Lounging around Route 66

Martin Denny, the king of lounge music during the 1950s and '60s, recorded this variation of Nelson Riddle's instrumental, "Route 66." Dig those vibraphones.

“In the Sunny State”

Roger van Meer is from the Netherlands, but he definitely shot this video for his song "In the Sunny State" along Route 66 in California's Mojave Desert.

Route 66 documentary to be screened at Coleman Theatre

"Bones of the Old Road," a documentary about exploring obscure alignments of Route 66, will be screened at the historic Coleman Theatre in Miami, Okla., at 7 p.m. Nov. 24. The film's hosts, Route 66 researchers Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan, along with "Bones of the Old Road" camera operator, producer and editor Kathy Anderson, … Continue reading Route 66 documentary to be screened at Coleman Theatre

Our Lady of the Highways marks 50th year

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways, located off old Route 66 near Raymond, Ill., marked its 50th year with a Mass and rededication of the monument on Sunday. Illinois Route 66er was there and had this to report in an e-mail: We had probably in the area of 200 people, maybe a few … Continue reading Our Lady of the Highways marks 50th year

Route 66 featured in Australian program

Readers in Australia may be interested to know that "Classic Restos," a show devoted to restoring classic cars, recently wrapped filming of new episodes on Route 66. The show is hosted by Mark Fletcher, and airs on Channel 31, a nonprofit station based in Melbourne. It airs in the major Australian cities and in New … Continue reading Route 66 featured in Australian program

Please keep Route 66 clean

Here's the latest edition of "Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible," which covers the Book of Ecclesiastes. I'm surprised Solomon and his valet aren't pulled over for littering.

A postcard of Elkhart

Dave Bakke of the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register has been writing a series for the newspaper called Illinois Postcards, which delve historical and social facets of the town. Today, the latest edition is about the Route 66 town of Elkhart. One of the most notable things about Elkhart is a hill that stands 777 feet … Continue reading A postcard of Elkhart

Weirding out

Borrowing a well-known slogan from Austin, Texas, a couple have stated their desire to "Make Sixth Street Weird" in Amarillo, reports the Amarillo Globe-News. From the story ... Ryan Koch and Kaylee Hamill are the founders of Make Sixth Street Weird, an effort aimed at promoting events and businesses on the historic thoroughfare, which is … Continue reading Weirding out

Meramec River Bridge named to National Register

The old bridge that carried U.S. 66 over the Meramec River at the former town of Times Beach, Mo., was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places, according to an e-mail Friday from the National Park Service. The bridge now serves to carry travelers into Route 66 State Park. According to the excellent … Continue reading Meramec River Bridge named to National Register

Shakespeare in the raw

Theatre group Avenue 10 in Amarillo will stage an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The unique thing is the actors are reportedly going to perform at least parts of the play nude, according to KFDA-TV. It's going to be titled "Midsummer Night's Nude." And, yes, this story has a Route 66 connection. … Continue reading Shakespeare in the raw