With just 7 days till I leave for Chicago, the excitement is mounting. It's going to be a busy week this week with some 'domestic' things to do before I go, and of course, celebrating my birthday on Thurday. Then it's our wedding anniversary on Saturday - 18 years, which is porcelain I'm informed. SWMBO want's the bathroom refitted this year, so that seems appropriate.
Dave B came through with the goods this week, and has loaned me a set of H-D bags specifically designed to fit in the Harley's fitted panniers and top-box, so I know how much space I have to play with. Not much is the answer, so I am cutting down on what I will take with me. Still, it's better to know now rather than having to ditch stuff when I pick up the bike.
I ordered a small amount of US dollars - ironically the best exchange rate was from SAGA, with free next day delivery. I dare say the first of a number of transactions with them over the years to come!
I've also booked some internal flights to help me get home at the end of the trip, as the availability on the flights back from San Francisco has not improved any - these give me the option of flying back from LA, Seattle or even New York. I must remember to collect the tickets on Wednesday. It's not nice to think that a month from today I'll be back at work though.
Preparations are so well advanced in fact that last night I was even able to go through my music collection to decide what I should load up onto my iPod and take with me. How organised is that? I also realised that I'll be away on St George's day, so have got a St George's flag to fix to the bike. That should provide a talking point when I stop for gas.
Looking at my route again for the upteenth time I noticed something that I hadn't thought about before. I will be travelling through 4 time zones over the course of the trip (Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific). As I'm travelling east to west that means that I will get an extra 3 hours! What a bonus. So bike hire is actually 18 days and 3 hours. I hope they don't try to hit me with a surcharge!
Now it's just a case of waiting for Sunday. This trip has been so long in gestation, that it's hard to believe that it's now just a week away. It's also slightly scary.
Hello...I'm actually flying into Chicago this Thursday to make the trek to LA with friends in an RV...Any suggestions you have from other people as I see you've done a TON more research than we have would be greatly appreciated... billymc215@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi Billy, I'm sure you'll have a great time! When will you get into LA?
ReplyDeleteYes I've done some research and feel prepared, but hopefully not over prepared!
A great resource for the trip is the Historic 66 website, which will give you turn by turn directions if you really want to follow Route 66 as it was, and a very active forum where people who've done the trip will answer pretty much any question you may have!
Let me know how you're getting on.
Nigel.
You probably can't take the motorhome through the freeway undercrossing between Palomas and Montoya, NM west of Tucumcari. It's a low, narrow one lane tunnel. You'll likely have to exit the freeway at Montoya.
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