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When you go to the Big Texan in Amarillo, are either of you going to try to eat the meal with the 72 oz. steak?
the thought is certainly going through my mind.
Probably not.. But.. I do think that'd be cool to try.
One of the things I hope to see on the route.. Old cemeteries. I love old cemeteries. The boy not so much, but.. Cemeteries are so different in the desert. Here in SC there's ornate stone walls and magnolia's all around old cemeteries.. And lichen.. Lord.. The battles i've had with lichen.
But old western/southwestern cemeteries look so different.. I hope to find a few of those around some of the ghost towns.
We're planning on traveling Rt 66 from Chicago to Needles, CA starting May 2. We will then head north and through the National Parks in Utah before heading home.
The Rt 66 section is unscripted but we'll have to have a plan for the Utah portion.
One thing we liked to do during our cross country trips was to bring along some music. We tried to bring music (back then cassette tapes) that fit certain parts of the country. For example, when we were in Route 66 country, we liked playing the Depeche Mode version of the Route 66 song.
Ah.. There you go. That's the kind of thing I was looking for. If I've seen this in my searches.. i didn't remember it.
I do have plans for a good day or so around OKC. My parents lived there right after they were married, so I am gong to go by where they lived right outside the base there. That was the first place my dad was stationed while in the Air Force. I still have to figure out WHICH AFB..
I've been to the John Wayne birthplace before up in Winterset, IA.. Not much to that one, but.. It's fun to see those kinds of things. Some are better than others.. I went to the Bob Feller museum while up there too.. He's from Van Meter, IA (both these places are rather close to Des Moines) and.. HE WAS THERE! Got an autographed ball and got to shake his hand and just talk to him for just a few minutes.. That was amazing.
If you love Bourbon, stop in small town liquor stores. We found premium bourbons that we can't find in KY. Brought back 20 bottles or so including Weller 12 Year Old
That was our 2nd Great American road trip and we swore we would never do one again. At 73 (then) it was fun, bit not easy. After a year of incarceration from COVID, I'm ready to do another at 75 years old
Somehow Tucumcari is just a hollowed out shell of what it once was 60 years ago.
I always stay over night there. Its about mid point on a 1000 mile trip I take a few times a year. There are still a lot of motels and businesses with the route 66 theme. Of course when I-40 was built it had a huge effect on towns that relied on the route 66 traffic passing through.
I agree with others that while I enjoy Route 66, it may not appeal to a teenager especially if you are not interested in the Grand Canyon. But I have a few suggestions:
A detour from Flagstaff to Sedona on Hwy 89A through scenic Oak Creek Canyon. Maybe a hike in Sedona on the red rocks if you stay overnight and get up early. it will be very hot in Sedona in June. Or a jeep tour in Sedona. Also could stop in Oak Canyon at Slide Rock State Park where you can slide down a natural chute into a pool below, go floating, etc. It can get very crowded for parking but is full of wet young people.
Walnut Canyon National Monument just east of Flagstaff for a nice hike and look at cliff dwellings.
Maybe will not appeal to your nephew but I always have to put in a plug to stay at La Posada in Winslow. Great old Fred Harvey hotel, good restaurants, and a train stop - can also watch freight trains go by.
Albuquerque - some SW touristy stuff like Old Town but can take a tram up to the Sandia Ski area. Or just drive up to Sandia Peak for views of city and a nice mountain drive on the way up. Of course Santa Fe is more interesting but that is an hour detour up I25. If you go, take him to Meow Wolf.
Unfortunately Acoma Pueblo, west of Albuquerque, will probably still be closed in June. But sort of a Taos Pueblo on the top of a high mesa where some pueblo Indians live as they did centuries ago. It is shuttle only with a guided tour.
The Truman Library is a likely stop, since we're going to be spending several days around the KC area. I'm still kicking the idea around for the Reagan Library. It's a bit out of the way, but, not massively. But.. it's closed due to COVID and no idea if it'll be open. But I'd love to see Air Force 1 (SAM 27000) and the stealth fighter they have there.
Before my dad retired and left Des Moines.. There were two things I wanted to do there that I'm glad I got to do.. The Iowa State Fair and we drove up to Clear Lake to the Buddy Holly crash site.. That's another of those things.. you're not going somewhere for that.. But if you're in the area... You don't want to miss it.
The Truman Library is a likely stop, since we're going to be spending several days around the KC area. I'm still kicking the idea around for the Reagan Library. It's a bit out of the way, but, not massively. But.. it's closed due to COVID and no idea if it'll be open. But I'd love to see Air Force 1 (SAM 27000) and the stealth fighter they have there.
I will chime in about this...the Truman Library is nearing the end of a massive renovation, and you might want to check the website about their re-opening plans. I went back about 20 years ago and loved it. Really embodied the spirit of the man.
Ditto for the Reagan Library, and I'm not even really a fan of the guy. I live nearby and have visited with family members a handful of times. Really a class-A operation. I don't recall there being a stealth fighter there, though.
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