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.

Endurance athlete talks about his Route 66 accident

British endurance athlete James Cracknell wrote a column for The Telegraph in London about his serious cycling accident on Route 66 in Arizona in July. According to initial reports, Cracknell suffered a fractured skull when a truck hit him when he was trying to go across the United States in 18 days for a Discovery … Continue reading Endurance athlete talks about his Route 66 accident

Hello from Germany

Here's a jazzier take of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" by the Germany-based Stevie Woods & The Voyagers. Woods scored a Top 30 hit in the early 1980s with "Steal the Night" as an R&B singer. He later relocated to Germany. Here's his big hit:

Aldermen urge saving or replacement of bridge

Aldermen for the City of Eureka, Mo., passed a resolution on Tuesday urging the repair or replacement of the Meramec River Route 66 Bridge at Route 66 State Park, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Missouri Department of Transportation closed the historic but deteriorating bridge in late 2009 because of safety concerns. Park visitors … Continue reading Aldermen urge saving or replacement of bridge

Former owner of Catoosa restaurant dies

Carol Ham, the former co-owner of the Lil' Abner's Dairyette drive-in restaurant on Route 66 in Catoosa, Okla., died last week at age 66, reported the Tulsa World. Ham and her mother, Bea Yocham Smith, ran the restaurant from 1959 until health issues forced her to sell it. The restaurant finally closed in 2003, but the … Continue reading Former owner of Catoosa restaurant dies

Meet some of the riders on the H.O.G. cruise

A film crew caught up with a few of the participants in Tulsa in the Harley Owners Group's recent cruise of Route 66, including "Route 66: The Mother Road" author Michael Wallis. By the way, I think Wallis was kidding when he said he was the "new father" of Route 66. Or else he was … Continue reading Meet some of the riders on the H.O.G. cruise

Petroglyphs vandalized near Williams

Forest rangers are looking for someone who spray-painted several ancient petroglyphs east of Route 66 near Williams, Ariz., reported the Prescott Daily Courier. A hiker discovered Aug. 26 that vandals had defaced one of the detailed rock art panels at Keyhole Sink off Route 66 east of Williams. This is a popular archaeological site accessible … Continue reading Petroglyphs vandalized near Williams

Pay a visit to Waldmire’s VW

If you miss seeing the late Bob Waldmire's Volkswagen minibus, you'll have a chance to pay it a visit this weekend at the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Ill. According to the Springfield State Journal-Register: The 1972 Volkswagen bus has been through three engines, approximately 300,000 miles and one unique owner. The … Continue reading Pay a visit to Waldmire’s VW

Missouri’s Mother Road

An intern for Joplin Metro Magazine, noting how a recent issue sports a Route 66 theme, decided to take a Route 66 trip of his own across the Show-Me State.

Webb City readies new tourism center

The new Route 66 Center in downtown Webb City, Mo., isn't set to open until Oct. 1, but it's already received visitors, reported the Joplin Globe. It even had its first official visitors this week — tourists from London who were traveling the famous highway from Los Angeles to Chicago, said Chuck Surface, director of … Continue reading Webb City readies new tourism center