In case you're wondering, this song by Steve Haggerty & The Wanted does indeed refer to Angel Delgadillo, the Guardian Angel of Route 66. Angel recently turned 85 years old. https://youtu.be/NZa2zM0csto Haggerty and his Southern rock band are based in Germany. If you want to hear a better-sounding studio version of the song, go to … Continue reading “Angel of the Mother Road”
Category: People
Stories with Ernie Edwards
Less than a month ago, we reported that Pounds Media had videotaped a bunch of Route 66 old-timers for Central Illinois Tourism and the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway. Today, the first video was posted publicly. Appropriately enough, it was Ernie Edwards of the Pig Hip Restaurant in Broadwell, who died last week at age 94. https://vimeo.com/40568829 The … Continue reading Stories with Ernie Edwards
Elite athletes will run Route 66 in less than three weeks
A relay of eight top running athletes next month will run nonstop on all 2,400 miles of Route 66 in 18 days for Run It Forward, which aims to promote fitness, nutrition, and dental health to underprivileged schoolchildren along the route. In addition to this impressive athletic feat, Run It Forward will use three crusading "soccer moms" … Continue reading Elite athletes will run Route 66 in less than three weeks
What will become of Ernie Edwards’ secret sauce?
Ernie Edwards, the longtime proprietor of the Pig Hip Restaurant along Route 66 in Broadwell, Ill., had long claimed that the sauce he used for his Pig Hip ham sandwiches would go with him to the grave. With Edwards' death last week, that appeared to be the case. Or does it? Phil Luciano, a columnist … Continue reading What will become of Ernie Edwards’ secret sauce?
A memory of Ernie Edwards
I realized at the report of Ernie Edwards' death at age 94 that no footage of him apparently existed on the Internet. I decided to rectify that by mashing together footage from Canadian musician Melissa McClelland's "Pedal to Steel" documentary from 2006, when she embarked on a tour of Route 66. She visited Edwards at … Continue reading A memory of Ernie Edwards
Longtime Pig Hip restaurant owner dies
Ernie Edwards, longtime owner of the Pig Hip restaurant along Route 66 in Broadwell, Ill., died in his sleep Wednesday night at age 94, according to a news release from the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County. Edwards died at St. Clara's Manor in Lincoln, Ill. He had recently been moved from his Broadwell … Continue reading Longtime Pig Hip restaurant owner dies
A walk through the Bottle Tree woods
Here's a new video about Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Ranch, located off Route 66 near Oro Grande, Calif. https://youtu.be/ZDwXs4BJoc8 I wouldn't be surprised if the site is eventually declared a national landmark or something like that. I would hope so, anyway.
Japanese woman traveling Route 66 solo
Suzi Leavens, a 69-year-old native of Japan, is traveling Route 66 by herself from Santa Monica to Chicago to realize a dream by her late husband, according to an email from Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press reporter Tomoya Shimura. According to Tomoya, Leavens has already stayed at the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, Calif., and the Ludlow Motel in … Continue reading Japanese woman traveling Route 66 solo
Memories of a road trip
A fan of Japanese singer and actor Yamashita Tomohisa has posted this slide show of images from his recently completed trip on Route 66. The video is in tribute to Yamashita's 27th birthday, which is today. https://youtu.be/nVDUG-mGnHo Someone on Vimeo was posting the full "Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66" episodes that aired on Japanese television. Alas, … Continue reading Memories of a road trip
“Route 66: The Neon Highway” revisited
Andrew Wood, a communications professor at San Jose State University and an avowed roadie, shot and produced a short video about the neon signs of Route 66 in 2008. You can view it here. Wood just completed another journey on Route 66, and created a new video with the same theme: https://youtu.be/OTEP6pb340s Music is "Route … Continue reading “Route 66: The Neon Highway” revisited