Rebuilding the Rock Cafe

This is the man who's behind the rebuilding of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla. He is David Burke, owner of David Burke Historic Preservation, based in Perry, Okla. He's the one who is directing the painstakingly reconstruction of the Route 66 restaurant after a devastating fire last May. And he's reasonably certain the Rock … Continue reading Rebuilding the Rock Cafe

No recession here

Intrepid Travel, a small-group guided-tours company, is seeing increased sales in North America and is going to boost the number of vans it uses to operate these trips, according to a news release. Intrepid is projecting a 25 per cent increase in sales to North America this year. [...] "People are making the most of … Continue reading No recession here

Grand Canyon Park marks 90th anniversary

The Associated Press has a story about the Grand Canyon celebrating its 90th anniversary as a national park. Some highlights of the article: The park was declared several years before Arizona became a state. About 44,000 visited it the first year. Now, 4.5 million visit annually. The Grand Canyon isn't on Route 66, but is … Continue reading Grand Canyon Park marks 90th anniversary

From the Church of Bizarro

Stuff like this is the reason your mama told you never to pick up hitchhikers: Redforkhippie, who just saw the video, commented: "I thought preachers weren't supposed to drop acid." The video is part of "Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible." The explanation: We’re hitting the historic “Route 66” to cover all 66 … Continue reading From the Church of Bizarro

A thorny situation in Seligman

Here's a thorny situation in the Route 66 town of Seligman, Ariz. According to the Arizona Republic, Cemex wants to build a big cement plant on the outskirts of town, thus creating jobs and boosting Seligman's tax base. But folks also are concerned that the plant will be a big-time polluter, fouling the air of … Continue reading A thorny situation in Seligman

Paul Harvey, R.I.P.

Paul Harvey, a legend in radio for more than 50 years, died at age 90 Saturday at a hospital near Phoenix. Rather than recount Harvey's unique delivery and his many accomplishments in broadcasting, it should be known that the Tulsa native also left his own unique stamp on Route 66 at least twice. First, Harvey … Continue reading Paul Harvey, R.I.P.

Route 66 association re-formed in Kingman

MohaveBusiness.com has details about the newly formed Kingman Route 66 Association, based in Kingman, Ariz. And it's interesting what the association's president has to say: One of our primary goals is to create attractions for people instead of just being a stopover,” association president Tim McDonnell said. “Our motel occupancy is off the chart, but … Continue reading Route 66 association re-formed in Kingman

Tri-state marathon delayed a year

The inaugural Route 66 Mother Road Marathon, set to take place Oct. 3 on Route 66 from Miami, Okla., through Kansas to Joplin, Mo., will be delayed until 2010 because of a weak economy and problems with certifying the race, reported the Joplin Globe. According to the Globe, organizers were worried about attracting enough sponsors … Continue reading Tri-state marathon delayed a year

New Mexico lodging-tax proposal is killed

The Tourism Association of New Mexico reports that a bill in the state legislature that would have imposed a 10 percent tax on all lodging establishments, including RV parks, was tabled in committee on Wednesday night, essentially killing the measure. The bill, SB 595, was tabled by a 4-3 vote in the state senate's Corporations … Continue reading New Mexico lodging-tax proposal is killed