As many of you may know, the town of Tucumcari, N.M., is a candidate for a horse-racing track and casino license, which would be on the east end of town, right on Route 66. Richard Talley, president of Smalltown America and owner of the restored Motel Safari in Tucumcari, wants roadies from around the world … Continue reading Place a bet on Tucumcari
Category: Motels
Talking about motels
Route 66 author Michael Wallis preaches the gospel to the Tulsa World about some of the Mother Road's mom-and-pop motels. "You can still find motels on Route 66 where people care if you have enough blankets and covers and pillows," said Wallis, who has written several books that have documented the famous highway, including "Route … Continue reading Talking about motels
Notes from the road
Emily and I recently updated a couple of sections of for an upcoming revised edition of the Route 66 Dining and Lodging Guide, which published by National Historic Route 66 Federation. One thing that I noticed is that wireless Internet is fast becoming the norm even with the most basic mom-and-pop motels. As little as … Continue reading Notes from the road
A drive through the desert
Timothy O'Grady of The Observer in London writes about his driving journey through the American Southwest, much of it on Route 66. Among the places featured in the story is the Route 66 Motel in Barstow, Calif., and the Monte Vista Hotel in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Barstow’s El Rancho Motel getting a face-lift
The Desert Dispatch passed on some encouraging news -- the historic El Rancho Motel on Route 66 in Barstow, Calif., is undergoing renovations and improvements after a long slide into mediocrity and worse. Since the motel changed ownership about a year ago, general manager Tracey Ellison said motel staff have embarked on a process of … Continue reading Barstow’s El Rancho Motel getting a face-lift
Eagle Hotel owner pays off city debt
The owner of the historic Eagle Hotel along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., has paid the $45,000 he owed the city plus a very small amount of interest since his contact expired in May, reports the Joliet Herald News. Owner Bill Scales failed in to live up to an agreement to rehab the 19th-century building … Continue reading Eagle Hotel owner pays off city debt
Route 66 on $250 a day?
Here's an interesting news release today from Best Western, the hotel chain: PHOENIX--Today Best Western International announced that it is partnering with veteran travel journalist Amy Graff to give vacationers a bird’s-eye view into Gen-X travel, via a blog and regular columns hosted on bestwestern.com. Amy, 34, will serve as the company’s new leisure travel … Continue reading Route 66 on $250 a day?
Barstow museum to mark eighth anniversary
The Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, Calif., will mark its eighth anniversary with a special event on Saturday, June 14, reports the Desert Dispatch. There will be a car and motorcycle show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. A registration form for those wanting to participate is here. One of … Continue reading Barstow museum to mark eighth anniversary
Skateboard kicks
Here's a short video of a bunch of skateboarders who took a trip on Route 66, looking for adventure. At one point, you'll see them at a certain landmark in Holbrook, Ariz.
Leave the driving to them
Here's a good idea: Esotouric, a husband-and-wife team that specializes in offbeat bus tours of the Los Angeles region, led one down Route 66 on Saturday, reported the Pasadena Star-News. Sights included the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, the last commercial citrus orchard in Sierra Madre and the Golden Spur restaurant in Glendora. One particularly intriguing … Continue reading Leave the driving to them