Route 66 Day 1 Bay Area to LA to the Grand Canyon

Route 66 Trip

So it all started in 78 before I was born when my Mom bought my Dad a 49 Chevy pick up for his wedding present.  In 2019 I bought a TCI frame and a 98 LS1 Camaro and trans which is in it a story of its own. Last year we finally got the truck up and running after having a shop do the finishing work on the engine trans. Last month Uncle Bill helped me do the stereo as it does get boring after awhile listening to the drone of the engine. A week or 2 before this trip I put some insulation and carpet down which helped a lot. I was ready for a fun trip. Mom always wanted to see route 66 and travel the country but she died before she could do it all. So I thought driving the truck would be an awesome way to do this with dad. But dad said no he would not do this since. It would be too long and uncomfortable and he would rather not do it. He said I should take my X5… but what fun would it be to take a new car on an old road. He said I should wait to do it after the truck was all sorted out, but what fun would that be!!! So the day I was going to go Saturday we actually dropped Uncle Ed’s corvette off at Tom’s the guy who finished the truck up. Uncle Ed said I should just do part of it and then go with them (Dad, Kathy, Uncle Ed, and Auntie Eva). But I told him NO doing it now doing all of it and doing it on my own since nobody wants to go with me. I asked my cousin Mitch and he said maybe but Donna his wife said he had to wait for his 2^nd covid shot.

Sunday

Yesterday was a mad rush to finish the truck up. I put in a kill switch/ battery disconnect to the truck, while doing this I broke the positive side battery cable clamp and had to rush to Oreilly’s for new battery cables and clamps and piece mail it together luckily I was able to do this. I also was able to find a small 20 qt cooler its not a Yeti but a Ozark trails one, but its down in Chattsworth so I will pick it up along the way to Santa Monica. I rushed to pack as well. So I didn’t go to bed until midnight.

530 am start time I got up and made some hot coffee and chocolate and put it in the Yeti cup Baez gave me for my bday which works awesome! I picked up a cup holder last night that goes into the window track. (it doesn’t work so well) Car started right up! I was having trouble with it clicking and uncle bill was able to help start it last night with tapping on the starter. I hope that I don’t have a problem with it on this trip. I am bringing my 3/8 2 foot extension to hit it just in case.

Texted my cousin Mitch who said I was crazy, and my friend Brian who I am going to meet up and take some pictures of the truck with Dad’s old Hasselbald that he bought from us last year at the Santa Monica Pier. The plan is to hit Chattsworth by 1030 ish and pick up the cooler then head to the pier hopefully by 11 to take pictures with Brian say hi to Mitch by 2 and off I go on route 66.

Stopped at the first gas stop Kettleman city, kinda hard to start the truck but got it going with a few clicks. Made it to the base of the grapevine and filled up again. This time it started with a few clicks and a hit to the starter. I texted Mitch he said he could get a starter as they had it in stock. Brian said he got his bike back but he should be ready by noon. Little bit bummed since he can go ride anytime but I cant get mad. Made it up the grapevine just fine passing cars and trucks. Got into Chattsworth and found the guy. It was in an ok part of town. Was going to say hi to Mom and Dads friend Faye Doy but I didn’t have the time for that. Off to the pier I went. On the map its not very many miles but o how it took a bunch of time. By the time I got to the pier It was packed. 30 min to go a few blocks. By the time I got there an ambulance was leaving the pier and the light was green so I had to go otherwise I would be blocking the box! So bummed but I did get some pictures just not the End/Begin Route 66 sign, but I did get pics of the pier so I know I started from the beginning.

 After that mess I got gas at the Costco down there killing time before meeting up with Brian. I was afraid the truck was going to get hot but it didn’t, I kept it running since I didn’t want to risk it not starting after all this idling. Got fuel and headed over to Brian which was perfect timing as he had just got home. Finally made it to his house and the truck starts awesome. He said no time for photos but we could go get food. So we went to a hipster breakfast burrito place called Home State and then at it on the tail gate. I was able to stop by Vons and get some sun screen and baby wipes on the way.

Got to Mitch's about 4pm LA traffic really sucks. He said what is the plan. I told him I'm going to try and make it to Grand Canyon so I can see the sun rise. He said “You’re Crazy!!” but where there is a will there is a way. The truck started fine so he said best not to mess with the starter just in case we make it worse. I said ok. We talked for a bit and he gave me the best directions on to get out of LA and off I went. I was going to stop by a Starbucks along the way to get some grinds but I couldn’t find one that was close to the freeway.

Got in the groove and found my first “Historic Route 66” sign that I could take a picture of it was in Ludlow Ca, just the start of the desert, closest big town is Barstow. I got gas there and there was a lot of attention on the truck when I went to go start it, it wouldn’t start it just clicked I had to tap the starter again and thankfully it started back up. There was a guy with a 7.3 Excursion who was about to help when it started. Lesson learned don’t turn it of while I get gas. Drove through the night and got gas over by Needles at a truck stop turned the engine off because I was going to go inside and get a receipt as they charged me 150 bucks. But it was their standard way to make sure they got paid. Ran into a guy trucking for ACE who saw my truck he lives in AZ now, but he was from Santa Rosa. We talked about his truck which is a 90s Silverado but with a LS motor in it that he built for his son. Now he is picking up a early 2000’s suburban. I didn’t realize how popular and expensive they are. But per him they are worth a gold mine.

I think because it was pretty cool at night the truck started right back up without a hiccup. I was getting tired but I had 3 hours left until Grand Canyon and I told myself that I was going to see sunrise come Monday. My cousin Jeff S. had just left Grand Canyon and did the rim to rim he is now in Vegas gambling too bad I missed him but his pictures on Facebook looked awesome…. Mine will be better though lol. I got into Grand Canyon at midnight and the gates were open so I drove right in. Todays mileage was 850 plus miles and about 19 hours of driving. I tried to find a good point to go too and drove in a few circles till I found Yavapai point and then pulled into a parking spot and set up camp in the back of the truck. Mainly my Thermarest sleeping bag. I slept with my backpack as a pillow and kept my Sig, knife and flashlight next to me. Even with Mom and Dads down bag it was still pretty chilly. I couldn’t find my REI bag but it wouldn’t have mattered as it’s a 30 degree bag and it was 27 degrees outside. The car that I parked in front of kept its engine running for heat I would assume as well a car that came in after me. Both of them slept in their cars I was the only one who slept outside. They woke me up at around 3 as they were trying to do the rim to rim in ONE DAY!!! Back to bed for me I wanted to catch a little bit of sleep before the sunrise.