Here's a video about Route 66 that appeared last month on an Israeli television program titled "Roim Olam," or "Watching the World." The narration is in Yiddish Hebrew, but I think most will easily follow what's going on. Eyal Tavor, an Israeli TV reporter who filed the story, said this in an e-mail: In autumn … Continue reading From the Mother Road to the Holy Land
60-second man
Here's a video of someone repainting one of the cars planted into the ground at Cadillac Ranch west of Amarillo, Texas. It serves as a primer (pun intended) for those who want to learn how to repaint their car.
The silence of the trains — for real
For the first time in more than a century, trains now will go through the Route 66 town of Flagstaff, Ariz., without sounding their warning horns, reported the Arizona Daily Sun. On Tuesday, trains went through Flagstaff for the first time without blasting their horns. It took several years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, … Continue reading The silence of the trains — for real
Notes from the road
The "East Meets West" sculpture at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza at Riverside Drive and Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) in Tulsa is inching closer to being installed. Dennis Whitaker at the city of Tulsa gave me this update, via e-mail: [T]he artist is finished with the car group and the foundry has already cast … Continue reading Notes from the road
Revival of hotel building in Tulsa begins
The restoration of the historic Max Campbell Building in the 2600 block of East 11th Street, aka Route 66, in Tulsa is starting now. The purchase of the building and the intentions to convert it into a hotel and retail center was announced in late 2008. But I feared that the project went by the … Continue reading Revival of hotel building in Tulsa begins
Bono’s Orange may reopen
In a lengthy story about Southern California's fast-disappearing orange stands, the Los Angeles Times reports that the long-closed Bono's Historic Orange on Route 66 in Fontana, Calif., may be reopened to sell orange juice again. Joe Bono, who is in his 70s, can remember citrus groves stretching as far as he could see during his … Continue reading Bono’s Orange may reopen
Memories of a previous Route 66 festival
In recent days, RQV Outdoor Movies has posted video shot during the 2003 International Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Ill. It includes interviews with "Route 66: The Mother Road" author Michael Wallis and "Route 66" TV show co-star Martin Milner, a few years before he became too ill to make public appearances. According to a … Continue reading Memories of a previous Route 66 festival
A case where God needs a better P.R. agent
Here's the latest in "Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible." This entry focuses on the Book of Amos. Most would agree that Amos needs to fine-tune his approach to the populace.
Shooting the Southwest
This video led me to the Gaupers, a husband-and-wife photography team that checked out some of the Route 66 sights in the Texas Panhandle, especially the New Mexico border ghost town of Glenrio. They captured some really striking images there.
“Route 66” gone country
Found this video of Bryan Fontenot and Outlaw Inc. performing a western swing version of "Route 66," plus a nice acoustic song of his own. Fontenot has a voice that was born to sing honky-tonk songs.