Winter is the time in which I try to update the Schedule of Route 66 Events as much as possible for the coming year. If there is a 2008 event in your town that you think would be of interest to Route 66 aficionados, e-mail me at route66news(at)yahoo(dot)com. Look over the link above to see … Continue reading Updating the calendar
Sunset at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge carried Route 66 over the Mississippi River from Madison, Ill., to St. Louis for decades. Those structures you see in the river are water intake towers. And that roaring sound in the video is water rushing over the natural chain of rocks near those towers. The Old Chain of … Continue reading Sunset at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
A labor of love for a Valentine
I e-mailed longtime Route 66er Jerry Ueckert of Edgewood, N.M., this week on another matter, but decided to ask him about his Valentine diner restoration project. Ueckert purchased the diner, originally located in Magdalena, N.M., early last year and moved it to Route 66 in Edgewood. It's an eight-stool Aristocrat model, first designed in the … Continue reading A labor of love for a Valentine
Cool Springs Camp update
Yesterday, I e-mailed Ned Leuchtner, owner of the restored Cool Springs Camp on Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman, Ariz., to ask him how things were going with Mohave County and his zoning troubles with the business. The county was giving him static because he was building a replica lodging cabin next door, to be … Continue reading Cool Springs Camp update
Look what came in second
Bennetts insurance of the United Kingdom conducted a survey to see what are the most desired places in the world for motorcyclists to drive, according to Motorcycle News. The winner was the Great Ocean Road, a 250-mile stretch along the southeastern coast of Australia. Not far behind in second place was Route 66. Not the … Continue reading Look what came in second
Squish, squish
The Route 66 Cellars winery in Needles, Calif., held its second annual grape stomp, reports the Mohave Daily News, where customers could crush the fruit with old-fashioned way -- with their feet. The article gives some background on the relatively new business: Route 66 Cellars opened its doors in March of 2006 and they are … Continue reading Squish, squish
Don’t use them for a fill-up
The City of Joliet, Ill., found a unique way to kick off its Joliet Kicks on Route 66 tourism campaign. It has placed fiberglass replica gas pumps at various historical landmarks, complete with informational placards, reports the Joliet Herald News. The story contains a photo of a Texaco gas pump in front of the Rialto … Continue reading Don’t use them for a fill-up
Soulful 66
This is a good one. Veteran blues and gospel singer Linda Hopkins sings Bobby Troup's "Route 66" in front of an enthusiastic European audience. Believe it or not, Hopkins is 82 years old and was still performing as recently as last year. Here's her impressive bio.
Route 66 as a teaching tool
It's already been reported here, but Central Connecticut State University published an article about two sociology professors, John Mitrano and Bruce Day, who earned a $2,775 grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help schools and universities incorporate Route 66 as a teaching tool. A few tidbits from the article: “Each year we … Continue reading Route 66 as a teaching tool
Kansas Route 66 association president dies
Sad news from longtime Route 66er Carolyn Pendleton, who reported late Monday on the Route 66 yahoogroup: Today Baxter Springs and the Kansas Historic Route 66 Association lost a dear friend. Earl Staton, our president, passed away. Earl was 91 years old, and he lost his battle with cancer. Earl had more knowledge of the … Continue reading Kansas Route 66 association president dies