Good news, bad news from Vietnam Wall caravan

First, the good news. There appeared to be a good turnout Saturday morning for the Operation Oklahoma motorcycle rally that was slated to go on old Route 66 from Tulsa to Chandler, Okla., then on to Norman, Okla. Hundreds of motorcyclists that gathered at the University of Tulsa to help escort the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall … Continue reading Good news, bad news from Vietnam Wall caravan

New hotel in a historic site will open this fall

The Hotel Parq Central will open on the site of the historic Memorial Hospital on Route 66 near downtown Albuquerque, according to a news release at Hotel Interactive. Memorial Hospital was built on 806 Central Ave. in 1926 -- the same year that Route 66 was certified -- and is listed on the National Register … Continue reading New hotel in a historic site will open this fall

Motorcyclists to escort Vietnam Memorial on Route 66

About 500 motorcyclists will be escorting a portable Vietnam War memorial on old Route 66 from Tulsa to Norman, Okla., on Saturday morning, according to the Tulsa World. The wall, a three-fourths-size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall at Washington, D.C., is to arrive in Tulsa on Friday night aboard several trucks. However, the wall … Continue reading Motorcyclists to escort Vietnam Memorial on Route 66

Biofuels plant near Kingman appears kaput

After much brouhaha and controversy last year, it appears a proposed biofuels plant along Route 66 north of Kingman, Ariz., isn't going to happen, according to the Kingman Daily Miner. [County] Supervisor Gary Watson said he was not surprised that the plant, which was slated to be built about 2 miles from Valle Vista, failed. … Continue reading Biofuels plant near Kingman appears kaput

Nice try, but …

Lisa Putnam at Helium put together "The Best Places to Stay on Route 66." It's a decent list of historical motels, especially with the inclusion of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M.; the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, N.M., and both Wigwam Motels in Holbrook, Ariz.; and Rialto, Calif. But notable exclusions include La … Continue reading Nice try, but …

Preview of the CNG cross-country tour

Mike Easterling, fresh off his Wallis Award a few days ago at the Will Rogers Awards Evening, filed an excellent story in Urban Tulsa about the two Alabama men who seek to drive a 1966 GTO the entire length of Route 66 -- powered solely by compressed natural gas. Mike McConville and Keith Barfield will … Continue reading Preview of the CNG cross-country tour

Virtual road trip

The Desert Dispatch in Barstow, Calif., published a good article about the Cal State-Heyward students who developed a multimedia Route 66 experience. As their masters thesis in multimedia design, the students have outfitted a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle that can take whoever sits in the driver’s seat to any spot on historic Route 66 via video … Continue reading Virtual road trip

Her and Bobby McGee

KOTV in Tulsa aired a story Wednesday night about Emily Priddy's Honda Fit, which has been transformed into a tribute to the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. Priddy's car is named Bobby McGee, after the psychedelic Porsche that singer Janis Joplin once drove. She's got colorful curtains in the windows, dashboard cartoons, lots of … Continue reading Her and Bobby McGee

The Mother Road’s can-do spirit

It's really worth reading this op-ed piece by Beverly Kelley for the Ventura (Calif.) County Star. A sample: Willingness to tackle a job despite impossible odds is the operational definition of the American “can-do” spirit. It’s the same confident courage that a bride donning something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue exhibits, even … Continue reading The Mother Road’s can-do spirit

Photographer’s prints will be displayed in Munger Moss room

Eight images by photographer Shannon Richardson will be displayed in one of the rooms of the historic Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Mo., he said in an e-mail. The series of images above is what the Munger Moss ordered. Richardson said on his blog: This selection of prints are from my upcoming book Route 66 American … Continue reading Photographer’s prints will be displayed in Munger Moss room