Dr. Michael A. Friedman, CEO and president of the City of Hope cancer center in Duarte, Calif., has been named grand marshal of the 11th annual Salute to Route 66 Parade in Duarte, set for Saturday, according to the city's Web site. “It is an honor to serve as Grand Marshal and be part of … Continue reading Grand marshal announced for Route 66 Parade
A Road Scholar
Aart Hoogenboom is a big advocate of road trips. He started a tradition in 1968 of heading west during the summer with his family and has been doing it ever since. A number of those trips have been on Route 66, reports the New Times of Danbury, Conn. "You don't even have to travel across … Continue reading A Road Scholar
A trip down Gasoline Alley
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an excellent article about Bob Mullen and his humongous collection of filling-station memorabilia, dubbed Gasoline Alley, near Cuba, Mo. Although he is not sure when his interest in gasoline advertising began, Mullen says it may be related to his childhood spent on a nearby farm, which had a view of … Continue reading A trip down Gasoline Alley
What to do about the Lewis Motel
Observations about the impending sale of the Lewis Motel in Vinita, Okla.: 1. The sale was handled in an underhanded manner. The owner didn't bother to put the motel on the market once he shuttered it for several years. Once O'Reilly made the offer, that was it -- no consideration of whether anyone else would … Continue reading What to do about the Lewis Motel
It’s gone through the shredder
The desk clerk at the Western Capri Motel in Tulsa was a bit unsure last week about the fate of its old, 1950s-era sign. Today, I called the motel's manager. I asked him which company removed the sign. After shuffling of papers and time on hold, he gave me a phone number and a name, … Continue reading It’s gone through the shredder
Another road-tripper
David Beam recently started a blog, Route 66 Trip, in which he and Connie are taking the Mother Road into Texas, maybe even further. Johnny Mango at Albloggerque has posted another desktop wallpaper to download, this time the pre-1937 alignment of Route 66 in New Mexico.
So what’s happening with the Lewis Motel?
In short, it's going to be demolished for an auto parts store. The Lewis Motel in Vinita, Okla., was never officially for sale. But the O'Reilly Auto Parts chain approached the owner about a year ago, and the motel will be razed this fall to make way for one of its stores. I called the … Continue reading So what’s happening with the Lewis Motel?
Route 66 Rendezvous gearing up for festival
Local newspapers are cranking up the publicity for the next weekend's massive Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino. Here's a story about singer Ashley Runner, who will perform with her West 10 band. Here's a story about radio announcer Vic Slick, who will be the festival's voice. UPDATE: Here's a story about the festival from … Continue reading Route 66 Rendezvous gearing up for festival
Newberry Springs becomes a speculators’ market
The small Mojave Desert town of Newberry Springs, Calif., which is on Route 66, has suddenly become a hot spot for real-estate speculators, reports Mike Anton of the Los Angeles Times. Last year, $15.6 million in real estate sold in the ZIP Code encompassing much of Newberry Springs, nearly seven times [my emphasis] the amount … Continue reading Newberry Springs becomes a speculators’ market
Overkill security
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, there's this story from the Joliet (Ill.) Herald News. Travelers along Old Route 66 sometimes stop to shoot photos of the nuclear power plant in Braidwood. But they're likely to face questioning by police or plant security. Heightened surveillance around Exelon Nuclear's Braidwood Station is … Continue reading Overkill security