This recent story in the entertainment section of the Amarillo Globe-News does a decent job of summing up the Route 66 attractions in the Texas Panhandle's largest city.
Bicycle ride will assist Iraq veterans
The Desert Dispatch of Barstow, Calif., reports that Vietnam War veteran Ken Rhodes plans to bicycle Route 66 to Washington, D.C., to raise funds for Iraq War veterans and muscular dystrophy research. He's going to leave Santa Monica on April 4, the anniversary that the helicopter he was riding in was shot down in 1969. … Continue reading Bicycle ride will assist Iraq veterans
When U.S. 66 was U.S. 60
I recently was directed to this terrific site, the Broer Map Library, that has high-quality scans of maps from all over the world from different eras. This includes the eight states that carried Route 66, which can be found at an index here. The Broer collection is a great resource for highway researchers. You can … Continue reading When U.S. 66 was U.S. 60
Gardner jail sign stolen
There is a historic, two-jail in the small Route 66 town of Gardner, Ill. The stone jail was built in 1906. It never was much of a lockup; it was more of a drunk tank and cool-your-heels joint. It's similar to the equally Spartan old jail in Texola, Okla. Naturally, anything that small had better … Continue reading Gardner jail sign stolen
Oklahoma’s “endangered” Route 66 motels
A couple of days ago, the Oklahoma Historic Preservation Office and Preservation released their list of what they considered to be the most endangered historic places in 2007. The list included "motels on Route 66 from Miami to Sayre," which is darned near the entire length of 66 in the state. I asked for a … Continue reading Oklahoma’s “endangered” Route 66 motels
Heaven at Hank’s
Emily, aka Red Fork Hippie, has created a new blog called IndieTulsa, which features independent businesses in Tulsa. Her latest post is about Hank's Hamburgers on the Admiral alignment of old Route 66. She speaks the truth about this excellent diner, including the peanut butter balls. Roadfood.com was impressed with it, too.
Clips of “route 66” TV series on YouTube
In the past few days, dozens of five-minute video clips from episodes of the original "route 66" television drama have shown up on YouTube. It's a shame the entire episode can't be viewed on YouTube in one click, but copyright laws and a general policy of keeping YouTube video clips brief prevent that. Still, even … Continue reading Clips of “route 66” TV series on YouTube
From brownfields to green
Jason Zasky of Failure magazine has updated us about Arizona's program of cleaning up leaking underground fuel tanks at abandoned gas stations along Route 66. Not only has the program rectified toxic "brownfields" along the Mother Road, but it has given local economies a shot in the arm. "A lot of businesses are starting to … Continue reading From brownfields to green
New “Devil Girl” trailer
A new trailer for the thriller movie, "Devil Girl," has been posted on YouTube. The movie, its producer told me, was shot on Route 66 primarily in Amboy, Calif., with other footage in Groom, Texas, and St. Louis. The film is in post-production now, and won't be finished until March. Until it's released in theaters, … Continue reading New “Devil Girl” trailer
Even the losers need to a place to sleep
While doing a search for Route 66 news items, it was a jolt to find this New York Times book review of Charlie LeDuff's new book, "US Guys: The True and Twisted Mind of the American Man." In this nonfiction book "about folks who claw and hang on by their fingernails," the review says: Things … Continue reading Even the losers need to a place to sleep