Gonna take a little ride in August. About a 6K ride.
Figure on leaving Whortonsville (coastal NC) around the 20th and slowly (read 300 - 350 miles a day) make my way to San Diego to see the daugher and granddaughter.
Outbound route will be via Nashville TN, OKC, Bluewater Lake AZ, Henderson NV Inbound route will be via Phoenix AZ, Ocean Springs MS, Tallahassee FL, Macon GA and Wilmington NC.
I'll camp along the way (aleady got a National Parks/Fed Rec Lands Senior Pass). Definitely will be using my Jet Boil stove for breakfast and evening meal. Lunch will probably be cold cuts and/or whatever discount coupon (McD, Hardees, BK, Sonic etc) I have.
I'm giving myself 3 weeks for the trip but it could take longer. But being on "RETIRED TIME", who cares?
Hello Cal,
I envy you! I hope the adventure goes well! If I win a lottery, I will tag along. God speed!
If you are passing through Texas let us know, we will wave to you as you go by or ride with you about 150 -200 miles.
Mike Ray
Houston, Texas
Will you be taking Rt. 40?....I've done that ride.
Amarillo to San Diego will be a challenge if the winds are blowing out of Mexico. Be careful of the heat.
Have a great trip. If you have time, pm me when you get to Socal.Have you ridden in the dessert in the summer? Phoenis has been rumming 110-115 (I grew up there), and it is not much fun. If you have an air cooled bike it might run pretty hot as well.
Yep, I've done the trip a couple of times before but that was in the Ol' A/C Chevy Tracker with the mini-PUP attached. So, I know about the heat!!!
But this will be the first time on a 'cycle of any type. That's one of the reasons I'll be packing a 12-pack cooler full of water with regular and dry ice. It was just yesterday I bought one of those 70 oz camelback water tanks for kayaking but will also use it for 'cycling. And, I have a lighweight wood-framed beach umbrella I'll strap to sidecar frame. Gets to hot to ride - pull over, make my own shade and relax with a book or take a nap.
Normally, I'll take I-40 out of Raleigh, NC to Flagstaff, AZ then head south and west to San Diego. This trip I'll will take Rte 66/I-40 on over to the cut-off for Henderson, NV as I have friends to visit. From there I plan to drop down to San Diego via I-15.
But this time I'm going to take the "Scenic Byways" so I won't be spending the entire day looking at a white-dotted line and/or billboards. For that reason I'm researching maps and websites about Ol' Route 66. I think it'll be a "hoot" to do it from OKC to at least the Henderson exit. From Raleigh to OKC I'll probably parallel I-40 for the same reason.
When I definitely get on the road, I'll let all who are interested know. Then as I make progress along the route I'll pop a post or e-mail.
Yes....please keep us informed of your progress.
A note about Rt. 66: There are signs on Rt. 40 which will route you to "Historic Rt. 66"....I-40 parallels 66 much of the way.....however, sometimes the old road just stops....no signs....no barricades.....just dust and tumbleweeds. It's scarry if your haulin a$$ and enjoying the scenery. It's a real pain when ya gotta turn around and ride 20 miles back to the highway.
Too bad that you're going south at Flagstaff. From Prescott, AZ to California is probably the longest and best stretch of old Rt 66.
Last year I rode some of 66 from Oklahoma to California. Much of it that is still left is an access road that parallels Rt 40. We would ride this for awhile and then jump back on 40 to log some miles.
I sure know what you mean by avoiding as much of I 40 as possible!
Seems like there is always a semi in front, alongside, or behind you - interspersed with people doing 90 and talking on the cell phone!
On the return we had enough and got off 40 at Memphis. Didn't miss it a bit.
Have a great and safe trip.
