Route 66 suggestions

[hardrock]

 

Hello Fellow travelers

Having retired a few weeks ago (1/1/15) from a job traveling the world, I am now looking forward to picking up my new Ollie in February/March and seeing the US. I will do a few short trips from Alabama to nearby states. When the weather warms,(May-ish) I want to take a trip on Route 66. My father was in the Air Force and we lived for several years in California on Route 66. Our driveway was literally on Route 66 in Victorville, CA. We frequently drove back and forth on Route 66 from CA to AL, my mother’s home place, and breaking off Route 66 from east OK.

It appears from this Forum we have many members who have sojourned from the East to the West. I would like to tap your knowledge of campgrounds on/near Route 66. The nostalgic trip down early childhood memory lane would be greatly enhanced by your recommendations. I have the time and want to explore the many sights I have so wanted to see. Side trips to Monument Valley, Sedona and Vegas are high on the list. Other suggestions?

My return to Alabama will probably be traveling to some of the more Northern states as I travel home to Alabama. I have no return route plans after I walk out on Santa Monica beach. Suggestions?

I value your in put on Route 66.

Thanks

Hardrock

[ScubaRx]

Hardrock

 

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your recent retirement. I will be joining the ranks of the UN-employed the first week in October. Living in Alabama (right next door to us) you'll have plenty of great short trip opportunities. GSM in Eastern Tennessee, lots of places in North Georgia as I'm sure you're well aware. I would love to make that Route 66 trip, unfortunately it's not in our cards in the immediate future.

 

Member Pete Marks (bugeyedriver) made the entire Route 66 sojourn a few years back going from East to West. He will tune in here soon and probably offer up some sage words of wisdom about his trip. He's logged over a parsec in his 2008 Ollie (The Wonder Egg) so he knows a thing or two about traveling.

[bugeyedriver]

Hardrock,

 

Welcome to the forum and the Ollie clan! Congratulations on entering retirement, the next chapter of your life. You're gonna love it! After flying over this country for 30+ years, I started to roam around it slowly, pulling The Wonder Egg behind my Tacoma on secondary roads and seeing the land in a more close up, relaxed manner. Is is waaay better!

 

I joined a small group of wanderers back in 2010 and took Route 66 from the beginning in Downtown Chicago, to the end at the Santa Monica Pier, in California. It was a memorable trip that took about five weeks or so. We went slowly, only about 200 miles each travel day and stayed two nights at each location. This allowed time for seeing the local sights, grocery shopping, vehicle and trailer maintenance, and such. It was relaxing, educational, and downright fun.

 

As for campgrounds, the organizer planned for KOA stops because they were numerous along the route, and they were of a known quality. Although I would prefer more natural settings, KOAs were adequate. It was more about the journey and Route 66 memorabilia than the campgrounds on this trip. Some of us went rogue a couple nights and stayed at state parks for a nature fix. Here is my go-to website for the more natural campgrounds: http://www.uscampgrounds.info

 

There are several good source books for the Route you can find. In a few spots you will choose between routes due to changes over the years. Where the interstate system took over the traffic, we tried to remain on the parallel frontage road which was the original trail "back in the day". You will surely have a fantastic time, Hardrock.

 

I maintained a travel blog along the way. if you'd like to get a flavor of the trip, you can start here:

 

http://peteandthewonderegg.blogspot.com ... nning.html

 

While I haven't quite gone a full parsec yet, The Wonder Egg has crisscrossed this awesome country for 86,000 miles so far. The Route 66 miles were some of the most enjoyable.

 

Pete

[hardrock]

Thanks BugeyeDriver and ScubaRx

I made a quick trip today to check on the progress of my unit being built at Oliver. John Oliver, Robert Partee and all those at Oliver are certainly focused on customer satisfaction and quality.

Thanks for your reccomendations regarding Route 66. Although I have traveled it many times from 1950 to my most recent in 2008 with my wife, it was always sandwiched into a 2 week or less. This time is to enjoy, relive and not rush.

If anyone has experiences with specific campgrounds or sites on Route 66, please feel free to pass along. Like BugeyeDriver, I will look at venturing away from the maddening crowds

Thanks much

Hardrock