New Mexico float in Rose Parade wins award

The state of New Mexico's float -- featuring Wile E. Coyote chasing after Road Runner on old Route 66 -- won the Bob Hope Humor Award at the 2009 Rose Parade on Thursday in Pasadena, Calif. You can see the artist's rendering of the float by Fiesta Parade Floats of Pasadena, which was contracted by … Continue reading New Mexico float in Rose Parade wins award

Swing set

I guess this proves that anything can be named after Route 66 these days. From the Amarillo Globe-News: About two dozen protesters organized by Repent Amarillo spent New Year's Eve carrying signs, singing and praying outside a business in downtown Amarillo that they claim is a swinger's club. A party organizer with the Route 66 … Continue reading Swing set

“Long May You Run”

With the new year, Neil Young's performance of this song in 1993 will serve as a message of good wishes to roadies everywhere. Young's longtime steel guitar player, Brian Keith, is on dobro. Sharp-eyed folks might see on guitar Nils Lofgren, a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and a good solo act in … Continue reading “Long May You Run”

Dining in Albuquerque

The Examiner.com provides a decent overview of the wide diversity of cuisines seen in Albuquerque restaurants. The range is this -- New Mexican/Mexican, Native American, Asian, Barbecue, Brazilian and Just Plain Fun. The Route 66 Diner fills the latter. The article also says there is a "smattering" of Persian, French, and Greek. So if you … Continue reading Dining in Albuquerque

Last call coming at the Riviera

Chicago Sun-Times columnist and longtime roadie Dave Hoekstra paid a visit to The Riviera restaurant and roadhouse bar on Route 66 in Gardner, Ill., before it closes after New Year's Day. Longtime owners Bob and Peggy Kraft, both in their 80s, want to retire and haven't yet found a buyer for the property. Go read … Continue reading Last call coming at the Riviera

Motorcycle museum vandalized

Route 66 Vintage Iron, based in downtown Miami, Okla., was vandalized early Saturday when someone tossed a sledgehammer through one of the museum's front plate glass windows, reported the Miami News Record. Nothing was stolen, but two of the vintage motorcycles were damaged by the flying glass. A surveillance video is being checked by police. … Continue reading Motorcycle museum vandalized

Route 66 kiosk coming to Tucumcari

KFDA-TV in Amarillo, Texas, is reporting that the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., will install a Route 66 interpretive exhibit at the Tucumcari Convention Center. The kiosk will having photos and information about the Mother Road's history in Tucumcari. Also, a DVD about Route 66 will be available for visitors. The kiosk will be … Continue reading Route 66 kiosk coming to Tucumcari

Yet another reason to watch the Rose Parade

The Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News has a list of all the entries for the annual Rose Parade, set for New Year's Day. Here's one float that will interest roadies: NEW MEXICO: "Hats off to New Mexico - Beep Beep!" Zooming down the roadway of old Route 66, cartoon character Wile E Coyote, strapped atop an ACME … Continue reading Yet another reason to watch the Rose Parade

Only in America

Here's a letter to the editor by Larry Matulich, which was printed in the Marysville (Calif.) Appeal-Democrat: Is there still a Ford in America’s future? Not only is the question for one American car company, it goes for GM and Chrysler too. The future of American truck and car brands like Ford, Chevy and Dodge, … Continue reading Only in America

Rough winter for Arizona

The winter season's hardly begun, and it's already been a rough one for some folks in northern Arizona. In the Route 66 town of Kingman, barely a week after an unusual snowstorm struck there, high winds caused power outages and structural damage, reports the Kingman Daily Miner. To top it off, temperatures also plummeted. That … Continue reading Rough winter for Arizona