Hand pedal power

Norberto de Angelis, the Italian man who sought to travel Route 66 on a specially equipped hand bicycle, apparently is on the Mother Road now. KOTV in Tulsa caught up with him. The former football player was partly paralyzed in a car accident, and is using the hand bicycle as a form of physical therapy. … Continue reading Hand pedal power

Return to the road

In 1999, Chicago-based writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning embarked on a trip together down Route 66 to collect material that produced an excellent book, "Route 66." Steil also wrote an online journal during the trip, which I recommend you read. Steil and Luning are returning to the Mother Road next month, on the … Continue reading Return to the road

Rock Cafe prepares for reopening

KOTV in Tulsa has a very good article about the impending reopening Friday of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., after a devastating fire a year ago. The particularly newsworthy parts in the story are about owner Dawn Welch, near the end: Welch has written a cookbook, "Dollars to Donuts" and is due out November … Continue reading Rock Cafe prepares for reopening

A Marine visits Amboy

Lance Cpl. Aaron Kristopik recently traveled down Route 66 in Southern California and visited the ghost town of Amboy, according to a story on the U.S. Marine Corps Web site. Kristopik, hailing from Connecticut, checked out Roy's, Amboy Crater and the nearby Salt Evaporation Plant. He also did some reflecting: Kristopik said the trip helped … Continue reading A Marine visits Amboy

Music museum will also feature Route 66

Well, this is interesting. From the Tulsa World: The Oklahoma Historical Society hopes to bring its first facility to Tulsa in the form of a $33 million museum of music and popular culture located in the Brady District. Plans for the museum, which will be half the size of the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma … Continue reading Music museum will also feature Route 66

Where is Rory now?

Roadies and folks in the Texas Panhandle probably already know the answer to this question about chef and former reality-TV contestant Rory Schepisi. But the Food Network decided to check back with previous "The Next Food Network Star" contestants, including Schepisi from Season 3.

Twittering from the Gumball Rally

Skateboarding star Tony Hawk is participating in the coast-to-coast Gumball 3000 Rally, part of which goes on the western half of Route 66. Hawk has been writing posts on his Twitter account, including photos at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Cadillac Ranch, both in Amarillo. On this video, you can see a busted-up ankle … Continue reading Twittering from the Gumball Rally

Retired from the patrol

The Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader has a story about Chester Henry of LeRoy, Ill., who was a Illinois state trooper in District 6 of the Pontiac area from 1957 to 1984. Henry attended this past weekend's Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor event. Henry was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in … Continue reading Retired from the patrol

Gay Parita featured in magazine

Rural Missouri, a publication of the Association of Missouri Electrical Cooperatives, features the re-created Gay Parita gas station near Halltown, Mo., in its May issue. The place has been open only a few years, but it's already attracting visitors by the thousands, thanks in large part to the hospitality of owner Gary Turner: “We get … Continue reading Gay Parita featured in magazine

Surviving Seligman

The Arizona Republic has a nice travel article about the Route 66 town of Seligman. Much of the focus is on Route 66 and the efforts of Angel Delgadillo and the late Juan Delgadillo to save the town after it was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1978. Nowadays, Seligman's a fairly lively town, despite containing … Continue reading Surviving Seligman