7th July, 2000

Itinerary

Right, we fly to Chicago from Birmingham airport on the 29th of July, where we've got a hotel booked in the River North area. We'll spend two nights in Chicago, seeing the sights, buying any stuff we think we'll need. Then on July the 31st, we'll collect our hire car... and from then on the plans get a little bit looser.
Well, OK, there's a plan. Only the pace is unplanned, the route is quite solid -- it's Route 66!

Map of USA

So that's

  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Pontiac
  • Springfield
  • St. Louis, Missouri
  • Rolla
  • Springfield (another one)
  • Baxter Springs, Kansas
  • Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Oklahoma City
  • Clinton
  • Shamrock, Texas
  • Amarillo
  • Tucumcari, New Mexico
  • Santa Fe
  • Albuquerque
  • Grants
  • Gallup
  • Winslow, Arizona
  • Williams
  • Hackberry
  • Needles, California
  • Amboy
  • Barstow
  • Claremont
  • Santa Monica
We'll be trying to follow the old road wherever it's practical -- large chunks of old Route 66 have been replaced by Interstates.

There'll be a great big detour to take in Las Vegas -- I have an important date with a Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo cabinet in the Excalibur hotel... And following that, a great big loop north of the Grand Canyon, through the desert canyons of Southern Utah.

Along the way we'll be seeking the answers to age-old questions about America:

  • What exactly is a Twinkie?
  • What's the difference between Ketchup and Catsup?
  • Do barbeques in Texas actually taste the way Texas Barbeque flavour Doritos 3D do?
  • Just how cheap is the petrol?
  • Um, and other things.