Topic: * Route 66 + northwest US road trip, 2011?

[knightfan26917]

Yes, I'm ALREADY looking to my 2011 road trip.

While I know about 2 car shows the last weekend of June 2011 in PA (GM Nationals, Carlisle; MC Nationals, York)...and the irony of the 2 shows being so close together with many people I know attending at least 1 of the 2 shows, it does not appear (at this point) that I will be able to go, due to lack of vacation time.  Instead, since I have yet to travel to the northwest section of the United States during any of my road trips, that is where I'm heading....


In early June 2011, I may have the opportunity to travel with a Route 66 friend of mine along part of US Route 66 from Chicagoland to Amarillo TX.  If that works out, the POSSIBLE itinerary is....

Saturday, 06/04/2011 ... Chicagoland to Springfield IL

Sunday, 06/05/2011 ... Springfield IL to west of STL Missouri
(possible going as far as Lebanon MO)

Monday, 06/06/2011 ... W of STL MO to Joplin MO

Tuesday, 06/07/2011 ... Joplin MO to Tulsa OK

Wednesday, 06/08/2011 ... Tulsa OK to Clinton OK
(potential side trip up to Wichita KS while we stop in Oklahoma City OK)

Thursday, 06/09/2011 ... Clinton OK to Amarillo TX

Friday, 06/10/2011 ... stay in Amarillo TX



From Amarillo, then, I will head to the northwest....  Unless I opt to travel a bit farther west across the southern US, THIS is the tentative outline for the rest of my trip....

Saturday, 06/11/2011 ... Amarillo TX - Denver CO
~9a-6p (10 hours), gain hour per time change
via I-40 W ... I-25 N

Sunday, 06/12/2011 ... Denver CO - Salt Lake City UT
~8a-5p (9 hours)
via I-25 N ... I-80 W

Monday, 06/13/2011 ... Salt Lake City UT - Sacramento CA
~8a-6p (11 hours), gain hour per time change
via I-80 W

Tuesday, 06/14/2011 ... Sacramento CA - Eugene OR
~8a-5p (9 hours)
via I-5 N

Wednesday, 06/15/2011 ... Eugene OR - Seattle WA
~10a-4p (6 hours)
via I-5 N ... US RT 20 W ... US RT 101 N

Thursday, 06/16/2011 ... Seattle WA - Butte MT
~8a-7p (10 hours), lose hour per time change
via I-90 E

Friday, 06/17/2011 ... Butte MT - Pierre SD
~7a-8p (12 hours), lose hour per time change
via I-90 E

Saturday, 06/18/2011 ... Pierre SD - Bismarck ND
~7:30a-11a (3.5 hours), w/1.5-hr stop for lunch
via US RT 83 N

Saturday, 06/18/2011 ... Bismarck ND - St Paul MN
~12:30p-8:30p (8 hours)
via I-94 E

Sunday, 06/19/2011 ... St Paul MN - Chicagoland IL
~8a-4p (8 hours)
via I-94 E ... US RT 20 E
(or)
via I-35 S ... US RT 20 E



Thoughts?  Comments?  Suggestions?  Anyone want to meet up along the way?




Cort | 36.m.IL | 5 Monte Carlos.1 Caprice Classic | pig valve.pacemaker * Chicagoland Meets, 2011?
MCs.CC | models.HO.legos.CHD.RadioShows | RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can" ... Allman Brothers Band ... 'Ramblin' Man'

[knightfan26917]

A CLARIFICATION:
I have been to Washington/Oregon, etc., before as part of our family road trips (Dad, Mom, sister and I) in 1985 and 1991 during which we did a lot of sightseeing; I just haven't been to the northwest US as part of one of my solo road trips....


The PRIORITY of this road trip, as all of my other road trips, is...people!  IMHO, life is way too short to NOT meet up with people....

That noted, 3 National Parks I MAY visit, if time allows...
...Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, E of I-5)
...Crater Lake NP (OR, E of I-5)
...Olympic NP (WA, northwest corner)...long shot to see

Other NPs mentioned to me (Great Basin NP in NV, Rocky Mountan NP in CO, and Glacier NP in MT) are either too far off course or ones to which I have been in the past.



ALSO:
If the opportunity to travel with my friends along US Route 66 does not work out, I will slightly re-schedule this trip.  Details TBD....



AND:
Even with this trip to the northwest US, a slight possibility exists that I could still make a VERY QUICK trip to York & Carlisle PA for the MC & GM Nationals respectively....




Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |* Chicagoland Meets, 2011?
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"It's like trying to catch a falling star" ... The Heights ... 'How Do You Talk To An Angel?'

[knightfan26917]

ALTERNATE PLANS:
If the original plan for early June does not work out, then this is my alternative itinerary....  I'll work on specific routes, etc., later.  In the meantime, please let me know if you want to meet up along the way!



Friday, 06/24/2011 ... Chicagoland IL - Smithville OH
~3p-midnite (9 hrs), lose hr, time change
via:
I-294 E
I-94 E
IN RT 49 S
US RT 30 E


Saturday, 06/25/2011 ... Smithville OH - Carlisle/York PA (GM/MC Nationals)
~6a-noon (6 hrs)
via:
OH RT 585
I-76 E


Sunday, 06/26/2011 ... Carlisle/York PA - Pontiac IL
~7a-7p (12 hrs), gain hr, time change
via:
I-76 W
US RT 30 W
US RT 31 S
US 24 W


Monday, 06/27/2011 ... Pontiac IL - Lebanon MO
~11a-7p
via:
I-55 S
I-255 S
I-270 W
I-44 W
...VISITS=
Route 66 Museum, Pontiac IL
Becky's Barn, just south of Springfield IL
Henry's Ra66it Ranch, Stanton IL
St Louis MO
others


Tuesday, 06/28/2011 ... Lebanon MO - Tulsa OK
~9a-6p
via:
I-44 W
US RT 66 (~Joplin MO to avoid tollway)
...VISITS=
Gary's Gay Parita Station
4 Women On The Route, Galena KS
Afton Station, Afton OK
others


Wednesday, 06/29/2011 ... Tulsa OK - Wichita KS
~10a-3p
via:
US RT 66 W (Tulsa OK - Oklahoma City OK)
I-35 N
...VISITS=
POPS
Edmond OK


Thursday, 06/30/2011 ... Wichita KS - Dallas TX
~9a-3p (6 hrs)
via:
I-35 S


Friday, 07/01/2011 ... Dallas TX - Oklahoma City OK - Amarillo TX
~9a-5p (8 hrs)
via:
I-35 N
I-40 W
...VISITS=
Oklahoma City OK (lunch)
various along US RT 66


Saturday, 07/02/2011 ... Amarillo TX - Denver CO
~9a-6p (10 hrs), gain hr, time change
via:
I-40 W
I-25 N


Sunday, 07/03/2011 ... Denver CO - Salt Lake City UT
~8a-5p (9 hrs)
via:
I-25 N
I-80 W


Monday, 07/04/2011 ... Salt Lake City UT - Sacramento CA
~8a-6p (11 hrs), gain hr, time change
via:
I-80 W


Tuesday, 07/05/2011 ... Sacramento CA - Eugene OR
~8a-5p (9 hrs)
via:
I-5 N


Wednesday, 07/06/2011 ... Eugene OR - Seattle WA
~10a-4p (6 hrs)
via:
I-5 N
US RT 20 W
US RT 101 N


Thursday, 07/07/2011 ... Seattle WA - Butte MT
~8a-7p (10 hrs), lose hr, time change
via:
I-90 E


Friday, 07/08/2011 ... Butte MT - Pierre SD
~7a-8p (12 hrs), lose hr, time change
via:
I-90 E


Saturday, 07/09/2011 ... Pierre SD - Bismarck ND
~7:30a-11a (3.5 hrs), w/1.5-hr lunch stop
via:
US RT 83 N


Saturday, 07/09/2011 ... Bismarck ND - St Paul MN
~12:30p-8:30p (8 hrs)
via:
I-94 E


Sunday, 07/10/2011 ... St Paul MN - Chicagoland IL
~8a-4p (8 hrs)
via:
I-94 E
US RT 20 E
(or)
I-35 S
US RT 20 E




Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"A long white line stretching out on the road ahead" ... Vince Gill ... 'The Radio'

[hugo90]

I've just now seen your plan for a road trip next year.  I live in Pennsylvania now, about an hour south of Carlisle, but I recently moved here after three years in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.

When I read of people's plans for a road trip, it seems they usually include stops in the big cities overnight, where the hotels cost more.  I avoid big cities a lot, but then I have lived my life in smaller places for the most part.

The places I like best in the Northwest are Olympia, Washington; the Oregon coast; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Victoria, British Columbia; and across the straits in Port Townsend, WA; the drive up Mount Rainier; the Columbia River Gorge.  We lived in Aberdeen, not much for visiting, but regular drives in the mountain wilderness was fantastic.  In three years I didn't see all there is there, that's for sure!

[knightfan26917]

I've just now seen your plan for a road trip next year.  I live in Pennsylvania now, about an hour south of Carlisle, but I recently moved here after three years in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.

Wow.  Hey ... since you are in the Carlisle area now, maybe we can meet up when I'm in that area in late June 2011....

When I read of people's plans for a road trip, it seems they usually include stops in the big cities overnight, where the hotels cost more.  I avoid big cities a lot, but then I have lived my life in smaller places for the most part.

I also avoid the "big cities" much of the time.  In this case, this is really just a very rough draft of where I'll be each evening.  Except for my Route 66 trip (September 2009), I spend overnights in the homes of family and friends about 99% of the time....

The places I like best in the Northwest are Olympia, Washington; the Oregon coast; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Victoria, British Columbia; and across the straits in Port Townsend, WA; the drive up Mount Rainier; the Columbia River Gorge.  We lived in Aberdeen, not much for visiting, but regular drives in the mountain wilderness was fantastic.  In three years I didn't see all there is there, that's for sure!

I'm not sure even a 10-year stay would allow one to see everything in certain areas of this country.

I will look into visiting some of those places you mentioned...thank you!



Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |
*** 3rd GEN MC (1978,1979,1980) FORUM RE-LAUNCH > http://thirdgenmontes.proboards.com/index.cgi ***
"Rockies are calling, Denver snow falling" ... Steve Wariner/Alabama ... 'Tennessee Christmas'

[Arthur Dent]

I just came back from Amarillo - saw a bit of route 66. Its a bit run down and disappointing. Cadillac Ranch is good and I'm sure if you drove 66 for a longer way it would be excellent.

some pics:

http://oldcarjunkie.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/historic-route-66-in-amarillo-texas/

[knightfan26917]

AD,

I don't think you drove around enough on Route 66 ... some awesome places in that general TX area.

See the last few pics in this day's section:
http://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/RT66TRIPDAY6#

...and the first few pics in this day's section:
http://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/RT66TRIPDAY7#


How long were you there?  I enjoyed seeing your pics!  Thanks!



Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |
** RadioShow.CDshowcase.HOLIDAY | Friday | 12.24.2010 | 12:30p-4:30p.CENTRAL = www.WRMN1410.com **
"Maybe I'll drive so far they'll all lose track" ... Dolly Parton ... 'Hard Candy Christmas'