The Gallup (N.M.) Independent has an article about Route 66 sights in town before members of the Society for Commercial Archeology come check them out today. The article laments about how little is left of Route 66 sites in Gallup. But you can say that about a lot of towns -- many Route 66 businesses … Continue reading Notes from the road
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.
T for tenacious
The Western Horseman has an interesting article about the century-old T4 Cattle Co., based in the Route 66 town of Motoya, N.M. It's a fascinating story about how the ranch, now a whopping 180,000 acres, survived family tragedies, tough economic times, prairie fires and calamatous weather over the decades. It also provides a look into … Continue reading T for tenacious
Williams moves to close ‘The Gap’
It's hard to believe it's already been more than three years since a downtown fire destroyed a long abandoned century-old building and damaged the adjacent Canyon Club and Red Garter Bed & Bakery in Williams, Ariz. It's harder to believe the land where the building burned has been unused since -- especially when Williams' main … Continue reading Williams moves to close ‘The Gap’
Book review: “Route 66 Quick Reference Encyclopedia”
Several years ago, roadie Drew Knowles published his "Route 66 Adventure Handbook," a compact but much-praised volume that provided travelers a guide to Route 66 attractions and worthwhile side trips. The book is now in its third edition. Knowles recently published has another compact but useful book for Mother Road travelers -- "Route 66 Quick … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 Quick Reference Encyclopedia”
Three-wheeled cruising
Chicago Sun-Times columnist and longtime roadie Dave Hoekstra caught up with the group from the Czech Republic that is driving four Velorex vehicles westward down the length of Route 66. The story includes a video clip, which I recommend viewing. You get a feel of what driving one looks and sounds like -- it's basically … Continue reading Three-wheeled cruising
Hikin’ west
The Journal-News of Hillsboro, Ill., has the story of Cherylynn Delfina, 28, of Parlin, N.J., who is walking and/or hitchhiking west on Route 66 to Los Angeles. The reporter caught up with her in the Route 66 town of Litchfield, Ill. When I met Cherylynn, she had just had a refreshing shower and was feeling … Continue reading Hikin’ west
The rebuilding begins
We met Dawn Welch, owner of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., on Sunday to check the progress of the rebuilding of her historic Route 66 restaurant after a fire gutted it in May. Sharp-eyed observers might see recent subtle differences from the outside since the fire: But it's in the interior where progress is … Continue reading The rebuilding begins
Memories for sale
Here's an article from the Charlottesville (Va.) Daily Progress that lays out a man's story: Stuart E. Bruce stood on the shoulder of Route 66, and read the legendary highway like a sentence until it ran out of words against the far horizon. There, somewhere along the 432 miles of crumbling blacktop that cuts through … Continue reading Memories for sale
Not just for reminiscing
Today, I found this story by the Southtown Star in Chicago about Route 66 historian David Clark, aka Windy City Road Warrior, and his presentation last week at the Tinley Park Public Library. Clark makes this important observation, the point of which seems overlooked through the rest of the story: "We look at Route 66 … Continue reading Not just for reminiscing
Blazing trails
Mark Muckenfuss of the Press-Enterprise has an interesting story about the history of the wagon and American Indian trails through the Mojave Desert and mountains that led to what became the Los Angeles metro area. When Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, it closely followed the Santa Fe rails through the western cities that pop … Continue reading Blazing trails