Australian athlete Damien Rider had planned to skateboard the length of Route 66 in 66 days. Instead, he completed it in 56 days -- more than 42 miles a day. The total journey was 3,795 kilometers, which is 2,358 miles. According to Rider's Facebook posts, he logged 140 miles in a single day and nearly … Continue reading Damien Rider skateboards Route 66 in 56 days
Category: Sports
Seven minutes about the Bunion Derby
I missed this when it was uploaded a few weeks ago, but this seven-minute film about the 1928 Trans-American Footrace, aka Bunion Derby, encapsulates the amazing Route 66 sports event as well as anything you'll likely see. The film was produced by Osiyo TV, which is owned by the Cherokee Nation. The key link to the tribe … Continue reading Seven minutes about the Bunion Derby
66 Bowl sign being resurrected in Chandler
The venerable 66 Bowl sign that once graced Route 66 in Oklahoma City for 50 years has resurfaced in Chandler, Oklahoma, at a future sports and entertainment complex that will include, yes, a bowling alley. A Facebook post of the sign by longtime Route 66 researcher and artist Jerry McClanahan caused a stir Monday. Marilyn Emde, director of … Continue reading 66 Bowl sign being resurrected in Chandler
66 Bowl lanes being made into electric guitars
The 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City closed more than five years ago. But its bowling lanes live on in the form of limited-edition electric guitars by a well-known builder in Nashville. Bobby Clark of Dr. Mojo Guitars has created the 66 Bowl solid-body electric guitar from the original pine lanes. The custom-made guitars, which resemble a Fender … Continue reading 66 Bowl lanes being made into electric guitars
More than 12,000 finish Route 66 Marathon events
More than 12,000 people finished the various events during last weekend's Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, including more than 2,500 in the 26.2-mile race, according to results on the event's website. The 10th edition of the Route 66 Marathon included a half-marathon, relay races, a 5K run and walk and the mascot dash. The courses went all … Continue reading More than 12,000 finish Route 66 Marathon events
“Father of Route 66: Cy Avery”
Author Susan Croce Kelly began her "Father of Route 66: Cy Avery" presentation during the Miles of Possibility Conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, by imagining what would have happened if Edwardsville hosted a good-roads conference 100 years ago. The city, which had about 5,000 residents, probably would have drawn a number of attendees well beyond the town's … Continue reading “Father of Route 66: Cy Avery”
New mural installed at Joe Becker Stadium
A new mural that pays tribute to Route 66 and former Joplin baseball figures Joe Becker and Mickey Mantle went up a few days ago at the refurbished Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Missouri. The mural was funded by Leadership Joplin and created by several Missouri Southern State University students, according to KOAM-TV. The mural, … Continue reading New mural installed at Joe Becker Stadium
Bowling alley in Bloomington closes after 55 years
The AMF Circle Lanes bowling center near Route 66 in Bloomington, Illinois, closed Sunday after more than 55 years in business, according the Bloomington Pantagraph. Management didn't explain the closure, but told the newspaper a decision was made to shutter it after "a comprehensive analysis." Translation: The AMF Circle Lanes was another in a long line of … Continue reading Bowling alley in Bloomington closes after 55 years
Week-long Great Race begins Saturday
The annual Hemming Motor News Great Race begins Saturday in Kirkwood, Missouri, and will go down much of Route 66 to the end in Santa Monica, California, on June 28. The Springfield (Mo.) Convention and Visitors Bureau had some details about the event for cars made up to 1972: The cross-country rally is a timed, controlled-speed endurance … Continue reading Week-long Great Race begins Saturday
The new old Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin
Nearly two weeks ago, the Joplin Blasters professional baseball team played the home opener of its inaugural season at the renovated Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Missouri. Although the stadium's seating facilities are new after $4.7 million in work, the field itself is almost a century old and once hosted the Joplin Miners minor-league team … Continue reading The new old Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin