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.

Popping over to POPS

The Travel section of the Dallas Morning News went to POPS convenience store and restaurant on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla. Most of it you've already read about here. But this excerpt indicates that business is still going strong after POPS opened in August: Despite its out-of-the-way location, Pops was an instant hit. About 20 … Continue reading Popping over to POPS

Should Indian Harvest Trading Post charge a fee?

In the last few days, there's been much discussion in the Route 66 yahoogroup about Indian Harvest Trading Post, located along Route 66 near Union, Mo. Indian Harvest is an arts-and-crafts business inside a tepee-shaped building near Exit 242 of Interstate 44. It's been there for 11 years, and is a member of the Route … Continue reading Should Indian Harvest Trading Post charge a fee?

A look at Santa Monica Pier

Todd Garrison has posted sights and sounds from the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif. The pier isn't technically on Route 66. But it's so close and so many travelers end their trips there, it's as inextricably linked to the Mother Road as the Grand Canyon is.

YMI jeans will shoot ad campaign on Route 66

Straight from the news release: YMI Jeans will shoot its Spring 2008 advertising campaign on location in the heart of the California desert. Noted photographer Odessy Barbu captured images of model Danielle Donn of Nous Models in a setting that exemplifies the spirit of the YMI brand. Placing emphasis on YMI's classic motto "YMI gives … Continue reading YMI jeans will shoot ad campaign on Route 66

Programming note

A few of you may have noticed more music videos being posted in recent days. We're sliding into the slow winter season at Route 66 News. So I've decided to track down as many road-related songs as possible on YouTube and Google Video, and post them when there's not much to report from the Mother … Continue reading Programming note

Both sides now

Scott Leitner of Athos Video Productions has posted two very good videos that were inspired by the "Cars" movie to YouTube. Made about 18 months ago, they originally were big Windows Media files that took a few minutes to download before viewing. YouTube files are more user-friendly. Here is his moving video of declining landmarks … Continue reading Both sides now

McKinley Bridge to open in mid-month

The McKinley Bridge, which held a reopening ceremony to much fanfare about two weeks ago, will open to traffic for real sometime in mid-December, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. About 10,000 motorists are expected to use the McKinley a day — the same number as used it before its closure in 2001. At that time, … Continue reading McKinley Bridge to open in mid-month

Drew’s road trip

This is a segment from the 2005 movie "Elizabethtown." You'll see Route 66, then the Round Barn and Hillbillee's in Arcadia, Okla., at the 7:14 mark. I was about to say it seems unlikely that anyone would put 42 hours of music on CDs for a road trip -- until I realized that I have … Continue reading Drew’s road trip

“Just fallen brick … and broken glass”

This is Son Volt singer Jay Farrar, performing an acoustic version of the country-rock band's song, "Way Down Watson." It is based on the demolition of the Coral Court Motel on Watson Road, aka Route 66, in St. Louis in 1995. It's a bit hard to hear the words, so here are the song's lyrics … Continue reading “Just fallen brick … and broken glass”