During a recent trip to New Mexico on Route 66, we stopped to check out an old cemetery near the settlement of Montoya. A few graves predated the commissioning of Route 66, and burials occurred there as recently as 2005. There are traditional engraved tombstones, including a fair number of markers for local soldiers of … Continue reading Rest area
Category: People
An evening at Boot Hill Saloon and Grill
The exterior of the Boot Hill Saloon & Grill, at the intersection of U.S. 385 and old Route 66 in Vega, Texas, looks like something from the 1880s Old West. But don't expect it to be a rough-and-tumble joint where fistfights between cowboys outnumber the bottles of red-eye whiskey. Sure, Boot Hill contains a lounge … Continue reading An evening at Boot Hill Saloon and Grill
Chery Cory’s road journal is online
Web guru and fellow roadie Guy Randall had been working on this, and I'm excited to see it's done. What I'm talking about is Chery Cory's Route 66 journals from 1992 until her untimely death in 2001. She and her husband Earl traveled Route 66 in an RV, and Cheryl wrote about her experiences. She … Continue reading Chery Cory’s road journal is online
Still riding
The Daily Oklahoman caught up with Laddie Williams, who's cycling east across the country to raise money for the families of nine firefighters who died in a furniture store fire in Charleston, S.C. He was in Oklahoma City on Monday, and had raised $6,000 to $7,000 so far. Williams' site is here; information on how … Continue reading Still riding
Cyclist takes Route 66 for fallen firemen
I stumbled upon this report from an Albuquerque television station about Laddie Williams of Augusta, Ga., who's cycling east across the U.S.A., including Route 66, to raise money for the families of nine firefighters who died in a blaze in Charleston, S.C., in June. It was the worst loss of life for firefighters since the … Continue reading Cyclist takes Route 66 for fallen firemen
Notes from the road
I ran behind on getting caught up with news from the Main Street of America on Thursday. So here's the latest, in small bites: Rod Harsh of Visit66.com was shown by the Carthage (Mo.) Press installing new directional signs to help guide travelers down the Mother Road. Many travelers get lost in that part of … Continue reading Notes from the road
Long-distance walker update
Remember Detlev Henschel, the fellow who was trying to walk east across North America on old trails and highways, including Route 66? Well, he's now in Belfast, Maine.
Artist will have Route 66 artwork at El Reno
California artist Anthony Ross will have his artwork of Route 66 scenes on display from Sept. 20 to Nov. 1 at Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. Ross e-mailed me an image above of one of his mixed-media compositions -- a neon sign at the long-gone Coral Court Motel in St. Louis -- that … Continue reading Artist will have Route 66 artwork at El Reno
Wrink’s reborn
KOLR/KSFX has a story about the recent reopening of Wrink's Market on Route 66 in Lebanon, Mo. Glen Wrinkle ran the store for more than 50 years until he died in 2005. Glen's son, Terry, reopened the store this summer. “And after I started up, all of dad's customers come in going ‘We want a … Continue reading Wrink’s reborn
Man drives 1935 Ford on Mother Road
The Quad City Times in northwest Illinois has the story about Paul O'Brien, who drove a 1935 Ford Tudor from Seal Beach, Calif., to his home area of Grand Mound, Iowa -- much of his trek on Route 66. It took him eight days to complete the trip. The Ford was prone to overheat, and … Continue reading Man drives 1935 Ford on Mother Road