Dennis Kinch, who's walking Route 66 for the National Pain Foundation, has crossed over the 1,000-mile mark and stands at 1,017 miles at Groom, Texas, according to his Web site. About another 100 miles, and he'll be at the halfway point.
Author: Ron Warnick
I'm the editor and publisher of Route 66 News, a clearinghouse of events, information, and entertainment pertaining to historic U.S. 66, the Mother Road.
Fun with Rick and Jane … sort of
Rick and Jane McKinney, the Christian couple that is walking east on much of Route 66 in their Walk to Reclaim America project, updated their Internet site Friday, after beginning their trek New Year's Day in Santa Monica. They are finding out that walking the Mother Road is ... ahem ... no walk in the … Continue reading Fun with Rick and Jane … sort of
Fat man has left Route 66
Steve Vaught of thefatmanwalking.com departed Route 66 after walking through the St. Louis area and now is strolling on U.S. 40 in central Illinois. He's dealt with bad weather, a close shave with a concrete truck, and a gentleman who recently was released from a psychiatric hospital. He's at 320 pounds, which is about 80 … Continue reading Fat man has left Route 66
Super Smokers BBQ chain shuts down
Super Smokers BBQ, a widely acclaimed St. Louis-area barbecue chain that included a location on Route 66 in Eureka, Mo., shut down its restaurants Thursday night, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The current owner says the restaurants never quite recovered after the economic downturn from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks. Super Smokers also … Continue reading Super Smokers BBQ chain shuts down
Missouri town wants to light historic bridge
A meeting of the Waynesville (Mo.) Economic Development Committee contained a few items that should be of some interest to Route 66 aficionados. The Waynesville Daily Guide had the details. A businesswoman proposed that residents and businesses share in the cost to sponsor historic-looking lights to improve nighttime visibility along the Route 66 bridge over … Continue reading Missouri town wants to light historic bridge
Theme park proposed in Williams, Arizona
Developers seek to buy a piece of land from the Grand Canyon Railway and build a $700 million theme park in the Route 66 town of Williams, Ariz., reports the Arizona Daily Sun. It sounds like an awfully ambitious plan, however. Developers think they can draw 8 million to 10 million visitors to theme park, … Continue reading Theme park proposed in Williams, Arizona
Kingman, Arizona, sees tourism boom
Not only are tourists visiting the Route 66 desert town of Kingman, Ariz., but many of them are staying -- for good, the Kingman Daily Miner reports. According to the story, mailings of tourism packets have nearly doubled in a year. Motel taxes are on track to easily beat the previous record. Hits on Kingman's … Continue reading Kingman, Arizona, sees tourism boom
Third Barney’s Beanery opens next month
Barney's Beanery, an old roadhouse on Route 66 in West Hollywood, Calif., is opening its third location in Pasadena. It also will be on Route 66, on Colorado Boulevard. Barney's other location is in Santa Monica, also on 66. Burbank Weekly has the details: Barney’s Beanery Pasadena will be a near replica of the original … Continue reading Third Barney’s Beanery opens next month
What’s going to happen with Pixar and Disney?
The stock price of Pixar Animation Studios has been volatile in recent days, fueled by rumors that Pixar soon will have a new distribution deal with Disney. The deal will expire after the release of the Route 66-themed movie, "Cars," on June 6. A few observations: The L.A. Times reported Wednesday that negotiations have focused … Continue reading What’s going to happen with Pixar and Disney?
Yep … byways are a big deal
If anyone has any remaining doubts that the new scenic byway status for Route 66 in Illinois attracts considerable attention, this British travel insurance Web site ought to dispel them. For more information about the program, go to the byways Web site here.