"Time of Triumph" helps answer one question -- what happened to Ron Chavez when his famed Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, N.M., closed? Club Cafe was best-known for its smiling "Fat Man" logo on Route 66 billboards in New Mexico. Chavez's storytelling was nearly as praised as his down-home New Mexican cooking, and his restaurant … Continue reading Book review: “Time of Triumph”
Category: Books
Book review: “Bunion Derby”
From the When It Rains, It Pours Department: After years of very few volumes about the famed 1928 "Bunion Derby" footrace across America, two remarkably comprehensive books are released three months apart. The first was "C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race" by Geoff Williams. The second is "Bunion Derby" (256 pages, University of New Mexico Press, … Continue reading Book review: “Bunion Derby”
Book review: “San Bernardino”
The sprawl in the Los Angeles metro area is so extensive that one is tempted to describe San Bernardino, Calif., as simply one of its many suburbs. It may surprise some that San Bernardino was founded in 1810 and was incorporated just three years after the City of Angels. With more than 200,000 people, San … Continue reading Book review: “San Bernardino”
San Bernardino’s past detailed in book
Steven Shaw has turned his collection of 700 vintage postcards into a book about the history of San Bernardino, Calif. About 225 of the postcards were used in the Arcadia Publishing book titled "San Bernardino," which comes out Monday, reports the San Bernardino County Sun. Shaw told the Inland Press-Enterprise something interesting about preservation: "Everybody … Continue reading San Bernardino’s past detailed in book
Book review: “The Big Book of Car Culture”
Disclosure: I'm not a big car nut. Sure, I learned during my years on the farm to change the oil, keep an eye on the gauges and how to use starter fluid into cold diesel engines. But if someone talked about a Gremlin, I'd relate to the little monsters in the Steven Spielberg film, not … Continue reading Book review: “The Big Book of Car Culture”
Michael Wallis news
I met up with author Michael Wallis and a few other longtime roadies for lunch Friday at Ollie's Station in Tulsa. Wallis had a few interesting announcements to make: His book "Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride" has been optioned for a film. It will star Haley Joel Osment, who is famed for his child … Continue reading Michael Wallis news
An obscure figure of the Bunion Derby
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer today published an excellent story about Ed Gardner, one of the runners in the 3,400-mile transcontinental footrace, famously called the Bunion Derby, that took place on Route 66. As many Route 66ers know, Oklahoma native Andy Payne won the race and its $25,000 prize. But few know of Gardner, who was one … Continue reading An obscure figure of the Bunion Derby
Book review: “Legendary Route 66”
There are certain authors who have such a good track record, you know their books are good even before you pick them up. Michael Karl Witzel is on that short list. He's written books about drive-in theaters, drive-in restaurants, gas stations, diners, Americana and barns. "Route 66 Remembered" remains a classic of the Mother Road … Continue reading Book review: “Legendary Route 66”
Book review: “Greetings from the Lincoln Highway”
When best-selling author Michael Wallis and award-winning photographer Michael Williamson were doing field research for their book, "The Lincoln Highway," they used Brian Butko's 2005 volume, "Greetings from the Lincoln Highway" ($29.95, Stackpole Books, 288 pages), as one of their key references. Butko even embarked a bit of a mirror book tour when Wallis and … Continue reading Book review: “Greetings from the Lincoln Highway”
A hidden gem
On an obscure 1926-38 alignment of Route 66 between Kellyville and Bristow, Okla., sits the remnants of old motor court. It's mentioned in Jim Ross' "Oklahoma Route 66" guidebook, but little else seems to be known about it. It's been closed for many years, but its seems the owner is doing a good enough job … Continue reading A hidden gem