Personal trainer Dianna Dimmitt recently demonstrated TaijiFit -- a form of tai chi -- on a traffic island in the middle of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in Albuquerque, near the Frontier Restaurant. https://youtu.be/Nw_xw_oyfck Dimmitt said on Twitter that no one yelled or tried to stop her during her performance. It's probably because if you … Continue reading Tai chi on the Mother Road
Category: People
“American Giants,” Episode 8
Here is the eighth episode of Joel Baker's ongoing "American Giants" series about roadside fiberglass giants, also known as Muffler Men. https://youtu.be/nHZekubninc This episode covers the last of the Muffler Men in Chicago, including one extensively modified into a Frankenstein monster. Baker told me that the next episode will take place in Dodge City, Kan.
New sex-abuse lawsuit filed against Stanley Marsh 3
Seven anonymous men have filed a new lawsuit alleging sex abuse by Stanley Marsh 3, the proprietor of the Cadillac Ranch landmark and other whimsical art projects in the Amarillo area, reported the Amarillo Globe-News on Monday. The suit alleges that between November 2009 and June 2011 Marsh 3 enticed the teens with cash or … Continue reading New sex-abuse lawsuit filed against Stanley Marsh 3
Former owner of the Elms Motel of Miami dies
James Leonard Swinney Jr., the former owner of the long-gone Elms Motel on Route 66 in Miami, Okla., and son of the founder of the closed Swinney's Hardware on Route 66 in Tulsa, died at age 98 on Dec. 28 in Albuquerque, according to an obituary in the Grand Lake News in Oklahoma. Swinney owned … Continue reading Former owner of the Elms Motel of Miami dies
Andy Granatelli, race car owner and Route 66 Hall of Famer, dies
Andy Granatelli, who became famous as an owner of a winning Indianapolis 500 race car and as a CEO of STP motor oil, died Sunday in Santa Barbara, Calif., at age 90 of congestive heart failure, according to varying media outlets, including the New York Times. Granatelli also was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 … Continue reading Andy Granatelli, race car owner and Route 66 Hall of Famer, dies
The waitress on Route 66 who loves sports
One of the reasons people love traveling Route 66 is the unique characters they meet. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke reports on another such character at the Peppertree Cafe in Glendora, Calif. She's a waitress who serves sports commentary along with breakfasts, and she's become so popular that some diners wait hours for a … Continue reading The waitress on Route 66 who loves sports
Carl’s last ride on Route 66
Eighty-four-year-old Carl Johns, a nursing home resident, was asked if there was anything he wanted to do before he died. He said he wanted to ride in a 1956 Chevrolet. Apparently he always admired the car, but never was able to buy one because of family responsibilities. On Wednesday, Johns received his wish with a … Continue reading Carl’s last ride on Route 66
Bill Shea, owner of Shea’s 66 Gas Station Museum, dies at 91
Bill Shea, a longtime owner of a gas station in Springfield, Ill., and then curator of a gas-station museum on Route 66, died in his sleep today at age 91, according to a post on the Shea's Route 66 Museum Facebook page. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. Shea started in the gas-station business shortly … Continue reading Bill Shea, owner of Shea’s 66 Gas Station Museum, dies at 91
Seligman Sundries’ year in review
New Year's Eve remains several weeks away, but the good folks at Historic Seligman Sundries in Seligman, Ariz., posted their annual Year in Review video. You'll probably spot a few familiar faces in this clip. https://youtu.be/02nzE4JG_vs Seligman Sundries is closed for its annual winter break, but it will reopen in mid-March or so.
Senator wants to abolish Route 66 Corridor Program
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) is pushing for the dismantling of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program in a publication about alleged government waste in the National Park System, "Parked! How Congress' Misplaced Priorities are Trashing Our National Treasures" (PDF file). In a section titled "Get Your Pork Fix on Route 66," the report says: The National … Continue reading Senator wants to abolish Route 66 Corridor Program