Route 66 Ride Difficulty
Route 66 is not a hard road — but it is not an easy one either. This is what each stretch actually asks of you, on a loaded touring bike, in real conditions. Not to put you off. To help you ride it well.
Chicago to the Mississippi
Road · Suburban sprawl, then open prairie
Heavy city traffic leaving Chicago, Lake Michigan weather fronts
Leave early to beat Chicago traffic. The first hour is the hardest part of the whole trip.
St Louis through the Ozarks
Road · Rolling, increasingly twisty through the Ozarks
Sudden rain, deer at dusk, tight bends on older alignments
The Ozark bends are proper bends. Ease into them — the surface changes fast.
The 13-mile slice
Road · Straight, flat, brief
Crosswinds on exposed sections
A photo stop, not a riding day. Enjoy the sign.
Long, straight, hot
Road · Mostly straight alignments, some older curvy bypasses
Heat, long fuel gaps, gusting wind, occasional gravel on shoulders
Take the older alignments where you can — they are the reason Route 66 still feels like Route 66.
The Panhandle
Road · Straight, exposed, fast
Severe crosswinds, dust, big-rig turbulence, heat
The crosswinds here are real. Relax your grip, lean into it, and do not fight the bike.
High desert and altitude
Road · Open desert, elevation gain, some twisty climbs
Altitude fatigue, sudden storms, wildlife at dawn and dusk
Drink more than you think. The altitude quietly takes it out of you before the heat does.
The iconic, the hot, the technical
Road · Mix of sweepers, mountain descents and desert straights
Extreme heat (40°C+), Oatman's tight switchbacks, long exposed gaps
This is where the trip earns its reputation. Start before 8am, carry twice the water you think you need, and respect the Bealach-style climbs near Oatman.
Desert to the sea
Road · Mojave basin then urban sprawl into LA
Mojave heat, dense LA traffic, sand on desert shoulders
Cross the Mojave early. The last 50 miles into LA is traffic, not riding — plan for it, do not rush it.