My Route 66 adventure:

For the record, here is the average of what I paid for regular gas in each state. Not all 16 states appear since I did not have to fill up in some of them. Oddly, the octane ratings in a couple of states - I don't remember which ones - were lower than the rest; instead of the usual 87/89/93, they were 86/88/91. But the car didn't seem to mind. I got most of the gas at Shell or Chevron but Conoco and even Circle-K were in the mix.

IN - $2.25
WI - $2.50
IL - $2.55
MO - $2.17
OK - $2.30
TX - $2.62
NM - $2.85
AZ - $2.91
CA - $3.75
LA - $2.30
AL - $2.36

So, to answer the inevitable question: did I get my kicks on Route 66? Absolutely! And I've already found enough other things to do along the way to merit another trip sometime in the future. Hopefully the nostalgia movement will get more of the shuttered businesses along the Route to reopen.

And there's no reason why, given enough time, the same can't be done on other older highways. Take US-41, which is the "old road" through my hometown of Marietta, GA. During this trip, I actually found myself on sections of US-41 in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin! So maybe next time I go to Chicago, I take 41 all the way. Why not?

 

I just calculated that my average motel stay during the 6 nights on Route 66 was just short of $80. 5 of the 6 were "traditional" independent motels that were the usual lodgings before the advent of chains in the '50s. The one that wasn't was a Holiday Inn Express, and it was the most expensive at $100.

For the entire trip, which included getting to and from Route 66, the average for all 14 nights was $83.50. I actually stayed in some chains that I hadn't stayed at in years: Howard Johnson, Super 8, Motel 6 and Rodeway Inn. I would say that all the lodgings that I stayed in were comfortable, well run and fairly priced. (Now, if only Wyndham would sell the HoJo food recipes to an active restaurant chain. I miss the Tendersweet fried clams!)

 

It's certainly the most exciting. Those hairpin turns going over the pass certainly demand your attention. And Oatman is so unique - take away the cars and suddenly it's 1880!

 

I found this delightful video on New Mexico's website. While it's specifically about the iconic Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, the conversations with the innkeeper and one of the guests point out why Route 66 is such a special road. They're right: the people you meet along the way are part of the enjoyment. I particularly enjoyed speaking with the foreign nationals I encountered. As I said at the beginning of all of this: Route 66 is a trip that everyone should take at least once in their lifetime.

 

If you want to see what Route 66 was like in its heyday, these books from Arcadia Publishing are a good place to start. They show dozens of images of motels, eateries, gas stations and attractions, some of which still exist, some which don't. Each book covers its state from east to west, and in urban areas the captions include addresses, so you can plug those addresses into Google Maps and see what's there now.
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US-41 is the main north-south route through my home town of Marietta, GA. Having been bypassed by the parallel I-75, it only gets real busy when I-75 gets jammed up during rush hour. There are still a couple of traditional mom-&-pop style motels, but even though they look fine, they don't appear in any travel guides, because they cater to a different clientele - when you see signs like "hourly rates" and "truckers' rates", you know to go elsewhere. It's a shame, because at one time, they would have been the places to stay in Marietta. (The nicest-looking one of those when I arrived here in 1996 was subsequently razed and replaced by a car dealership!)

During my drive north to reach Route 66, I encountered US-41 twice - crossing the Ohio River into Evansville, and on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago just before reaching the start of 66. I think the next time I drive to Chicago, maybe I'll take US-41 the whole way!

 

Next time I'm in Vegas.....

 

But of course! If you're in Winslow, you just HAVE to stand on the corner!

 

It turns out that such a book does exist. It's a bit dull in a way because all it shows is photos of bridges, with very little of the background shown for context. Fortunately there are some maps to show where on the Route these bridges are.

https://www.amazon.com/Route-66-Crossings-Historic-Bridges/dp/0806151994/