Joplin’s new baseball team is called the Blasters

The name for the new American Association professional baseball team in Joplin, Mo., will be the Blasters, with a logo that includes a reference to Route 66. The club announced the nickname and logo Monday afternoon in Joplin. The logo contains a nod to the region's lead-mining history and the town's old Joplin Miners ballclub, with … Continue reading Joplin’s new baseball team is called the Blasters

A visit to Cars Land

Here's one of the best videos I've seen about Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park. It's another example of high-quality equipment and editing software being available to regular folks. Scott & Jimmy Visit Cars Land from Rick Stewart on Vimeo. Naturally, Cars Land's fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs is based on the … Continue reading A visit to Cars Land

Tropics sign will be taken down and restored

Some good news and bad news about a Route 66 landmark. The bad news is the long-closed Tropics Dining Room building along old Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., was sold and its sign will be taken down, according to Lincoln Daily News. The good news is the sign will be preserved and restored after a new home … Continue reading Tropics sign will be taken down and restored

Historic boarding house reopens in Atlanta, Ill.

After months of renovations, a boarding house that operated during the late 1940s near downtown Atlanta, Ill., has reopened as a lodging facility again. An open house recently was hosted for the Colaw Rooming House at 204 NW Vine St., about a block and a half off historic Route 66. From the news release about … Continue reading Historic boarding house reopens in Atlanta, Ill.

Santa Fe may ban motor vehicles in its Plaza

Santa Fe, N.M., may curb motor vehicles in its downtown Plaza area, according to an op-ed piece written by former city councilor Frank Montano in the Albuquerque Journal. The 1926-37 alignment of Route 66, aka the Santa Fe Loop, runs about a block south of the Plaza. However, El Camino Real -- a road older than Route 66 -- … Continue reading Santa Fe may ban motor vehicles in its Plaza

Developers tour El Vado Motel

The city of Albuquerque finally is pushing hard to have developers do something with the historic but long-closed El Vado Motel. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque filed this report about developers touring the property this week: A few weeks ago, the city released a request for proposals from developers. The deadline for submission is July 3. The … Continue reading Developers tour El Vado Motel

Miss Belvedere languishing in a warehouse

The 1957 Plymouth Belvedere, aka Miss Belvedere, that was unearthed from a Tulsa time capsule to much fanfare in 2007, is sitting in a New Jersey warehouse, apparently unwanted, according to a recent story in Hemmings Motor News. Because water inundated the vault during its 50-year residence, rust and mud covered the Belvedere and rendered … Continue reading Miss Belvedere languishing in a warehouse

World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired

The World's Largest Covered Wagon, aka the Railsplitter Covered Wagon, in Lincoln, Ill., has been repaired in time for tourism season after a severe windstorm damaged it in January. The Bloomington Pantagraph reported: "It was a challenge, and because it is in the Guinness Book of World Records, we had to make sure that we … Continue reading World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired

Cow Bop embarking on another summer Route 66 tour

Western swing and jazz band Cow Bop, along with several other guest artists and bands, will go on another Route 66 tour this summer, according to a news release from Cow Bop guitarist Bruce Forman. This time, the World's First Linear Music Festival on July 25 to Aug. 9 will be sponsored by Rifftime, a … Continue reading Cow Bop embarking on another summer Route 66 tour

More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial

Longtime readers of this site probably have seen a muddy-looking but still-invigorating Diet Mountain Dew commercial featuring an altered version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. A high-quality version of the ad recently was uploaded by the AICP Show, which honors art and technique for those … Continue reading More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial