Pontiac tourism rises 40 percent in 2011

A few months ago, Pontiac Tourism director Ellie Alexander reported that tourism in Pontiac, Ill., was trending at a 30 percent higher level than in 2010. Note I said "trending." I was skeptical the numbers would remain at that lofty level, especially when the off-season was looming. It turns out Alexander was either being modest … Continue reading Pontiac tourism rises 40 percent in 2011

Asleep At the Wheel time machine

Here's a clip of western-swing band Asleep At the Wheel performing "Route 66" and a few other songs at Farm Aid in 1993. https://youtu.be/IS_oEz7TJqM This is one of the classic incarnations of the band, with Cindy Cashdollar on the pedal steel.

A high-speed trip on Oatman Road

No, the driver wasn't doing anything dangerous. He mounted a video camera on the side of his vehicle, drove that winding stretch of Route 66 from Oatman, Ariz., to the Cool Springs Camp at normal speed, than compressed the 18 minutes of footage to under 5 1/2 minutes. https://youtu.be/928cwNEZ8ZU The video was created by Norman … Continue reading A high-speed trip on Oatman Road

“My father taught me how to drive and dream”

This 13-minute film by Karla Berry from 2004 is well worth watching all the way through. But in particular it contains footage of the Coral Court Motel in St. Louis shortly before the bulldozers came. https://vimeo.com/34475388 The Coral Court footage begins around the 7 1/2-minute mark.