The Z06 on the Mother Road

It’s a trip most Corvette enthusiasts only dream about. The Mother Road, Route 66, stretches more than 2,000 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA. While I am too young to remember the television show, the dream of crossing half the United States in a Corvette is something that I vow will one day happen. Until then, I will just have to enjoy the exploits of those who have actually done it. Bill Baker of Edmund’s Inside Line recently took to the Mother Road in the Mother of all sports car, the 2006 Corvette Z06. Reading his story, I find myself imagining I am riding shotgun as he is crossing California’s Mojave Desert:

“… I could see the road ahead was empty to the horizon. I dropped the six-speed gearbox from 6th to 4th and floored it. Like a cathedral pipe organ playing Bach’s “Toccata” with all the stops out, the 7.0-liter, 505-hp LS7 V8 began to thunder and howl toward its 7,000-rpm redline. The dual-stage mufflers opened to release back pressure and a soul-stirring roar that echoed off the mountains. The head-up digital speedometer and tach display changed numbers faster than a premium gas pump totals dollars. 105, 118…think, look, stay on it. 139 — the front end is feeling light over the rough pavement. Stare at the horizon ’til your eyes harden — and keep your foot planted. 145…flick your eyes for an instant to check the HUD. 154 mph. Things are beginning to blur… there’s a slight rise loomin…”

Bill offers an excellent account of not only the Z06, but of Route 66 as it exists today. Today’s Route 66 features a mix of Historic signs, museums and restored buildings with their classic neon signs alongside towns with vacant store fronts and rusting relics. Bill, thanks for the ride… Click here to read the entire article. (Photo Credit Bill Baker)