"Rawhide," the TV western that helped launch the long career of Clint Eastwood, used the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., as a base to film five episodes in 1959, according to a story in the Quay County Sun. If you have fuzzy memories of "Rawhide," this might jolt your brain: The Sun reports: Actors … Continue reading “Rawhide” was once filmed in Tucumcari area
Category: People
Walking in the name of fallen police
The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader tells about three men -- one of them an Evansville, Ind., cop -- walking in cities from Evansville to Santa Monica, Calif., as part of Relay for a Cause Route 66 "to honor the nearly 19,000 officers across the United States that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our safety." The … Continue reading Walking in the name of fallen police
One long bicycle trip
Claudia Heller, in her ongoing series about Route 66 in Southern California, tells the story of Dan Hyke, who bicycled part of Route 66 and beyond from Santa Monica, Calif., to Virginia Beach, Va., in 1982. Hyke was moved to try the cross-country feat after the death of his father. Averaging a little less than … Continue reading One long bicycle trip
Anxiety in Arizona
Like others, I've been watching with morbid fascination the reaction to Arizona's new illegal immigration law. It makes failing to carry immigration documents a crime, and gives police broad power to detain those suspected of being in the country illegally. Because the issue seemed to be peripheral to Route 66, I initially decided to observe from … Continue reading Anxiety in Arizona
Child actor in “The Grapes of Wrath” dies
I missed this a few weeks ago, but Shirley Mills Hanson, 83, who portrayed a young Ruthie Joad in the 1940 classic film "The Grapes of Wrath," died on March 31 from complications of pneumonia at a hospital in Arcadia, Calif., according to the Los Angeles Times. Known during her acting career as Shirley Mills, … Continue reading Child actor in “The Grapes of Wrath” dies
Journalist dies in train-car crash near Amboy
I saw a story in the San Bernardino County Sun yesterday in which a man from Las Vegas had been traveling Route 66 west of Amboy, Calif., and suddenly stopped his car on the railroad tracks, where he died when a freight train hit it. The article didn't mention it at the time, but the … Continue reading Journalist dies in train-car crash near Amboy
Notes from the road
Richard Talley of the Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M., says a lot has been happening in his town lately. Here's what he said by e-mail (with some minor editing): Here's a shot of the new AutoPros auto care center across the street from us on Route 66 (used to be Tucumcari Tire Co., closed for years). … Continue reading Notes from the road
Bob’s last ride
Dave Bakke at the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register has the details about the burial Sunday of the cremains of Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire at the family plot near Rochester, Ill. The other half of his ashes are to be released along the Mother Road. True to Bob’s wishes, some of his ashes have been … Continue reading Bob’s last ride
A talk with the Donut Man
A reporter from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin sat down to chat with Jim Nakano, owner of the famed Donut Man stand on Route 66 in Glendora, Calif. In a region that really likes its doughnuts, the Donut Man stands out -- especially because of its strawberry doughnut. It's a split pastry piled generously with … Continue reading A talk with the Donut Man
High-stepping
Manu Cuadra, the Frenchman who aims to walk Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica on stilts, arrived in Pontiac, Ill., on Friday evening, according to the The Community News of Pontiac. Cuadra is hoping to cover about 40 to 60 miles per day. His entire trip is expected to take around two to two … Continue reading High-stepping