I received word Monday that Betty Courtney, 79, one member of the team that helped form the much-praised 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan., died Sunday. She, along with Melba Rigg, Judy Courtney and Renee Charles, helped lead the charge to take an abandoned gas station on Route 66 in Galena and transform … Continue reading Notes from the road
Category: Sports
A big statue for The Mick
Four decades after his retirement and nearly 15 years after his death, baseball legend Mickey Mantle finally received a larger-than-life tribute in his Route 66 hometown of Commerce, Okla. Although Mantle was born in Sallisaw Spavinaw, Okla., his family moved to Commerce when he was 4 and remained there well after the New York Yankees … Continue reading A big statue for The Mick
Golf star Montgomerie wants to drive 66
Professional golf star Colin Montgomerie of Scotland wants to drive Route 66 on a motorcycle this fall -- but only after he leads the British team to a Ryder Cup victory over the U.S., reports the Daily Record of Glasgow. Despite his posh persona, Monty has always fancied himself as an Easy Rider clad in … Continue reading Golf star Montgomerie wants to drive 66
Should have stuck with bowling
OKC Biz published a story today about the pending sale of the historic 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City to a Spices of India grocery. The article contained this tidbit that I hadn't seen reported elsewhere: Owner Jim Haynes says he’s owned the 51-year-old, 25,880-square-foot bowling alley for 32 years. “I just had to (sell the … Continue reading Should have stuck with bowling
Last frame coming for 66 Bowl
The historic 66 Bowl of Oklahoma City has been sold to an India grocer, and its last bowling frame will occur in mid-August. Spices of India, down the road from the 66 Bowl on the Northwest 39th Street alignment of Route 66, has bought the bowling center and concert venue, reported Oklahoma Route 66 expert … Continue reading Last frame coming for 66 Bowl
Notes from the road
(Editor's note: This is my Catch Up from the Memorial Day Holiday Edition.) Actor and director Dennis Hopper died over the weekend after a long bout with prostate cancer. He was 74. A memorial service and burial was held Wednesday at a church in his beloved Taos, N.M., where he lived for years. Although a … Continue reading Notes from the road
Rugby player rolls down 66
If you see a big, scruffy-looking guy with a Triumph motorcycle and an English accent on the Mother Road, it just might be rugby star and World Cup winner Steve Thompson, according to the Daily Mail in London. The 31-year-old is tackling the fabled Route 66 on a Triumph motorbike which has been parked outside … Continue reading Rugby player rolls down 66
66 Bowl up for sale; investors sought for it
The historic 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City soon will be up for sale, and an organizer of the Okie Twist-off music and car festival and an area Realtor are looking for help from investors to buy and preserve the property, according to e-mails I received today. The owners of the 66 Bowl confirmed by e-mail … Continue reading 66 Bowl up for sale; investors sought for it
Notes from the road
A public hearing has been scheduled regarding the future of the Bird Creek Bridge on Oklahoma 66 near Catoosa. The westbound Bird Creek Bridge, which dates to 1936, is part of the so-called Twin Bridges part of Route 66 there. The meeting by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is set for 6 p.m. April 20 … Continue reading Notes from the road
Roadkill Cafe sponsors motorcycle racers
The Roadkill Cafe, a restaurant in Seligman, Ariz., that's popular with Route 66 travelers, is sponsoring Road Kill Racers, a sidecar motorcycle racing team, according to a news release at Roadracingworld.com. This sponsorship deal is an effort to promote the tourist industry in which racing is very much part of the travels required by all … Continue reading Roadkill Cafe sponsors motorcycle racers