OK, try to follow me here. Hurra Torpedo is a Swedish band that wears matching sweatsuits, uses kitchen appliances for its music (reminding me of noise-rock band Einstürzende Neubauten) and is famous for a wacky cover of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (I didn't even like the original all that much). Ford makes … Continue reading This is bizarre
Fat Man meets the Pain Walker
Yeah, the title sounds like one of those superhero battles from Marvel Comics in the 1960s and '70s. Actually, Dennis Kinch, who is walking west on Route 66 for the National Pain Foundation, met in Vinita, Okla., with Steve Vaught, who is walking east on Route 66 in an effort to lose weight. Vaught and … Continue reading Fat Man meets the Pain Walker
Open-source travel guide
Some folks are beta-testing an online travel guide called World 66. If nothing else, the name proves that Route 66 has some cachet. It's an open-sourced site in which users are the contributors of the content, like Wilkipedia. It's a long, long way from being as comprehensive as Wilkipedia, though. Tulsa, a pretty good-sized town, … Continue reading Open-source travel guide
Illinois town receives grant for Route 66 bike trail
The Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader reports that the town of Chenoa is receiving $300,000 from the Illinois Department of Transportation for the Chenoa Route 66 Prairie Trail. This is part of a bicycle trail that eventually will be set up along the length of Route 66 in Illinois, as previously reported here.
Glimpses back in time
Darned if I can find many Route 66 references. But nostalgia is a significant part of the Route 66 experience, and the Ephemera Now Web site contains it in spades. In fact, it's the best nostalgia Web site I've seen. It describes itself as "the museum and gift shop of mid-century advertising art and illustration." … Continue reading Glimpses back in time
Fat Man blows into town
Steve Vaught of thefatmanwalking.com strolled into Vinita, Okla., Sunday night after dealing with severe winds all day. At least he didn't have to deal with the tornadoes or wildfires, although a 40-foot-tall sign at the hotel where he was staying blew down (the pictures are at the bottom of this page). You can read his … Continue reading Fat Man blows into town
BBC correspondent looks for old motels
Joe Queenan drove from Albuquerque to Las Vegas, most of it on Route 66, seeking vintage motels. He tells about it on this 30-minute audio link from the BBC. He paid particular attention to wigwam-type motels, which no doubt include the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Ariz. Hat tip to Ken Chambers of Surrey, England, for … Continue reading BBC correspondent looks for old motels
Oklahoma winery on Route 66 wins awards
A blog, Oklahoma Wine News, reports that Summerside Vineyards and Winery on old Route 66 in Vinita, Okla., won a silver medal for its Pensacola Dam Red wine and a bronze medal for its Route 66 Red wine at the recent Wines of the South Competition. While surfing on Summerside's site, I also found a … Continue reading Oklahoma winery on Route 66 wins awards
A look at Albuquerque’s Route 66
The St. Petersburg Times has a long article about Albuquerque's Route 66 district. Earning prominent mention are such 66 stalwarts as the Aztec Motel, 66 Diner and Nob Hill. No mention of the endangered El Vado Motel, though.
Freeway to nowhere
Aroll Gellner in the San Francisco Chronicle explains why Route 66 aficionados eschew the interstates when possible and sticks to the old two-lane roads. Charles Kuralt, the longtime "On the Road" correspondent for CBS News, once observed that "thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without … Continue reading Freeway to nowhere