The Red Cedar Inn restaurant in Pacific, Mo., which closed a few years ago after more than 70 years on Route 66, eventually will reopen as a visitors center and area history museum, reports KTVI-TV in St. Louis. As expected, the City of Pacific voted unanimously Tuesday night to acquire the property. The city had … Continue reading UPDATED: City will try to buy Red Cedar Inn
Frozen custard in Tucumcari? I’m there
I found this fascinating little tidbit in the Quay County Sun about the CornerStone Deli, a fairly new restaurant on Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M. It's in an old Pizza Hut building, and is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week. But this part of the story got my interest up: … Continue reading Frozen custard in Tucumcari? I’m there
‘Tucumcari Tonite’ billboards will return
After a short hiatus, the famed "Tucumari Tonite!" billboards that once graced Route 66 will be returning to Interstate 40 and U.S. 54 to publicize that eastern New Mexico town, reports the Quay County Sun. For more than a year, billboards advertising the city have featured a silhouette of cowboys on horseback and the slogan … Continue reading ‘Tucumcari Tonite’ billboards will return
After the party …
Emily and I have been home for a couple of days since the Route 66 Festival ended in Litchfield, Ill. So I've had some time to reflect on our unexpected twin killings. Even when you don't count our honors, we agreed it was the best awards banquet we'd attended since we started going to these … Continue reading After the party …
Jest for fun
The three singers are the 3 J's, which are "Whispering Joe" Gnaidek, Johnny "Moo Moo" Miller and John Weiss, which formed five minutes before their performance of "Route 66" at the Route 66 Association of Illinois' Hall of Fame Banquet in Lincoln on June 6. (Courtesy of Lenore Weiss)
“Culinary zen”
Kevin Sheedy of the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle and his wife, inspired by a recent Food Network episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," went from Wichita to Stroud, Okla. Two Route 66 restaurants -- Cafe on the Route in Baxter Springs, Kan., and the Rock Cafe in Stroud -- were the highlights of their trip. On … Continue reading “Culinary zen”
A visit to Gay Parita
We travel the old alignment of Route 66 in west of Springfield, Mo., at least once a year. That stretch of the Mother Road is a joy to drive, but many of the old gas stations have fallen into ruin. But just a mile or so west of the spot where Missouri Highway 96 forks … Continue reading A visit to Gay Parita
Scenes from the Route 66 Festival
Here are a few shots I gathered at the Route 66 Festival on Saturday in Litchfield, Ill. More photographs by other bloggers at the festival can be seen here and here. If you know of more, send me an e-mail and let me know. UPDATE: Here's more from Denny Gibson. Here's the car show, set … Continue reading Scenes from the Route 66 Festival
Are high gas prices hurting Route 66 tourism?
The answer seems to be: No. The Pontiac Daily Leader decided to check with the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac to see whether tourism numbers are down from a year ago, when gasoline cost about a $1-a-gallon less. This May, 1,238 people visited it, a 77 percent increase over the … Continue reading Are high gas prices hurting Route 66 tourism?
R.I.P., Fillmore
On Sunday night, it was learned the comedian George Carlin died of heart failure at a Los Angeles hospital. Carlin is best-known for stand-up comedy that was biting and irreverent, yet revealed a love of the English language (even those famed "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television"). Carlin also was the voice of … Continue reading R.I.P., Fillmore