Coast to Coast 2026 Part 6 Route 66

 

Coast to Coast 2026

Part 6 Route 66

We are about to leave Los Angeles but need to see some iconic landmarks before heading up Route One towards San Francisco. Checking out of the Dunes Inn and going in search of Hollywood which we found  in the suburbs following directions from my phone and the car’s satnav which lead us astray. We parked up and walked up the hill to have a good view of the Hollywood sign. As we had parked illegally Gita stayed with the car. After that there was a visit to the Thunder Road  bike shop and Cafe.

I have been to Thunder Road before in May 2018 look at  Something For The Museum, West Coast Road Trip 5 for that posting. I was on a mission. I had been given a blue baseball cap from  their previous shop. That was from 1996 when the shop was on Sunset Boulevard . The hat was deteriorating and becoming too fragile to wear. I thought the best solution was to give it back to Thunder Road to show it as part of their history to adorn  the cafe somewhere. I had a long chat with the owner, Max Hashahn  and  pleased  to hear his long term plans to stay in business  that has changed from  custom bikes to classics to cafe. Long may he continue. Now being on Santa Monica Boulevard and Route 66 we set off towards the sea  and the west coast and marking our complete traverse of America. New York to Santa Monica . Seeing landmarks  like the end of Route 66 and Highway  One  to complete our epic journey. When Santa Monica Boulevard ended  we found a parking place  at an exorbitant rate and walked to the location. 

Highway One was a challenge as we were in slow moving traffic because of an accident creating an hours’ delay  before we could clear Santa Monica and start our journey north to Solvang. At around three we pulled off the  Highway  and found somewhere to eat in Oxnard and did some shopping in Trader  Joes in the same shopping complex. We were still hours away from Solvang. It was slow driving following the coast. There was some lovely scenery to make the time pass.

We checked in to the Danish Style Hotel the Svendsgaards’ Lodge In time to have a walk around but too late to eat. Lucky we had stopped for some provisions and Guinness earlier. Solvang a picturesque town of windmills and a motorcycle Museum  run by a Rocket Scientist, Virgil. Sadly only open on Saturday’s. Something For The Museum, West Coast Road Trip 4