The end is near for the Pain Walker

No, no ... he's not terminally ill. But Dennis Kinch, who's reportedly in Williams, Ariz., is not getting too far from the end of his walk on Route 66 for the National Pain Foundation. His Web site made this announcement: Save the date — the end of the walk is near! Dennis will arrive in … Continue reading The end is near for the Pain Walker

Film crew stops in Lincoln, Ill., for “Cars” documentary

  The Lincoln Courier in the Route 66 town of Lincoln, Ill., reports that a London film crew was in town Tuesday to shoot footage for a documentary about Route 66 and the upcoming Pixar film, "Cars." At It Productions, Ltd., an independent film company, is visiting Old Route 66 sites while creating the documentary, … Continue reading Film crew stops in Lincoln, Ill., for “Cars” documentary

Pixar crew gets its kicks

LatinoReview.com's No. 6 featurette on the right side of the page about "Cars" should be of considerable interest to Route 66 aficionados. It's titled "Kickin' It on Route 66." It contains footage of author Michael Wallis taking the Pixar crew down the Mother Road during their research for the film. Roadies should be able to … Continue reading Pixar crew gets its kicks

Route 66 journal returns to the Web

About seven years ago (goodness, has it been that long?), writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning drove the Mother Road to research and gather material for their terrific book, "Route 66." Along the way, Steil e-mailed his musings and experiences every night to friends and the Route 66 e-group, now part of Yahoo! I'm … Continue reading Route 66 journal returns to the Web

“Cars” site update

The "Cars" movie Web site has added new wrinkles, including a "Visit Radiator Springs" page that Route 66 roadies should enjoy. There's a Road Journal in which you can read of other readers' favorite road trips and write your own. There's also a Snapshot Gallery in which you can submit your favorite vacation photos and … Continue reading “Cars” site update

Who cares about the price of gas?

The Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press has a story about how the rising price of gasoline is having a negative impact on business along Interstate 15, which replaced Route 66 through much of Southern California as a major artery. However: The California Route 66 Museum on D Street has not seen a change in visitorship, said … Continue reading Who cares about the price of gas?

A trip on U.S. 54

During a trip home in January to see the old homestead in Illinois, I decided to drive most of my way back to Tulsa on U.S. 54 and see what old motels, old neon and roadside kitsch I could find. U.S. 54 is about 1,200 miles. Its western terminus is at El Paso, Texas, and … Continue reading A trip on U.S. 54

ALS drive on Route 66 gains attention

The Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register published a story about John "J.J." Bouma Jr.'s fundraiser and awareness-raiser of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- aka Lou Gehrig's Disease -- by driving Route 66 in a Corvette. The reporter took more of a local angle by interviewing a local farmer who has the disease, but it sounds like Bouma's campaign … Continue reading ALS drive on Route 66 gains attention

New York Times tells about creation of “Cars”

Phil Patton of the New York Times interviewed a number of people about the production of the upcoming Pixar film, "Cars," including Michael Wallis, who gave out a few details about the two Route 66 tours on which he led the Pixar crew. A tour guide and author of "Route 66: The Mother Road," among … Continue reading New York Times tells about creation of “Cars”

Harley-Davidson is surveying Route 66 riders

Here's what Harley-Davidson's Web site says: Harley-Davidson needs your help. We are gathering as much information as we can about the "Mother of All Roads," Route 66. If you have traveled any or all of the segments of Route 66 listed below, please take a moment to complete a survey about the conditions, sights, and … Continue reading Harley-Davidson is surveying Route 66 riders