A fellow named Shadetree blows a mean blues harmonica while jamming with guitarist Harley Russell of the Mediocre Music Makers a block south of Route 66 in Erick, Okla. There's plenty of goofing around, but it's apparent that both are pretty good musicians.
Consuming a minute of your time
The Consumatron Minute takes an irreverent look at the beginning of Route 66 and Mother Road souvenirs -- all in less than 60 seconds. I advise a genuine road trip over cheap trinkets to gain a true Route 66 experience, however. 🙂
Big Chief restaurant’s new incarnation
Joe Bonwich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reviewed B. Donovan's, the former Big Chief restaurant at 17352 Manchester Road (Route 66) in Wildwood, Mo., that has been extensively refurbished and reopened. The Big Chief's presence on the Mother Road dates to the 1930s. It's a somewhat mixed review, with Bonwich remarking that the restaurant is … Continue reading Big Chief restaurant’s new incarnation
Route 66 Marathon pays off
The Route 66 Marathon, which held its inaugural event in November, gave a $24,000 check Wednesday to the Tulsa Area United Way, reports KOTV in Tulsa. Apparently the check was more than anticipated: Because organizers had never tried it in Tulsa before, Jack Wing says he kept his hopes for Tulsa's first big-time marathon small. … Continue reading Route 66 Marathon pays off
Where’s Frank?
In the past few weeks, I've read a fascinating bunch of comments from people who collect toys from the Disney/Pixar "Cars" movie. It appears there is a rumbling of demand for a die-cast toy of Frank, the enraged harvester that chases Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen out of the pasture after they get their kicks … Continue reading Where’s Frank?
Blues Brothers statue may greet Route 66 travelers
The city of Joliet, Ill., wants to draw more tourists into its suburban Chicago town. One of the ways it hopes to do this is by building a fiberglass statue of the Blues Brothers on Route 66, according to United Press International. The Blues Brothers was a "Saturday Night Live" routine by the Dan Aykroyd … Continue reading Blues Brothers statue may greet Route 66 travelers
Thinkin’ about Lincoln
The Lincoln (Ill.) Courier has a couple of good stories about tourism. One is about how towns close to Springfield want to cash in on the overwhelming success that is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. The towns on Route 66 seem to be doing well, but they certainly want to take advantage. The other story … Continue reading Thinkin’ about Lincoln
Book review: “Find Me”
While reading Carol O'Connell's "Find Me," the latest in a series of novels featuring detective Kathy Mallory, a realization struck me: "Find Me" (352 pages, Putnam, $24.95) is the first novel by a major, bestselling writer that takes place on modern-day Route 66. That alone tells you how far Route 66 has come. About 15 … Continue reading Book review: “Find Me”
“Popularity Contest” entrant to be another reality TV series
Rory Schepisi, the CMT "Popularity Contest" runner-up who is building a restaurant on Route 66 in Vega, Texas, is set to appear on another reality TV series on the Food Network. Schepisi will appear on the third season of "The Next Food Network Star 3," which premieres on Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. EST, … Continue reading “Popularity Contest” entrant to be another reality TV series
A road trip on celluloid
Gary A. Warner, travel editor of the Orange County (Calif.) Register, said that watching this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Picture was like taking a road trip without leaving town. He had this to say about "Little Miss Sunshine": The locations: A story about a family road trip from Albuquerque to Los Angeles to … Continue reading A road trip on celluloid