I'll let the YouTube poster, named LonelyRoadFilms, describe this video: Me and amber driving back into california on route 66 through the mojave desert. the last days of our five week road trip across the us. I do like the grainy, old-film quality of this clip: https://youtu.be/IQn55FusEWk Wish I could figure out which band is … Continue reading Super 8 memories
Looks like we’re up
It appears the migration to a self-hosted site was mostly successful. You're looking at it now. The custom Route 66 News banner didn't make it over. But I've contacted WordPress.com and asked the folks there to retrieve it. I suspect everything will look 100% normal within a day or so. I'll be tinkering with a … Continue reading Looks like we’re up
Big move is imminent
I've been informed by the good folks at WordPress.com that Route 66 News will be migrated to a self-hosted site starting at 5 a.m. Central on Thursday. WordPress advised me not to count on posting anything for about 24 hours after that (although the down time probably won't be that long). In the interim, if … Continue reading Big move is imminent
Drink and ink
A couple of fellows who walk into the Iron Hog Restaurant and Saloon in Oro Grande, Calif., during a Route 66 trip bump into one of the tattoo artists of the stars: https://youtu.be/W5OLfA4L27k I've had enough of these incongruous encounters on the Mother Road, the above episode doesn't surprise me. The video is part of … Continue reading Drink and ink
Needles developing a tour for its murals
The Route 66 town of Needles, Calif., is developing a tour of new murals that have been painted on buildings, reported the Needles Desert Star. The Needles Economic Development Corporation is developing the pathway for walkers, cyclists, and motorists. The newspaper said: At the end of last year, the group was working on developing a walk, … Continue reading Needles developing a tour for its murals
“Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”
Here's an unofficial but well-shot video for Coldplay's new song, "Don't Let It Break Your Heart." You'll find a lot of Route 66 images from the desert Southwest. https://youtu.be/9ckeTO_q_uA The video was made by the Germany-based Blood Brother Productions.
Pontiac tourism rises 40 percent in 2011
A few months ago, Pontiac Tourism director Ellie Alexander reported that tourism in Pontiac, Ill., was trending at a 30 percent higher level than in 2010. Note I said "trending." I was skeptical the numbers would remain at that lofty level, especially when the off-season was looming. It turns out Alexander was either being modest … Continue reading Pontiac tourism rises 40 percent in 2011
Asleep At the Wheel time machine
Here's a clip of western-swing band Asleep At the Wheel performing "Route 66" and a few other songs at Farm Aid in 1993. https://youtu.be/IS_oEz7TJqM This is one of the classic incarnations of the band, with Cindy Cashdollar on the pedal steel.
A high-speed trip on Oatman Road
No, the driver wasn't doing anything dangerous. He mounted a video camera on the side of his vehicle, drove that winding stretch of Route 66 from Oatman, Ariz., to the Cool Springs Camp at normal speed, than compressed the 18 minutes of footage to under 5 1/2 minutes. https://youtu.be/928cwNEZ8ZU The video was created by Norman … Continue reading A high-speed trip on Oatman Road
“My father taught me how to drive and dream”
This 13-minute film by Karla Berry from 2004 is well worth watching all the way through. But in particular it contains footage of the Coral Court Motel in St. Louis shortly before the bulldozers came. https://vimeo.com/34475388 The Coral Court footage begins around the 7 1/2-minute mark.