“Road Trip 66” iPhone app released

New programs for mobile devices keep coming for Route 66 travelers. Now we have a "Road Trip 66" app that was made available for iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads about a week ago. It arrives about the same time as the RoadsideAmerica.com app for Garmin global-positioning units. And, in December, the Route 66 Attractions app … Continue reading “Road Trip 66” iPhone app released

Roadside America releases GPS program

RoadsideAmerica.com, one of the Web's most popular sites about offbeat roadside attractions, announced today it has launched its "RoadsideAmerica.com Attractions and Oddities" guide for several Garmin global positioning systems, according to a news release. The download is available for $19.99 at Spot It Out. Roadside America's download comes on the heels of a "Route 66 … Continue reading Roadside America releases GPS program

The Blue Whale’s magical mushrooms

I've visited the Blue Whale in Catoosa, Okla., literally dozens of times. But I'd never known about the existence of these things on the grounds until I saw this photo Saturday on the Blue Whale's Twitter account: That's Ron Edwards John Davis taking a break, one of the many Fins of the Blue Whale volunteers … Continue reading The Blue Whale’s magical mushrooms

Primitive roads

Here's something fun: A two-part video about the primitive alignment of Route 66 at La Bajada Hill in New Mexico by a brave soul to drove it in an SUV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K_brKoTSpA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DgLAyXwW84 Here's a short clip on the Cuervo Cut-off of Route 66, near Cuervo, N.M. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uGJLtNHYaw A drive on Oatman Road (aka Route 66) … Continue reading Primitive roads

Tucumcari motel named No. 3 bargain motel by Trip Advisor

The Historic Route 66 Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., was named the third-best bargain hotel in the United States in the Travelers Choice 2011 Awards by TripAdvisor.com. The only lodging establishments to beat it were the SeaCoast Inn in Hyannis, Mass., and Cedarbrook Lodge of Seattle. No other Route 66 establishments were ranked in the myriad … Continue reading Tucumcari motel named No. 3 bargain motel by Trip Advisor

Route 66 television show being filmed

Longtime Route 66 advocate Jim Conkle recently started a blog. In one of those posts, he mentioned that he and a camera crew are traveling Route 66 to produce a television show. That included recent filming at Elmer Long's Bottletree Ranch near Oro Grande, Calif., and the Harvey House in Barstow. Conkle wrote: So what … Continue reading Route 66 television show being filmed

Site updates

I've made improvements to Route 66 News in the past few days you should know: The Events calendar has been updated for 2011 to the best of my knowledge. I've fixed broken links, deleted defunct sites, and added new ones to the Attractions, Restaurants, and Lodging pages. Updates on those pages have been overdue. I've … Continue reading Site updates

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here's a high level summary of its overall blog health: The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow. Crunchy numbers A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by your stats. The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed … Continue reading 2010 in review

Virtual road trip

This demonstration video by Google shows how you can cruise Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica on Google Street View. A few gaps still exist, but they're closing more each day.

Fifth anniversary

While traveling on the Mother Road in central Oklahoma this afternoon, it occurred to Emily and I that Route 66 News may be nearing its fifth anniversary. Emily whipped out her trusty iPad, linked up to a 3G connection, and within two minutes made this discovery while checking the site's archives. "It's today." I'm back … Continue reading Fifth anniversary