For the first two weeks in April, Dan, some of FantomWorks more famous customers, and some of the crew will be traveling across America on the Route 66. Although the Mother Road has evolved with some stretches of it now being over paved with freeways and bypasses, we will be traveling as much of the 1957 routing of Route 66 Highway as possible.
We are doing this for two reasons. First, its simply one of the best vacations possible. An opportunity to drive an old car along the most famous highway in the world is an immersive experience of sights, sounds, and smells. It’s as close to time travel as you can do without the help of HG Wells. There is nothing like seeing America and its historical offerings in a classic car. The other reason, and even more importantly for Dan, is that he’s writing a series of novels where the story plays out largely along the famous highway both in present day as well as in the spring of 1957. This trip for him is a journey of discovery both of the physical routing of the road as well as the past places and events that took place along the highway. Both will become part of the novel series. The first novel is complete and at the final editor in preparation for publication. He’s doing research to corroborate his locations and places for the second book. So not only will you get to see much of America’s heartland, Dan will help narrate some of the important facets of the highway so you can understand more of why it’s become the most famous highway of all time.
During this trip we pretty much know two things, the location and day we start the trip as well as the day and location we will finish it on. From April 7th to April 21st we will go from the sign that marks the beginning of Route 66 in Chicago all the way to the sign that marks the end on the Santa Monica Pier. Along the trip we will outline that day’s travels and perhaps some thoughts of the next. We’ll take guesses at the places we intend on staying at overnight so if a few members of the group wish to visit a different point of interest, lag behind or want to get somewhere early they know where to go. Otherwise the itinerary will be created on the fly as it has for the previous two trips.
We will have 14 days to travel the approximately 2200 miles of Route 66 with an average of about 200 miles a day which includes some excursions. Some will be shorter and some will be longer. We will journey mostly along the 1957 routing of the road. Some of that routing is no longer passable as bridges and modifications to the landscape have made that impossible.
Transportation: They are probably about what you’d expect. Whatever your costs of driving to Chicago (or transportation if you so desire), travel along 2200 miles of road and then return driving or transportation. Last time I drove it, I put a total of about 3300 miles on my Vette from Norfolk to Chicago to Los Angeles. I get 14MPG so I sucked up about 235 gallons of gas.
Lodging: 14-16 days of lodging all of which is along Route 66. Rooms will run anywhere from 50 per night to 200 depending on how you want to go. I stayed in mostly older historic hotels and probably averaged about 75.00 per night overall. So 75X15= $1125.00. If you have richer tastes, it might be a bit more for you.
Attractions: most of what you want to see is free. I’d certainly budget a few hundred bucks for attractions as there are some that you will have to pay for.
Food: I’m a simple guy and love Waffle house. Breakfast is 10 bucks or less. I probably averaged about 30 – 40 or so a day for food so 35X15= $525.00 per person or so.
Coordination: This is a journey of discovery and what makes it fun is both the group sharing the events and sights as well as each person’s personal adventures. There is no requirement to “stay with the group” like ducks in a row but that is an option if you happen to like the particular lead that day. I say this because I want to make sure that no one attempts to “spoil” the adventure by insisting on an agenda, demanding where we’re going to be and forcing the group into a pattern that not everyone wants to share. So, be prepared to break into smaller groups as you wish and we can join up. We’ll all have cell phones and be covering the journey on social media. It will be easy to link up along the way.
Be aware that some parts of 66 do not show up on google maps in Oklahoma and some newer paper maps dont list it. Stop at Pops near Arcadia,OK to eat a burger and lots of soda choices.
Sounds great to me, but I would have to join you on the, Flagstaff? But that means seeing the same sights from last time. Then too I have a wedding to leave for 4 days later. I’m uncertain now.
This would be a dream vacation for me to travel with you all in my 69 chevelle. I’m looking forward to following you all online. Maybe next time I will be able to make it. Safe travels.
What a fantastic trip! I wish I could join you! My 2007 Chrysler 300C Heritage Edition pays tribute to the original “Beautiful Brute” Chrysler 300C of 1957, so it would “sort of” fit right into the spirit of this trip. I will look forward to the publishing of Dan’s novel. Ought to be good reading.
My wife and I are planning to run this same route in our motor home some day in the next year or two. I’m sure we’ll learn something about the route from your writing.
All the best, guys!
Love to make it but living in Scotland does have its drawbacks, ooops just had an idea, I am a pictorial artist so maybe I could tag along and with the crew and paint/draw places of interest.
DAN, I WOULD LIKE 2 GO ON ROUTE-66 TRIP. OK, WHO IS HOLDING DOWN SHOP WHILE GONE?
WHERE CAN I GET YOUR 2 BOOKS? NEED A VAC FROM WIFE, I WILL BE OK, WHAT TIME ARE WE LEAVING?
Will be following this with interest. I live right on route 66 in New Mexico and would love to watch your entourage drive by. I love the show.
Is it open to old trucks? I have a 1966 Dodge WM300.
Everyone is welcome to join.
dan, my name is joe carriker. I live 3 miles off of rt66 in central Illinois. I visited your shop last month and connor told me about the trip. I would like to join you for a day or two.if I knew the date and time that you will be around the springfield to st. louis segment that would be great.
Dan -A friend & myself have been leaving from the Toronto Canada area on our bikes to take the rte 66 trip for the last 15 yrs.The landscape is fantastic. Our friends always say “why dont you try another place” but we can never get enough of it. Make sure you check out the Classic Car museum on your way. We had snow two yrs ago during the first week of May in New Mexico.Please keep that in mind and have a safe trip
Keith
This sounds like my kind of vacation. My last vacation was to the Camaro Fest in Bowling Green, KY last July. I really want to go on this trip.
Are Dan’s books out yet? If so where can I purchase them. Thank you.
Not yet, he is hoping to have them published later this year.