On Sunday night, it was learned the comedian George Carlin died of heart failure at a Los Angeles hospital. Carlin is best-known for stand-up comedy that was biting and irreverent, yet revealed a love of the English language (even those famed "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television"). Carlin also was the voice of … Continue reading R.I.P., Fillmore
Category: People
Swa Frantzen wins top Route 66 award
Swa Frantzen (shown above), an Internet pioneer in publicizing Route 66 with his Historic66.com site, won the top honor during the Will Rogers Awards Event on Saturday night during the Route 66 Festival in Litchfield, Ill. The New Business of the Year was 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan. Chicago Route 66 researcher … Continue reading Swa Frantzen wins top Route 66 award
Checking in
This post comes from a clean, comfortable and inexpensive room at the Gardens Motel in Litchfield, Ill. We got into Litchfield not long after the sun began to dip low on the ripened wheat and sprouting horseradish fields. On the way, we found the concretes at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis are as … Continue reading Checking in
A final goodbye
The San Bernardino County Sun today ran a belated obituary for Bessie Burris, 91, who died on May 17. Burris was the wife of Buster Burris, who co-owned Roy's and the Route 66 town of Amboy, Calif., for many years. Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura now owns Amboy and plans to restore it. … Continue reading A final goodbye
A view from across the pond
Here's an interesting view of Route 66 from Tony Collins of the Birmingham Mail in England. An excerpt: Interest began to grow following publication of a Route 66 book in the 1990s. But the scores of ordinary townsfolk dotted along its path are most indebted to 2006 animated movie Cars. In fact, my amazing two-week … Continue reading A view from across the pond
Hitched on 66
The Morris (Ill.) Daily Herald has the story about Thomas Kowaczek and Jennifer O'Dowd, who got married Sunday on Route 66 at the old Odell Station in Odell, Ill. “He said he wanted to get married in Odell, at the Route 66 gas station,” O'Dowd said. “I just looked at him and said, ‘No, really, … Continue reading Hitched on 66
Super weird
From today's San Bernardino (Calif.) County Sun: Four Italian men from an international film crew were showered with a superheroic welcome Friday at the San Bernardino headquarters for Juan Pollo Restaurants as they stopped by the corporate offices and museums. Each was dressed as a comic-book hero.Decked in Robin, Captain America, Flash Gordon and Superman … Continue reading Super weird
Tattoo Man
KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City did a story about Ron "Tattoo Man" Jones, who has more than 66 tattoos on his body. All but one depicts landmarks on the Mother Road. You can view the video here.
Illinois Motor Tour and Hall of Fame preview
The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph has a preview about the 19th annual Route 66 Association of Illinois Motor Tour. It runs over the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis on Saturday morning, overnights in Lincoln, and ends Sunday in Wilmington. Scotty's Route 66 Bar & Grill in Hamel is holding registration for the … Continue reading Illinois Motor Tour and Hall of Fame preview
Rock Cafe starts a blog
It'll be a while before the Rock Cafe reopens after a fire gutted it last month. But owner Dawn Welch has already started a blog. It's only two days old, and it already has a half-dozen posts. Many of the entries (and photos) deal with the ongoing cleanup after the fire. But there's also this … Continue reading Rock Cafe starts a blog