The Disney Parks Blog has posted this neat video of the Ornament Valley being constructed at Cars Land of the Disney California Adventure park: Led by Zsolt Hormay, our rockwork art director, this incredible team of artisans from around the world have spent approximately two years growing, sculpting and painting our mountain. It’s been fascinating … Continue reading The building of Ornament Valley
Category: Attractions
Missouri eatery named best British restaurant
Here's something I bet you never thought you'd see -- a restaurant in Springfield, Mo., has been named the best British eatery outside United Kingdom. The Telegraph, a major newspaper in England, bestowed that honor to Farmers Gastropub. Here's what The Telegraph said about the restaurant, just south of downtown Springfield: Described by its nominator … Continue reading Missouri eatery named best British restaurant
The latest Route 66 Village project
The Route 66 Village in southwest Tulsa contains an old steam locomotive, several rail cars, and a gigantic replica of an oil derrick. Here's the latest project that volunteers are working on, via KOTV:
A day at the Santa Monica Pier
This excellent video by Tony Leech uses time-lapse and tilt-shift effects to show scenes at the Santa Monica Pier, the traditional western end of Route 66: https://youtu.be/FCmtkvQ1fXE Music is "Wassup You Guys!" by M. Bison.
“Catoosa Blue: A Love Story”
This is a short documentary film about the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla., created by high-schooler Alexander Knight. https://youtu.be/7QDwXVDOQhs The film premiered during the deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City last summer. Knight donated the film to the Catoosa Arts & Tourism Society/Fins of the Blue Whale volunteer group, which is working to preserve the Route 66 … Continue reading “Catoosa Blue: A Love Story”
Victorville newspaper takes note of Route 66 report
It took a while, but it looks like other media types are taking note of the recently released Route 66 Economic Impact Report. On Sunday, the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press took a closer look. And one longtime roadie, Jim Conkle, said Victorville isn't doing enough to draw Route 66 tourism: Conkle has seen small towns … Continue reading Victorville newspaper takes note of Route 66 report
The heap behind Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
The Disney Parks Blog took a behind-the-scenes look at Larry the Cable Guy, aka Mater from the 2006 Disney-Pixar film "Cars," recording a voice-over. Disney needed Larry's pipes for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, one of the rides featured in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure: https://youtu.be/_dzY9K_0nuM Cars Land is based on the fictional Route 66 town of … Continue reading The heap behind Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Off to the bed races
The Mojave Daily News posted a humorous account of the annual Oatman Great Bed Races in Oatman, Ariz., on Saturday. It's not so much a competition as a fun-filled farce. To wit: In accordance to contest rules, teams must first push one teammate in a bed the length of the course, park the team’s bed … Continue reading Off to the bed races
A good example to those along the Mother Road
Paul Chassey, a volunteer for the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville, Calif., wrote an interesting piece in the Victorville Daily Press about a fellow volunteer's experience with a Chinese couple. Go here to read it first. Read it? If so, here are my observations about the article: Although the volunteer's behavior was exemplary, such … Continue reading A good example to those along the Mother Road
“Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” Episode 4
Here's the fourth installment of Japanese television’s “Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” which chronicles a singer and actor’s trip down the Mother Road during the fall of 2011. He goes from Joplin, Mo., to Oklahoma City. Afton Station in Afton, Okla., and Ron "Tattoo Man" Jones play a big role in this episode. https://vimeo.com/35645926