Hi Folks,

Truly appreciate any tips on our trip which kicks off this July (2011) .....

Jettin in to Chicago, we then skip down to (Almost heaven) West Virginia, pick up a Pan Euro 13, then make our way to Chicago to meet up with some Kiwi Mates.

We will trace Route 66 - but I hear what you are saying - there are better roads to follow...but Route 66 started as the theme and we have the approach that we will readily venture away from there to see anything of interest. Seligman etc are a must we know.

There are 3 Couples teaming up here for the Route 66 portion, then Jude and I will deliver the Pan Euro back to WV taking an alternate route from LA.

I'd really appreciate any tips of what there is to see within striking distance of Rte 66 such as bike/car collections, anything motorcycling, a baseball game, concert, festival etc etc. We are in our 50's, enjoy a /wine and music.

Likewise any sweet return route suggestions would be awesome.

Many thanks in advance

Kiwi Pete

So July 26 leaving Chicago....

There is so much to see! I used to live in northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian reservation northeast of Flagstaff (which you will be riding through following route 66), so one suggestion is to get off at Route 666 in Gallup, New Mexico. It (Gallup)is along route 66 as well. The name has been changed to a generic number 491, but it still has signs designating the old number 666 U.S. Route 491 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There is not much scenic here, but it has plenty of shops/fast food/etc. so a stop would probably be in order anyway, and how many Route 666's are there in the world?

If you were adventurous, you could continue north on route 491 (666) and head west on route 264 to route 191 and head north to Chinle to see Canyon de Chelly (Chelly is pronounced 'shay'). Canyon de Chelly is a more intimate canyon than the Grand Canyon found a few hours west of here. The interesting part of de Chelly is following the road that straddles it (take the road to the right). Stop at the overlooks and each overlook gets progressively higher up in elevation. (the road to the left has overlooks, but those ones you have to hike a bit to see the canyon--do that side if you have time or energy).

You can get to the canyon if you stay on route 40 from Gallup headed west. There is a route 191 exit which will take you to the canyon as well, but taking route 666 and 264 to the 191 will take you through a more scenic route (and that might have been the old route 66 anyway parallel to Interstate 40).

West of Gallup and Canyon de Chelly will get you to Flagstaff which is a nice mountain town/city and definitely part of the lure of Route 66, and is one of the direct routes to The Grand Canyon from the east which you can skip after seeing Canyon de Chelly (you will see what I mean) but will probably see because it has been hyped up over all the years. I had seen it for the first time after having been to Canyon de Chelly several times and felt let down and ripped off (you have to pay to get in while Canyon de Chelly is free, unless that has changed since 2004?).

I don't remember much about Flagstaff as I went there to shop and stock up while living in a remote town 2 hours from Flagstaff. However, it is nice and has beautiful mountains all around. Once you head out of Flagstaff and/or The Grand Canyon, and back to Interstate 40, you could stop for a minute in Williams. West of Williams, you will hit the town of Seligman where you will want to follow a small loop of the actual old Route 66 which will take you back to Interstate 40. West of here is Kingman which you can run through into Las Vegas over the massive Hoover Dam. If you weren't planning Las Vegas, and continue on Interstate 40, look for the exit 95 in California (there is a route 95 in Arizona which only heads south into Lake Havasu). The route 95 in California is part of the old Route 66. From here on out, there are bits of the original Route 66 parallel to Interstate 40 which you can take until you hit Barstow. Once in Barstow (kind of like Gallup, and Kingman in their boringness, but again, all of them were part of Route 66) I don't know where you continue the final stretches of Route 66 into L.A. Hope this part helps...

Hey Simon - really appreciate your input - Brilliant info, - Cheers!

Pete

The Mother Road: Historic Route 66

Dit it way back in 2007 on a rented Harley.

Yuma Simon explained what's not to be missed, but on my side I'd add also Oatman in Arizona (nice Old West town that is quite touristy but pleasant for a short stop), that you find after the 66 becomes a twisty road on the Black Mountains.
If you are into history of our planet, stop also at fabulous and huge Meteor Crater right outside Winslow (a small town on the 66 where you can snap a picture beside the statue of the character in the famous song of the Eagles "Take it Easy"), then don't miss a small stop at the famous "Roy's Motel & Cafe" in the ghost town of Amboy, California on the road to Barstow: the gas station, at least in 2007, was not operating anymore and was working only as T-Shirt and water sale, but they had some limited gasoline inside jerry cans that was veeeery expensive.
Consider that the stretch of the Route 66 around Amboy is much desolate and deserted (seen the movie "The Hitcher" with Rutger Hauer of 1986? It was filmed there!) and there was no gasoline available if not at Roy's for many miles (but consider it only as an emergency fill-up possibility).
The '50s look of the Roy's anyway, is unbeatable!


Follow Yuma Simon's suggestion to visit the Canyon de Chelly: it's not so known as the Grand Canyon, but it provides fantastic landscapes and it will not take so much time to visit.


UPDATE: the Roy's Cafe now sells gas again, see here Route 66 Roy's: History.

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

Thanks Buddy

Excellent info Knight - thanks heaps

Shafty

Knight - I know the song, but the character? Is it of a Cowboy or someone off the album cover? Cheers - am a big Eagles Fan, Pete

Well, I don't remember exactly...

But the place is this, and here I am with "him"!

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

"Gotcha" Knight - thanks, great pic

Pete

Graal, thanks for chiming in about Oatman and 'Standin' on the Corner' which is part of the iconic Eagles song. If you did head to Canyon de Chelly from Gallup, you would miss Winslow. It is a tiny town and the iconic "Standin'..." is definitely part of the lure of Route 66. I have to admit, I have never been to Oatman, but there is a historic Native American vs. white settlers massacre associated with the town