With a bunch of roadies coming from all over the nation to attend the Tri-State Route 66 Festival near Quapaw, Okla., the folks in the Authors and Artists vendors area took the opportunity over the weekend to introduce very new products. Here are the ones I found to be of interest. The first is photographer … Continue reading New products galore at festival
Requiem
Sometimes, no comment is required ... (Hat tip to BethFenwick.com; music by U2)
Wildfires surround much of Flagstaff
Many residents of Flagstaff, Ariz., are on edge Sunday evening because of wildfires around the city that closed a major highway and caused evacuations, according to varying news reports. A 3,000-acre fire north of town has forced the closure of U.S. Highway 89 north of town, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. Another fire Saturday … Continue reading Wildfires surround much of Flagstaff
Jerry McClanahan wins top honor at Will Rogers Awards
Longtime author and artist Jerry McClanahan won the prestigious Will Rogers Award during the Will Rogers Awards Evening on Saturday night during the Tri-State Route 66 International Festival at Downstream Casino Resort in Quapaw, Okla. McClanahan, who has researched Route 66 since the early 1980s, has written several magazine articles about obscure Mother Road alignments … Continue reading Jerry McClanahan wins top honor at Will Rogers Awards
Should have stuck with bowling
OKC Biz published a story today about the pending sale of the historic 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City to a Spices of India grocery. The article contained this tidbit that I hadn't seen reported elsewhere: Owner Jim Haynes says he’s owned the 51-year-old, 25,880-square-foot bowling alley for 32 years. “I just had to (sell the … Continue reading Should have stuck with bowling
New Route 66 informational site launched
Route 66 websites come and go. But I thought this one is particularly noteworthy. DrivingRoute66.com, which describes itself as "one-stop resource for planning the road trip of a lifetime," comes from the brain and computer of Steve Bellamy of Wales. He and his wife drove all of Route 66 in 2007. He explains the purpose … Continue reading New Route 66 informational site launched
Johnnie’s Bar marks 50th year
Johnnie's Bar, a fixture on Route 66 in St. James, Mo., is marking its 50th year of business, according to the St. James Press. A bit of history ... Originally opened by John Bullock, Russ’ father, in the downtown plaza in 1952, the business moved to the corner of James Boulevard in 1960 where it … Continue reading Johnnie’s Bar marks 50th year
Lodging group criticizes Joplin tourism bureau
With less than a week before the Tri-State Route 66 Festival, this story from the Joplin Globe about a local lodging association expressing deep dissatisfaction about the Joplin Visitors and Convention Bureau sparked my interest. The lodging group is so irked by a precipitous drop in motel revenue that it is considering a campaign to … Continue reading Lodging group criticizes Joplin tourism bureau
Former Santa Rosa motel to be razed
The long-closed Coronado Court motor lodge, a 1930s-era Route 66 motel in Santa Rosa, N.M., soon will be torn down because it's about to collapse, according to the print edition this week of the Guadalupe County Communicator. Longtime owner Robert "Bobby" Serrano told the newspaper he feared the deteriorated adobe structures would fall apart while … Continue reading Former Santa Rosa motel to be razed
Behind the scenes of the Route 66 Bible series
Regardless of whether you love or loathe the "Route 66: A Road Trip through the Bible," you'll probably find this video interesting. It's a behind-the-scenes look on how segments are filmed. This one in particular is for the Book of Malachi. And here is the finished product: Since His Place Community Church has finished the … Continue reading Behind the scenes of the Route 66 Bible series