Get Your Kicks on Historic Route 66

Deya

Deya

SF UIP
Location
USA West
Have you ever been on it? Tell us about your trip and experiences. I made the entire route once and many times the run from Texas to Arizona. I traveled it in the 50s on family vacation and again in the late 60s by myself. I did it for the last time, in the 70s. Post anything you want that deals with the old Route 66.

Route 66, also known as the "Mother Road," is one of the most famous highways in the United States. It stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, covering a vast landscape of the American west.

Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926. It was one of the original highways in the USA Highway System, designed to connect rural and urban areas.

Originally, Route 66 spanned approximately 2,448 miles, crossing eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

 

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Driven it many times from L.A. to Oklahoma and Missouri and then Chicago to L.A. Both old route and parts of the interstate.
Loved it better in the 60's when there were more native trading posts and the tribes would come out in native costume and dance.
Don't see much of that anymore.
 

When my family moved from Michigan to New Mexico in the 70s we drove all the way. The old two lane route 66 was still off to the side and some the bill boards were faded but still up. While driving my Dad told us the history of route 66. We could almost see the cars. Great trip. The unique old motels and attractions.
 
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iu
 
When our friend from England came over to get a rte 66 tour of the US he could not get over how we'd drive 1,000 miles in a day and still had such great radio connection. We didn't have the heart to tell him it was satellite. We drove from Chicago to L.A. then up to Vegas then northern route back to Chicago. He was quite impressed with all the different land masses. Trip of a lifetime for him.
 
Several years ago, we were checking out some notable stops along the way, like Amarillo and Albuquerque (both of which we enjoyed) and I saw Tucumcari on the map.

What a great name! Gotta go there! So we did, and regretted it. What a depressed and depressing place. Life passed it by and there was an air of despair hanging over it. They did have one really good place to eat, though.

It was interesting to see bits and pieces of the original highway alongside the interstate, though.
 
jujube said:
Several years ago, we were checking out some notable stops along the way, like Amarillo and Albuquerque (both of which we enjoyed) and I saw Tucumcari on the map.

What a great name! Gotta go there! So we did, and regretted it. What a depressed and depressing place. Life passed it by and there was an air of despair hanging over it. They did have one really good place to eat, though.

It was interesting to see bits and pieces of the original highway alongside the interstate, though.
Click to expand...
Tucumcari wasn't a choice destination, but Gallup was the worst back in the late 60s early 70s. The Blue Swallow in Tucumcari still stands, one of the last of the old 66 motels.

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