Mixed messages seen from Route 66 Rendezvous fundraising

The annual Route 66 Rendezvous in downtown San Bernardino, Calif., is halfway to its goal for donations, or it's in jeopardy of being canceled, depending on which regional newspaper report you read. The lead paragraph from today's San Bernardino County Sun: Without $36,000 in donations from the community, there will be no Stater Bros. Route 66 … Continue reading Mixed messages seen from Route 66 Rendezvous fundraising

Midpoint Cafe making improvements to midpoint sign

Dennis Purschwitz, new owner the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, said on a Facebook post he's making improvements to the "midpoint of Route 66" sign across the road from his restaurant. The project involves installing paver stones to make a more park-like setting, wheelchair / ADA access to the sign, and a platform immediately behind … Continue reading Midpoint Cafe making improvements to midpoint sign

Motel 6’s Mother Road correspondent

You may remember that Dan Bakst won a Route 66 trip and a bunch of goodies from the Motel 6 chain in a contest. He was required to post his adventures from the road via video and social media. Roadies weren't thrilled that the trip would exclude historic Route 66 motels. But his posts on … Continue reading Motel 6’s Mother Road correspondent

La Fonda soon will undergo renovations

The historic La Fonda Hotel in downtown Santa Fe, N.M., soon will undergo significant interior renovations and make small cosmetic changes to the exterior, reported the Albuquerque Journal. The outside work required approval by the city's Historic Districts Review Board, and it was granted Tuesday. That includes the addition of a small staircase on the southwest … Continue reading La Fonda soon will undergo renovations

UPDATED: Route 66 festival sees disappointing numbers

The Route 66 International Festival in Victorville, Calif., saw only about 5,000 visitors during the weekend -- a disappointment for area businesses and organizers, reported the Victorville Daily Press. Some of them blamed the above-100-degree heat for low attendance, while others criticized a lack of organization and marketing. The festival attracted about 800 paid visitors … Continue reading UPDATED: Route 66 festival sees disappointing numbers

A trip into the past

This is a special music video. Not only does it contain audio of live-in-concert performance of "Route 66" by Asleep At the Wheel during the 1970s, but it's interspersed with footage of Route 66 from a 1980s news report and vintage photos of the band. You'll even spot the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, a … Continue reading A trip into the past

A mountain will rise north of Galena

The landscape near old Route 66 north of Galena, Kan., probably will see a significant change by fall of 2013 -- a 40-foot-tall hill in the wake of the cleanup of a closed smelting plant. According to a plan by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment unveiled Aug. 3, the agency will clean up … Continue reading A mountain will rise north of Galena

Route 66 town adds charging station for electric cars

The small Route 66 town of Atlanta, Ill., has added a charging station for electric vehicles just a half-block off old Route 66, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. Bill Thomas, a director for the Atlanta Betterment Fund economic development group, compared the adding of a charging station to gas stations before the Route 66 era began … Continue reading Route 66 town adds charging station for electric cars

Entertainers become entertained

Harley and Annabelle Russell, aka the Mediocre Music Makers, at the Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick, Okla., entertain Route 66 travelers who drop by their place. However, once in a blue moon, other musicians provide some entertainment for Harley and Annabelle. Recently, jazz guitarist Pat Kelley and saxophonist Monte Byrd did that during their RestStop Tours. … Continue reading Entertainers become entertained

A gift that keeps giving

In an effort to boost tourism in Kingman, Ariz., roadie Jim Hinckley and several city officials assembled a Route 66-themed gift basket worth $600 to be given away through 66: The Mother Road, an Internet-only magazine. The Kingman Daily Miner reported: Contents include a two-night stay at the El Trovatore Motel, gift certificates to local … Continue reading A gift that keeps giving