Road correspondent Mark Potter reports that the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., has been returned to its original 1939 color scheme of blue. For many years, the motel was mostly of a coral color. Folks in Springfield, Mo., who are fighting the proposed relocation of Missouri 266, aka Route 66, in their town have … Continue reading Notes from the road
Category: Highways
New turnpike entrance will improve access to Route 66 towns
I didn't know this was going to happen, but new gate to Oklahoma's Turner Turnpike, set to be finished sometime in 2009, should improve access to the Route 66 towns of Luther and Arcadia, reports the Daily Oklahoman. The new gates will be built here (map link), with access to Triple XXX Road, 164th Street … Continue reading New turnpike entrance will improve access to Route 66 towns
A bad idea?
In the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque, a number of recent accidents have tied up traffic on Interstate 40 for hours. According to KOAT, state Rep. Kathy McCoy wants something done about it: McCoy is working with the New Mexico Department of Transportation and law enforcement officials to get the situation and the traffic cleared … Continue reading A bad idea?
Why did a turtle cross Route 66?
To get to the other side, of course. 😉 In the space of less than a mile on Old Sapulpa Road (aka Route 66) in Oklahoma, we encountered a small flock of wild turkeys and this turtle. The turkeys didn't have a problem. When a couple of motorcyclists approached from the other direction, they simply … Continue reading Why did a turtle cross Route 66?
View from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
If you've never walked on what is now a pedestrian and bicycle trail on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that connects Madison, Ill., over the Mississippi River to St. Louis, these two videos by the same person should suffice for now. The bridge was a part of Route 66 for decades. The second video … Continue reading View from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Wallis and Colbert
Author Michael Wallis was on the Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" last week to plug his new book, "The Lincoln Highway." Here is the video clip of the interview: Wallis also is well-known for the best-selling "Route 66: The Mother Road" and mentions ol' 66 during the bantering. UPDATE 8/23/07: YouTube removed the video because … Continue reading Wallis and Colbert
Storms wash out part of Route 66
The remnants of Tropical Storm Erin were hard on the ol' Mother Road in at least one spot this week. According to the Lebanon (Mo.) Daily Record: A portion of Route 66, west of the Gasconde River is missing after Monday’s flooding when the culverts that normally allowed water to flow through with each were … Continue reading Storms wash out part of Route 66
Notes from the road
We discovered that Wings Hamburgers and Brother Arthur's Bililian Fish at 3409 E. Admiral in Tulsa has closed. There will be an auction at 10 a.m. Saturday to sell off the contents -- including a slew of collectibles -- of the recently shuttered Hillbillee's Cafe and Bed and Breakfast in Arcadia, Okla. More details from … Continue reading Notes from the road
Michael Wallis to appear on “The Colbert Report”
Author Michael Wallis will be interviewed Wednesday by Steven Colbert on The Comedy Channel's "The Colbert Report." Wallis says Colbert wants to discuss Wallis' recently published "The Lincoln Highway" book and other old roads -- presumably Route 66 one of them. Wallis is familiar with Colbert's sly satire, so don't expect him to get ambushed. … Continue reading Michael Wallis to appear on “The Colbert Report”
Time to check those bridges
In the wake of the horrific Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, nervous traffic officials across the country are fanning out to check bridges in an effort to ensure a similar tragedy doesn't occur. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that one of the structurally deficient bridges in Missouri is on Route 66: One of those … Continue reading Time to check those bridges