“The Magic in Springfield”

Here's a video called "The Magic in Springfield / Route 66," as in Springfield, Ill. It was produced by McKenzie Wagner Inc., a marketing consultant based in Champaign, Ill. It's a well-produced clip, albeit misleading in spots. Several of the Route 66 attractions shown aren't in Springfield, but in other towns -- a few of … Continue reading “The Magic in Springfield”

Autographed “Route 66” DVDs for sale on eBay

I've been alerted that there's a set of "Route 66: Season One, Volume One" DVDs, autographed by co-star George Maharis, for sale on eBay. The publicist for Maharis and the "Route 66" re-release alerted me to this, so the autograph is on the level. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Friends of Ivanhoe Elementary School … Continue reading Autographed “Route 66” DVDs for sale on eBay

Off the beaten path

Martini Mike of the Duke City Fix collective blog talks about the Red Ball Cafe, which has sat at 1303 S. Fourth St. since 1922. You'll notice in one of the pictures that there's a Route 66 shield on the front wall. Despite that, this is a restaurant of which I'm mostly unfamiliar, mainly because … Continue reading Off the beaten path

La Posada chef readies cookbook

John Sharpe, chef/owner of the acclaimed Turquoise Room restaurant attached to the historic La Posada hotel in Winslow, Ariz., recently announced that the cookbook he's been working on will be hitting bookstores next month. The book launching will be at the historic La Posada at 3 p.m. Nov. 16. Please RSVP your intention to attend … Continue reading La Posada chef readies cookbook

“Route 66 Railway” book is out

Railroad buff Elrond Lawrence long-gestating book about Route 66 and its historical relationship with Santa Fe/BNSF, "Route 66 Railway" (176 pages, $49.50, Los Angeles Historical Railroad Foundation) is now being shipped. An article in the Salinas Californian, Lawrence tells about how and why the book came about: "My goal was to recall the days when … Continue reading “Route 66 Railway” book is out

Mustang tour will break record

The Mustangs Across America tour, which will trace part of Route 66, isn't for another six months, but it has already broken the event's record for most cars that will be participating. According to TheMustangNews.com, 345 cars have already been signed up for the mid-April tour. That breaks the record of 334 cars in 2004. … Continue reading Mustang tour will break record

Converting a skeptic

David Landsel of the New York Post wasn't planning on driving Route 66 between Albuquerque and Flagstaff, Ariz., and had regarded driving the old road as "unnecessary and hardship." But he did, and is now kicking himself for not spending more time in Gallup, N.M., and eating at (and staying overnight) at La Posada in … Continue reading Converting a skeptic

Preview: “A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway”

The Lincoln Highway is not Route 66. Instead of going from Chicago to L.A., it traverses the country from New York City's Times Square to San Francisco. The Lincoln is 1,000 miles longer. And it predates the Mother Road by more than a decade. However, Mother Road aficionados will find a lot to love during … Continue reading Preview: “A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway”

Going Dutch

Dries Bessels of the Netherlands has just created the Dutch Route 66 Association and has a Web site for it. The site contains plenty of photos, history of the route, and other information. Bessels, who's driven the route by motorcycle, told me the association has just a handful of members now, but is hopeful the … Continue reading Going Dutch

It’s an election year …

... so the presidential candidates both were on Route 66 in the same town on the same day. Democratic candidate Barack Obama held a rally at the University of New Mexico on Saturday evening. Earlier that morning, Republican candidate John McCain held a rally at the New Mexico fairgrounds. Both are right on Central Avenue, … Continue reading It’s an election year …