Notes from the road July 21, 2009

— The bad news in Oklahoma is that the state’s turnpike authority will raise toll-road prices an average of 16 percent. The good news is that this probably means more traffic on old Route 66 in the Sooner State.

— On Monday we briefly visited with Dawn Welch, owner of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., who was busy finishing a professional video shoot. At least some of the footage will be used to promote her upcoming cookbook, “Dollars to Donuts: Comfort Food and Kitchen Wisdom from Route 66′s Landmark Rock Cafe.” The book will be out Nov. 10.

— The superstar country-music duo Brooks & Dunn will very likely film a portion of a music video within the next few months at Combine City near Amarillo, Texas. Combine City features several vintage combines into the Texas earth; the site is very reminiscent of the nearby Cadillac Ranch.

— Scenic America, a nonprofit devoted to preserving and enhancing America’s communities and scenery, recently featured Arizona’s Route 66 in its June/July newsletter about a recent Historic Route 66 National Scenic Byway workshop in Flagstaff. A report about the workshop is here (28-page PDF document), and may prove useful to preservationists.

— The Elegant Cookie, based in St. Louis, is offering a new line of cookies, gifts and gift baskets inspired by Route 66. The company even has technology in which you can create an image of a Route 66 landmark on a cookie. You can see all of its Route 66 stuff here.