Looky...

I've received bunches of goodies to prepare for our trip...

I didn't get a road map for Missouri, although they did include a nice little "Oops! We're out of maps!" note, or New Mexico so we'll just have to re-order those. I think we are well on our way to planning our trip!

getting our kicks on Route 66

This is it. This is the Mother Road. Like Christine mentioned, we do not plan to follow it from beginning to end. We are going to start about halfway down Illinois in a town called Joilet. Then, we plan on taking 5 days to get to California via Route 66. We won't be going to the end in Los Angeles, instead we will really just barely go into California, and turn around and head for Vegas. We're gonna do a night on the strip, watch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon, and then do a straight out burn for home via those nasty impersonal interstates.

Just to let you know, this is the yellow brick road.

forward momentum

Our VW bus Fairy Godmother, Erin, has turned me on to a site.

Oh, what a site...an out of sight, site.

Bergen and I have sat, plastered to this screen for an hour now. I only stopped because I thought I might cry, or burst from all the excitement. And that would be messy. Nobody likes to see a mess like that.

Gurls, I found no less than 6 (SIX!!!) buses & vans that I can very realistically afford before I turn thirty this December. Possibly much sooner than that... We got through 9 pages of listings from just TODAY!

And, I found these guys. Just right down the road in Jacksonville. And, they will be the ones that get us 100% road ready.

This is not a drill.
Houston, we have solution.

So far...

Item #1: Where do we start? Where do we end?
We haven't completely decided on these definitely just yet, but we are aiming for a start in Joliet, Illinois and a semi-ending in Las Vegas.  Yes, I know that takes us a bit off course, but Cam and I thought we couldn't get that close to Las Vegas without at least driving down The Strip.  Originally, the ending was going to be the Grand Canyon because none of us have much desire to travel to LA.  No offense to any one living there.  It's just not for us.  However, after thinking it through, swinging into the very edge of Cali then heading for our drive down the strip, checking out the Hoover Dam, then camping (or sleeping in the VW) at the Grand Canyon seemed the way to go.  This way, the morning that we set off for home we can wake up early and watch the sun rise over the Grand Canyon.  What a perfect way to end....

So far I've only mapped out our way home.  The homeward journey is likely to be mostly I-40 with the occasional exit here or there.  I'd like to stop by the Petrified Forest National Park.  It's the only National Park with a segment of Route 66 within it's boundaries.  I'm sure we'll find more things to do on the way home.  More little "thumbtacks" to add.... stay tuned!



View 2010 Route 66 Trip - Homeward Journey in a larger map

The Deal, Lucille...

It all started with one question.

Then, the same answer came from three childhood friends, on all three of their blogs:

Road Trip...

Steph (aka Rubi) put forth the proposition that it should be along the old Route 66. Cam second that, and added that it must be in her vintage Volkswagen bus. Christine weighed in, and the propositions passed unanimously. We are hitting the road.

The next day, all sorts of avenues opened up to make this scheme, err...dream, a reality. Christine hit the motherload of information on Route 66, and a vague map was formed. Cam got a few steps closer to that vintage VW bus she speaks so lustily of. And, Rubi...well, Rubi got some news and now sees that her powers are infinite. Nothing can stop us.

Currently, we are getting together on the travel dates, and those sweet little details. We are assembling a crew of passengers. Chick, you are in the pool. Play your cards right.

Stay tuned for announcements. We will be assembling a checklist soon, and will keep you updated as we check off items that bring us closer to heading out.

"You got to do what do what Randall Pink Floyd wants to do, man.

Let me tell you this, the older you do get

the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow.

You just gotta keep livin' man.

L-i-v-i-n."