Off to the bed races January 29, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Events, Towns.add a comment
The Mojave Daily News posted a humorous account of the annual Oatman Great Bed Races in Oatman, Ariz., on Saturday.
It’s not so much a competition as a fun-filled farce. To wit:
In accordance to contest rules, teams must first push one teammate in a bed the length of the course, park the team’s bed with the passenger still aboard while the other four members put the sheets and pillowcases on a stationary bed and then push the team bed back to the finish line. While each of the four pushing team members carries a roll of toilet paper between their knees. Oh, and this year, each team member also had to put on a pair of granny panties after completing the bed-making portion. A few of the teams struggled getting the elastic-banded undergarment on over their legs, so adapted by pulling them on like a shirt. Others took a cue and wore them as a hat, bracelet or scarf.
“Guess there’s nothing in the rules about that,” noted one of the judges, shrugging his shoulders.
The Super Country team won the 18-team event this year with a time of 54.7 seconds, after being disqualified for a rules violation the previous year.
Here’s a video from last year’s races:
“Route 66: Return to the Road” January 29, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Road trips, Television.add a comment
Here’s something I haven’t seen in a few years … the first few minutes of “Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner.” Someone posted this segment on Vimeo in recent days; you’ll have to click on the screen shot to see the clip:
The 1998 film, which was more than 2 1/2 hours long, was released on DVD 10 years ago this week. It featured a vintage Corvette and Martin Milner, both whom starred with George Maharis in the “Route 66″ television drama of the early 1960s. Plus there were all the real-world attractions of the Mother Road itself at that time.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen “Return to the Road,” and undoubtedly changes have occurred in the nearly 15 years since. That includes Milner, who was regularly attending Route 66 gatherings for a few years after that, but reportedly now is in poor health and has gone into seclusion.
“Return to the Road” was skillfully directed by John Paget, who also helmed “Route 66: An American Odyssey.” Both are terrific films that I recommend unequivocally.
The Sooner State’s best BBQ January 28, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Food, Restaurants.2 comments
I’m sticking my neck out, but I’m going to say it anyway — Burn Co. BBQ in Tulsa serves the best barbecue I’ve had in Oklahoma.
I’ve visited great places in the Sooner State, including Van’s Pig Stand in Shawnee and The Boundary on 66 near Luther. But I’ve eaten three times at Burn Co. BBQ — which is right on Tulsa’s 11th Street alignment of Route 66 — in the past few weeks, and have sampled something different each time. I’m ready to declare Burn Co. my personal champ of Okie barbecue.
Amazingly, Burn Co. has been open only about a year, and it’s already got quite a following.
This well-produced video by This Land Press a few weeks ago shows the restaurant (and its critical Hasty Bake connection) very well:
The catch is this: Burn Co. BBQ is open only for lunch, and only from Tuesday through Saturday. And if you don’t get there early, it tends to run out of its most popular entrees, especially ribs.
But if you happen to be cruising through Tulsa about lunchtime, I highly recommend that you stop there.
Another ride on Oatman Road January 28, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motorcycles, Road trips.4 comments
Here’s the best-quality video I’ve seen yet of two motorcycling buddies driving on Oatman Road, aka Route 66, in western Arizona’s Black Mountains.
These guys were going at speeds that would make me uncomfortable; don’t try it yourself.
The clip shows the capabilities of the GoPro Hero 2, a high-definition video camera that’s finding favor among bikers, snowboarders, surfers, and other daredevils.
A good example to those along the Mother Road January 27, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Museums, People, Road trips.add a comment
Paul Chassey, a volunteer for the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville, Calif., wrote an interesting piece in the Victorville Daily Press about a fellow volunteer’s experience with a Chinese couple.
Go here to read it first.
Read it? If so, here are my observations about the article:
- Although the volunteer’s behavior was exemplary, such conduct should be fairly routine at the museums, businesses, and attractions along Route 66. Such hospitality has proven hugely beneficial to Pontiac, Ill., and the Mother Road in general.
- The story cements my hunch that China is going to become a huge, mostly untapped market for Route 66 tourism. As the Chinese gain more wealth and travel abroad, it’s logical to assume a number of its 1.3 billion citizens will want to get their kicks on the legendary Route 66.
Wienermobile stops at Emma Jean’s Holland Burger January 26, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants, Road trips, Vehicles.add a comment
A new Oscar Mayer Wienermobile made a Route 66 stop on Thursday at the legendary Emma Jean Holland Burger Cafe in Victorville, Calif., on the way to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, according to the Victorville Daily Press.
According to the newspaper:
On Thursday, patrons at Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe in Victorville were able to either experience the sight for the first time or relive their childhood memories, as a 2012 model Wienermobile pulled into the parking lot on its way to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
“We picked up the new Wienermobile in Santa Barbara and are driving all the way to the Super Bowl with many stops ahead of us,” Danica Schmidt, official Kraft Foods “Hotdogger,” said. “We wanted to stop at the famous Holland Burger diner for lunch before heading to Flagstaff, Ariz.”
The vehicle also made a stop at the Route 66 Museum in Old Town Victorville.
There usually are several Wienermobiles on the road at any one time. To track them, go here.
UPDATE: The California Route 66 Museum has posted a bunch of photos of the Wiernermobile on its Facebook page.
(Photo of the Wienermobile courtesy of Oscar Mayer)
“Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” Episode 4 January 26, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Road trips, Television.add a comment
Here’s the fourth installment of Japanese television’s “Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” which chronicles a singer and actor’s trip down the Mother Road during the fall of 2011.
He goes from Joplin, Mo., to Oklahoma City. Afton Station in Afton, Okla., and Ron “Tattoo Man” Jones play a big role in this episode.
Group sets cleanup, festival in west Tulsa January 26, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Events, Preservation.1 comment so far
Tulsa’s Young Professionals, aka TYPros, announced Wednesday it would stage its annual Street CReD event along the Route 66 corridor of west Tulsa’s Red Fork neighborhood on April 13-14.
The news release states:
The goal of this year’s Street CReD, titled Red Fork Revival, will be to bring back some of this history and show the community the potential of the area. Volunteers will clean up old buildings and storefronts, creating a spruced-up venue for vendors to set up temporary shops, booths and exhibits. This will make way for a weekend-long event featuring local businesses, street vendors, classic cars, and even a carnival. A trolley connecting three distinct areas — Crystal City, Main Street and Route 66 Village — will transport patrons between attractions.
Brian Paschal, executive director of TYPros, said: “Our goal is to work with community partners and businesses to pump life back into the Red Fork area through economic development and new business, emphasizing and marketing the tourist draw through the Route 66 connection and beautification.”
If you want to volunteer to plan or help with Red Fork Revival, cal Paschal at 918-560-0286 or email brianpaschal(at)typros(dot)org. (Disclosure: I’ve volunteered some consulting for the event.)
Last year, TYPros staged a similar cleanup / festival in Tulsa’s Pearl District at Sixth Street and Peoria Avenues. This video helps show what happened:
Since then, several businesses have opened in that long-neglected district, and more are planned.
More details about Victorville festival trickle out January 25, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Route 66 Associations.1 comment so far
We’ve known for months that the annual International Route 66 Festival in 2012 would be hosted in Victorville, Calif.
In recent days, more details have emerged about the Aug. 9-12 event. A news release from the festival contained this:
The festival will feature a rally, a classic car show, daily entertainment, the Taste of 66, a car cruise to a drive-in theater, 66-themed vendors and other special events. Pre- and post-events are also being planned, including a poker run planned in the towns along California Route 66.
The historic Green Tree Inn in Victorville is the official site and host hotel, and will have special packages (limited availability) for our 66 travelers. Located on historic Route 66, the Green Tree incorporates a Route 66 theme and is a popular stop for travelers along the Mother Road. So join us at the festival and get your 2012 kicks on California Route 66!
The Festival is presented by California Historic Route 66 Association with the support of the California Route 66 Museum, the City of Victorville, the Route 66 Alliance, National Historic Route 66 Federation, and numerous financial sponsors.
Also, a placeholder website for the festival was launched here.
The Route 66 federation’s involvement in the festival is especially notable. Its director, David Knudson, took a hiatus from festival organizing several years ago after the health of his wife, Mary Lou, declined (she died in 2008). It’s good to see David back involved.
This is good to see January 25, 2012
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music, People.3 comments
Something I wasn’t sure we’d see again … Harley and Annabelle Russell recently performing in their home base of Erick, Okla.
(Warning: the video contains Harley’s typically bawdy humor … another good sign, actually).
For those new to Route 66 News, Annabelle was diagnosed with ovarian cancer about a year ago. She endured major surgery and months of harrowing chemotherapy. Harley and Annabelle suspended their decade-long act for Route 66 travelers at their Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick so he could care for her. The stress of Annabelle’s illness was hard on Harley, too — he lost a lot of weight.
Although she’s improved, she still has to undergo cancer treatments every 10 days or so. Harley and Annabelle still aren’t sure they can see any Route 66 tour groups this season.
But it’s still greatly encouraging to see Annabelle strumming a guitar behind her husband, just like old times.