Route 66 Travel

There have been several mentions of travel along the "Mother Road", Route 66. We are fortunate enough to live near enough to take either an easterly or westerly drive and just absorb the thrill of being on that historic highway. (Not like the PCH, or the Blue Ridge Parkway, or Trail Ridge Road, or ....... but it's what we have here.) Here are a couple of pics that just showed up in a lost camera. Left over from last fall, but I remember the ride well! Simply glorious! Anyone else have Route 66 pics they want to share?

Those photos taken along route 66 are great. Especially the one of the gas station. A route 66 tour from Calif eastwards would be a great trip.

Cal -

Cool pics! I like the composition in the petrol station pic. All white building contrasted by the matching red color of the gas pumps and your Speedy!

And a few more.
angela

Took a walkabout last year (actually a driveabout). Ran the spyder from Medford OR, down thru the Nevada desert, into AZ, across to CA and then north back home to Oregon. Wandered some 2500 miles. I camped most of the time. Definately need to pack economically for a camping trip in a spyder...

One of my favorite stretches was when I bailed off I-40 at Kingman and lost myself for a few hours on Route 66 to Seligman. It is the oddest sensation to step off the high speed interstate with busy signs, loud traffic, etc., and then to shift into slower gear on 66. You find all the tension easing out of your body as you curiously explore what the interstate has seen to bypass.

Their loss - your gain.
angela

Angela, I know that stretch from Seligman (locals pronounce it like SLIG man) to Needles via Oatman. The last twenty miles or so is all hills, curves and whoop-de-doos. It was my favorite part of the drive west. I would do it again in a heartbeat if it didn't take so damn long to get there!
Hoss

Angela / Hoss;

Doing the old sections of Route 66 is like driving through a time-warp. I dig those pics of the different points of interest (of which there are many).

Last time I was on that stretch of road (circa '77), we were headed East (to Minnesotta) in our '68 911S Targa with our 6-month old son (Colin) strapped in a bassinet in the back seat like luggage! Hmmm, that might explain his propensity for driving?

Ahhh, Jim, that you had kept that SWB "S" targa... There is one on ebay now at $140,000 and climbing.

angela

Angela - that's the story of my automotive history (possibly similar to many of my SOC colleagues on this site).

That '68 S was a grey market euro-car and the rear window had been converted to glass/defroster (WTF). Paid $4K for it in '75 and sold it in '78 for $5k (with blueprinted 2.2 911S engine).

The other cars I've owned that have crazy market value today;

In 1966 bought a '57 VW oval ($300) sold in '68 for $500. Current value >$25K

In 1972 I passed on a '58 Carrera (price $1,500 in rough condition) for a better deal on a cleaner '57 356 1600Super ($1,200). Sold the 1600Super in '74 for $2,500. You already know what those 2 cars go for now.

In '73 bought a beater VW 21-window ragtop bus for $500. sold a year later for $600. Current value $40-50K

In 1976 I passed on buying a friend's '58 Speedster for $18K. You also know what these go for now...>$110K.

In 1987 I passed on a '76 Ferrari 246 Dino ($23K) for a REALLY NICE '81 911SC ($19K). Mr. Enzo Ferrari died shortly after that, sending the price of collectable Ferrari's sky high. That car currently goes for $80-100K.

Oh well, c'est la vie! I love driving my Speedy!

Cal - I apologize for this heinous hijack!

And I thought I was stupid.....

You're not stupid. No matter what the other people here say.
angela

quote - Jim Ignacio

"In 1976 I passed on buying a friend's '58 Speedster for $18K. You also know what these go for now...>$110K"



Haha!! That's because the best thing that has ever happened to you was that year...right?! :p

Colin, I did not know your dad was a Steeler fan? Doh....

LMAO....

Speedster "D"

Gotta love the B.S. Nothing more special than your first born... until you have your second, and third..etc..

OK...I admit I'm stupid about cars...but I'm also COO-COO FOR COCO PUFFS!!WOOOHOOOO!

Speedster 'D', my brutha! - In '76 I couldn't spend $18K for a Speedster because I had already spent a lot of money for the adoption agency we were using! BWaaaHAAAA HAAAAAAA HAAAA (says the EVIL dad!).

Cal - wouldn't it be cool to organize some kind of Route 66 cruise - start at one end (East or West) and gather SOCers on the road as we progress on 66?! we could call it "356's for Route 66".

Jim, I'd jump at the chance to do that! Need to be mindful about the really hot summer days (my wife is NOT a fan of the 105 degree, 70 mph jaunts). However, October is a glorious month for travel AND the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is held at that time - something that I'm sure she'll up for.....

"In 1987 I passed on a '76 Ferrari 246 Dino ($23K) for a REALLY NICE '81 911SC ($19K). Mr. Enzo Ferrari died shortly after that, sending the price of collectable Ferrari's sky high. That car currently goes for $80-100K. "


Jim,
That one hurts me real real bad.

Mickey -

Know you and Ricardo (Impala) are Ferrari fans (F1), I appreciate your compassion.

The 246 was OK condition, body was straight but needed repaint and rubber. Engine needed a rebuild (engine bay splattered with oil - typical for this model) and the wheels were some aftermarket POS that I would have replaced with OEM if I could find (afford) them. So, it would have been another $25K on top of the $23K purchase. I didn't have that kind of disposable cash at the time.

So I went with the '81 911SC. It was in showroom condition and being a long-time P-car owner, it was a no-brainer. Gave that car to my wife who drove it for 10 years and put 200K trouble-free miles on it.

My buddy, who owns a Range Rover repair shop and does the work on my '91 Classic and '04 HSE, used to be the chief mechanic at Newport Beach Ferrari (SoCal). When I shared this story with him, he laughed Pepsi out his nose. He said "...the 246 Model was a serious POS, even worse than Range Rovers". He said the engine was crap and the tranny was crap and the electricals were crap.

I told him, if I had the money to do what that car needed - I would have BOUGHT it! I think you know what I'm saying!

Anyway, that's why I have this pic in my SOC file.

Peace - Out!

Well the site is back up and our stupid comments are back too.. LOL.. Jimbo you crack me up..... "adoption agency"... LMAO... and Colin... well....

"Speedster "D"

Jimbo, how far can we go out (East)on Hwy 66 and STILL make it back before the owls start howling... I think it might be very interesting to see where we could reach and head out too. maybe spend one night (Saturday) and drive back the next day again... just some food for thought...

Speedster "D"

Speedster 'D', my brutha -

If we were to pick up Route 66 to head East for an overnighter, we would pass through Barstow, Newberry Springs, Amboy and eventually Needles (where we would turn around for the return trip). So it would be mostly desert driving, hopping off & on the 40 Hwy.

Really uneventful driving until crossing into Arizona. We could find a more fun destination for an overnight trip (up through Malibu to Santa Barbara or something like that). Or even on one of the N. San Diego roads (to Julian or ?).

I'll work on something.

Jim, if you have the time and are going to be as close as Needles, you should consider taking Rt. 66 to Oatman, Az. Here is a link to a website, including a short video clip:

http://www.desertusa.com/oatman/du_oatman.html

I passed through on the way to Buena Park in '05 but didn't stop. It seems that I was in a hurry to get to Barstow for the overnight before continuing on to Buena Park. Why I was in such a hurry to get to Barstow remains a mystery to me. I probably would have been more likely to have spent some time in Oatman if I had not been traveling solo. The burros looked pretty horney, though.

Anyhow, it's worth a look.
Hoss

Hoss -

Thanks for that link! I saw that when I was surfing the net for Route 66 data. Looks like a very cool cruise. One of these days...

Barstow - at least you made it out alive!!

Peace - Out!

Jim,
After studying the map on the cruise to SoCal, the stretch of Rt. 66 that looked the most promising was from Seligman to Needles. I think I read somewhere that this is the longest continuous stretch of the mother road left. And it was great! Quiet, good quality two lane blacktop with almost no traffic, or much of anything else for that matter.

This was truly the highway that used to be. The road between Seligman and Kingman was dotted with closed down businesses and abandoned homes with a few brave folks toughing it out along what was once a great highway. The nostalgic feeling thinking about what remains and what once was certainly set my imagination whirling.

As far as Barstow goes, it was OK. It had a good car wash to spray off tons on insect carcasses and the Econo Lodge offered a first floor room that was "under construction." The walls had been patched and parts remained unpainted. It was packed with Harley riders, possibly on the way to Laughlin since there was a big event on the coming weekend. Thanks again guys, for the push you gave me required by a dead battery! And I'm sorry I missed my rendevous with Mark Ottero who had engine trouble the following morning and was running late.

As you can tell, I'm kind of bubbling over with memories of "the big trip west." Also, the more I write, the longer it will be until I have to start my housekeeping chores.....;-(

Hoss

Hoss -

Sounds like it was a truly memorable trip!

Hope our paths cross again soon (or at the very latest - Carlisle 2008).

Peace - Out!

Cal, those are gorgeous photos. Shots like yours and Angela's are practically recruiting posters encouraging people to get into this hobby.
For real, no kidding -- I look at those pictures, old ads in LIFE magazine and any other colorful or descriptive imagery -- when it's raining and I'm stuck with staring at my car out the window. Please keep them coming.
Jim's picture leaves a little something to be desired. There's no accounting for taste. :

The coast is cool too my Brutha.. whatever you think the ladies would enjoy the most, while we can still get in our own rides in and maybe even a sweet hand-rolled cigar to boot.. :-)

P.S. I enjoyed Julian last time we were out there, gotta love those five pound apple pies.. LOL..

Speedster "D'