Wagon Wheel Motel reopens to travelers

The Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Mo., will partially reopen to travelers this weekend, then will have a full opening the following weekend, according to its owner. This comes after months of renovations on the historic Route 66 property. Owner Connie Echols, who bought the motel in fall 2009, said three rooms will be available … Continue reading Wagon Wheel Motel reopens to travelers

Topock Marina will be replaced this fall

The Topock Marina on Old Route 66 in Topock, Ariz., will be replaced with a $14 million, 102-room hotel, spa, nightclub, microbrewery, restaurant, and conference center starting this fall, owner Chet Hitt told the Mojave Daily News. Based on the new website, it will be rechristened as Topock 66 Spa & Resort. Hitt plans to make … Continue reading Topock Marina will be replaced this fall

Mojave national park proposal hits potential snag

A proposal to create a Mojave Trails National Monument along the Route 66 corridor in the Southern California desert hit a snag because of a provision about the placement of solar-energy plants on public land, reported the Press-Enterprise. Sen. Diane Feinstein's bill was formally introduced to the U.S. Senate this week. She wants to amend … Continue reading Mojave national park proposal hits potential snag

Route 66 included in Harley ‘dream trip’ promotion

U.S. motorcycle maker Harley Davidson rolled out a "Start Something" campaign, which includes supermodel Marisa Miller as a spokeswoman and Route 66 among the options for a "road trip of a lifetime" sweepstakes, according to a company news release today. Surfing the "Start Something" site, it's clear that Harley is trying to attract customers who've … Continue reading Route 66 included in Harley ‘dream trip’ promotion

66 Bowl up for sale; investors sought for it

The historic 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City soon will be up for sale, and an organizer of the Okie Twist-off music and car festival and an area Realtor are looking for help from investors to buy and preserve the property, according to e-mails I received today. The owners of the 66 Bowl confirmed by e-mail … Continue reading 66 Bowl up for sale; investors sought for it

Anxiety in Arizona

Like others, I've been watching with morbid fascination the reaction to Arizona's new illegal immigration law. It makes failing to carry immigration documents a crime, and gives police broad power to detain those suspected of being in the country illegally. Because the issue seemed to be peripheral to Route 66, I initially decided to observe from … Continue reading Anxiety in Arizona

Notes from the road

Kim Benoit of Montreal has created a miniature version of the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, seen in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated movie "Cars." Here are the photos that Benoit sent: Well done, I'd say. --- The owners of Seaba Station on Route 66 near Warwick, Okla., seek to reopen the historic auto … Continue reading Notes from the road

Trademark turmoil update

The controversy between Route 66 vendors, retailer Zazzle.com and a firm in the Netherlands that is claiming trademark ownership of the Route 66 shield morphed from aggravating to surreal. It was reported a few days ago that Route66Licensing.com and a sister site, Tempting Brands.com, is claiming a trademark of “Route 66″ and its shield. Subsequently, … Continue reading Trademark turmoil update

Abandoned in Arizona

Here's a video about two abandoned Route 66 places in Arizona -- one is Pine Springs in Flagstaff, and the other is the Twin Arrows complex, which is actually starting to undergo some restoration. You may see a lot of images of Twin Arrows that you've never seen.

Looks like they made it

The fellows in Cars for a Grand managed to drive that $1,000 Cadillac all the way on the Route 66 corridor from Chicago to Los Angeles, according to a news release this morning. Chris and Jorge purchased the car on April 9th in Thomson, IL where it was reportedly kept in a barn and summer … Continue reading Looks like they made it