Hello from Argentina

This is a good version of "Route 66" by Bluesberry Jam, a rock band based in Buenos Aires but with key members from England and America.

Notes from the road

The historic Riviera Restaurant on Route 66 in Gardner, Ill., reopened on New Year's Eve. Check out this story in the Batavia Sun about it. However, there is one potential snag that will be worth watching: The new owner is dealing with a request from the Gardner Fire Department to put in an expensive commercial … Continue reading Notes from the road

Feeling chippy

Here's Alvin and the Chipmunks' version of "Route 66" by Depeche Mode. Yech. I suppose Alvin and the Chipmunks were amusing for five minutes or so when their "The Christmas Song" became a hit in 1958. But taking hit pop songs and simply speeding up the vocals in an attempt to amuse is just lazy. … Continue reading Feeling chippy

Roadside America launchs app for iPhone

RoadsideAmerica.com, a popular site devoted to fun and quirky tourism attractions, including those on Route 66, launched an application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch a few days ago. The app costs $2.99 for one of six U.S. regions, or you can pay $5.99 a year to cover the entire country. It works with … Continue reading Roadside America launchs app for iPhone

Newspaper names Dawn Welch Oklahoma’s Woman of the Year

Dawn Welch, owner of the historic Rock Cafe on Route 66 in Stroud, Okla., was named Oklahoma's Woman of the Year by The Oklahoman newspaper today, according to the newspaper's BAM's Blog. The Oklahoman no doubt honored Welch because of her tenacity, which the story details: In 2008, Welch watched helplessly as the historic cafe, … Continue reading Newspaper names Dawn Welch Oklahoma’s Woman of the Year

Scenes from the marathon

This is a just-posted promotional video posted of the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, which was held a few weeks ago. Very well done. In case you're wondering, the music is by U2, from its latest album. The next Route 66 Marathon is Nov. 21.

Weekly “Route 66” radio show begins Saturday in Joplin

Radio host Terry Hester is debuting a new weekly music show, "Route 66," at KZRG in Joplin, Mo., on Saturday. In an e-mail, Hester said he would be playing the top pop hits from 1957 to 1972 to "relive the music of the Mother Road," along with "bits of audio from that time frame ... … Continue reading Weekly “Route 66” radio show begins Saturday in Joplin

Not just any meeting

The quarterly meeting of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, set for Jan. 16 after a noon lunch at Matt's Steakhouse in Rolla, isn't going to be just any meeting, according to a report by Three Rivers Publishing. First, a Missouri Department of Transportation official will be discussing the Old Route 66 Bridge at Route … Continue reading Not just any meeting

A license to play

If you're a Route 66 fan and a musician, you could do worse than this functional cigar-box guitar made with a Route 66 license plate: It's made by Chickenbone John Guitars, a one-man shop based in England. The Route 66 guitar isn't on his online shop, but he says on the video notes that he … Continue reading A license to play