Driven Route 66

[Markuus]

Hello All,

New to the post-- tried on pure sports car, with minimal discussion. Me and my little girl just finished driving route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica (Started from Rhode Island!). 3k straight on the Elise is great, as long as you avoid really ripped up stretches of the mother road- always had a friend on the trip (except for Corvette/ Viper guys, they think we are the anti-Chr***).

If anyone is planning on going I have some tips, and if anyone has any questions about 16 hour days let me know. Had to stop off at Scottsdale Lotus for a new clutch. Also, I dropped in the Lotus Sport ECU.

Take car all, and now that I am out here let's get going...

all the best,
-m

Force fed, Tuned Headers, bits and bobbles.

[yeahiknowiam]

Originally Posted by Markuus

Hello All,

New to the post-- tried on pure sports car, with minimal discussion. Me and my little girl just finished driving route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica (Started from Rhode Island!). 3k straight on the Elise is great, as long as you avoid really ripped up stretches of the mother road- always had a friend on the trip (except for Corvette/ Viper guys, they think we are the anti-Chr***).

If anyone is planning on going I have some tips, and if anyone has any questions about 16 hour days let me know. Had to stop off at Scottsdale Lotus for a new clutch. Also, I dropped in the Lotus Sport ECU.

Take car all, and now that I am out here let's get going...

all the best,
-m

Force fed, Tuned Headers, bits and bobbles.

Took quite a bit of 66 when I picked up my Exige... The route through Oatman was insane.

[Randy Chase]

Planning on doing it next year, I would appreciate any tips! Thanks.

[Markuus]

The Oatman is West of Flagstaff-- and a really sweet stretch of 66 (I grew up in AZ). East of Flag is touch and go. You need to be really brave and hit all the photo ops along the way in AZ.

The Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook AZ is the teepee hotel that inspired the cars movie (you really sleep in a cement teepee like the cones in the movie). There are also some other spots in the movie you can shoot.

Missouri has the best twistys for the whole trip, while New Mexico looks just like the toon. I had a lot of fun playing with the Muscle Guys on the twisty's.

Hands down-- to do the 66 you MUST HAVE "EZ66 Guide" by Jerry Mclanahan. Along the route stations also knew of it and recommended it. I had three books and it is the sweetest "mapped as you go" plan of any. Seriously it is the book to have. He drew all sections from start to finish with all major attractions.

Northern Ill, West OK, and East AZ are to be watched. Missouri is the coolest (and most emotional) of the 66 stretch. You will drive two lane roads made of cement in long forgotten canyons, full of empty ghost buildings from the 30s.

All the best and take car,
-m

[nvrblu]

Originally Posted by Markuus

...
Missouri has the best twistys for the whole trip, ...

I grew up in Springfield, MO, not far from US-66, and traveled along it many times before I-44 was completed. My first white-nuckle, and probaby most terrifying driving experience was on a stretch of 66 between Fort Leonard Wood and Rolla. I was 18 and decided to drive 500 miles to Seymour, IN, to visit a buddy from HS (and a couple of girls I had gone to HS with along the way ). I started several hours before sunrise on snow-covered highways. On the interstate, one lane was clear while the passing lane was iced. When I-44 reverted to an old stretch of US-66, the entire road was iced over.

When I hit the ice, I made the mistake of downshifting from 4th to 3rd in my 68 VW at about 50 mph. The car spun 90 degrees CCW as I slid down the road, downhill, around a curve, headed for a bridge. It finally stopped about halfway across the bridge (one of the old iron truss bridges). I managed to drive the rest of the way across the bridge where I stopped the car and just sat for 10 minutes!!! (December, 1972)

[luxige]

Did you post a blog of the trip, Markuus?

[Transonic]

I did that trip but started in Detroit... and it was in a Ford... It was cool. I guess I'm just a city guy but there wasn't much to see IMO. Once I got to New Mexico did the scenery start to pick up. A lot has to do with who you drive with. I wanted to make more stops, take detours and more pictures but she didn't.

It's a great experience and I recommend it to everyone.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

I will be making the same trip in the spring, but I plan to cut south somewhere in AZ and head for Mexico. I've had some momentary doubts about whether I really want to use the Elise for the trip.. but of course I will.

[RacyTracy]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Planning on doing it next year, I would appreciate any tips! Thanks.

Randy.....Do you have any idea what weeks you might do this? Also, anyone wanting to have their cars or anything shipped here, I can probably handle things on this end.

[nvrblu]

My mom, her parents, and family made the trip from the San Fernando Valley to Missouri and back several times in the 1940s: fear of Japanese invasion -- drive to Missouri; war over -- move back to California; great-grandmother ill -- move back to Missouri; a couple of trips after that to visit extended family. They took the southern route one time (US-60) -- scarriest roads were from Show Low, AZ to Superior, AZ (Salt River Canyon and Diablo Canyon -- especially Diablo Canyon when the brakes started to go out).

[yeahiknowiam]

Jerry's book is a must-have. Don't even attempt the trip without it. You'll miss everything.



Here is a clip of the movie we made and few pictures of our trip over the summer.

The video starts on our way to Oatman (traveling east) and ends up on the other side of it. (sorry about the poor quality, iDisk space is low)
Embed feature isn't working... Click here.



Driving toward Oatman, I parked on the wrong side of the road to get some pictures for nearly 2 hours, and we never saw another car.








Ed's Camp


2 Guns Ghost Town & Abandoned Mine












Seligman, Arizona

[holmz]

Did 66 from mid tx to LA.
My daughter wanted to drive so I got a bubblegum cigar and sat her on my lap for about 10 miles. (HTis wa about 12 years ago in a different/bigger car).
State troopers went by.
Daughter returned to passenger seat.
But she still remembers.

[Green Ghost]

Just found this thread.
Nice pics Markuus, looks like fun.
Route 66 is one of those “I want to do that one of these day” things.
Now that there’s a place in NM I need to get working on one of these days I may take this way soon. (from CA to NM)

Randy when do you thinking you may be doing this? Maybe share a lag of the trip.

Kevin

[Randy Chase]

I will start a thread on it at some point. My plan is to do it on the way to and/or from LOG28 in Indianapolis.

[JimG]

Nice photos! I took a drive from Flagstaff to LA last summer, and saw many of the same places. Made a little detour to see the Grand Canyon. It's actually difficult to find what's left of old Route66. You definitely need a good guide book.

[JoshS]

My restaurant is on rt 66 in Pasadena. Would have bought you a meal. DId you see the Tee Pee motel as you were driving through San Bernardino? Classic

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by JoshS

My restaurant is on rt 66 in Pasadena. Would have bought you a meal. Did you see the Tee Pee motel as you were driving through San Bernardino? Classic

Actually, it's in Rialto. For a while, it was showing X rated movies in the rooms - I imagine they rented them by the hour. Hopefully it went back to being a motel again...

I finished growing up in Rialto - my brother still lives there...