If any person should publish a Route 66 book about the Windy City, David G. Clark is one. And that's what he and Arcadia Publishing have done with "Route 66 in Chicago" ($19.95, 128 pages). However, I would first recommend his other book about the Mother Road. More on that later. ""Route 66 in Chicago" … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 in Chicago”
Category: Towns
Pontiac may host mural festival
The Pontiac (Ill.) City Council voted Monday night to approve the creation of two new Route 66-themed murals in town, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. That wasn't a surprise, as Pontiac's zoning board greenlighted the murals, which will be painted by Diaz Sign Art, last week. But there's this new item that was interesting: Bill Diaz … Continue reading Pontiac may host mural festival
More signs, please
Rod Harsh of Visit66.com in Carterville, Mo., told the city council of nearby Carthage that the city and southwest Missouri in general needs more signs to help guide travelers on Route 66, reported the Carthage Press. Rod Harsh, who has a Route 66 Welcome Center in Carterville, said that people from as far away as … Continue reading More signs, please
Over easy
In this entertaining report from the Mohave Daily News, we learned that an apparent ringer entered the annual Sidewalk Egg Fry in Oatman, Ariz., on the Fourth of July. Bob Blumer, host of an upcoming Food Network show "Glutton for Punishment," won first place in both cooking device and showmanship. He used a frying pan … Continue reading Over easy
Searching Oklahoma City for Vietnamese food
Matt Gross, aka The Frugal Traveler, of the New York Times' travel section ventured to Oklahoma City to dine on ... Vietnamese food. That sounds like an odd combination, but Gross points out that 20,000 Vietnamese live in OKC. His excursion found a few Route 66 spots, including the Hospitality Inn (listed in the Route … Continue reading Searching Oklahoma City for Vietnamese food
Flooding may cut off Miami, Okla.
Those who are traveling Route 66 through northeastern Oklahoma may need to make alternative plans over the next few days because of flooding. According to the Tulsa World: By the evening of July 4 the Neosho River is expected to crest 1.25 feet higher than it was during historic floods in 1986, Spurgeon said in … Continue reading Flooding may cut off Miami, Okla.
Gunfight at Oatman
OK, not really. But every day at 1:30 p.m., Old West gunfighters do a show on Route 66 in Oatman, Ariz. As this video shows, it's all pretty tongue-in-cheek and done for entertainment instead of historical re-enactment. The sound quality of the video is erratic, but it's almost as good as being there if you … Continue reading Gunfight at Oatman
Keep that bridge open
The historic bridge that takes an older alignment of Route 66 into Devil's Elbow, Mo., needs repairs. Without it, many residents of the town would have to drive miles out of their way. This sounds like a slamdunk for state road assistance. But the Waynesville (Mo.) Daily Guide says the county isn't taking chances: Pulaski … Continue reading Keep that bridge open
Clinton, ya done good
I'm not going to say that the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., was the best ever. I've been interested in the Mother Road only since about 2000, and a number of national Route 66 festivals were held before that. But I've attended each national roadie gathering since 2002, and I enjoyed this past … Continue reading Clinton, ya done good
Slide show from western Arizona
Here is a YouTube video from the western Arizona towns of Oatman, Kingman and Seligman. Look out for the wild burros.