Normal, Illinois, plans to spend $260,000 for a multi-use trail connecting the Route 66 Bike Trail at Towanda Avenue and Shelbourne Drive to Old Route 66, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. The project, part of a bigger project to connect an old Route 66 bicycle trail in nearby Towanda, Illinois, is part of Normal's community investment plan. It's … Continue reading Normal plans to improve Route 66 Bike Trail
Month: December 2015
66 Bowl lanes being made into electric guitars
The 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City closed more than five years ago. But its bowling lanes live on in the form of limited-edition electric guitars by a well-known builder in Nashville. Bobby Clark of Dr. Mojo Guitars has created the 66 Bowl solid-body electric guitar from the original pine lanes. The custom-made guitars, which resemble a Fender … Continue reading 66 Bowl lanes being made into electric guitars
World’s Largest Rocker gets new color, new name
The World's Largest Rocker at the Fanning 66 Outpost in Fanning, Missouri, on Friday was painted red and rechristened as Route 66 Red Rocker, according to a post from Cuba MO Murals and More page on Facebook. The post also read: Owner Dan Sanazaro said the new paint job and new look for the rocker is … Continue reading World’s Largest Rocker gets new color, new name
An oldie with the Dixie Chicks
The YouTube account that posted this today proclaims this 20-plus-year-old clip as "rare." I see no reason to disbelieve that. It's Ray Benson of the western swing band Asleep At the Wheel singing "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" with an early edition of the Dixie Chicks on the "American Music Shop" television show, which … Continue reading An oldie with the Dixie Chicks
Needles group likely will help with military monuments
For almost five years, Jim and Starr Nickel have built rock monuments near Needles, California, dedicated to United States military branches. The monuments sit near the KOA campground at 5400 National Old Trails Road, an old alignment of Route 66. It appears the Needles Downtown Business Alliance will aid the couple in maintaining the monuments after its Jan. 7 … Continue reading Needles group likely will help with military monuments
Route 66 Festival in 2016 will have a new twist
Organizers say the 2016 International Route 66 Festival in downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 10-13 will be the first time the festival is in a metropolitan setting. To that end, co-organizer Scott Piotrowski in an email noted another big difference potential attendees should to know: It is important to note that for the first time, … Continue reading Route 66 Festival in 2016 will have a new twist
“Boomtown” film now available in DVD, streaming
The "Boomtown" film, a 41-minute documentary about the history of Tulsa that screened in theaters this summer, now is available on DVD, streaming and download. The film documents Tulsa's history, including its rise as an oil town and its key role in Route 66, with interview footage of "Route 66: The Mother Road" author and … Continue reading “Boomtown” film now available in DVD, streaming
Tulsa finds novel way to dress up Route 66 corridor
A Tulsa nonprofit group is using an intriguing way to highlight its Route 66 corridor, thanks to former state lawmaker Russ Roach and others, reported the Tulsa World. Roach, who founded the nonprofit Route 66 Development Group, has spearheaded efforts to get vinyl prints showcasing the historic highway at certain businesses. Each project is unique … Continue reading Tulsa finds novel way to dress up Route 66 corridor
Photo at Roy’s in Amboy freaks out Internet
A chunk of the Internet is scandalized or even terrified over what appears to be a lot of blood splattered over the inside of one of the rooms of a long-closed motel at Roy's in Amboy, California. A Reddit user on a Route 66 trip photographed the motel building from behind a fence and apparently didn't notice the motel room … Continue reading Photo at Roy’s in Amboy freaks out Internet
What is the length of Route 66?
The length of the original U.S. 66 is commonly cited as 2,448 miles (although Wikipedia lists it as 2,451 miles). Stefan Joppich's research indicates through bypasses and improvements, the length of Route 66 dropped in miles to 2,278 by 1947 -- much of it through the bypass of Santa Fe, which lopped off almost 120. How long … Continue reading What is the length of Route 66?