Western Leg – 28 Checkpoints – 4 States

Checkpoints follow The Mother Road in the general direction but may not be in perfect order.  Plan your route.  We suggest you look up these points on the internet.  We will not provide sample photos.

CALIFORNIA   

1. Santa Monica, CA – Santa Monica Pier – Traditional End – END of Route 66 Sign or pier parking lot or Arch to enter the pier.
2. Rancho Cucamonga – Cucamonga Service Station.
3. San Bernardino – Tepee Motel.
4. Barstow – Any Barstow Route 66 monument.
5. Amboy – Roy’s Café (see note below in this section).*
6. Newberry Springs – Bagdad Café (see note below in this section).*

ARIZONA

1. Topoc – Picture at the restaurant at the river (see note below in this section).*
2. Oatman – Famous for Donkeys on the road.  Any Road sign in conjunction with OATMAN downtown, or picture with a donkey.
3. Kingman – Distinct Archway used to take photos near Route 66 museum or Ramada Route 66 Hotel.
4. HackBerry – Gas Station (see note below in this section).*
5. Seligman – Delgadillo’s Restaurant, Roadkill Café, Westside Lilo’s restaurant.
6. Williams – Route 66 sign or Grand Canyon Railway.
7. Flagstaff – Route 66 Flagstaff Visitors Center.
8. Meteor Crater – Always a part of Route 66 just not marked as such, visitors center.
9. Winslow – Standing on the Corner in Winslow AZ, or La Posada Hotel.
10. Holbrook – Brad’s Desert Inn or Wigwam Motel.

NEW MEXICO

1. Gallup – The El Rancho Hotel, downtown.
2. Grants – Route 66 Historic Drive Thru Arch.
3. Albuquerque – Knob Hill Route 66 Diner, Kimo Theatre, ElRay Movie House.
4. Tijeras – Musical Road or Musical Road Ahead Sign, Route 66 Travel Center in Sedio.
5. Santa Rosa – Route 66 Restaurant – CLOSED.
6. Newkirk – Photo with the name Newkirk and Route 66 clearly identifiable – Ghost Town.
7. Tucumcari – Route 66 Museum, Tepee Curios Store, Del’s Restaurant.
8. San Jon – San Jon Ghost Town sign, Continental Divide DEAD END – Route 66 sign.
9. Glenrio – Glenrio Rd sign I-40/Route 66 EXIT 0 sign.

TEXAS

1. Adrian – MIDPOINT SIGN, midpoint of the Mother Road, standing on the WEST SIDE of the SIGN

*Note: Checkpoint parking may be dirt or gravel. Your photo can be taken from the pavement area to avoid contact with an unstable surface.

Eastern Leg – 28 Checkpoints – 5 States

TEXAS

1. Adrian – MIDPOINT SIGN, midpoint of the Mother Road standing on the EAST SIDE of the SIGN
2. Vega – Magnolia Gas Station.
   The small town of Vega has done a magnificent job in restoring this 1920’s gas station. There is a park around it with shade and picnic benches to take a break from the ride.

OKLAHOMA

1. Elk City – National Route 66 Museum.
   Take your time here. This is a fantastic museum with several buildings to learn more about the history of the Mother Road. It’s easy to burn an hour or so.
2. Hydro – Lucille’s Historic Highway Gas Station.
   While in Hydro, stop down the road in Weatherford, three miles away, and visit the new Lucille’s which is a replica of the historic gas station and a great little diner to grab a bite.
3. Arcadia – Round Barn.
   At this checkpoint there is not a spot to get a photo of the barn that also has something stating Route 66. Instead, there is a pull-out on Route 66 directly across from the barn which is intended for viewing and a photo-op. Get a photo from here with the barn, your bike and yourself.
   While you’re here, a mile away on Route 66 is Pops, a very popular stop on this section of Route 66. Here you can fill your tank, grab a bite at the diner, and pick a soda from the 1000 choices they have in stock.
4. Tulsa – Tally’s Good Food Café.
5. Tulsa – Buck Adams Cosmic Curios.
6. Catoosa – Smiling Blue Whale, Tulsa (see note below in this section).*
7. Yukon – Route 66 Crosswalk Yukon.
8. Claremore – Will Rogers Museum.
   If you have some extra time and you are a gun enthusiast, then stop down the road and visit the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum. What’s in here will blow you away.
9. Clinton – Route 66 Museum.
10. Vinita – Clanton Café.

Note: The Oklahoma Passport, organized by the state of Oklahoma, is great way to see special locations in the state.  If you complete an Oklahoma Passport tour, you will receive souvenirs to remember your trip.  The link is below.  This is not a finishing requirement for the Mother Road Adventure.

https://www.travelok.com/article_page/oklahoma-route-66-passport

KANSAS

1. Galena – Cars on the Route.
2. Riverton – Old Riverton Store.

MISSOURI

1. Joplin – Route 66 Mural Park.
2. Springfield – Route 66 Car Museum.
3. St Robert – Uranus Mi, Curio shop Route 66.
   You can’t leave here without fudge from Uranus.
4. Cuba – Murals – Locate Mural with Route 66 historic sign.
   If the timing is right and you need a place to stay, Cuba is home to the longest continually
   running motel on Route 66 – the restored Wagon Wheel Hotel with great BBQ next door.
5. Cuba – Former World’s Largest Rocking Chair (see note below in this section).*
6. St Louis – Arch photo needs to be in close vicinity of the arch.  Photos taken from miles away will not count.

ILLINOIS

1. Collinsville – Largest Ketchup Bottle.
2. Litchfield – Route 66 Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center.
3. Springfield – Motorheads Bar and Grill.
4. Bloomington – Cruising with Lincoln on Route 66
5. Pontiac – Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum.
   Ride around to the back of the museum and there is a drive up to a mural on the back wall, a great spot to take your photo right here.
   This is another location that you should try to reserve some time to see. The museum is fantastic, and the small town has gone over the top embracing the heritage of Route 66.
6. Joliet – Rich and Creamy on Broadway.
7. Madison – Chain of Rocks Bridge.
8. Chicago – Official Route 66 Starting Point Sign – East Adams Street, just west of its intersection with South Michigan Avenue.

*Note: Checkpoint parking may be dirt or gravel. Photo can be taken from the pavement area to avoid contact with an unstable surface.

Awards              

After a certified finish of each leg of the Mother Road Adventure, at the end of the year the rider will receive a plaque indicating which leg was completed, the East or West Leg. For those who have both East and West Leg plaques for the same year, the plaques will fit together with a special base forming an image of the entire MOTHER ROAD.