ZUZENDU LINAK ETA IPINI ARGAZKIA

Before you set out

Before you get your kicks on Route 66, the first thing to decide is which mean of transportation you are going to use. If you want to know our opinion, go to the Bike, car, RV? link. It is clear that if you decide to travel by bike, there are more issues to take into consideration. Nevertheless, if you think about it, you probably are used to riding long distances on your motorcycle and thus you will be familiar the implications. If you want to bring your bike all the way over there from a different continent, it will not be cheap, custom clearance is a nightmare and you will need to do it long in advance. Depending upon how long you plan to stay, it might be worthwhile to rent a bike. If you decide to take the car, there is no point of comparison...

In our case, Jerry was working near Chicago (Kenosha, WI) and after the trip, he had to go to Los Angeles for some time, so we decided to buy a motorcycle there. We choose a Yamaha YZF 600 1995. In continental Europe, this model was sold as FZR 600. Unlike the used car market, the motorcycles are not easy to find, moreover if you want to pay a fair price. It took us some time to find a good deal. Buying a car could also be a good opportunity. Prices start around $1,000 for old vehicles and you should always keep in mind that sometimes you will be riding in the middle of nowhere. Getting stuck there might not be a nice idea...

If you go for the rent and the bike option, there are plenty of web sites where they offer Harley Davidsons for around $30 a day. We do not know about all the conditions, though. Better ask before you go for it. If you go for the rental car, take a look at the Internet fares for Avis, Hertz, Enterprise and also ask at your local travel agent: you will see that all the prices are different. Another option is to rent a Recreational Vehicle (RV). No idea about how much it might cost you, but again check at the Internet and remember that you will have to pay for a parcel in any campground ($12-18)

If you rent, you will have two options: leave the vehicle at LA or go back to where you began. Chicago-Los Angeles can be made by highway in 42 hours (non-stop), it is up to you. Keep in mind that if you return the vehicle in a different location from where you rented it can significantly increase the final price of the rental. The price of a return flight ticket is also more expensive if the way back is different from the first destination.

Once you have decided upon all this, it is convenient to get yourself some health insurance and road assistance. Health care is extremely expensive in the USA and to our best knowledge they do not have any agreements with foreign public social security systems. As for the road assistance, AAA provides a great service all over the country. They provide extended service for motorcycles and RV´s within the premium contract. More info? Go to their web site at http://www.aaa.com . You might need to have a local address in order to become a member. Check out if you can use that of the dealer where you plan to rent or buy. Rented cars are also included, of course. We became members of AAA Wisconsin and we got a really good service in everything we requested from them.

Once you have everything, you will need to get a whole set of maps. AAA will provide them for free, but they are not as detailed as you will need. We did use them, though. We got lost a few times, but it was the price to pay in order not to pay for expensive maps we might never use again. In one of our last stops in Arizona, we saw a great map in a store, only for Route 66. However, we did not record either the name nor the author, sorry about that. If you decide to spend your bucks, make sure you buy something of quality. As always, many people try to sell crap at gold’s prices. You can also go without any map. Most of the times the signs with the road to follow are very clear. However, if you have a good idea of what you want to see, you have better carry a map with you.

Finally, although you should not have any problem along the way, it is convenient to plan ahead every day. Otherwise, you might end up going too fast or too slow. To have an idea where you might sleep is also nice. Generally speaking, you will have no problem to find a place to sleep before you arrive to California (where you might find it difficult to find a reasonably priced place if you do not book way in advance, specially during weekends). There are plenty of motels on your way. We slept in National Parks and motels. This way, we got to know some very nice National Parks and the charms of some motels (where a nice bed once in a while is like all heavens together)

Last advice for those who have never been to the USA: always tip on restaurants. If you do not do it, you will be treated as the most stingy person in the world. Tipping is so normal that in some places they directly add it to the bill. By the way, all prices you will see do not include VAT. It is a nice math exercise to combine currency exchange plus VAT, before making a purchase decision.

Well, take your time to read all the different stages of our journey and you might learn something from our experience. The 2,400 miles of Route 66 are waiting for you, full of memories and charm.

Be aware of the miles: When we talk about days and distances, it is the real distance that we travelled. Much more than what you can find in guides. The reasons? Detours, going back and forth into town at night, getting lost, etc.