After all the attention Joliet, Ill., has received lately about its tourism efforts and beautification of Route 66, nearby Countryside must have felt a little left out. According to Countryside Suburban Life, the city is considering some of its own beautification efforts for Joliet Road, aka Route 66. This, ironically, is being mulled after a … Continue reading More sprucing up of 66?
Category: Attractions
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
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.
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
Seeing the Springfield sights
WGN-TV in Chicago traveled down to Springfield, Ill., to see some of the sights on Route 66, including Bill Shea's filling-station memorabilia and the Cozy Dog Drive-In, whose original owner invented the corndog.
Joliet museum honored
The Joliet Area Historical Museum in Joliet, Ill., was given a Superior Achievement Award -- the highest ranking possible -- from the Illinois Association of Museums for its Route 66 Experience exhibit. The Joliet museum received the award last month. Route 66ers John and Lenore Weiss alerted me to this information.
Constructive criticism for a Route 66 town
Dan O'Neil, the mayor of Edmond, Okla., wrote an opinion piece for the Edmond Sun. In it, O'Neil announced the city was selected by the Mayors' Institute of City Design to participate in a study. The group tries to resolve urban design problems. O'Neil lays out what he thinks needs to be addressed: What project … Continue reading Constructive criticism for a Route 66 town
Sunset at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge carried Route 66 over the Mississippi River from Madison, Ill., to St. Louis for decades. Those structures you see in the river are water intake towers. And that roaring sound in the video is water rushing over the natural chain of rocks near those towers. The Old Chain of … Continue reading Sunset at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Look what came in second
Bennetts insurance of the United Kingdom conducted a survey to see what are the most desired places in the world for motorcyclists to drive, according to Motorcycle News. The winner was the Great Ocean Road, a 250-mile stretch along the southeastern coast of Australia. Not far behind in second place was Route 66. Not the … Continue reading Look what came in second
Don’t use them for a fill-up
The City of Joliet, Ill., found a unique way to kick off its Joliet Kicks on Route 66 tourism campaign. It has placed fiberglass replica gas pumps at various historical landmarks, complete with informational placards, reports the Joliet Herald News. The story contains a photo of a Texaco gas pump in front of the Rialto … Continue reading Don’t use them for a fill-up