In this story Friday in the New York Times about the dying Pontiac vehicle brand, which officially ends tomorrow, I stumbled on this intriguing passage: “You hate to see them go, but they were floundering and couldn’t find their place in the market,” said Tim Dye, who owns 21 Pontiacs from various eras and a … Continue reading Pontiac museum may come to Pontiac, naturally
Illinois receives grant for bicycle trail
McLean County, Ill., has received a $1.5 million federal grant to help build a 4-mile bicycle trail along Route 66 from Normal to Towanda, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. The money came from federal excise taxes on fuel, and can be used for developing alternative forms of transportation. Local matching funds are required for such … Continue reading Illinois receives grant for bicycle trail
Let’s get some dessert
Here's a video about Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis' most popular place to get frozen treats.
Woman finishes Route 66 bicycle trip for Komen fund
Iris Klein, the woman who decided to bicycle Route 66 to raise money for a breast cancer research fund, reached the end of the road Tuesday at the Santa Monica Pier, according to the Santa Monica Mirror. Klein, who is German, set up BIKE4THECURE because she lost a close personal friend to breast cancer in … Continue reading Woman finishes Route 66 bicycle trip for Komen fund
The ghost of the Painted Desert Inn
I didn't know this about the historic Painted Desert Inn, located in the Petrified Forest National Park. Apparently I have a new contender for the top ghost sites on Route 66 that I posted yesterday. According to National Parks Traveler: Almost 60 years ago, during the evening of April 9, 1953, the Painted Desert Inn … Continue reading The ghost of the Painted Desert Inn
A virtual tour of the Mother Road
The World Monuments Fund in 2007 listed Route 66 as one of the most threatened historical sites in the world. Now, the group has hired a company to to create a virtual tour of a small section of the Mother Road. It is hoped that these virtual programs can be expanded to include many other … Continue reading A virtual tour of the Mother Road
Hit-and-run crash damages Tulsa restaurant
A hit-and-run motorist crashed into and damaged the Corner Cafe, 11th Street (aka Route 66) and Peoria Avenue in Tulsa, early Monday, reported the Tulsa World. The vehicle struck the western corner of the restaurant at 2:11 a.m. Even though it is a busy corner, restaurant owner Ali Khater said it was the first time such … Continue reading Hit-and-run crash damages Tulsa restaurant
Top ghost sites on Route 66
In the spirit of the Halloween holiday, I decided to list the most notorious spots on Route 66 where ghosts and other unexplained phenomena occur. Literally dozens of locations along the Mother Road have seen such weirdness over the decades. I narrowed it down to the top five: Spook Light, near Quapaw, Okla.: Also known … Continue reading Top ghost sites on Route 66
Route 66-themed bridge will be built in Rancho
If you have to replace a historic railroad bridge, this is the way to do it. Foothill Boulevard (aka Route 66) in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., will be widened to six lanes, which will necessitate the removal of the 81-year-old Pacific Electric Railway Bridge near Baker Avenue. But what will replace it seems to be a … Continue reading Route 66-themed bridge will be built in Rancho
“The Route 66 of the West”
The Press-Enterprise posted a fascinating historical article about U.S. 395, which goes 1,400 miles from Canada to Mexico through Washington, Oregon and California. Route 66 obviously stays true to U.S. 66, the Mother Road. But we're happy to occasionally give some bandwidth to other notable historic highways. From the article: U.S. Route 66 is a … Continue reading “The Route 66 of the West”