Bus hits Route 66 column in Albuquerque

A wayward vehicle apparently caused a city bus to veer out of control and strike a decorative Route 66 column Friday at Central Avenue (aka Route 66) and Unser Boulevard on Albuquerque's west side, reported the Albuquerque Journal. “This bus was driving southbound on Unser,” said Officer Simon Drobik, spokesman for APD. “From what witnesses … Continue reading Bus hits Route 66 column in Albuquerque

More auto-chargers coming to Route 66 in Illinois

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced the creation of a network of charging stations for electric vehicles along Route 66 in Illinois that will be operational by summer, according to various media outlets, including the Alton Telegraph. The Route 66 towns of Plainfield, Dwight, Pontiac, Normal, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville and Edwardsville each will have a charging … Continue reading More auto-chargers coming to Route 66 in Illinois

A semblance of the Route 66 Rendezvous

This video by AmericaJR.com at the recently completed Rendezvous Back to Route 66 car show at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, California, is illuminating. In short, this year's event -- presented by the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce -- is an effort to keep a smaller version of the Route 66 Rendezvous alive. … Continue reading A semblance of the Route 66 Rendezvous

London combines charity road trip with TV production

Here's something you don't see every day -- a British television company aims to raise more than $400,000 for a cancer support group and gain a television series at the same time by using a journey on Route 66 in an electric car as the backdrop. It's called "Route 66 -- The Ultimate Challenge," and … Continue reading London combines charity road trip with TV production

Electric vehicle museum opens in Kingman

The exhibit of electric vehicles at the Powerhouse Visitors Center on Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona, during the International Route 66 Festival last month has become a permanent museum to EVs, with more vehicles coming soon. According to a story on EV News Report, the Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation's exhibit was visited by people from … Continue reading Electric vehicle museum opens in Kingman

Annual Cruise-In at The Mill slated for Saturday

The annual Mill Car Cruise-In classic-car show will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the landmark but long-closed Route 66 restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois. The event also serves as a fundraiser in ongoing efforts to preserve The Mill. Geoff Ladd, former leader of Logan County Tourism, a Route 66 Heritage Foundation of … Continue reading Annual Cruise-In at The Mill slated for Saturday

Route 66 expert worries about traffic congestion in Chicago suburbs

A prominent Route 66 expert wrote a letter to a village, expressing his concern that truck traffic will negatively impact tourism on the Mother Road in Will County, Illinois, reported Suburban Life Publications. John Weiss, who won the prestigious Steinbeck Award for historic preservation with his late wife Lenore in 2002 and has written several books … Continue reading Route 66 expert worries about traffic congestion in Chicago suburbs

The coming Chinese invasion (continued)

Noting demographic and economic trends, I predicted in 2011 that Route 66 would see a growing influx of Chinese tourists. Here's the latest sign. This week, the Shanghai General Motors Tour of Route 66 began in Amarillo and will continue to Santa Monica. The tour, organized by Open Road Productions of Brighton, Michigan, features Chinese Cadillac owners and dealers driving Cadillac … Continue reading The coming Chinese invasion (continued)

An idea for Route 66 events that needs to spread

A few days ago, the committee for the Route 66 Classic Car Cruise that will take place Aug. 9 in Crestwood, Missouri, announced the newest charity that will receive proceeds from the annual event. According to a news release, the committee will give the event's proceeds to Project Backpack - St. Louis, which serves the St. Louis metro … Continue reading An idea for Route 66 events that needs to spread

‘Top Gear’ begins Route 66 trip this week

"Top Gear," the popular British television series about driving cars, began a 2,400-mile road trip this week on Route 66 in a Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse -- a convertible version of what is considered the fastest sports car in history. From the first day of the show's Route 66 diary: You want numbers? 1200bhp of quad-turbo, W16 … Continue reading ‘Top Gear’ begins Route 66 trip this week