POPS up videos

POPS on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., has posted several videos, many of which appear to have been produced by OklaTravelNews. This one has interesting comments by Route 66 writer Michael Wallis and POPS architect Rand Elliott: Here's a video from when the 66-foot-tall pop bottle was erected: Here's a video of a reporter for … Continue reading POPS up videos

Running marathons on all eight Route 66 states

I recently received a message from Yves Barbreau of France, who plans to take an ultra-marathon team to America in September 2008 so it can run one marathon a day in eight days, on each of the eight Route 66 states. It is called Team Globules, boasting a two-time French marathon champion and a winner … Continue reading Running marathons on all eight Route 66 states

Induction day

The Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader was there Wednesday when Betty Estes was inducted into the Illinois Seniors Hall of Fame. She's been a major Route 66 booster in the Pontiac region. Asked what she was most proud of in her work with the city of Pontiac, Estes said it would have to be the Route … Continue reading Induction day

Mother Road display at rest area

The Funks Grove rest area on Interstate 55 in Illinois, near Bloomington, has a nice little Route 66 display area. Here's a video of what it looks like: The rest area was named the best in Illinois a year ago.

Progress report on The Mill

The Bloomington Pantagraph gave what amounts to a progress report on the restoration of The Mill in Lincoln, Ill. The circa-1929 bar and restaurant on Route 66 is getting a face-lift after years of neglect. Tidbits from the story: Local organizers seek to have it reopened as a museum in 2009. Contributions of time and … Continue reading Progress report on The Mill

Review: “Route 66, Season One, Volume One” DVD

OK, I get it now. For years, I had heard many older roadies wax enthusiastic about the "Route 66" series that aired on CBS-TV from 1960 to 1964. I'd missed the reruns of Buz and Tod's cross-country adventures in a Corvette convertible. Save for haphazardly made bootlegs, the TV show hadn't made its way to … Continue reading Review: “Route 66, Season One, Volume One” DVD

Skating 66

Robby Love, aka the Roller Rapper, has posted another excerpt from his as-yet-unreleased documentary from his Route 66 tour last year. He didn't actually roller-skate the entire length of Route 66, but he did roll by some picturesque places. The footage of the Glenrio ghost town is particularly choice.

In the dusty mid-section of the Mother Road

Dwayne of New Zealand has posted a couple of more videos from his Route 66 trip. This one takes place in Texas, with prominent visits to the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock and the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. The next one takes place mostly at the ghost town of Glenrio and eastern New Mexico, … Continue reading In the dusty mid-section of the Mother Road

Old-time motels hang on

Lara Hartley of the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press takes a look at several good, vintage motels on Route 66 in the area, including the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, the Route 66 Motel in Barstow, and the Downtown Motel in Barstow. And for those of you who are looking for such properties to buy, the Route … Continue reading Old-time motels hang on