Los Angeles Downtown News has published a comprehensive article about efforts to revitalize downtown Los Angeles, which includes the original western terminus of Route 66. Unlike previous efforts to boost downtown, Councilman Jose Huizar and the 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative seem to actually be making some headway. Among the initiatives quests is to establish a … Continue reading Reviving downtown Los Angeles — for real
Firm chosen for historical study of California’s Route 66
Mead & Hunt, an engineering and architecture firm, was chosen by the California Preservation Foundation to help prepare a comprehensive history of Route 66 in California in the next year, according to a news release today. Mead & Hunt, which has offices in Sacramento, was chosen from 16 firms. Here is a list of the … Continue reading Firm chosen for historical study of California’s Route 66
Mystery band
This band, called Sayonara, does a version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66." The YouTube listing has no information about this group. Has anybody heard of them or the band's background?
One long bicycle trip
Claudia Heller, in her ongoing series about Route 66 in Southern California, tells the story of Dan Hyke, who bicycled part of Route 66 and beyond from Santa Monica, Calif., to Virginia Beach, Va., in 1982. Hyke was moved to try the cross-country feat after the death of his father. Averaging a little less than … Continue reading One long bicycle trip
Time-lapse trip on Oatman Road
Here's a cool look at Oatman Road, aka Route 66, in Arizona as seen from a time-lapse camera during the recent Laughlin River Run. Extremely brief footage of one of the motorcycles crashing off the side of the road can be seen about the 2:17 mark, but barely. Be careful driving out there, kids.
Anxiety in Arizona
Like others, I've been watching with morbid fascination the reaction to Arizona's new illegal immigration law. It makes failing to carry immigration documents a crime, and gives police broad power to detain those suspected of being in the country illegally. Because the issue seemed to be peripheral to Route 66, I initially decided to observe from … Continue reading Anxiety in Arizona
Route 66 from horseback
Here's something you don't see too often ... a look at Route 66 from the back of a horse. This is on an old alignment of Route 66 near Foyil, Okla. This is part of Megan Gist's quest to go from Oklahoma to St. Louis on Route 66 by horseback.
Notes from the road
Kim Benoit of Montreal has created a miniature version of the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, seen in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated movie "Cars." Here are the photos that Benoit sent: Well done, I'd say. --- The owners of Seaba Station on Route 66 near Warwick, Okla., seek to reopen the historic auto … Continue reading Notes from the road
A history of Suicide Bridge
The Pasadena Star-News published a well-researched story about the historic and architecturally significant Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, Calif. Not only is it known as a 1913 bridge that once carried Route 66, but also is notorious for being called Suicide Bridge. More than 150 people have died by jumping off the span. One local … Continue reading A history of Suicide Bridge
Trademark turmoil update
The controversy between Route 66 vendors, retailer Zazzle.com and a firm in the Netherlands that is claiming trademark ownership of the Route 66 shield morphed from aggravating to surreal. It was reported a few days ago that Route66Licensing.com and a sister site, Tempting Brands.com, is claiming a trademark of “Route 66″ and its shield. Subsequently, … Continue reading Trademark turmoil update