Category: Motels

Revamped edition of “Dining & Lodging Guide” is out

For a number of years, we've been among the Adopt-A-Hundred volunteers (as in "adopt a 100 miles of Route 66") for the National Historic Route 66 Federation's "Route 66 Dining and Lodging Guide." So when we submitted our sections' recommended restaurants and motels earlier this summer, we knew we'd get a courtesy copy within a … Continue reading Revamped edition of “Dining & Lodging Guide” is out

New Tucumcari billboards, banners

It's not a new slogan, but new "Tucumcari Tonite!" billboards to publicize the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., are about to go up along Interstate 40. There also will be "Tucumcari Tonite!" banners of a similar design along the city's main drags, including Route 66. There also are several Tucumcari centennial banners. Richard Talley, … Continue reading New Tucumcari billboards, banners

Notes from the road

The Gallup (N.M.) Independent has an article about Route 66 sights in town before members of the Society for Commercial Archeology come check them out today. The article laments about how little is left of Route 66 sites in Gallup. But you can say that about a lot of towns -- many Route 66 businesses … Continue reading Notes from the road

Tucumcari loses bid for ‘racino’

Word came down Monday afternoon that the New Mexico Racing Commission approved a horse-racing and casino license application to Raton, and not the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, reports the Quay County Sun. It was a unanimous decision. Santa Fe also lost out on its bid to get a "racino" license. The Sun reported: In … Continue reading Tucumcari loses bid for ‘racino’

Notes from the road

The Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M., has added another mural image, courtesy of local artist Doug Quarles. It's a 1953 Flxible Clipper bus. Motel owner Richard Talley also passed along this news: On another note, we just had our first celebrity guest check-in! No, it wasn't Sir Paul!!! During the annual Rattler Reunion weekend, a … Continue reading Notes from the road

A new lodging option in Barstow?

Apparently the owners of a motel on Route 66 in Barstow, Calif., saw all the vacationers driving by and decided to do something about it. From the Desert Dispatch: Their current property, the Topper Motel on West Main Street, is popular with people, mostly locals, owner Ken Patel said, needing a room for more than … Continue reading A new lodging option in Barstow?

New mural at Tucumcari motel

Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari on Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M., sent along these photos of a new mural that's been painted on the motel's drive-up canopy. It was painted by local artist Doug Quarles, and it depicts a young Elvis Presley in a 1959 Cadillac, stopping for the night at the motel. … Continue reading New mural at Tucumcari motel

Gallery opens in historic Route 66 hotel

The historic Aztec Hotel on Route 66 in Monrovia, Calif., opened its Route 66 Gallery on Saturday night, reports the Foothill Weeklies. The unique approach to this gallery is that it has not the stuffy atmosphere of a “name gallery” and is less intimidating for those new to the art world. On Saturday, we saw … Continue reading Gallery opens in historic Route 66 hotel

Place a bet on Tucumcari

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