The awesomely ornate Coleman Theatre on Route 66 in Miami, Okla., is marking its 80th anniversary. Because of volunteers and long-running restoration efforts, it's in as good of shape as it's been since it opened in 1929. More about the theater's restoration and festivities related to the anniversary can be read in this Tulsa World … Continue reading Coleman Theatre marking 80th anniversary
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.
Book review: “Road Trip USA Route 66”
I should preface this by saying I have been a longtime fan of Jamie Jensen's travel guides. I still possess a 1999 edition of his "Road Trip USA" (subtitled "Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways"). Jensen, by all accounts, has driven hundreds of thousands of miles to scout out the best road trips in America. … Continue reading Book review: “Road Trip USA Route 66”
To hell and back
As many of you probably know, a bunch of wind-whipped wildfires scorched central Oklahoma earlier in the week and in some cases caused widespread property damage. The Tulsa World uncovered the story about dramatic fire-fighting efforts near the Route 66 town of Wellston, Okla. It reads almost like a Hollywood thriller. I commend it to … Continue reading To hell and back
Walking the Mother Road in Chicago
The Illinois Route 66 Association is holding its 20th annual motor tour in June. To mark the anniversary, David G. Clark, aka the Windy City Road Warrior, is offering a discounted price on either or both of the walking tours in Chicago he will be guiding for motor-tour cruisers on June 12. For more information, … Continue reading Walking the Mother Road in Chicago
A chat with Melissa McClelland
Singer-songwriter Melissa McClelland is set to release her third album, "Victoria Day," on Six Shooter Records and is playing concerts with her musician husband, Luke Doucet, in England and her native Canada in the coming weeks. But after that, she's heading to the Mother Road (with her mother, natch). It's not McClelland's first time on … Continue reading A chat with Melissa McClelland
Frozen yogurt served by Marky Mark
The Pasadena Star-News reported on the opening of a new Blizzberry frozen-yogurt stand on Route 66 in Glendora, Calif. Blizzberry is a regional but rapidly expanding chain in Southern California. Route 66 News is always happy to plug good desserts along the Mother Road, such as Ted Drewes frozen custard to the Midpoint Cafe's ugly-crust … Continue reading Frozen yogurt served by Marky Mark
Kicks planned on running trail
For your roadies out there who also are fitness buffs, there's going to be something for you at the Al Foster Trail, which begins in Glencoe, Mo. According to Examiner.com: According to the City of Wildwood's website there are big things in store for the trail in the future. The plans are to connect Al … Continue reading Kicks planned on running trail
Vintage Wheel
Judging by the longer hair and Ray Benson's appearance, I reckon this video clip of Asleep at the Wheel performing "Route 66" is from the early to mid-1980s.
A driven entrepreneur
The San Bernardino County Sun has quite a feature about Albert Okura, owner of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain and owner/savior of the Route 66 hamlet of Amboy, Calif., and Roy's. This excerpt shows how driven he is: Today there are three dozen Juan Pollo restaurants throughout Southern California. Okura fully intends to conquer all … Continue reading A driven entrepreneur
Pitch made for Route 66 monument in Mojave
Jim Conkle of the fledgling Route 66 Alliance sent me some photos of him making a pitch to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), her staff and other officials near Amboy Crater, just off Route 66 near Amboy, Calif., to designate a Route 66 National Monument along 70 miles of Southern California's Mojave Desert. Conkle also wrote … Continue reading Pitch made for Route 66 monument in Mojave