Chicago to flagstaff?
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What time of year and what route? We just came down Route 66 last fall and there are many places to stay overnight - Walmarts, casinos , small city parks, etc. Since Route 66 parallels the interstates for most of the way that route would use a lot of the same spots. Let me know and I'll list some of the best and easiest to get to places.
WheelEstate USA
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This might be less confusing with one thread.
skyl4rk
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We like to shunpike if we can, although the interstates are much faster. Usually we end up on the interstates to get out of the midwest then switch to the 2 lane roads. We try to avoid big cities and St Louis and Kansas City are hard to avoid on the interstates.
Hannibal, MO to St Joseph MO on Hwy 36 is a decent way to get across MO. Then meander down to Topeka KS and take I-70 to Salina, KS. Then go south to 56 and follow it all the way to NM.
We stop overnight at big box store parking lots as it starts to get dark. Some places that we have had no problems: Hannibal, MO at the Wal Mart and Lowes, Lowes is quieter. Salina KS at the Wal Mart. Dodge City at Wal Mart. Mills Canyon near Abbott, NM is a great campground with hiking and a real western feel. We stopped there and took a few days rest from high mileage driving.
I strongly recommend the two lane roads in NM because the interstates are kind of ugly, while the two lanes can be ecstatic scenery for a midwesterner. If you don't plan to stop in Sante Fe, avoid 25, it is hilly and the altitude will make you feel like crap. Just follow the two lane roads down to 40.
Eventually, you are going to want to make some miles headed west on 40, so just hit the cruise control and ride. As you get into Arizona, you may find problems with signs saying no overnight camping at Wal Marts. I have not done the I-40 in east AZ, but I would sleep in the van even if there were signs. Or maybe find another big box store that is closed at night, we tend to sleep better at those places.
Hannibal, MO to St Joseph MO on Hwy 36 is a decent way to get across MO. Then meander down to Topeka KS and take I-70 to Salina, KS. Then go south to 56 and follow it all the way to NM.
We stop overnight at big box store parking lots as it starts to get dark. Some places that we have had no problems: Hannibal, MO at the Wal Mart and Lowes, Lowes is quieter. Salina KS at the Wal Mart. Dodge City at Wal Mart. Mills Canyon near Abbott, NM is a great campground with hiking and a real western feel. We stopped there and took a few days rest from high mileage driving.
I strongly recommend the two lane roads in NM because the interstates are kind of ugly, while the two lanes can be ecstatic scenery for a midwesterner. If you don't plan to stop in Sante Fe, avoid 25, it is hilly and the altitude will make you feel like crap. Just follow the two lane roads down to 40.
Eventually, you are going to want to make some miles headed west on 40, so just hit the cruise control and ride. As you get into Arizona, you may find problems with signs saying no overnight camping at Wal Marts. I have not done the I-40 in east AZ, but I would sleep in the van even if there were signs. Or maybe find another big box store that is closed at night, we tend to sleep better at those places.
ggwoman
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Yogidog said:
Yogidog,
Try this link. I mapped your basic trip based on your start and stop city names you posted, but if you want to add any special stops along the way, just hit 'Trip Planner" at the top left and input whatever towns you want. This is such a great resource. Do you want to take the old Route 66?
https://freecampsites.net/#!chicago...ery=routeSearch&routeDistance=25&routeIndex=0
Yogidog
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Hey u guys thanks so much! I was just starting to plan this trip as not to get bogged down last month I am here
I like the idea of back roads and route 66,/but I think I am going to want to get to the west as fast as possible, like slowing down and camping, maybe around new Mexico, I see luddicks where people stay, maybe around there, then slowly toward fkagstaff, over next week or so. I will post when I get farther in process. Thanks! I can use these back roads when I want to stall and delay going east!
I like the idea of back roads and route 66,/but I think I am going to want to get to the west as fast as possible, like slowing down and camping, maybe around new Mexico, I see luddicks where people stay, maybe around there, then slowly toward fkagstaff, over next week or so. I will post when I get farther in process. Thanks! I can use these back roads when I want to stall and delay going east!
Yogidog
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tonyandkaren said:
U are great thank u! This is reassuring to here that there are many places, I think I will do the interstate through st Louis, drive 12 hours, sleep 12/more then start.slowing down. I can figure out where those are approximately then post. Do u know about ludducks or anywhere West of that,.toward flagstaff? This will be in a month from now.
Bindiandus I agree it is confusing!
We have super slow internet where we're camping so I can't look much up but here's a link to a map that I made of our Route 66 trip. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&authuser=0&mid=zWUSQ5x4Gi9s.kw7Mg3y1h0_o
We were traveling slowly and we stopped for the night at a lot of different places. I marked potential stopping spots with a P so most of the Ps on the maps are places where we stayed. Walmarts were the easiest especially in the first part of the trip.
Elk City Lake Park in Oklahoma, San Jon City Park in Texas and McHood Park in Arizona are all nice, little, free city parks. Sorry I can't get the sites to come up to give you clickable links but they're all on the map.
I'm not sure where ludducks is. Do you mean Lubbock in Texas? If so San Jon City Park is pretty close.
We were traveling slowly and we stopped for the night at a lot of different places. I marked potential stopping spots with a P so most of the Ps on the maps are places where we stayed. Walmarts were the easiest especially in the first part of the trip.
Elk City Lake Park in Oklahoma, San Jon City Park in Texas and McHood Park in Arizona are all nice, little, free city parks. Sorry I can't get the sites to come up to give you clickable links but they're all on the map.
I'm not sure where ludducks is. Do you mean Lubbock in Texas? If so San Jon City Park is pretty close.
ggwoman
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T&K, Thanks for that wonderful detailed map! I put it in my bookmarks for future reference. Sounds like you had a greatl trip. I have only driven bits and pieces of Rt 66, but it is on my bucket list to do the whole Mother Rd. Thanks again. gg
Yogidog
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Oh my gosh u guys, this is exactly what I was wishing for, I am so stressed trying to slink around town and work, was trying to remember I would be able to travel again. Then I remembered I never went this way before, and started worring maybe there would be no place to stop, thank u for doing the work on this route, it does run along the express way, maybe I will slow down and enjoy some of this, if not this trip another one, will do this route often. Yes I meant Lubbocktonyandkaren said:
. I can certainly find the links with this map! Awesome!Good day to u both, you made mine!
ggwoman
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About 6 weeks is all that's left now and I still have a ton of loose ends to wrap up and stuff to get rid of. I just shredded ALL my former career papers adn got rid of that wardrobe. I still have so much treasures to list on eBay, but found myself crying while listing yesterday and then this morning woke up in a panic and delisted them. Called my storage people in CA and asked if I could send a few boxes to them to put in my unit for me. They were so kind and said of course. SO I am going to send a few things. I know that I will want a cabin or cottage eventually in a few years and want my favorite things around. My books are also causing stress. I LOVE books. I've got the car loaded with about 100 of them that I gave up. I kept 40 or so and will ship them to storage for now. I know, one shouldn't be attached to things, but I love antiques and beautiful things from the past. Things were an art, they were made so well, they have lasted so long and are getting harder to find. My heart breaks a little when something of beauty that I will never see again goes away.
Yogidog
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Hey, just read this, sorry : thats funny on the books I did the same thing, i had about 50,/then found friends of the library and added even more. Growing up books were for sure my guides, almost like friends still are.
II absolutly don't think there are right and wrong in this.endevor, for me it is like meeting myself,.really get to know and accept myself. I can totally understand why u would keep some of the stuff, esoecially if going back to anplace eventually
My daughter and a current client taught me about clothes being works of art. I bet most of us get rid of stuff innstages. I was going around leaving nicenstuff at motel 6 s for quite awhile.
The identity with doing social work was the hardest thing to give up, ii loved my clients and they loved me,.I believe u worked with special ed teaching I think, that would be hard to say goodbye to the stuff that symbolized it.that had . to be a intense job also. After about a year I realized the workd has a endless supply of situations that could use hel p like u helped me route the map that meant alot, as often I was doing too much, expecting too much of myself, expecting it to be perfect and do it alone! Yeeks. So thanks so much!
thats funny on the books I did the same thing, i had about 50,/then found friends of the library and added even more. Growing up books were for sure my guides, almost like friends still are.II absolutly don't think there are right and wrong in this.endevor, for me it is like meeting myself,.really get to know and accept myself. I can totally understand why u would keep some of the stuff, esoecially if going back to anplace eventually
My daughter and a current client taught me about clothes being works of art
. I bet most of us get rid of stuff innstages. I was going around leaving nicenstuff at motel 6 s for quite awhile.The identity with doing social work was the hardest thing to give up, ii loved my clients and they loved me,.I believe u worked with special ed teaching I think, that would be hard to say goodbye to the stuff that symbolized it.that had . to be a intense job also. After about a year I realized the workd has a endless supply of situations that could use hel p
like u helped me route the map that meant alot, as often I was doing too much, expecting too much of myself, expecting it to be perfect and do it alone! Yeeks. So thanks so much!
Almost There
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Kenny said:
I did Flagstaff to just east of Chicago in MI.
I plotted my course by using the trip advisor on freecampsites.net and specifying no interstates and toll roads and asking for campsites that were no more than 25 miles off the course. You can set up different parameters as needed.
Once I had the routing, I figured out how many miles a day I was willing to drive and located camping in that area. What I also did was make sure that I had a couple of alternatives in my head, both in case one camp was not available but also so that I could quit early or put in some more miles depending on weather and my day.
Only once did I have to choose a W/M parking lot and that was because I wanted to quit early that day!!
