Raising Route 66
Dates: May 10 through 23
Status: Accepting reservations
From Okies fleeing the Dust Bowl to a thousand pop-culture references, old Route 66 is an enduring part of 20th century American history. Most people think the "Mother Road" has long ago faded away.
In fact, more than 80 percent of the old, original road is still out there, as are many of the classic roadside attractions, cafes and motels that helped create the myth and magic that surrounds Historic Route 66. The trick is knowing where to find the road and all the related good stuff.
That’s where our Route 66 expertise comes into play. From our starting point near Chicago, we'll retrace the old historic route through towns made famous by the Mother Road, and spend evenings in places named Springfield, Yukon, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Winslow and Barstow. We'll even take a detour off of Route 66 to enjoy two nights at the Grand Canyon.
Simply meet us in Chicago, then follow us as we go back in time and end up at the Santa Monica Pier on the Pacific Ocean two weeks later. The AMA and its members have ridden Route 66 since it first opened, and few motorcyclists know it better than we do!
For years, motorcycle road riders have been asking for an AMA Tour of Route 66, and we have delivered with our Raising Route 66 Tour.
Before the start of the tour, we’ll supply you with maps and suggestions to let you make the most out of your trip, and experience the true essence of Historic Route 66. Each night we’ll stay at modern hotels, and unique or historic inns, where we will meet as a group for breakfasts and most dinners. We’ll have the opportunity to socialize each night, and discuss route options and sightseeing opportunities for the following day’s ride.
Our daily rides will average 4 to 8 hours on mostly two-lane roads. Your riding time will vary, depending on such things as your riding style, weather conditions and traffic. We pace our tours carefully, and will include multiple-night stays in particularly scenic or historic areas, so you can unload your bike upon arrival and have the second day to explore the area by bike or on foot, or else just relax and unwind. And on travel days, those who prefer can leave early, ride briskly and arrive in plenty of time to explore. Others can ride at their own pace, explore along the way, and arrive in time for supper. Ride with your tour leaders, or by yourself or with some of the new friends you’ll make on the trip. It’s up to you.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1, Saturday, May 10 — Arrive in Chicago/Willowbrook, Illinois for Opening Reception
We’ll start this out right with a welcoming party followed by dinner at a
classic Rotue 66 diner. Tonight we’ll learn what singer Bobby Troup meant when he
wrote the words: “If you ever plan to motor west, travel my way, take the
highway that’s the best. Get your kicks, on Route Sixty-six.”
Day 2, Sunday, May 11 — Leave Willowbrook and ride to Springfield,
Illinois
The state of Illinois has spent a considerable amount of money marking the old
road, so (together with instructions from Greg), you’ll learn to “read” the old
road and follow it through some nice, wide-open plains. There are several
classic roadside attractions to visit today en route to Springfield, the capitol
of Illinois where another special dining experience awaits us.
Day 3, Monday, May 12 — Leave Springfield and ride to Rolla, Missouri
We’ll take an earlier version of Route 66 south of Springfield, watching for old
brick-paved sections of the road still out there that are ridable in the rural
farmlands. The classic Chain of Rocks Bridge is part of the plan today, and you
can see for yourself why you shouldn’t build a bridge over the Mississippi River
with a curve in the middle of it!
Day 4, Tuesday,
May 13 — Leave Rolla and ride to Joplin, Missouri
We’re in the hills now, and the old road sometimes parallels the new highway
that replaced it, while at other times dives off into the woods. Today we’ll
visit a quiet, forgotten place that drivers used to fear back in the 30’s and
40’s but is actually quite serene today. Angling southwest, we’ll spend the
night in Joplin.
Day 5, Wednesday, May 14 — Leave Joplin and ride to Yukon, Oklahoma
Kansas, here we come, for all 13 miles of Route 66. But if you’re paying attention
to the old road, you’ll see there’s plenty to like and learn here. For instance,
the tiny town of Baxter Springs looks like it hasn’t changed much since Jesse
James robbed the local bank. Oklahoma offers more uninterrupted old Route 66 miles
than any other state, and you’ll learn to look for old concrete surfaces and
curbs that were meant to keep drivers from running off the road. Will Rogers is
on tap today, along with an abandoned amusement park and other great
architectural oddities.
Day 6, Thursday, May 15 — Leave Yukon and ride to Amarillo, Texas
An incredible Route 66 museum, a dazzling art deco gas station and the start of
the transition from the plains to the west are all on tap today. Tonight’s meal
and hotel will be particularly memorable as well! Welcome to Texas!
Day 7, Friday, May 16 — Leave Amarillo and ride to Santa Fe, New Mexico
The scenery gets decidedly more dramatic as we pass through Texas into New
Mexico. Visit Tucumcari, a famous Route 66 stop en route to Santa Fe, a gorgeous,
small city high in the mountains of northern New Mexico. It’s time to walk
around the shops and restaurants of this once-Mexican town and relax. We’re here
for two nights, and you’ll be staying in a luxurious, turn-of-the-century hotel.
Day 8, Saturday, May 17 — Free Day in Santa Fe
Take a train ride through the high mountain desert, ride a mapped-out,
self-guided tour to nearby cave dwellings and Indian pueblos, ride the high
mountain ranges near Taos or park the bike and simply spend the day relaxing in
this wonderful town. It’s your choice today.
Day 9, Sunday, May 18 — Leave Santa Fe and ride to Winslow, Arizona
Some seriously pretty, and desolate scenery alongside the Mother Road today.
You’ll ride up and over the Continental Divide, past the Petrified Forest and
the Painted Desert on the way to a very special night’s stay in a former mansion
in the middle of nowhere!
Day 10, Monday, May 19 — Leave Winslow and ride to South Rim, Grand
Canyon, Arizona
It’s time to stop at a ghost town where the history includes an Indian massacre,
buying a dead man a drink and how it all relates to the old road you’ll be
riding. Another great day of scenery before we arrive on the rim of the Grand
Canyon where we’ll celebrate the sunset with a barbecue on an outdoor deck
overlooking the South Rim. Bring your cameras!
Day 11, Tuesday,
May 20 — Free Day at Grand Canyon
Another day to relax. Take a ride (bike or bus) along the rim and marvel at the
splendor of the Grand Canyon. Take a hike, read a book, or rent a helicopter for
a real thrill ride over the canyon. If you’ve never seen the Grand Canyon,
you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Day 12, Wednesday, May 21 — Leave Grand Canyon and ride to Kingman,
Arizona
From the high mountains of Flagstaff, we’ll descend a bit to discover perhaps
the best section of Route 66 of all. We’ll stop in Seligman and perhaps sample
some dead chicken sandwiches and the wonderful hospitality of a Route 66 legend.
We’ll ride through the remote Arizona high desert and end up at Kingman, another
legendary town on the old road, where we’ll have yet another
special dinner on tap.
Day 13, Thursday, May 22 — Leave Kingman and ride to Barstow, California
It’s hard to decide which is the best or most scenic part of Route 66. This
morning is another contender as we tackle Sitgreaves Pass, a winding mountain
pass that used to terrify old 66 drivers so much that they hired locals to drive
their cars over it. We’ll spend some time in an authentic western town, complete
with wooden sidewalks and wild burros roaming the one and only street in town
before descending to the valley floor and crossing over into California and more
wild and deserted roads on the way to our night’s stay in Barstow.
Day 14, Friday, May 23 — Leave Barstow and ride to Santa Monica,
California
They say the people traveling from the Dust Bowl states of Oklahoma, Kansas and
Arkansas during the Depression cried when they knew they were nearing the green
lands of the west coast of Southern California. Today, we’ll follow their same
route, stopping along the way to learn more about the old road (and Roy Rogers!)
at a swell museum. We’ll deviate a bit as we enter the Los Angeles area, and
ride some spectacular mountain roads en route to our final night’s destination
and the end of the Mother Road, Santa Monica, California. You can take a picture
of yourself at the plaque that marks the end of the old road before we have a
closing celebration and dinner that night on the beach of the Pacific Ocean.
A few important notes about the Raising Route 66 tour
Riding Ability and Conditions
As with every AMA Tour, we require that our tour members be extremely
proficient, experienced motorcyclist in good health, and be capable of handling
some challenging road and weather conditions. While there may be some sections
of our tour route that traverse roughly paved road surfaces, this tour will be
entirely on pavement with the exception of any possible road construction zones.
Sections of Route 66 in western Arizona are narrow, twisty and challenging, and
the visibility around many curves is severely limited.
Weather
The weather conditions between Chicago and Santa Monica along Route 66 during
this time of year will yield nearly every kind of climatic environment, with the
probable exception of snow and ice! During much of our trip, you can expect warm
or mild conditions, with the highest daytime temperatures likely to be in
Arizona and California. Temperatures in those regions can be 90 degrees and
above. You should also expect to encounter the usual late spring wet weather
systems during this tour. The bottom line is if you are mostly a fair-weather
rider and rarely take long motorcycle trips that include temperature extremes
and wet weather, you should consider taking another tour.
Routes and Daily Mileage
Please keep in mind that this tour allows you to cross nearly three quarters of
the distance across the United States in about 11 days. Distances of between 200 and 250
miles on several of the days of the trip are typical. While a 250-mile day may
not sound like a long ride, it is important to remember that you will be on
mostly smaller, two lane roads with relatively lower maximum speed limits. You
will also likely to be stopping frequently along the way to experience various
attractions each day. It will be important for you to get on the road at a
reasonable time each morning, and choose a pace that will provide you with the
most enjoyment and allow you to discover everything that is part of the lore of
Route 66.
Accommodations
The Raising Route 66 Tour includes all accommodations during the tour for a
total of 14 nights. To make your trip as pleasurable and relaxing as possible,
we have made every effort to obtain comfortable, modern hotels, and
extraordinary inns and lodges.
Meals
The tour price includes welcoming and closing receptions, cooked or continental
breakfasts each morning, and dinners every night except during your second
nights in Santa Fe and at the South Rim, where you are free to choose from among
a few good restaurants within walking distance from our lodgings. Lunch each day
is on your own. All of our included group meals will be provided at the location
of our hotels, inns and lodges, or within walking distance.
Tour Costs
Upon request, when possible, we will attempt to pair singles into twin rooms
with two beds to save the single occupancy add-on. Prices per person.
| Single occupancy room | $3,925 |
| Sharing a room with two beds with another rider | $2,955 |
Bike Rentals
If you opt to rent a motorcycle instead of using your own, you can contact any
rental company of your choosing.
Eaglerider, which rents a wide range of Harley Davidson and Buell Motorcycles, provides a discount to AMA members and has locations in both Chicago and Los Angeles. Visit their website for information and reservations.
With any motorcycle rental outfit you choose, don’t forget to inquire about the availability of luggage for these bikes so you can be prepared to provide your own luggage if necessary. All rental companies have a limited supply of bikes, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You should contact them well in advance of the tour to increase the chances of receiving the motorcycle you want. NOTE: AMA Tours and Eaglerider have no direct affiliation. If you choose to utilize their services, your contract will be with their company and not AMA Tours. AMA Tours assumes no responsibility for rental motorcycles with this tour. Other rental companies may also become available for your use on this tour.