Ever since I moved to the United States at the age of 17 years, it’s been a dream of mine to drive cross-country from east-to-west on Route 66. It’s a well-known fact that Route 66 has not been maintained after Interstate 40 became the main bicoastal route. However, there is still plenty to see of both the old highway and the charming towns along its route.
I had been talking about taking this trip for several years, but it’s a matter of making it work on many levels. I had to find a convenient time in terms of work, family, and my traveling partners. It’s also a good idea to travel off-season especially avoiding school holidays, when the roads are less crowded and the prices are lower. Well, being on sabbatical from work helps, and also having a supportive husband who would rearrange his schedule to take care of our two children while I was gone.
When planning to drive more than 3000 miles (4600 km), it is important to choose compatible traveling partners. There should be an agreement of how far to drive on a daily basis, sights to see, and don’t forget that GPS! By the way, we were pretty close in estimating the distance. When we reached Las Vegas, we had covered 3050 miles (~ 4880 km ). As an organized person of nature, I had mapped out the general route and skimmed two “handbooks” about Route 66 travel (Drew Knowles’ “ Route 66 Adventure Handbook