We planned on doing this after my wife Sue retired in June, 2013. But it just wasn't until April, 2014 that we could finally hit the road (in between my wife's "other" retirement trips!).
This was the 1st time in over 30 years of marriage that we would be together on a vacation for 12 days, and just the two of us. It also meant that our partner in retirement, Chester (our dog), would have to "go it alone", in a kennel - something he has never had to face. But we were both ready to "Get our kicks on Route 66."
Preparing for the Trip
Day 1 - Waterloo, IA to Rolla, MO
Our 1st day journey took us on the metro St. Louis route.... The Route 66 route actually had a couple different versions thru many areas on the trip, the "pre-1930's route", and the "post-1930's route". Most times, we opted for the "pre-1930's" route. Traffic was fairly hectic in the St. Louis area (I only ran one stop sign), and it wasn't until we reached the Route 66 State Park, near Eureka, MO that the traffic lightened up. We committed to trying to get in walks every day of our trip, and this park had a good 2 mile route for us to enjoy the Meramec River and stretch our legs. ABOUT THE ROAD: The routes we planned took us on the original road surface where it still existed. When it had been torn out, we followed service roads that passed as close to the original route as possible. Surprisingly, we probably only were on the Interstate Hiway for probably less than 150 miles of the complete route to Santa Monica.
One last stop before arriving in Rolla was at the "World's Largest Rocking Chair" (I'm a sucker for what they refer to as GIANT ALERT - oversize statues and attractions). Of course I caught Sue trying to climb on to it!
We finally arrived at our hotel in Rolla, MO about 13 hours after pulling out of the driveway in Waterloo. Of course we had to unwind and look back on the day's journey with a couple "cold ones" and a pizza in Downtown Rolla (home of Missouri University of Science and Technology) at Alex's Pizza Palace. Day 1 was a great start on our journey!
Day 2 - Rolla, MO to Edmund, OK
Our drive on Day 2 would take us thru three states (Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma), and include the major cities of Springfield, Joplin, and Tulsa, before arriving in Edmund, OK. Of course we couldn't start the day out without a stop to the local Donut King for our morning coffee and "breakfast to go".
Most of today's drive would include much of the original Route 66 road bed, and pass many of the still standing buildings and bridges. One of the 1st sights we came upon was the "Trail of Tears" Arch-Jerome, MO. The photo at the left looks considerably different than what the "Arch" looked like (see link). Its now on private property, and looks like its not being maintained much anymore (of course it is still early April, and the landscaping was just starting to show).
On a side road (closed due to bridge work) we found the "Elbow Inn". This iconic roadside bar is named after the "Devil's Elbow", a portion of Route 66 that curves along the Big Piney River. There used to be a small town here, but all that remains are a few homes, and The Elbow Inn. INTERESTING FACT: The Elbow Inn is famous for all the bras hanging from the ceiling. Tradition has it that if a female visits the bar, she leaves her bra (No, Sue didn't leave her bra, it was too early in the day and the bar wasn't open).
Our next stop was Marshfield, MO - Home of the Hubble Telescope Namesake. This was another GIANT ALERT - a replica of the Hubble Telescope, located in the town Square of Marshfield. (I couldn't resist a photo.). 
Another historic icon we came upon while traveling thru Springfield, MO was an abandoned SOLO Cup factory. Seeing the giant cup as the main entrance to the factory, and thinking about the hundreds of SOLO Cups that I have used in my lifetime, prompted my second GIANT ALERT photo of the day. According to the sign, its still for sale, for anyone thinking about investing in the "Beer Pong" craze.....
Back on to the road, we passed thru Spencer, MO,
As we approached Joplin, MO and the Missouri/Kansas border, we came upon the Route 66 Drive-Inn. This drive-in theater is still in
After Passing thru Joplin, we entered Kansas for a "brief" visit to the state. The 12 mile section included Galena and Baxter Springs. Along the route, was the Rainbow Bridge, west of Riverton, KS. This single-span concrete Marsh arch bridge is the last of this style that exists on the entire Route. UPDATE: in late April, 2014, tornadoes passed thru the Baxter Springs, KS and Quapaw, OK area. No word on the damage.
Our next stop was in Commerce, OK, where Bonny and Clyde murdered the police chief (April, 1934), and is home to "Commerce Comet" - Mickey Mantle. Commerce also had a restored Conoco Station, conveniently located across from an old Route 66 ice cream stand.
Day 2 came to an end in Edmund, OK. Almost 14 hours (~ 450 miles) driving and wandering. No time for a walk today, but couldn't pass up a couple beers and sandwich next to our hotel in Edmond, OK. We will sleep good!
Day 3 - Edmund, OK to Amarillo, TX
The third day of our Route 66 trip started off shakin' ... and I mean literally shaking! At approximately 2:15 am, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake centered approximately 12 miles north of Edmund rattled our hotel. Sue thought it was one of my "mid-sleep" leg jerks that happen occasionally... Of course, I slept thru it. But it started our Day 3 with some excitement!
Today's drive would start our transition to the open plains and long, straight road sections. The weather continued to be fabulous... clear, sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70's made the drive perfect.
One of the 1st Route 66 sights of the day was a restored (2011) steel truss bridge on the North end of Lake Overholser in Oklahoma City. (You'll learn that old architecture and bridges are intriguing to me).
From OKC we passed thru Yukon and El Reno, on our way to Clinton, OK, home of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. This was a GREAT stop! The several old photos and information about "Life of Route 66" along with old autos that frequented the road years ago. One of my favorites was the back half of an old station wagon. Definitely remember riding "back there", with the window down, on family vacations.
From Clinton, we continued on to Elk City, OK - Home of the National Route 66 and Trasportation Museum, which also includes an "Old Town Museum", the "Farm & Ranch Museum" and "Blacksmith Museum" (We only toured the Route 66 portion of the Museum Complex). Although interesting displays in this museum, it wasn't as enjoyable as the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, but well worth the stop.
From Elk City we continued on into the western
portion of Oklahoma and the panhandle section of Texas. Along this stretch was an abandoned section of Route 66, essentially overgrown with trees and weeds. This was a particularly interesting site for me... seeing the decaying concrete overgrown with trees and weeds, and imagining this section years ago.
Close to the Texas border is the town of Texola, OK. The town is now labeled as a "ghost town", although there are a few homes and businesses still inhabited. Not much there, but an old Territorial Jail still stands, in the middle of an open field.
Passing into the panhandle of Texas, we followed alot of Interstate service roads for Route 66. The landscape turned to expansive open spaces and few towns. Despite this, those towns along the Route still proudly display old, iconic buildings and sites. In particular, in Shamrock, TX proudly display the Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café. This old Conoco Station not only serves as a Route 66 attraction, but is utilized as visitor center, chamber of commerce office, and community center. 
A couple final sites on our journey to Amarillo included a GIANT ALERT - World's Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere in Groom, TX, and The Slug Bug Ranch - in Conway, TX. NOTE: when we asked where specifically the Slug Bug Ranch was, the convenience store operator made sure we were aware of the "rattlesnakes in the grass around the car bodies".
Our 3rd Day on Route 66 ended in Amarillo, TX. Not as much "on the road time" today - only about 8 hours. So we were able to find a local park with walking trails to help us stretch out and enjoy the beautiful Spring Texas weather, and then grabbing a relaxing dinner.
Day 4 - Amarillo, TX to Albuquerque, NM
Day 4 is a busy day, with lots of notable stops planned. The morning started out, like the previous mornings - Coffee and donuts to go, today from The Donut Stop. The weather forecast was perfect again - sunny with highs in the low 70's. We hit it early, catching the sun rise over West Texas. A large portion of the original road follows the path of I-40, so much of our road was along the service roads on either side of the Interstate.
This section of the road also included the ever popular Cadillac Ranch. It was on the other side of the Interstate, and with it in the middle of an empty field, we opted to view it as we drove by.
Or first town of note was Vega (not many large towns in this portion of the Texas panhandle). Here we visited the Magnolia Station - a Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. (Check out the link to see the before photos of this station as compared to the one shown here). 
The next stretch of road to the Texas/New Mexico border paralleled the old Route 66 road bed, which no longer exists. In the open pastures beside our service road, the only remnants of the original road are some box culverts ove low lying spots.
From Adrian, the New Mexico border was only 22 miles, our sixth state of the trip. Once in New Mexico, the next "must stop" was Tepee Curios in Tucumcari. The storefront, in the shape of a tepee is a major attraction for Route INTERESTING FACT: While inside, we noticed an Iowa Hawkeye scented lamp that was lit. When we asking the proprietor about, she said "I'm from Fort Dodge, Iowa"! She shared that she and her recently married husband purchased the store a little over a year ago (after marrying in Tucumcari) and were in the process of moving their home to Tucumcari to run Tepee Curios.
Tucumcari had several interesting buildings and sites of the old Route 66 era. One of my favorites was this old sign and abandoned truck located on the western edge of town.
Our next stop was to check out "The Blue Hole" in Santa Rosa, NM. This unique attraction, located in the midst of Santa Rosa, is an old artesian well which was once used as a fish hatchery. The water hole, is 80 feet deep, and 80 feet in diameter (120 feet in diameter at the bottom). Many divers from throughout the United States visit.
The remainder of our day included taking an alternate Route 66 path up to near Las Vegas, NM, then over thru Santa Fe, before taking the "Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway", near Sandia Crest. NOTE: We didn't stop in Santa Fe to explore, as "my Navigator" has plans to visit Santa Fe in June, 2014 "with the Girls". The 2 lane back road passed thru scenic hills, and a unique shopping/tourist area along Hiway 14 and the small town of Madrid, NM. Looks like a great place to spend the day "wandering" if you are ever in Albuquerque.
After our ride thru the "Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway" we headed for the Sandia Peak Tram. Located about 12 miles north of Downtown Albuquerque, this scenic 2.7 mile aerial tram ride provides unbelievable views of 10,370ft Sandia Peak and the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Guess what.. it was "Closed for annual maintenance".Having driven to the tram anyway, we opted to hike some of the hillside trails on the side of Sandia Peak (Yes, for the adventurous, you can hike to the top). Definitely a site we will return to in the future.
Before heading to our hotel, a stop at the Sandia Resort and Casino was in order (afterall, it has been a few days since our last casino stop). A couple cold refreshing beers, and some slots seemed like a good way to wind down.
Day 4 was a great day. Our trip took us ~ 400 miles in about 9 hours of driving and sight seeing. Time to recharge and get ready for Day 5 of Route 66.
Day 5 - Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ
Day 5 started out by following the Route 66 option (pre-1937 alignment) which traveled South out of Albuquerque following the Rio Grande River, and then heading West along Hiway 6. After crossing back over I-40 we joined Route 66 for the portion which included "Dead Man's Curve", near Laguna Pueblo. Shortly around the curve was our 1st "photo op" of the day. Behind Sue is "Dead Man's Curve".
From here we continued on to our major stop of the day - Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum. The drive to Sky City provided another amazing view of New Mexico. This is the gateway to Acoma “Sky City”, the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America.
EDITORS NOTE: Although there is no power or plumbing running the top of the mesa, they are allowed to use gas generators. We could also see several "porta-potties' on the edges of the mesa.. with padlocks on each. Our guide shared that each family on the bluff shared access to the porta-potties, and thus the reason for the padlocks.
It was a really interesting tour. Check out the link to read more, and if you are ever passing thru this area of New Mexico, I encourage you to check it out.
The tour lasted over 2-1/2 hours, so it was time to push on to Arizona. Our next attraction was the Continental Divide. The Route 66 location is at Brannigan Park, between Bellemont and Parks, Arizona. The Continental Divide is a popular location and has been the site of numerous trading posts down through the years.
The route then led us thru Gallup, NM before putting us on I-40 for the drive into Arizona (the seventh state of our trip). Alot of interstate driving on this portion of the Route 66 journey. But the route did lead us into Holbrook, AZ, home of the "Wigwam Motel". In the web link you can read (and see) all about it. Today, it still looks like a site out of the 50's. Sitting on the bench outside a tepee was what looked like a mom, dad and son who appeared to be staying at the motel - mom reading a book, the dad looking at the old cars, and the son wandering around, looking bored to tears!From Holbrook, we jumped back on I-40 for a short drive to the Winslow, AZ - famous for the popular Eagles song "Take it Easy". Of course we had to be "standing on the corner", and check out "a Girl, my Lord, in a flat bed ford, slowing down to take a look at me...".
We hopped back on I-40 for the last leg of our drive into Flagstaff, AZ. If you have not been to Flagstaff, its a gorgeous oasis in the middle of a dessert. The City is located at 7,000 ft so the temperatures are noticeably cooler. The landscape is filled with Ponderosa pines, which give it a Northern US type of feel. It is also a major rail point in Northern AZ so you will find plenty of railroad activity in town.
Our day came to an end with dinner and beers at the Flagstaff Brewing Company, in downtown Flagstaff (across from the Amtrak depot). Next to the pedestrian shopping mall, it looked like a great place for residents to relax and enjoy the sites and sounds of Downtown Flagstaff.Another Day in the books. Day 5 took us approximately 380 miles and 8-1/2 hours of driving time. Tomorrow we will venture into the Golden State on our next to last day on Route 66.
Day 6 - Flagstaff, AZ to Barstow, CA
The 2nd to last day on our Route 66 Journey started off on another sunny morning, but with temperatures in the upper 30's. Most of the day's driving would be on original Route 66 roadway, and alot of desert scenery, but the 1st portion took us thru the town of Williams, AZ. This is the Southern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway. The setting is similar to what you would see in the Rockies of Colorado. This town also embraces the historic Route 66, including Cruiser's Cafe 66, on W. Railroad Ave.
From Williams, we descended down into the flatlands, thru Ash Fork, Seligman, and into Kingman, AZ. All are railroad towns, as Route 66 follows the main East/West railroad tracks of the Southwest US.
Kingman, AZ is also home to another Route 66 museum, housed in an refurbished old Kingman Powerhouse, built in 1907. 
From Kingman, our journey led us on the old Oatman-Topock Hiway, through notorious Sitgreaves Pass of the Black Mountain Range. This is the most intimidating portion of Route 66, with its steep grades, narrow road, and sharp hairpin curves. Along this route up the hill, sits the Cool Springs Camp and Filling Station Museum.After crossing the Sitgreave Pass, and while winding down the mountain is Oatman, AZ, an old mining town now converted into a tourist destination. Tourist stores abound and many tourists have pasted autographed one-dollar bills on the walls and ceiling of the Oatman Hotel's bar and restaurant.
On the road leaving Oatman, we were stopped by a few "tourists" wandering the area. Of course, they had to take a look thru the window at my Navigator's equipment.Once down from the mountain pass, we crossed the Colorado River near Topock, AZ and crossed into California, the eighth state of our trip. EDITORS NOTE: One thing we learned quickly on this portion of the Route, was to make sure you make gas and bathroom breaks whenever they appeared. In this portion of the country, towns (and filling stations) are few and far between.
Needles, CA was the last stop before heading across the Mohave desert. Again, much of Route 66 in this area followed rail lines. I think we counted over 12 trains we followed/passed during the day. All appeared to be 1/2 to 1 mile long, and filled with double decked containers. Its amazing to think of all the freight that is transported every day along these tracks.This section provided long (and desolate) stretches driving, but with amazingly beautiful scenery. We connected back up with I-40, for the remaining 50 miles to Barstow, CA, on the interstate.
Day six ended with our usual Sunday nite pizza at the Route 66 Pizza Palace... a good old family pizza joint.
Total miles traveled from Flagstaff, AZ to Barstow, CA was approximately 440 miles and about 8-1/2 hours of drive time.
Day 7 - Barstow, CA to Santa Monica Pier, CA
At approximately 11:30am, we pulled into the Santa Monica Pier parking area, and head up to the Pier, for our official photo at the end of Route 66. We celebrated with a Margarita and nachos at Marisol's on the Pier, while enjoying the sights and sounds on the Pier. As with the rest of the trip, the weather was perfect - clear blue skies and temperatures in the 60's. A great way to finish up!
Seven days, approximately 2,400 miles, and eight states on our memorable journey. It was all we had hoped it would be.
People ask, did we get to see everything? Was seven days enough time? Would we do anything different? Our answers are that the seven days allowed us to experience the real Route 66, and see the sights that it has to offer. Did we get to see everything, no, we didn't. The purists would have stopped at many more sights along the way. For us, the stops and the side trips we enjoyed were just right. Not sure we would do anything any different. However, it did open our eyes up to other spots we would love to check out that were nearby the Route. Places like visiting the cities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Flagstaff, touring the Grand Canyon, and getting out and hiking more of the natural sights along the the way.
Bottom line...the Route 66 Journey is a "must do" in my mind. If you can do it, DO IT!
I have shown a fraction of the photos taken on the trip (over 800 taken). This link will take you to a web album with what I thought were the most interesting of the trip (approximately 207). If oyu have time, check it out!
2014 Route 66 Trip Photos
Post Route 66 - The Return to Iowa
For those of you not interested in our adventures on the way back to Iowa, this is a good place to end. However, our twelve day vacation still had 5 more days (and another 2,300 miles to travel) before it came to an end.
From the Santa Monica Pier, we traveled to our hotel in Thousand Oaks, Ca, but not before seeing a few Southern California sights. No. 1 on the list was the Hollywood sign. Boy, you'd think there'd be signs directing you to a nice observation area somewhere below it, for tourists like us to grab photos. Nope! We headed up into the residential hillside, looking for a park or hiking area where we could snap a quick photo. After 30 minutes of fighting narrow residential hillside roads (and a couple wrong turns) we were able to find a place - complete with a couple guys and their dog (one guy was relieving himself, and the other was trying to get his dog to "pose" on the trunk of his car for a sign photo).
From here, it was time to go check out Malibu. Boy, that was a job! Took us at least 30 minutes to get back down to the Santa Monica Pier where we hopped on the Pacific Coast Hiway to Malibu. Not what I had envisioned. Beach access was very limited, and the residences were crammed together along the edge of the hiway. There were great views of the Pacific Ocean, but just way too crowded for my Midwestern tastes.
We decided that we had seen enough of the LA area, given it was 3:30 pm, and traffic was only going to get worse. Day Seven came to an end. Total miles traveled from Barstow to the Santa Monica Pier, and back to the hotel was approximately 220 miles and 7-1/2 hours of driving.
We decided that we had seen enough of the LA area, given it was 3:30 pm, and traffic was only going to get worse. Day Seven came to an end. Total miles traveled from Barstow to the Santa Monica Pier, and back to the hotel was approximately 220 miles and 7-1/2 hours of driving.
Day 8 and 9 - Thousand Oaks, CA to Las Vegas, NV
Our trip back to Iowa included a day and a half stopover in Las Vegas. Our mission on Day 8 was to travel to Las Vegas, with a stop at the Hoover Dam for a tour. It seemed strange to get on the Freeway and just drive. "My Navigator" didn't have to look at a map more than one or two times (I think I actually caught her napping a bit along the way).
We headed for the Hoover Dam first. In all our trips to Vegas we never took the time to take the tour. It was an amazing sight, inside and out. The new bridge crossing the gorge added a whole new dimension to the dam and its surroundings. Its amazing to imagine the construction of this marvel back when the construction technology was so basic. No lasers for determining locations, no huge bulldozers and earth-moving equipment, and living accommodations built in the middle of a desert. Amazing!
SIDENOTE: We learned that a couple hours after we had left the dam, a person took his/her life by jumping from the new bridge.
We made it to the New York, New York Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and checked in. This was our first time staying on this end of the Strip, so we had plenty of walking to do to catch up on all the latest changes, including a trip to Downtown Las Vegas to meet with a couple of great friends, and get caught up on the the "latest".One of the new spots in Vegas we checked out was "Container Park". This was a creative shopping district with stores made up entirely of shipping containers - food and drink shops, and a bunch of retails stores surrounding a playground area for kids. At night, music is playing as well. Definitely a unique idea!
The next day, we wandered down to check out the newest attraction on the Strip - the Linq. This is part of the renovation of the Imperial Palace and Flamingo Resorts, and includes the new High Roller - the world's largest observation wheel. For those of you who have been to the Imperial Palace, O'Sheas Casino, and the Flamingo, the areas has definitely changed... for the better!
For our last night in Vegas we grabbed a Mexican dinner at a Village Street Eatery in New York New York, and finished off with some ice cream. A brief but great visit to Vegas!
Oh, and if anyone knows Spanish, and can tell us what Sue won on the slot machine pictured, let us know!
Days 10, 11 and 12 - Las Vegas, NV to Waterloo, IA (via Colorado)
By now, the reality of the trip coming to an end was sinking in, and the desire to "get home" was starting to build. Day 10's drive was a long one - almost 800 miles and 12 hours (and a loss of an hour due to time change). Our route followed I-15 out of Las Vegas into Utah, connecting with I-40 into Denver, CO. There is some incredibly amazing scenery along this route. We made a quick diversion to Brian Head, UT to check out some property owned by our friends in Las Vegas. Man, I can see why they bought the lot!! I'd definitely serve as their caretaker if they need one!
The interstate route from Brian Head to Aurora, CO was filled with scenes like these. Many, many places that would be great to explore... someday.
We arrived in Aurora, CO about 7:30 pm and grabbed a quick dinner at Denny's (yes, Denny's. It was next to the hotel, and we were both too tired to look for anything else).
For Day 11, we took a side trip south, traveling thru Pike National Forest to check out area where I used to do trial riding on our motorcycles years ago, and on Colorado Springs. We traveled thru areas destroyed by fires a few years back. Its amazing to see the destruction, yet, also see the new vegetation that has already grown back.
We left Colorado Springs and cut cross country to Kearney NE for the night. By now, the camera had been put away, as the sights from our previous 10 days couldn't be matched ... and we were ready to get home.
Day 12 started at 6 am. We were anxious to get home, and pick up our dog Chester, who had been relegated to a kennel for 12 LONG days.... guilt had set in and we wanted to get him back home, with us.
I'll end this journey with a photo of Chester. He's back home, enjoying the best life has to offer, as did we on this memorable trip. Great memories, great times, and reinforcement that a married couple of 30 plus years can have fun and co-exist in a car for over 4,700 miles and 12 days! I've found "my navigator" for life! So, where are we going next? Stay tuned!~
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Resources for Route 66
The following are fabulous resources to use for planning and while traveling Route 66:
- "EZ66 - Guide for Travelers - 3rd Edition" - by Jerry McClanahan
- "The Route 66 Map Series" - Created by Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan
- "Route 66 Adventure Handbook - 4th Edition" - by Drew Knowles
(All can be purchased on Amazon.com)
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