Jim Brightly of 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine wrote a detailed report about Homecourt Trail, a punishing off-roading site near Kingman, Ariz., that's just off the Mother Road. Homecourt Trail, named for its discoverer, is well-known to the Jeepers of Kingman. It's rated as a 3+ to 4 and many of the Kingman … Continue reading Off-road kicks off Route 66
Category: Vehicles
“Chevy on a stick” faces iffy future
A 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Aire has sat on a pole at 2412 Clear Lake Ave. in Springfield, Ill., for 17 years. Locals call it the "Chevy on a stick," and Route 66ers are fond of seeing that landmark during excursions through town. Now that the car dealership that it presided over has moved, the "Chevy on … Continue reading “Chevy on a stick” faces iffy future
Neil Young plans film about Route 66 trip
Country-rock musician Neil Young made a documentary about a nine-day road trip mostly on Route 66 from California to Kansas in 1959 Lincoln Continental before the classic car was given a makeover, reports ContactMusic.com. The film will be called "Linc Volt," which is the name of an alternative-fuel vehicle project underwritten by Young and his … Continue reading Neil Young plans film about Route 66 trip
Mustang tour will break record
The Mustangs Across America tour, which will trace part of Route 66, isn't for another six months, but it has already broken the event's record for most cars that will be participating. According to TheMustangNews.com, 345 cars have already been signed up for the mid-April tour. That breaks the record of 334 cars in 2004. … Continue reading Mustang tour will break record
Velorex crew make it to Santa Monica
The Czech group that was driving three-wheeled Velorex vehicles on Route 66 rolled into Santa Monica on Wednesday, reports the New York Times' Wheels blog. The group, which had a host of Dutch and American sponsors, left from the Art Institute in Chicago on September 27 and arrived in California on Wednesday. Along the way, … Continue reading Velorex crew make it to Santa Monica
Cruisers on the loose
According to the Miami (Okla.) News-Record, the T&T Cruisers Car Club is on a Route 66 cruise in the state of Oklahoma. It started on Friday and is working its way west. The cruisers will cover 365 miles of history along this popular route, traveling about 100 miles per day and making stops at Clanton's … Continue reading Cruisers on the loose
Harley-Davidson to test motorcycles in Kingman area
If you're cruising through Kingman, Ariz., on Route 66 in a few months and see a lot of Harleys, the reason may not be a bunch of Mother Road enthusiasts. From today's Kingman Daily Miner: Officials from Harley-Davidson and Chrysler have confirmed that an agreement to test motorcycles at the desert proving grounds has been … Continue reading Harley-Davidson to test motorcycles in Kingman area
Notes from the road
Actor Paul Newman, who voiced Doc Hudson in the 2006 Disney-Pixar movie "Cars," died over the weekend. I wanted to contact Route 66 author Michael Wallis, who played the Sheriff and served as a technical adviser in the film, about it but was out of town. Wallis confirmed to me Tuesday that he indeed had … Continue reading Notes from the road
Get your kicks in a Lincoln hybrid
Here is a combination I never thought I'd see together: a 1959 Lincoln Continental, hybrid technology and rock musician Neil Young. But it's happening. Undercover.com reports that the Lincvolt is a new project by Young's Shakey Pictures. Together, they are transforming the engine of a 1959 Lincoln Continental Mk IV convertible into a new series … Continue reading Get your kicks in a Lincoln hybrid
Paul Newman, R.I.P
Here's a startling fact about actor Paul Newman, who died Friday of cancer at the age of 83. "Cars," the hit Disney-Pixar animated film in 2006 that helped spur new interest in Route 66, wound up being Newman's last acting film role. Not long after that film's release (plus a "Cars" short titled "Mater and … Continue reading Paul Newman, R.I.P