Road Trip - NJ --> AZ
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"With the interstate highway, it is now possible to drive coast to coast without seeing anything."
Not sure who said that, but true.
I once drove from OK City to Wichita, up into NE, across MO, IL, IN, OH, WV without using the interstate. One of most memorable trips ever.
Stay off the interstate unless it is a "to get there" trip.
Not sure who said that, but true.
I once drove from OK City to Wichita, up into NE, across MO, IL, IN, OH, WV without using the interstate. One of most memorable trips ever.
Stay off the interstate unless it is a "to get there" trip.
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If you do the Route 66 thing, get a good book or dedicated map. A GPS would be handy too. I spent 30 minutes looking for the start of one stretch of 66 in Arizona because some souvenir hunter has stolen the sign.
Don't miss the section of 66 in Western Arizona that goes through Oatman, it's scenic and twisty. You expect to see Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner at any time. Oatman is an old mining town where you frequently see wild burros on the main street.
Mr D'z in Kingman is an old style diner with good burgers. A lot of car groups stop there.
If you go through Albuquerque, stop at the atomic weapons museum. It's something you won't see anyplace else.
Don't miss the section of 66 in Western Arizona that goes through Oatman, it's scenic and twisty. You expect to see Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner at any time. Oatman is an old mining town where you frequently see wild burros on the main street.
Mr D'z in Kingman is an old style diner with good burgers. A lot of car groups stop there.
If you go through Albuquerque, stop at the atomic weapons museum. It's something you won't see anyplace else.
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
"With the interstate highway, it is now possible to drive coast to coast without seeing anything."
Not sure who said that, but true.
And every place you stop for gas or food is the same.
"With the interstate highway, it is now possible to drive coast to coast without seeing anything."
Not sure who said that, but true.
And every place you stop for gas or food is the same.
What I would do is take the interstate for getting to the interesting bits, and getting away from the East coast, and then jump on to Rt 66 when you feel like seeing the scenic bits.
Then a while later you can jump back on an interstate. Going Rt 66 the whole way will take days longer.
Then a while later you can jump back on an interstate. Going Rt 66 the whole way will take days longer.
You can also take regular US highways and state highways a lot of the way that aren't a whole bunch slower than the interstates. They are a whole bunch more interesting.
JHZR2
Staff member
Id definitely yo the route 66 way... I80/90 to chicago as fast as possible, then enjoy the trip from there.
Originally Posted By: XS650
You can also take regular US highways and state highways a lot of the way that aren't a whole bunch slower than the interstates. They are a whole bunch more interesting.
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** Except through Missouri, state hwy's through Missouri are two lane windy roads that haven't changed one bit from Rt 66 for the most part. But lots of pretty scenery.
It is going through larger towns that kill you the most, where you have to sit through several traffic lights, contend with local traffic, especially through towns that were one stop towns 40-50 years ago and now are 6-7 stop towns.
You can also take regular US highways and state highways a lot of the way that aren't a whole bunch slower than the interstates. They are a whole bunch more interesting.
**
** Except through Missouri, state hwy's through Missouri are two lane windy roads that haven't changed one bit from Rt 66 for the most part. But lots of pretty scenery.
It is going through larger towns that kill you the most, where you have to sit through several traffic lights, contend with local traffic, especially through towns that were one stop towns 40-50 years ago and now are 6-7 stop towns.
Why are you stopping at the Ca border? You should keep going. When driving between Fenner and Ludlow imagine what that trip would have been like 70 years ago in a Model T. Heres some pics I took of that area last summer.
I was going to drive down to Arkansas from NY to check it out as a possible retirement area. When I looked at the actual distance I booked a flight and rented a car instead. I used to love long driving trips but as I get older (and more cynical) I like them less. I'm heading down there this week. Any suggestions as to the best places to look?
Chris, I've driven that road several times. I used to do some some test work outside Barstow.
What is that old 1956?? Dodge? It looks like the ex-CHP car a friend of mine had in high school in the late 50s.
What is that old 1956?? Dodge? It looks like the ex-CHP car a friend of mine had in high school in the late 50s.
Originally Posted By: jmac
Except through Missouri, state hwy's through Missouri are two lane windy roads that haven't changed one bit from Rt 66 for the most part. But lots of pretty scenery.
Missouri is scenic, but I'm not all that sure that Rt 66 exists anymore in SW Mizzou. Seems like I-44 is now dual marked as Rt 66, and it looks like a lot of the old road is just gone.
Hope I'm wrong.
Except through Missouri, state hwy's through Missouri are two lane windy roads that haven't changed one bit from Rt 66 for the most part. But lots of pretty scenery.
Missouri is scenic, but I'm not all that sure that Rt 66 exists anymore in SW Mizzou. Seems like I-44 is now dual marked as Rt 66, and it looks like a lot of the old road is just gone.
Hope I'm wrong.
Originally Posted By: pbm
I was going to drive down to Arkansas from NY to check it out as a possible retirement area.
Any suggestions as to the best places to look?
I am partial to Northern and Northwest Arkansas. NW Arkansas is the fastest growing and most prosperous part of the state. Pretty much the nicest scenery, too, with the Boston (foothills of the Ozark) mountains, although the Oauchita mountain region south of the Arkansas river valley is also very nice and rugged.
I don't care for Little Rock / central Arkansas at all.
Most of the state is very scenic except for the delta region along the Mississippi, at least IMO. Delta people might like looking at rice fields and swamps / sloughs, but not me. It's a very impoverished region.
I was going to drive down to Arkansas from NY to check it out as a possible retirement area.
Any suggestions as to the best places to look?
I am partial to Northern and Northwest Arkansas. NW Arkansas is the fastest growing and most prosperous part of the state. Pretty much the nicest scenery, too, with the Boston (foothills of the Ozark) mountains, although the Oauchita mountain region south of the Arkansas river valley is also very nice and rugged.
I don't care for Little Rock / central Arkansas at all.
Most of the state is very scenic except for the delta region along the Mississippi, at least IMO. Delta people might like looking at rice fields and swamps / sloughs, but not me. It's a very impoverished region.
I'm thinking about a trip to the Colorado mountains in late May, and driving would be a three-day marathon. If I were *moving* there (oh, frabjous day) I wouldn't mind a leisurely three- or four-day trip, but three days out and three days back? I'll have to fly to Denver or Colo. Springs. (And I hate flying.)
That said, if you have company to spell you at the wheel, a long trip is much much easier. Take your time going through Albuquerque; Route 66 there is Central Avenue, which runs all across the city from east to west, and is charming and historic.
That said, if you have company to spell you at the wheel, a long trip is much much easier. Take your time going through Albuquerque; Route 66 there is Central Avenue, which runs all across the city from east to west, and is charming and historic.
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
That said, if you have company to spell you at the wheel, a long trip is much much easier. Take your time going through Albuquerque; Route 66 there is Central Avenue, which runs all across the city from east to west, and is charming and historic.
It passes about 2 blocks from National Atomic Museum, where else can you see genuine deactivated nuclear weapons? Also passes the edge of the official Old Town.
That said, if you have company to spell you at the wheel, a long trip is much much easier. Take your time going through Albuquerque; Route 66 there is Central Avenue, which runs all across the city from east to west, and is charming and historic.
It passes about 2 blocks from National Atomic Museum, where else can you see genuine deactivated nuclear weapons? Also passes the edge of the official Old Town.
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