Route 66 suggestions

Good Afternoon All,

This summers trip is a NMBDR that will finish in Albuquerque. On the way out traveling through Waco. My destination from New Mexico is Baton Rouge via Mena, Arkansas. Any suggestions on which part of 66 to ride through Texas and Oklahoma???

Welcome to the forum! I had to look up what an NMBDR is - New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route. As for Texas, Oklahoma, are you going to ride the whole length in those states or just parts of it? I'm sure you've seen all the maps, etc., before...here's something that I found online:

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/ks_ok_tx_map.html

I don't really have any specific suggestions...never ridden that part of Texas. But hope you have some fun!!

Tbank55 said:

... Any suggestions on which part of 66 to ride through Texas and Oklahoma???

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I have done Route 66 from Joplin, MO all the way to the ocean. My personal suggestion is the only part to skip is through the larger cities (Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Amarillo). All the remainder in Oklahoma and Texas is great history, great riding, great scenery. Of course, the very best of Route 66 is New Mexico and Arizona, but looks like you don't intend to do that, so your loss. Good luck and have a great trip.

Thanks for the info.
Not knowing the best parts I was just thinking of TX. & OK. But I will be halfway across NM. So I could pick it up in New Mexico at your suggestion. I cut across Texas last year from Cloudcroft to San Angelo. Just wanted to make a more northern route this time. May be less oil patch.

I've ridden a lot of Route 66 (OK west). For most of it, R66 is a very rough concrete access road, right next to I-40. I found it better to ride I-40 through major cities (OKC, Tulsa, Amarillo) and for the most of rest of the way. Where I-40 and R66 diverge, then hop off I-40 & take R66. For the true feeling of R66, take Bus. I40 through the smaller cities and small towns. In most of the small towns, old R66 is still the Main St, and history still lives!

As someone said in and earlier post, IMHO the best parts of R66 are in NM & AZ!

Enjoy!

Tbank55 said:

Good Afternoon All,

This summers trip is a NMBDR that will finish in Albuquerque. On the way out traveling through Waco. My destination from New Mexico is Baton Rouge via Mena, Arkansas. Any suggestions on which part of 66 to ride through Texas and Oklahoma???

Click to expand...

I've ridden most of 66 from Chicago to Santa Fe, NM as well as almost all of Arizona (Oatman to Flagstaff). I'd get Jerry McClanahan's book, EZ66 Guide for Travelers. Turn by turn directions as well as a few recommendations for places to stay and things to see. For accommodations, I'd recommend the Blue Swallow in Tucumcari, the Flamingo (nothing fancy but clean and cheap) in Elk City, OK. We ride on 66 as much as possible and avoid I-40 when we can. For food, check out the Rock Cafe in Stroud, OK and the Adrian Cafe in Adrian, TX. Good photo op in Adrian (halfway point). There is also a worthwhile Route 66 museum in Elk City (closed Sundays, I think, must be lots of sinners in OK as they told me they closed to go to church!). Don't miss the Blue Whale in Catoosa, OK. Also stop and see the restored Conoco station in Shamrock, TX. If you skip the cities, you miss some interesting sites - Tulsa, for example, has a wonderful collection of Art Deco buildings and I have heard the Cowboy Museum in OKC is great. You can also make a short detour to the Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo, TX.

Have a great ride!