Route 66 - The Mother Road
11th - 30th May 2009

Day 1: Monday 11th May 2009
We fly from London to Chicago and after collecting our luggage and hire vehicles, we travel to our nearby hotel.
Overnight in Chicago ‘Days Inn’

Day 2: Tuesday 12th May 2009
After a leisurely breakfast we spend the day visiting Chicago and afterwards we head south to the town of Joliet.
Overnight in Joliet ‘Motel 6’

Day 3: Wednesday 13th May 2009
We drive south with detours to Dwight, Pontiac, Bloomington and Lincoln. We finish in Springfield at the birthplace of Abe Lincoln.
Overnight in Springfield Illinois ‘Red Roof Motel’

Day 4: Thursday 14th May 2009
Our first visit is Sheas Garage, followed by the ‘Cozy Dog Café’ and then onto Mitchell, the location to the Mustang Corral - a 3-acre scrap yard devoted to the Ford Mustang. We then cross the Mississippi River at St Louis.
Overnight in St Louis ‘Days Inn’

Day 5: Friday 15th May 2009
Our journey takes us to Stanton and past the Meramec Caves and across the Ozark Plains through Cuba, St James and Rolla.
Overnight in Lebanon ‘Munger Moss Motel’

Day 6: Saturday 16th May 2009
We visit Phelps and Carthage where in the Town Square ‘Back to the future’ was filmed. The town also has the ‘Route 66 Drive in Theatre’.
Overnight in Joplin ‘Motel 6’

Day 7: Sunday 17th May 2009
We head west through Galena, Miami and Vinita. At Foyil we see the ‘Pink Concrete’ and the ‘Blue Lagoon’ before we reach Tulsa.
Overnight in Tulsa ‘Super 8 Motel’

Day 8: Monday 18th May 2009
Our route passes through Sapulpa, Depew, Stroud and Chandler before we reach the Large Round Barn at Arcadia.
Overnight in Oklahoma City ‘Travelodge‘

Day 9: Tuesday 19th May 2009
Our route passes through El Reno, Calumet and Hydro for a stop at the Graffiti Grille. Our journey then continues onto Clinton and Elk City.
Overnight in Elk City ‘Econolodge‘

Day 10: Wednesday 20th May 2009
We travel onto Sayre, famous for the film ‘Grapes of Wrath’, then onto Erick, Texola and Shamrock where we find the U Drop In. Next is Mclean, Home of the famous Philips Gas Station, and Alanreed before we reach Amarillo.
Overnight in Amarillo ‘Travelodge’

Day 11: Thursday 21st May 2009
At Amarillo we have a morning visit to the famous Cadillac Ranch. We pass the Midpoint of ‘the road’ and Glenrio and finish the day in Tucumcari.
Overnight in Tucumcari ‘Blue Swallow Motel’

Day 12: Friday 22nd May 2009
We make an early start for the drive to Albuquerque where we spend the remainder of the day exploring the city, including a visit to the ‘Old Town’, famous for the adobe buildings.
Overnight in Albuquerque ‘Rodeway Inn’

Day 13: Saturday 23rd May 2009
We spend the morning exploring Albuquerque and then continue our westward journey to Gallup, visiting Laguna and its adobe church en-route.
Overnight in Gallup, Arizona ‘El Rancho Motel’

Day 14: Sunday 24th May 2009
We continue west to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks. We will return for the evening light after time spent in Holbrook where we book into our motel and spend the afternoon photographing in the town.
Overnight in Holbrook ‘Wigwam Motel’

Day 15: Monday 25th May 2009
We spend some of the morning in Holbrook before heading west to the ‘Big Rabbit’, Winslow and Flagstaff before we arrive at Williams.
Overnight in Williams ‘The Westerner’

Day 16: Tuesday 26th May 2009
We head west to Seligman past the Grand Canyon Caves and Hackberry before ending the day in Kingman.
Overnight in Kingman ‘Motel 6’

Day 17: Wednesday 27th May 2009
After leaving Kingman we drive through Oatman and the Needles before we continue on to Barstow along a desert stretch of Route 66.
Overnight in Barstow, California ‘Motel 6’

Day 18: Thursday 28th May 2009
We follow the remaining section of the ‘Mother Road’ to Los Angeles. We visit the Bottle Tree Ranch and the Wigwam Motel at Rialto. We take an evening drive to Santa Monica Boulevard and the Pacific Ocean.
Overnight in Santa Monica, California ‘Econolodge’

Day 19: Friday 29th May 2009
We make an early start to visit the famous Hollywood sign before our journey to Los Angeles Airport to join our return flight to London.

Day 20: Saturday 30th May 2009
Our overnight flight from Los Angeles sees us arrive in London round midday.