Route 66

A collection of 36 posts

Accommodations

Review: Historic El Rancho Hotel—Gallup, NM

Riding into the sunset, we followed freight trains into Gallup, NM. The tracks run alongside Route 66 for miles, and we chased them to the soft glow of El Rancho Hotel’s red neon lights. El Rancho Hotel is a true spaghetti Western legend. Built in 1936–37 by R.

Destinations

Plunge Deep into the Wonders of Uranus, MO

Picture yourself riding along the Missouri stretch of Route 66. It’s a beautiful day, the weather’s perfect, and the miles just roll by. But suddenly, you realize your motorcycle has entered Uranus. Just a heads-up, if Uranus contains a stick instead of a whole heaping helping of juvenile

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Part 3: California Dreamin'

“I’ve got five miles of range left on reserve,” I muttered nervously through the helmet comms to Florian and Caleb as we passed a sign that said the next fuel stop was 24 miles away. “Crap, I’ve got seven,” Caleb chimed in. I still don’t know how

Travel Guide

8 Unique Attractions on Route 66

An essential part of a road trip down Route 66 is visiting the various fascinating and kooky roadside attractions along it. But the Mother Road is long, and you likely won’t have time to stop at each and every thing begging for your attention. So, where should you stop?

Accommodations

Review: Historic Route 66 Motel—Seligman, AZ

Staying in Seligman is a must if you’re traveling on Route 66. This town is special because it's widely considered the birthplace of the Route 66 revival movement.  When Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, Seligman’s own Angel Delgadillo, a barber and lifelong resident, spearheaded

Travel Guide

RoadRUNNER’S Favorite Attractions Along Route 66

Route 66 and roadside attractions go hand in hand. At 2,448 miles in length, the Mother Road sure has plenty of wild, wonderful, and weird sights to see. In fact, there might be a few too many. One of the most difficult parts of planning a ride on Route

Destinations

Have a Whale of a Time in Catoosa, OK

If you want to see whales, I suggest you take a boat or motorcycle tour in Alaska. That, or you could motor down Route 66 to Oklahoma. In the Sooner State, you’ll find the city of Catoosa and its blue whale. This whale isn’t flesh and blood, though.

Accommodations

Review: Western Motel—Shamrock, TX

Caleb, Florian, and I rolled into Shamrock, TX, weathered from a week on the road in the sweltering heat of summer and ravenous appetites.. We pulled our Harley-Davidsons into the shade of the welcome awning at the Western Motel, which from the outside is decorated in a typically western theme.

Travel Guide

Where We Stopped on Route 66 from Missouri to New Mexico

One of the best parts of traveling Route 66 is the abundance of quirky and unforgettable roadside attractions. Here are a few of our favorite stops along the middle stretch of The Mother Road, from our summer 2024 tour The Great American Road Trip leading up to the route’s

Destinations

Holbrook, AZ—The Town Too Tough for Church

Many old Wild West frontier towns were infamous for being brutal, lawless places. Jerome, for instance, was called the wickedest town in the West, while Deadwood had no sheriff at all due to being an illegal town. Holbrook, AZ, rivaled both of these dens of sin. Once upon a time,

Destinations

Barstow—A California Stop on Route 66

As you cross from Arizona to California on Route 66, one of the first major stops along the way will be Barstow. This city of about 25,000 sits amidst the arid, rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert. Barstow’s history is intricately linked to mining and making use of

Destinations

Gallup, NM—The Gateway to Native America

Considering they’re the original inhabitants of the land, Native American influence can be felt throughout the U.S. However, in few places does it remain as strong as in Gallup, NM. This city of roughly 22,000 residents sits amidst the New Mexico desert, some 20 miles east of

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Part 2: The Golden Age of The Mother Road

Three scruffy bikers walked into a bar, boots dusty from the road and their eyes sharp as the edge of a Bowie knife. They weren’t looking for trouble—although trouble had a way of finding their kind. Outside, their Harley-Davidsons sat gleaming in the sun, lined up like stallions

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Route 66: Birthplace of the American Diner

Long before fast food chains dotted our landscape, the American diner was the king of the open road. Nowhere was that more evident than along Route 66.  Known as the Main Street of America, Route 66 didn’t just connect Chicago to Santa Monica. It connected people to pie, pancakes,

Destinations Premium Content

Tucumcari Tonite! New Mexico’s Gateway to the West

There used to be a certain way to tell you’re approaching the New Mexico-Texas border on Route 66. As you rode on, every few minutes you would pass a sign reading: “Tucumcari Tonite!” Hundreds of these signs, each promising “2,000 motel rooms,” once enticed travelers on the Mother

Accommodations

End of Route 66 Hotel Roundup

Every great journey eventually comes to an end—even a ride on Route 66. Once you push past Adrian, TX, the number of miles left to go keeps only getting smaller. But there are still many miles to go, and you’ll need to sleep somewhere along the way. We’

Destinations

Adrian, TX—The Midway Point of Route 66

Reaching the halfway point of any ride is an event in itself—there will be more miles behind you than there are ahead. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on the ride, I suppose. On Route 66, though, you’ll reach that midway milestone in Adrian, TX.

Destinations Premium Content

Shamrock, TX—The Small Irish Pit Stop on Route 66

The Texas section of Route 66 isn’t particularly long, stretching only around 180 miles across the Panhandle. Along this near-straight alignment, the largest (and only major) city you’ll pass is Amarillo. The second-largest city is Shamrock. And it’s a strangely Irish place. Despite its rank as the

Accommodations

Middle of Route 66 Hotel Roundup

After a long day of riding on Route 66, nothing beats a cozy bed in which to lay your head and dream of the next day’s adventure. We’ve previously covered some unique and nice hotels on Illinois Route 66. Now, we’re continuing to the middle section of

Destinations

Where Honest Abe and Route 66 Meet—Lincoln, IL

Illinois is today widely known as the Land of Lincoln in recognition of the former president’s contributions both to the state and the country. However, one place in Illinois —along Route 66 — has carried the name of Lincoln well before his presidency. During his break from national politics, Lincoln

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Part 1: Historic Route 66 Begins

There's a road that stretches across the Heart of America, a thread of pavement and promise that has captured the imaginations of travelers for nearly a century. For Caleb, Florian, and me, it was a road we'd always dreamed of riding in its entirety—all 2,

Travel Guide

Where We Stopped on Illinois Route 66

One of the best parts of traveling Route 66 is the abundance of quirky and unforgettable roadside attractions. Here are a few of our favorite stops along the Illinois stretch of The Mother Road, from our summer 2024 tour The Great American Road Trip leading up to the route’s

Accommodations

Review: Wagon Wheel Motel—Cuba, MO

Many motels along Route 66 have come and gone, or been rebuilt. Not the Wagon Wheel Motel.  The Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, MO, has operated continuously for nearly 90 years, adapting through the decades without ever closing its doors to travelers. It’s more than a place to stay—

Travel Guide

8 of the Most Interesting Attractions Along Illinois Route 66

Illinois marks the eastern terminus of Route 66. Simply riding the Mother Road through Illinois makes for an unforgettable trip back to the golden age of American motorism. But the road itself isn’t everything. The fun, entertaining, and occasionally delicious pit stops you find along the way elevate the

Accommodations

Stay at These Hotels Along Illinois Route 66

Riding through the entirety of Route 66 is many motorcyclists’ dream journey—but it’s a very long one that takes a lot of planning. One of the most important things to figure out is where you’ll stay each night. A smart rider will book accommodations in advance to