Lonely Planet focuses its tourism lens at Oklahoma's state capital, with the perspective of a former resident, Robert Reid. Oklahoma City indeed has seen breathtaking changes since the trauma of the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995, which is now the site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Many of … Continue reading A look at Oklahoma City
Month: October 2007
Grand opening for Route 66 Visitors Center
I was pressed for time, but I managed to stick around for about an hour or so to shoot pictures the grand opening Saturday of the new Kansas Route 66 Visitors Center in Baxter Springs. The visitors center is located at 10th and Military (aka Route 66). It's housed in a 1930 gas station that … Continue reading Grand opening for Route 66 Visitors Center
Firefighter finishes ride across America
Laddie Williams, the firefighter who was bicycling across America (including Route 66) to raise money for the surviving relatives of nine firefighters who died in a furniture store blaze, finished his trek. The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., reports: After dodging a snake in Oklahoma, a vicious dog in Arkansas and a hit-and-run driver … Continue reading Firefighter finishes ride across America
The man behind Cadillac Ranch
The Austin American-Statesman published a good article about Stanley Marsh 3, the helium magnate who came up with the idea behind Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas, in 1974. Marsh bought the old cars from junkyards, paying $100 to $125 each. Some didn't have engines; most couldn't run. But from the waist down, they were gorgeous. … Continue reading The man behind Cadillac Ranch
Don’t try this at home, kids
Pole-vault aficionados B.J. and Becca try their luck vaulting onto the tops of the planted cars that are part of the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas. At least they didn't try to vault over the cars, where no landing pad awaited them.
Have you slept in a Wigwam lately?
Jillian Sim of American Heritage stays overnight at the Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Holbrook, Ariz., and tells about it. Sim neglects to mention of another teepee-shaped motel on Route 66 -- the recently restored Wigwam Motel in Rialto, Calif.
Route 66 Visitors Center to open Saturday
A new Route 66 Visitors Center, housed in a renovated 1930 Phillips 66 gas station in Baxter Springs, Kan., is set to open Saturday afternoon, reports the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. Auman said that by Saturday, he expects the building to be stocked with tourism brochures and Route 66 souvenirs. Most of the building has been … Continue reading Route 66 Visitors Center to open Saturday
Deferred again
Albuquerque's Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission again on Wednesday deferred a decision on whether to designate the historic El Vado Motel as a city landmark. The decision has been moved to Nov. 14. It has been reported that the city and owner Richard L. Gonzales have been negotiating a possible buyout of the motel. Gonzales … Continue reading Deferred again
Taste of Route 66 tour is Saturday
The second annual Taste of Route 66 self-driven tour will be held in the Los Angeles area on Saturday, reports the Fontana Herald News. The tour begins between 4 and 5 p.m. at Upland Sergio's Restaurant at 659 W. Foothill Blvd. There, the other destinations in the gourmet tour will be revealed. The driving tour … Continue reading Taste of Route 66 tour is Saturday
Death of a cyclist
The Alibi, an alternative newspaper in Albuquerque, tries to piece together the scant facts about an accident on Route 66 in nearby Tijeras that killed an area cyclist, James Quinn, 27. I'd heard about the accident weeks ago, but information was infernally sketchy. Even now, the sheriff still hasn't released an accident report, the vehicle's … Continue reading Death of a cyclist