there lies the abandoned and difficult, dangerous stretch of old 66, broken up and unmarked where the abandoned Painted DesertTrading Post stands. One day we will find it.

HOLBROOK

IN Holbrooke AZ sits the Wigwam Motel. Originally part of a chin of six, only two survive. The Wigwams are made of concrete and have survived very well. A variety of elderly American cars are scattered around the parking lot. Rumour has it that the rooms are not too comfortable, however.



A quite restorable diner sits abandoned there, and I also spotted a car that I can no longer remember..was it an Australian-built Ford Capri??.






GERONIMO TRADING POST

Coming into Arizona the usual tourist trading posts show up...Geronimo is one that has plastic tepees and lots of tat, mixing perfectly with magnificent and very real petrified wood:







Most of the petrified wood shops use plastic dinosaurs to attract buyers.....




WINSLOW

n Winslow AZ another Route 66 town, they have a corner dedicated to the Eagles song that begins " Standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona".....






and lots of tat here too...







METEOR CITY


TWIN ARROWS



FLAGSTAFF
We drove onwards to Flagstaff, where 66 ran right along the side of the track. We wait for the Santa Fe Intermodal train to go by:

















TWO SIDE TRIPS

(1) Monument Valley is a stunningly beautiful place at sunset, worth a stopover:






























(2) Sedona is just South of FLagstaff and well worth it for the scenery
















WILLIAMS - geteway to the Grand Canyon

Onwards from Flagstaff lies the gateway village of Williams. on the way to the Grand Canyon I think it was always touristy. It has the distinction of being the very last place in which Route 66 was decommissioned in 1974.
















The diner here is the real thing, dating back to 1963 and run by a brother-sister team, and dates back to 1963, with great road food:





GRAND CANYON SIDE TRIP
The Grand Canyon is a cliche, but no matter how much we have all heard of it, and even visited it, it remains an incredibly impressive sight. A mile deep, ten miles wide and over 200 miles long,it feels like the world's largest cathedral, and makes humans invisible. I have never photographed it well. It takes a lot more skill than mine.
We are staying at El Tovar, one of the very few hotels that sit on the Canyon rim. It is an old log structure with tiny rooms indifferent food, and a thronged lobby with day trippers. However, you can simply walk outside and you are right there on the rim.





People like to sit on the rim, which is unprotected. Now and then one falls in:




Here are a few shots:













If you are doing the whole area its only a few hours to Canyon de Chelly, a magnificent place to visit as a side trip:

We decided to detour to Canyon de Chelly, surely one of the most underrated sights in Arizona. The trouble with AZ and Utah is that there is so much to see, and much of it is bypassed by the tourist trade for time reasons. This canyon is on the vast Navajo reserve and can only be entered by vehicles operated by the licensed Navajo guides.

Link here:
http://www.nps.gov/CACH/planyourvisit/index.htm

The tour normally takes four hours by a short wheelbase Jeep Wrangler fitted with proper off road tires. The first part of the tour is across fine, flour-like sand, but as you get deeper there are gullies that require full time 4WD and sometimes take several run to get over.



In the Canyon the White House ruins data from around 11th century:





There are a few families still living there





..and other creatures:



The Fall colours, the cottonwoods, and the range of stone shades is amazing:





















About 15 miles into the canyon sits Spider Rock, an 800 ft tall freestanding tower, ofern seen in old Western movies, as was the whole area:






We were short of time,but this area demands a lot more exploration. All my pics were taken from a moving and very bumpy 4x4 so not nearly as good as they could be.

Back to the 66 trip..after Williams you come to:


ASH FORK
The first one, Ash Fork, is barely hanging on. Its main industry is flagstone mining, but once, 66 went right through town and things were booming. It has a magnificent hotel in the twenties which has since burnt down,as did much of the town. Yet, there are still traces of 66:

The old motels are partially abandoned:





The diner has been closed:




And so has the beauty salon:



Even the pawn shop was closed:






as was the barbecue



Many cars could be found:











and of course Obama is not popular here:



Not sure how long the DeSoto on the roof will be there:



Lots of buildings abandoned or for sale:



Heading out of Ash Fork there is a 20 mile unbroken stretch of the original Route 66 ..no towns are services but beautiful scenery








The locomotive engineer obligingly tooted the horn as I waved to him:






SELIGMAN
Seligman is there the whole Route 66 revival began, and has a lot of the original buildings. Nearly all are motels ,food, or souvenirs. ( which of course it was in its heyday)........






















































THRUXTON










HACKBERRY

The next stop was Hackberry, here there is a fascinating store, with a huge collection of derelict cars out behind it:




















West of HAckberry

You will find Giganticus Headicus, a fairly new 66 artifact.........






KINGMAN

Here, an old Santa Fe passenger loco sits quietly, long retired. Once, it stopped here. Weighing 468,000lbs it ran at 60 mph. This was not one of the glamorous streamliners, but a rural working passenger loco. Now, the old Santa Fe depot is still standing, nicely restored, but Santa Fe does not run passenger trains any more, and the giant freight trains do not stop as they pass the old building. Kingman is to remote to have been gentrified. The broad main street looks much as it did in the heyday of 66, and the local Kingman Club bar still offers shuffleboard. We stop for an excellent burger at Mr D's diner, which makes me want to trade the Cayenne immediately for a '57 Chevy convertible.

























OATMAN
Heading out towards the Western border, 66 becomes very hilly and remote, past the single building of Crystal Springs into Oatman. An old mining town which was abandoned, the local burros from the mines have gone wild and still wander the town which was revived as a tourist destination. The Oatman hotel was the honeymoon destination of Gable and Lombard, but no longer offers accommodation. It is now a bar:

















TOPOCK

Travelling West to California, Route 66 no long exists. The bridge that was the entry to California on 66 still exists but is not used for a pipeline. Here, during the Depression, California stopped the migrants and sent them back if they had insufficient funds. Now the only was across is on Highway 40.

Ronan

his section is substantially incomplete as that journey will only occur at the end of 2014. From Needles on the AZ border, old 66 snakes across the Mojave desert and into LA, passing through some of the most prestigious and less prestigious neighbourhoods until it ends in Santa Monica. In reality it did not end on Santa Monica pier of course, but a few blocks earlier. Still, there is so much mythology, and the road had so many changes of direction and rerouting in its life, so many changes of appearance, that it seems oddly fitting that even its ending is an invention…..in an amusement park.

THE BRIDGE ON THE BORDER

Now used to carry pipelines, this used to be the border with California, where migrants were turned back in the Depression and the Dust Bowl if they did not have $10. This is where The Joads went to the waters of the Colorado river below as they reached the land of Milk and Honey in the Grapes of Wrath.






NEEDLES

The first big town in CA and the last for miles. It is a good idea to gas up here. I have not explored it in depth and there are some very recent Route 66 attractions, so this will be updated. However, it did have the worlds greatest waitress in the Howard Johnsons diner, who insisted that McG Jr. have a Bloody Mary for breakfast.









( TO come…

Amboy, Newberry Springs, San Bernardino, LA, and much else)


MONROVIA CA

Here on 66 Sits the Aztec Motel, a great example of what is called Mayan Revival. At ht time of visiting it was under renovation. These kinds of unique, historic , non-chain places are an essential part of the lore of Route 66.










SANTA MONICA

The end of the line. Here, you can buy the T-shirt, eat an ice-cream, have a beer or just wander the souvenir stands. In front of you ,the Pacific Ocean. Of course the pier is kitschy..aren’t they all?
The 66 sign is mobbed by tourists, some just here for the day, others completing the 2448 miles of their journey. I run into a group of Japanese bikers who are here with their Harleys, happy to have completed the run from Chicago. Its a daily occurrence. How far it is from the desperation of the Depression, the casual optimism of the fifties, the Model Ts and Oaklands, the pickups and the huge fins of the fifties to now, when many of the people doing the trek are foreign visitors. Yet, 66 continues to attract, to make new stories, and to allow people a journey through multiple climates, regional cultures and history, and to feel something of the open road.














Here ,for the very **** is the very specific, historically correct end to Route 66 in this video:



As Hunter S Thompson once said in his Gonzo days:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

shinrai

Awesome! Thanks for the details Ronan. Funny you posted this when you did because I bought the EZ66 book off Amazon earlier that morning. We're doing the drive in mid August. I need to fix my air conditioning before we set off.

Ronan

Make sure you buy the 66 map set also..it is essential for planning purposes. I am never without it, though mine are now covered in marker ink, arrows and grime.

goatfarmerdave

I spent over an hour going through this today! Thank you so much for the detail and all the amazing pictures.I can't imagine how long it took you to put this together.Just amazing! Thank you so much.

ronole

Fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to post this.

3.2please

enough americana in this thread to last a lifetime! looks like some shots of Phil there. Miss seeing the gt3 down in the parking garage. nice writeup!