“Glenrio” April 23, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.1 comment so far
Here’s a new video of Melissa McClelland performing “Glenrio,” from her new album “Victoria Day.” The song was inspired by a brief visit to Glenrio, the ghost town on Route 66 along the Texas-New Mexico border.
The studio version of the song also is being streamed on her Web site.
(Via Vue Weekly)
Rock Cafe update April 22, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation, Restaurants.7 comments
While doing some other Route 66-related work in the Stroud, Okla., area on Tuesday, I decided to drop in on the Rock Cafe in town and see how the rebuilding was going since the restaurant was gutted by a fire nearly a year ago.
As you can see, the roof is nearly complete:
One of the workers was applying the Rock Cafe’s dark-green plant to the underside of the pent roof. That’s primer in the lighter shade of green.
Here’s the interior of the restaurant. The cedar paneling is up on the walls.
David Burke of David Burke Historic Preservation, who is overseeing the Rock Cafe’s rebuilding, says he’s still optimistic the restaurant will reopen by Memorial Day weekend. About the only snag, he said, is a delay in acquiring a proper vent hood for the kitchen.
Blink and you’ll miss it April 21, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Television.add a comment
A quick-eyed reader reports that the Fox network animated comedy “American Dad” very briefly contained a Route 66 shield during its latest Sunday night episode.
I watched it online, and sure enough, there it is, right about the 17-minute mark, during a car-chase scene. Here’s a screen capture of the scene that contains the shield, barely one second long.
If you want to watch the episode online, go here. Make sure it’s the episode titled “Delorean Story-An.”
(Hat tip to Ron Roberson)
Dedication ceremony set for Meadow Gold sign April 21, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Preservation, Signs.1 comment so far
The Meadow Gold sign, as of April 14.
The City of Tulsa has set a date of May 22 for a public dedication ceremony for the restoration and rebuilding of the historic Meadow Gold sign, now located at Quaker Avenue and 11th Street (aka Route 66).
The dedication will begin at 11 a.m. that day.
Dennis Whitaker, with the city’s Planning Department, said in an e-mail:
Claude Neon installed the sign and is working on the neon tubing. They did a wonderful job of restoration and Builders Unlimited did a fantastic job constructing the pavilion and truss system.
Dewberry staff did a great job of combining authenticity and function in their concept and design drawings. We’ve had 100% positive compliments from the public.
After tubing is installed, electric work will begin. Commemorative plaques should arrive soon and after electrical testing, the sign will be complete.
Laurel Kane posted a photo of the Meadow Gold sign on Tuesday. All the lettering is up.
Whitaker says the city hasn’t decided whether the Meadow Gold’s neon will be lit before or after the dedication.
Also, Whitaker reports that the Route 66 shield on the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Plaza overpass will be reinstalled Thursday. It was vandalized last year, and Claude Neon and Steve Vogt have fashioned a protective piece to discourage future mischief.
The Route 66 shield at the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Plaza overpass in May 2008, before it was vandalized.
Kingman declares May as Route 66 Month April 21, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Road trips, Towns.add a comment
John Salem, the mayor of Kingman, Ariz., declared May as Route 66 Month for the city during a recent proclamation, reported the fledgling Kingman Route 66 Association.
Nice. Politicians typically declare a day or week to commemorate a certain person or thing. But dedicating a month is more substantial.
May is traditionally the month for the Route 66 Fun Run, held by the Route 66 Association of Arizona. This year’s event is May 1-3. In addition, Kingman is hosting a sock hop on the first night of the event, along the city’s historic Beale Street.
1964 Corvette restoration April 21, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music, Television, Vehicles.2 comments
Here’s a slide show of a restoration of a 1964 Corvette, much like one that was driven by Tod and Buz (and Linc) during the run of the “Route 66″ televisi0n series. Also, the music is “Route 66,” by Nelson Riddle.
I thought the pre-restoration Corvette didn’t look bad at all, actually.
Amboy gears up for motorcycle event April 21, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Events, Motorcycles.add a comment
Darlene Bitter provided interesting information on the Route 66 yahoogroup about preparations that Roy’s in Amboy, Calif., and owner Albert Okura is making for a weekend motorcycle event:
The Laughlin River Run is this weekend and the place is gearing up in anticipation of the motorcyclists coming through.
Albert is working on a museum in a section of the cafe that will feature (former owner) Bessie Burris’ art work. Albert salvaged some of the lighting fixtures from the Amboy school next door and put them in the museum.
A filming crew had just finished packing up their equipment and hauled it out last Tuesday or Wednesday. The movie will not be released until next year in Europe. There is a rolled vehicle with “movie blood” on the interior parked near the motel lobby.
The motel lobby has been “fixed up” for the movie. They used some of the original chairs left behind in the motel rooms and put some classic style wall paper on the walls.
The store has been moved into the cafe area. Albert had some Texaco style gas pumps made up with the Roy’s cafe sign as the logo. [...]
The cafe is not in operation yet, but it has been converted into the store area. There are postcards, bottled beverages, t-shirts, hats and other ‘trinkets’. There is a wonderful collection of photos in the cafe
area. Try planning on at least an hour to check out the photos and the town.
And here’s one of the trinkets Roy’s will be selling this weekend:
(Photo courtesy of Darlene Bitter)