{"id":1639,"date":"2015-05-21T20:30:31","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T16:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/?p=1639"},"modified":"2026-02-26T18:46:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:46:07","slug":"hitting-route-66","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/hitting-route-66\/","title":{"rendered":"Hitting Route 66"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m hitting Route 66, named American Main Street or American Mother Road. How else they call it, it\u2019s a road which my parents should be hitting before I was born, if they &#8230; weren\u2019t Russians (so I am)<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->and you have no idea what the hell they were hit instead (so I did).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=zKhq6av7OHKs.kASuIj7aH8Dg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"280\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Before moving to South Africa, I was a motoring journalist in Moscow for a while, took the latest models of motor cars for test drives, learned myself and touch the readers driving techniques. I was a biggest fun of motor cars, but not any more. For me it\u2019s easier to keep a legal speed riding a bicycle than driving a car. So I\u2019m riding a bicycle all the way from Illinois to California.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1643\" src=\"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7.jpg\" alt=\"route66-illinoice\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7-744x558.jpg 744w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7-370x278.jpg 370w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice7-770x578.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As I\u2019m not good on a saddle like I\u2019m on a driver\u2019s seat I didn\u2019t mind the brand and even the model. When I asked around the web which kind of bike should I use for trip like that I was given quite different answers. The same point of each was to not buy the cheapest bike in Walmart. That \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 gave me an idea to do exactly that and it was a few reasons for buying my Roadmaster MTB for $79 (I didn\u2019t see cheaper) in Walmart.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1644\" src=\"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2.jpg\" alt=\"route66-illinoice\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2-744x558.jpg 744w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2-370x278.jpg 370w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice2-770x578.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8211; I didn\u2019t pack my expansive MTB at OR Tambo airport of Johannesburg and didn\u2019t unpack it at O\u2019Hare airport of Chicago. I decided to leave it at home. I didn\u2019t take off the wheels, the pedals and didn\u2019t twist the handle bar. I didn\u2019t know and didn\u2019t want to know how to do all that. However, I don\u2019t want to be busy with packing\/unpacking my bike either at the airports or carry my bike without wheels from home to home.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; My transferring from the airport to the start point without bicycle was much more easier rather than with one. I made the first Walmart on the way from Chicago to Santa Monica the starting point of my journey and bought the bike there.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; If something is wrong with the bike, no need to learn where the cycling workshops along the road are. If there are. Walmarts are everywhere no matter if you learned that or not. Either you will get your bike fixed there or simply exchange it for the new one. The same about all accessories.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; If my bike brakes in the middle of nowhere, somebody will through it on the back of the vehicle and bring me to the Walmart. I\u2019m not sure if someone will be able to bring me to the cycling workshop even he would like to.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1646\" src=\"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4.jpg\" alt=\"route66-illinoice\" width=\"1000\" height=\"725\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4-420x305.jpg 420w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4-744x539.jpg 744w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4-370x268.jpg 370w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4-770x558.jpg 770w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice4-70x50.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8211; If my bike will be still alive at my finish point, I donate it (should think about to whom). If not, I get money back from Walmart. That what they guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; I carry only pump and spare camera, no any other tools or oils. I will serve my bike in Walmarts! Probably.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Not once I fixed my first motor car myself. No ways I will fix the bike. I like to wash my car. No ways I will wash the bike. I can\u2019t explain that.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Any expansive sport bike looks ugly with panniers, so what\u2019s the point.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1647\" src=\"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15.jpg\" alt=\"route66-illinoice\" width=\"1000\" height=\"609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15-420x256.jpg 420w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15-744x453.jpg 744w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15-370x225.jpg 370w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/route66-illinoice15-770x469.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Actually I made a decision of riding Route 66 after Adventure Cycling Association <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adventurecycling.org\/routes-and-maps\/adventure-cycling-route-network\/bicycle-route-66\/\">http:\/\/www.adventurecycling.org\/routes-and-maps\/adventure-cycling-route-network\/bicycle-route-66\/<\/a> notified FB that special\u00a0 Bicycle Route 66 was mapped separate from regular Rout 66 and I was sure I could buy this map <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adventurecycling.org\/routes-and-maps\/adventure-cycling-route-network\/bicycle-route-66\/\">http:\/\/www.adventurecycling.org\/routes-and-maps\/adventure-cycling-route-network\/bicycle-route-66\/<\/a> with the first McDonalds\u2019s WiFi on the way. It happened to be more complicated as there wasn\u2019t an application but database and studying mapping and GPS databases is on my to do list but not at the moment. So I simply downloaded the app from <a href=\"http:\/\/roadtrip66.com\">http:\/\/roadtrip66.com<\/a> with interactive map of regular route 66 with all sign-seeing information and started enjoying everything on it. It was the point of realising that I don\u2019t really want to use park roads so I leave scenery for hiking.<\/p>\n<p>Patchouli drove me to my\u00a0starting point of Lansing Walmart from Damascus with overnight staying at Barbarossa&#8217;s Shenandoah rancho and drinking a lot of raw milk with. Yes, these funny names are trail names.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1649\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1649\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1649\" src=\"http:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529.jpg\" alt=\"Ranch at Shenandoah\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529-744x558.jpg 744w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529-370x278.jpg 370w, https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/trail-days-201529-770x578.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1649\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ranch at Shenandoah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As I didn\u2019t find Bicycle Route 66, so just started cycling towards Joliet to join regular Rout 66. It was 22nd of May. I think.<\/p>\n<p>[button url=&#8221;https:\/\/plus.google.com\/photos\/100220277700667817384\/albums\/6153993690245429617&#8243; size=&#8221;btn-lg&#8221; color=&#8221;btn-blue&#8221; shape=&#8221;btn-rounded&#8221; target=&#8221;_blank&#8221;]All photos here[\/button]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m hitting Route 66, named American Main Street or American Mother Road. How else they call it, it\u2019s a road which my parents should be hitting before I was born, if they &#8230; weren\u2019t Russians (so I am)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[144],"tags":[435,436,219],"class_list":["post-1639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bike-rides","tag-appalachian-trail","tag-us-historic-route-66","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1639"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1711,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1639\/revisions\/1711"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenafaber.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}