First, the good news. There appeared to be a good turnout Saturday morning for the Operation Oklahoma motorcycle rally that was slated to go on old Route 66 from Tulsa to Chandler, Okla., then on to Norman, Okla. Hundreds of motorcyclists that gathered at the University of Tulsa to help escort the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall … Continue reading Good news, bad news from Vietnam Wall caravan
Category: Events
Motorcyclists to escort Vietnam Memorial on Route 66
About 500 motorcyclists will be escorting a portable Vietnam War memorial on old Route 66 from Tulsa to Norman, Okla., on Saturday morning, according to the Tulsa World. The wall, a three-fourths-size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall at Washington, D.C., is to arrive in Tulsa on Friday night aboard several trucks. However, the wall … Continue reading Motorcyclists to escort Vietnam Memorial on Route 66
Preview of the CNG cross-country tour
Mike Easterling, fresh off his Wallis Award a few days ago at the Will Rogers Awards Evening, filed an excellent story in Urban Tulsa about the two Alabama men who seek to drive a 1966 GTO the entire length of Route 66 -- powered solely by compressed natural gas. Mike McConville and Keith Barfield will … Continue reading Preview of the CNG cross-country tour
Jerry McClanahan wins top honor at Will Rogers Awards
Longtime author and artist Jerry McClanahan won the prestigious Will Rogers Award during the Will Rogers Awards Evening on Saturday night during the Tri-State Route 66 International Festival at Downstream Casino Resort in Quapaw, Okla. McClanahan, who has researched Route 66 since the early 1980s, has written several magazine articles about obscure Mother Road alignments … Continue reading Jerry McClanahan wins top honor at Will Rogers Awards
Lodging group criticizes Joplin tourism bureau
With less than a week before the Tri-State Route 66 Festival, this story from the Joplin Globe about a local lodging association expressing deep dissatisfaction about the Joplin Visitors and Convention Bureau sparked my interest. The lodging group is so irked by a precipitous drop in motel revenue that it is considering a campaign to … Continue reading Lodging group criticizes Joplin tourism bureau
Storm ravages Route 66 Festival in Edwardsville
A severe storm struck the Route 66 Festival area in Edwardsville, Ill., on Saturday afternoon, forcing the cancellation of the rest of the event after several tents were blown over and festival-goers ran for cover. According to the Belleville News-Democrat, the storm came with nasty winds and 1-inch hail. Witnesses said children were crying as … Continue reading Storm ravages Route 66 Festival in Edwardsville
Big festival is coming fast
The Tri-State Route 66 Festival begins at Downstream Casino Resort at the Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma border next weekend, and the Joplin Globe has a preview about it. The annual Route 66 Festival, which moves to a different area each year, uses the Will Rogers Awards Banquet as its centerpiece. We'll be there for the big gala. More … Continue reading Big festival is coming fast
Big covered wagon wins roadside attraction poll
Here's an interesting tidbit in this story from the Peoria Journal-Star about the The World's Largest Covered Wagon, just off Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill.: Reader's Digest readers named it the Best Roadside Attraction in America in 2010. The venerable magazine recently ran its annual Best of America survey, which focuses on what it calls … Continue reading Big covered wagon wins roadside attraction poll
Presentation dates set for California Route 66 study
The California Preservation Foundation, the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and hired consultants Mead & Hunt have set a series of dates this month along Route 66 for presentations on a forthcoming comprehensive historical study of Route 66 in California. According to a news release from the foundation: “We are encouraging all Route 66 enthusiasts, … Continue reading Presentation dates set for California Route 66 study
Memorial Day tribute
Here is a list of military personnel from Route 66 towns who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. I’ve also added informative links to each of the fallen, wherever possible. ILLINOIS Chicago Staff Sgt. Oscar D. Vargas-Medina, died May 1, 2004 1st Sgt. Edward Smith, died April 5, 2003 Sgt. Ivory L. Phipps, died March … Continue reading Memorial Day tribute