So here we are, in the lead up to our epic road trip across the American 'Mother Road', tense with expectation, excited to finally be venturing on our honeymoon almost a year after tying the knot.

But it's so much more than Route 66. To call it just that would be a slight injustice! It's a journey of over 5000 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, via The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and hopefully Death Valley. But also a journey along the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to San Francisco, with a detour into the Yosemite National Park.

For me, at the age of 14 I did a project at school about America, gathering all the guide brochures from the local travel agents, cutting out flags, monuments and adventures. From that day I was hooked on the idea of Route 66. That and the carving of the American Presidents in the rocks at Mount Rushmore. Unfortunately South Dakota is a little too far to visit this time!

I had visions of riding across America on a Harley Davidson, feeling the wind through my bandana'd hair. I even bought the Star Spangled banner bandana to fuel my dream. However the reality of that, as Jo quite rightly pointed out, where does your luggage go? The option of packing light to fit your luggage into two panniers was just too much for Jo to buy into. That and the fact I can't ride a motorbike!!
So a rental will have to suffice. A bog standard, American rental car that we can't wait to see and name! As long as she/he is bigger than Juicy Lucy I think we will be ok.

For Jo, her childhood dream was about California. So the combination of Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway seemed the perfect mix. A cross section of America followed by the Californian dream.

Where does our 'Rowt' take us...

We fly into Chicago where Jo has planned is two weeks worth of activities to fit into two days! We pick the rental up then head West, first stop St Louis, Missouri. Staying in that state we head into Springfield, before passing into Oklahoma staying over at Oklahoma City.
We then have to find the way to Amarillo, Texas then onto my personal highlight, Tucumcari, where we stay in an authentic Route 66 neon clad motel! Providing we survive the night we'll head up to Santa Fe, then Albuquerque in New Mexico. Into Arizona were we'll take a trip from Williams on The Grand Canyon Railway Observation Dome, staying in Flagstaff.
Then to Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Venetian will welcome us for four nights, including our anniversary.
If I haven't lost our fortune, we'll head off to Barstow... Here's where we need to make a decision on the route... Do we head through Death Valley and miss a section of Route 66, or do we head back to the Mother Road? All advice welcome!!
Either way we have entered California. My condition for staying in LA was that we don't stay in LA! So we will head out to Long Beach and hopefully enjoy a base of beautiful beaches and sunshine whilst we take time to explore LA, Disney and Universal, in what should be a harbour view room!

This is almost where the first part ends and the second journey begins... Although it's a shorter section. We head to San Diego, obviously to visit Shamu at Sea World... (Jo's personal pre-trip highlight!) After splashing around we then pick up the Pacific Coast Highway... Heading to stay at Santa Barbara and Monterey on the coast, then cutting inland to El Portal so we can visit Yosemite National Park. It's then we head back out to San Francisco to take in Alcatraz and other city attractions, including my favourite bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge.
Time will eventually come when we say goodbye to the USA and fly home.

It will be an exciting adventure, uncovering the secrets of one of the oldest roads in America, and a journey I hope you'll enjoy sharing with us....