My Trip, A year in the making...... well, next year ;)

[Khyron]

Well, where to begin.... When my wife celebrated he 40th birthday, hey and 4 good friends of hers went to Vegas for a girl's only week, and had a blast... she always wanted to do that.... fast forward...

We where talking about what would I like to do for my 40th? well, I guess for Guys it's a bit different because I could care less about my up coming 40th <3 more years...you do the math> so I figured it would be a good excuse to come up with something and have a little me vacation.... but what to do...

I thought long about what would be my story? What could be my adventure.... and then it hit me... but I would have to call 1 good friend... and he's in.

I am planning on taking a road trip... Chicago to LA.... sounds familiar? Yep, I want to drive the entire historical Route 66. So here are the rules.

1. We will fly to Chicago, and rent a convertible... any convertible.. <gonna try for a mustang>
2. we will point it west and drive. the only rule... never....EVER leave rt 66... well, maybe for a tourist trap.

Now I understand that Route 66 has been decommissions and that most of it is renamed. However, there are a lot of books and web site that give a turn by turn route for it...

Figured, an average of 60 mph, Trip is 2500 miles, 10 hours driving  <5 hours each> will give us 3000 miles in 5 days, plenty of time to screw around and do the site seeing stuff while we're on the trip spend as much time in LA as we can, drop the rental off and fly back home...

Sooooooo.... Advice on where to stop? My books and maps will be here next week, then we will plan the stops.

[ChgrSteve67]

This is the best place to start
http://www.historic66.com/forum/index.php

Lots of advice and hits on where to stop and where to not.
Its got turn by turn instructions and a fourm to ask questions from people that have made the trip.
Watch out for the morons that have never made the trip but think they are experts.

I plan on taking route 66 back from the 45th Birthday of the Dodge Charger get together in IL 2011.

I plan on taking a side trip to the Grand Cayon.
Wife has never been there and it definately should be on your list of places to go before you die.

Hope this helps.

-Steve

[Khyron]

I've been to the Grand Caynon, and Meter Crater... both of witch I am going to see again 

[chargergirl]

Call Guy Fieri? from Diners, Drive-In, and Dives and maybe you guys could do a show together. Ever see the old car he's driving...what's the worst scenario...he doesn't answer? Stop at all the DDD's down Route 66...and that way you have someone else taping the whole vacation.

[skip68]

Can I come ?.  You need a guy to run the camera. Lol...

[Back N Black]

Sounds like a great trip, but i think you should do it in the Charger! 

[bakerhillpins]

Sounds like a great trip, but i think you should do it in the Charger! 

Yea, that's the first thing that came to my mind as well. That and wondering what I need to do to become your friend.   

[Darkman]

You're gonna have to stop in Radiator Springs. I hear there are some cool cars there 

Sounds like a good trip! Have fun! I think you should look at driving an old school muscle car (if they have enough fuel stations along the way)

[elacruze]

We've already decided to make the same trip in '11...tell me about the Charger gathering?
I'm taking Old Dixie Highway from Florida to Michigan, visit family then bounce to Chicago and do Rte. 66. We will be making some side trips though.
I'd like to be able to schedule the Power Tour, Carlisle, and Silver State Classic around this trip but haven't looked at the scheduling yet.

All in the Charger.  

Wouldn't suck to see a convoy.

[derailed]

My father use to live in Albuquerque, Been a long time but Ive been on a lot of that journey. You'll have a blast. Theirs a big junk yard in Socorro NM that's a little off your travels but had a ton of old muscle cars last time I was there 20 years ago. Always wondered what it looked like today, probably all picked over or not even there anymore. Have fun!

[BrianShaughnessy]

Congrats and good luck my friend.   

Sounds like an excellent start to a mid-life crisis   

[stripedelete]

Route 66, or what's left of it, will be there when your 70.

It's your 40th.   Sneak into Cuba and go nuts.

......just a thought.......

[68blue]

Sounds like a great trip! Looking forward to the day I can get my Charger on the road.

[66FBCharger]

Sounds like a great trip. Keep us posted on the details. The wife and I are taliking about making the trip when we retire (about 20 years from now). We want to make it in her 73 Cuda.

[Khyron]

hehe thanks, still a lot of planning. I only have a week and it will take 4 - 5 days driving, so if I take the Charger there wont be time for a return trip hehehe anyone in CA want to buy my car so i can get home?

some day I may take it, but the Charger will come...in a way, Im building a small model of it and will take it with me lol

[chargergirl]

Ya know there is also train trips that you can board your car to the destination and both get off and back on if need to...OR start the trip from the destination and drive home! check it out on AMTRAK:

www.amtrak.com

Thought about this when mom was still able to travel.

[Rolling_Thunder]

When you get to LA - drop me a line - There is usually a ton of things going on around here...       

[PocketThunder]

wait a minute... you have a sugar moma?!!   

[chargergirl]

wait a minute... you have a sugar moma?!!   

NOOOO...when my actual Mom was able to travel...she wanted to spend every dime she made on the sale of the house on travel and see the world...or at least America and take a cruise!

[Khyron]

heheh good idea

Well, got my frst book in today about the trip, still waiting on a few more

[PocketThunder]

wait a minute... you have a sugar moma?!!   

NOOOO...when my actual Mom was able to travel...she wanted to spend every dime she made on the sale of the house on travel and see the world...or at least America and take a cruise!

not you, khyron.

[Khyron]

yes, yes I DO have a sugar moma How do you think my charger got done so fast LOL

[Khyron]

hmmmmmmmmm, looking around at car rentals, it seems as though it would be cheaper to ship a car back from CA then to rent a car to drive to CA...

im seriously starting to think..... The Charger MAY make this trip. would be a lot of work to prep her, including a different motor... not sure I would want the 440 to make this haul.... though, I could build a nice 318 and install it with 2.76 gears just for this run.....

[PocketThunder]

hmmmmmmmmm, looking around at car rentals, it seems as though it would be cheaper to ship a car back from CA then to rent a car to drive to CA...

im seriously starting to think..... The Charger MAY make this trip. would be a lot of work to prep her, including a different motor... not sure I would want the 440 to make this haul.... though, I could build a nice 318 and install it with 2.76 gears just for this run.....

My slant 6, 69 Charger 500 i had got 22 mpg with a 3:54 dana in the back.   

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,30500.0.html

[Khyron]

I'm thinking the 318 and the 2.76 would be an easy change over. I already havethe trannie, drive shaft, motor mounts, and rear end from when it was originally like that... I'm a pack rat, I'm thinking I'll need to upgrade the steering, suspension, and a few other things to make sure she's sound for the trip, including a bigger radiator.

maybe I can get a sponcer for the trip.... you never know, it's going to be well documented, me and my buddys <we have a 3rd guy thats going> are planning an on the road blog, video, and update site....

On the trip there is an old building <I bought a ":rt 66 adventure handbook> that was used in the filming of "Easy Rider" it's still there. So Im thinking if I take the Charger, it would be awsome to park there and get some pictures. there are a ton of vintage gas stations and such as well.