Bel-Air sign sits waiting — for now

Wally Spiers of the Belleville News-Democrat talks to the owner of the Bel-Air Drive-In sign on old Route 66 near Mitchell, Ill. The drive-in theater has been closed for 20 years, but the marquee still stands. Owner Larry Manns hasn't done much to shore it up, but also he seems reluctant to part with it. … Continue reading Bel-Air sign sits waiting — for now

Seat belts … yum

This very strange story from the Associated Press tells how the Cadillac Ranch west of Amarillo, Texas, was supposed to be used for a photo shoot by the Texas Department of Transportation to promote the use of seat-belt use. But a llama on the premises chewed up part of the Styrofoam seat belt that was … Continue reading Seat belts … yum

Bowling for peace

Richard Branaman has a vision. He wants to build a 21-foot-tall pyramid made of 8,400 bowling balls, set atop a 77-foot-tall concrete quasi-tripod. It's called the World Peace Monument, and he wants it in the middle of a traffic circle at Mingo Road and Admiral Place (aka Route 66) in Tulsa, reports the Tulsa World. … Continue reading Bowling for peace

Canyon views and music

The Route 66 Road Musical has posted yet another video, this time of the awesome views of the Grand Canyon. The footage of the eagle soaring over the chasm is excellent, too. Natalie Merchant's "Motherland" is in the first half of the video. The second half is the atmospheric music of Arizona band Calexico.

Palms Grill sign relighted

The old neon sign of the Palms Grill in downtown Atlanta, Ill., was relighted in a ceremony this week, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. The sign was restored in part with a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The newspaper didn't have any photos of the new sign, but here's an artist's rendering. The … Continue reading Palms Grill sign relighted

Mower Man makes it to Rolla

Matt Land, sales manager for Dixie Choppers lawn mowers in Indiana, stopped for a bite to eat during his quest to drive a propane-powered lawn mower across the country. Money quote from the Rolla Daily News: “I’ve been eating a lot of bugs and raindrops, and I know what it’s like to be a hood … Continue reading Mower Man makes it to Rolla

Town House in Albuquerque is closing

The Town House Lounge and Restaurant at 3911 Central Ave. in Albuquerque is closing May 5 after 49 years on Route 66, reports the Albuquerque Tribune. The Town House, which one of the city's oldest steakhouses, also is known for its big steer on its roof. Here's a photo. It's owned by George K. Argyles, … Continue reading Town House in Albuquerque is closing

Hang in there …

Many of you probably have noticed a sudden change in the look at this site. I'm surprised about it, too. Apparently it's a problem at a number of WordPress.com sites. I've contacted WordPress.com about the snag, and it's hoped it will be resolved soon. At least it isn't hurting the functionality of Route 66 News.

Route 66 is also a musical group

From the Windy City, there is an a female, a cappella, "corporate entertainment" quartet that calls itself Route 66. Route 66 reminds me of the Andrews Sisters, but it also sings more contemporary pop songs such as Queen, James Taylor and Creedence Clearwater Revival (Mp3 samples of Route 66's songs are here). I didn't see … Continue reading Route 66 is also a musical group

Domain address added

In the past day or so, I snatched up another domain name that directs Internet surfers to this site. Not only does the long-established Route66News.org direct you to here, but so does Route66News.com. Other than that change, you'll still get news from the Mother Road nearly every day, as usual.