Re: Route 66 and the rest - here we come!
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 5:02 pm
nomad wrote:You folks adventures are legendary and wish you a fun trip!
I'm not on your route unless you take the quick and dirty route back east from Seattle on I 90. If you were to do that my wife and I would enjoy showing you the sights in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Let us know! If I were taking that journey I would hop up into Canada and take C 3 to Waterton Lakes then drop south and take US 2 to Sault Ste Marie then back into Canada and do Niagara Falls if you haven't done it on the way out. I like old US two lanes! Then, New England if there are still colors. May be a bit on the cold side to do a Northerly route at that time of the year though.
Curious as to what the rest of the intrepid travelers here have to say?
Kurt
26/3754
Peter, agree with Kurt that focusing on Highway 2 for the western portion of your return trip makes a lot of sense. You can always drop down to I90 or I94 if you need to make up some time or travel in to the night.
Washington State 20 (Sedro Woolley to Grand Coulee) is also a very nice route.
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is stunning. No need to come north to Canada if you are short of time, but the Going to the Sun Highway (West Glacier to St Mary) is a very special road, routinely listed in North America's top ten. Note it is seasonally open, so check ahead.
Eastern Montana is a loong run, and you may wish to drop down to I90. Great Falls to White Sulphur Springs on 89 is nice. I would avoid 89 south of White Sulphur Springs as there is presently six miles of rough construction immediately north of Livingston. Highway 12 is a pleasant way to join I90. Miles City is a nice stop, with cool old buildings and brass rail bars with high ceilings. I think the Lonesome Dove miniseries was filmed there.
Dropping south to the Black Hills (area south of I90 around Rapid City SD) is well worth it. You pretty much have to drop south anyway, and the Black Hills is Disneyland for sports cars and bikes. It is pretty close to the geographic centre of the continent. If time allows, you can easily spend a day taking in the well maintained and scenic roads.
A great way to avoid Chicago congestion is the ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon MI. If you reserve a spot for the morning sailing definitely go for the served breakfast package!
We usually cross in to Canada at Port Huron /Sarnia, which avoids Detroit congestion. That said, if you have time the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn is very cool.
Sarnia to Niagra Falls is an OK run, and a lot easier than the Ohio Turnpike option south of the border. With all due respect to our Toronto based members, Canadian band The Tragically Hip said it well in their song "Titanic Terrarium"
Trace o mint wafting in from the north
So we don't f*ck with the 401
It's bigger than us or larger than we bargained
I guess it's just not done
The 401 is by far the busiest highway in Canada, and probably best avoided this trip.
I have only travelled through Vermont once, so no real local knowledge. That said it is a beautiful area and very Elan friendly.
As Ross says, remaining Route 66 is pretty desultory, replaced by modern Interstate. We picked up Tom Snyder's "Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion" on one of our trips through Illinois and Missouri. It has great little detail maps of the remaining sections and capsule histories of some of the sights.
Definely reach out to the Evergreen Lotus Car Club in Washington State. Great group of folks.
http://www.elcc.org
All the best on your epic trip. Should be an excellent adventure.
Stu