Megan Carter e-mailed a few days ago to report that she's suspending her quest to ride a part of Route 66 on horseback until spring, simply because winter will inevitably set in. However, it's too bad she didn't continue her riding for another week or two; the weather in the Midwest has been incredibly nice … Continue reading Notes from the road
Category: Animals
Bringing them back
The Kingman (Ariz.) Daily Miner published this fascinating article about continuing efforts to maintain populations of the rare black-footed ferret off Route 66 near Seligman. That type of ferret was once considered extinct because of disease and other problems until a small group of them was found in Wyoming in the early 1980s. The effort … Continue reading Bringing them back
Critter along the road
We spotted this tarantula crossing gravel-road Route 66 between Glenrio and San Jon, N.M., a few days ago. With its legs spread out, it was bigger than your fist. It was about an hour before sundown, so it probably was early in its hunting session. Mike Callens at TeePee Curios in nearby Tucumcari said that … Continue reading Critter along the road
Please don’t feed the burros
For years, tourists to the Route 66 town of Oatman, Ariz., have been allowed to feed the wild burros that wander through the streets. Many of Oatman's merchants sell carrots for these critters, which are descendants of the animals that once toiled in the gold mines. The Oatman burros are a major draw for a … Continue reading Please don’t feed the burros
Woman soon will travel part of Route 66 on horseback
Megan Carter soon will begin her Buffalo Moon Expedition -- riding on horseback from southeastern Oklahoma to Chicago partly on Route 66. Carter's journey begins Sept. 1, but she reckons she won't be on the Mother Road until later in the month. She figures she'll be averaging about 10 miles a day. Carter's blog is … Continue reading Woman soon will travel part of Route 66 on horseback
Route 66 tour touts pet adoption
North Shore Animal League America and Fido Friendly magazine are embarking (pun intended) on a cross-country pet adoption tour, called "Get Your Licks on Route 66," this month. The 36-foot-long mobile adoption center will make stops in Los Angeles, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Joplin, St. Louis, Springfield, Ill.; and Chicago Heights. … Continue reading Route 66 tour touts pet adoption
Cattle drive on the Mother Road
Here's something you don't see every day -- a cattle drive on Route 66. It'll happen from Bushyhead, Okla., to Claremore, Okla., from 7:30 a.m. today until about noon or so. It's part of the 63rd Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo in Claremore and in honor of late congressman and rodeo announcer Clem McSpadden, who died … Continue reading Cattle drive on the Mother Road
Bear killed near Route 66 in Kingman
Needless to say, this is quite unusual. From the Kingman (Ariz.) Daily Miner: Officers with the Kingman Police Department shot and killed a black bear in the 1700 block of Jefferson Avenue in Kingman Thursday morning, after the bear wandered into the city limits and reportedly attempted to break into residences, as well as one … Continue reading Bear killed near Route 66 in Kingman
Salute to a frog
This weekend is Frog Fest in Waynesville, Mo. In case you're wondering about it, here's the explanation from the Pulaski County Daily: The discovery of an unusually shaped rock formation on the Waynesville Hill overlooking Historic Route 66 provided an opportunity for an earlier spring event. When the road was widened from two to three … Continue reading Salute to a frog
Scout, R.I.P.
Scout, a beloved female rat terrier that had accompanied Redforkhippie and me on several trips on Route 66 and other highways, died Friday at age 10 after a months-long bout with cancer. Her tribute to Scout is a slide show here, along with a blog post. Scout inspired a Web site, Kids on 66, with … Continue reading Scout, R.I.P.