Attendance rises at Will Rogers sites September 12, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Museums.add a comment
Now here’s something I didn’t expect. Although the public memory of Oklahoma humorist Will Rogers has been fading for decades, attendance at his birthplace ranch near Oologah and at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in the Route 66 town of Claremore has been rising in the past year, reported The Oklahoman.
Officials think the increase can be attributed to being more aggressive in promoting the museum, special events and working with tour groups, Reeder said. But there are others.
“A number of our visitors are traveling Route 66,” said Steve Gragert, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. “It is not unusual for visitors to tell us this is the best museum they have visited, ranking it with presidential libraries, often calling it a ‘world class’ museum.”
I think the downturn in the economy also has induced people to travel closer to home. I’ve been hearing anecdotal evidence that “staycation” tourism is up this year, and here’s more evidence to support that theory.
It’s My-am-uh September 12, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Motorcycles, Museums, Restaurants, Towns.add a comment
Alexander Basek of the New York Post went to the Route 66 town of Miami, Okla., where he checked out the Route 66 Vintage Iron Motorcycle Museum, ate at Waylan’s Ku-Ku restaurant, and learned how to pronounce the town’s name (hint: it doesn’t sounds like the big city in southern Florida).
The whole thing is worth reading, but this conclusion should bring a smile to any roadie:
Miami’s charm comes from being of America. It’s so thoroughly rooted in our culture, though, that it blends in — making it all too easy to keep driving.
That would be a mistake. Next time, take the exit and pull in for a burger at the Ku-Ku. All roads don’t lead to Miami anymore, and we’re not necessarily better off for it.
Notes from the Route 66 Summit September 11, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Events, Preservation.add a comment
As I’ve reported, I’m unable to attend the Route 66 Festival in Flagstaff, Ariz., because of time constraints. However, Swa Frantzen of the seminal Historic66.com site was taking notes at the Route 66 Summit on Thursday and e-mailed them, some of which I’ll pass along here:
— Renee Charles, one of the four women of 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan., was just elected president of the Kansas Route 66 Association.
— Response to the mail-in Route 66 survey has been high, with more than 1,000 submitted so far. Rutgers University, which is compiling the data, is reporting an unusually high number of fully filled surveys and additional comments. The surveys, inserted in the current issue of the Route 66 Pulse newspaper, will be collected until late October. Rutgers will release a report on its findings in spring 2010.
Jim Conkle makes a point at the Route 66 Summit. Photo courtesy of Swa Frantzen.
— The Santa Monica Pier will soon install an “End of Route 66″ sign there. The pier also seen success in selling Route 66-related T-shirts and souvenirs, according to Jim Conkle.
— As reported here, the double arrows at the Twin Arrows site east of Flagstaff have been restored. A preservation work crew was set to work at the site today. The Hopi tribe is working with a historical architect to eventually restore the property. A proposed casino at the Twin Arrows exit shouldn’t be a problem — it’s on the other side of Interstate 40.
— The U.S. Postal Service is considering a Route 66 stamp, possibly for release by fall 2010.
— The grant cycle of the recently renewed Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program will be moved up from January to March. However, its Advisory Council has come to an end, and the program is looking for new ways to receive input from roadies.
— Progress remains slow in getting the Route 66 Alliance certified as a 501(c)3 nonprofit entity. Paperwork on that endeavor has been submitted; now the Alliance is awaiting the Internal Revenue Service’s approval. However, the Alliance learned this week it was accepted in its desire to be affiliated with the Tulsa Community Foundation, with the impending 501(c)3 as a subset of the main group. So the Alliance can now start raising money.
John Murphey of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program also e-mailed that Rick Freeland, one of the movers and shakers of the alliance, “is thinking big, not the ‘small-time thinking of five millions dollars here and there…’ He instead wants to use the Alliance to promote Route 66 as a ‘test-bed’ for alternative fuels: ‘We want to have natural gas stations all the way up and down Route 66; electrical charging stations up and down Route 66.’ “
More plot details on “Cars 2″ September 11, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies.2 comments
During an interview in London, Disney-Pixar animation chief John Lasseter revealed a few more plot details about “Cars 2,” the sequel to the original “Cars” movie that took place on Route 66, to Empire Online.
The story sees Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), his pit team and new pit boss Mater head around the world for the Race of Champions, to take place in five different countries and involve the champions of different disciplines like Formula One and rally driving. First up is a race in Tokyo, starting at Mount Fuji and heading downtown; then there’s a German race through the Black Forest; then “Porto Corsa” in Italy, which is based partly on the Monte Carlo Grand Prix; then a 24-hour race around Paris (so somewhat like Le Mans then) and finally a thrilling climax in London, approaching Buckingham Palace (where the guards appear to be Land Rovers).
But all this racing is not the only focus. Mater, who we know from the series of cartoon shorts Mater’s Tall Tales … is prone to exaggeration, gets involved in a “Hitchcockian” case of mistaken identity, saves the life of a British secret agent called Finn McMissile (who looks a heck of a lot like an Aston Martin) and becomes embroiled in a huge spy thriller. Only no-one believes him. That too comes to a head at Buckingham Palace.
Along the way there are towtruck-abroad pictures to be taken at the Oktoberfest in Germany (where Mater wears “Materhosen”) and harassing the aforementioned Palace Guards.
A few points and observations:
— Obviously, the bulk of the new movie isn’t going to take place on Route 66 this time. However, I feel reasonably certain that the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs will be around in some way. I know a few people might be disappointed in “Cars 2″ spending dramatically less time on the Mother Road. However, if absolutely nothing else, “Cars 2″ will reignite interest in the original “Cars” movie and spark a new wave of intrigue about Route 66.
— This is the first reference I’ve seen that says Owen Wilson will be back to voice Lightning McQueen. For a while, it had been rumored that he would take a pass at a “Cars” sequel. With the deaths in 2008 of Paul Newman as Doc Hudson and George Carlin as Fillmore, the “Cars” franchise didn’t need another departure.
— The notion of Mater being in the midst of a spy caper sounds hilarious. Larry the Cable Guy’s character was easily the funniest in the original “Cars” movie, and focusing more on him seems to be a wise move. With Mater in Europe, the words “international incident” seem inevitable.
— The director for “Cars 2″ will be Brad Lewis, who guided the praised “Ratatouille” for Pixar. Release date for “Cars 2″ is set for June 24, 2011.
(Hat tip: Upcoming Pixar)
Strafford festival preview September 10, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Towns.add a comment
The Strafford Route 66 Days festival in Strafford, Mo., begins tomorrow. The Marshfield Mail in nearby Marshfield, Mo., has a nice preview, including a schedule of events. The festival also will host one of the stops of the annual motor tour of the Route 66 Association of Missouri.
Happy 100th, Santa Monica Pier September 10, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Events.add a comment
There was a big blowout Wednesday to celebrate the centennial of the Santa Monica Pier, the symbolic end of Route 66. That included one heck of a fireworks show:
Santa Monica Close-up has a slew of photos from yesterday’s festivities.
The Desert Sun of Palm Springs, Calif., has a nice overview of the pier.
The L.A. Times’ blog, The Daily Mirror, dig up stories of the pier’s dedication a century ago.
Emory Duick update September 9, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in People, Road trips.1 comment so far
The El Reno (Okla.) Tribune caught up with him a few days ago. The 71-year-old man who’s trying to jog the length of Route 66 in 13- and 14-mile chunks had to slow his pace to six to seven miles a day because of a nerve injury in his leg.
His daughter Lauren had taken a six-month leave of absence from her job to help him. However, she’s set to return to work by the time Duick hits California, and she’s hoping someone else can assist him to Santa Monica. If you’re interested, you can e-mail her at lrduick(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Celebrity sightings at the Summit September 9, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in People, Restaurants.add a comment
The Summit Inn, a restaurant at the top of Cajon Pass in Southern California, has been a popular place to eat for decades because of the atmosphere and the food.
However, this story by the Hesperia Star is most interesting because of who has eaten at the Route 66 diner:
Elvis Presley once ate in a back booth. At one point, he walked over to the jukebox to check the musical selection. When he didn’t see any of his records he got angry and kicked the jukebox. Today it still plays 45s, and Presley’s “Jail House Rock” and “Treat Me Nice” are among the titles.
Pierce Brosnan, the fifth actor to play James Bond, sat at a booth in the back, in th same booth where Elvis sat. He was on his way to Las Vegas with family and stopped in for a bite to eat. As Brosnan was leaving the restaurant, Stevens got his autograph. [...]
Pearl Bailey used to sit at the counter. She’d order buttermilk pancakes and coffee before heading out to her ranch. In 1955, she purchased Apple Valley’s first African-American dude ranch, Murray’s Dude Ranch.
Other celebrities have also visited the Summit Inn, including Clint Eastwood (who preferred a booth) and Danny Thomas (who liked the counter). Autographed photos of John Wayne, Loni Anderson and other celebrities hang on the entry hall walls.
I think adding “Treat Me Nice” was a humorous touch, after what The King did to that jukebox.
Lou Mitchell’s restaurant will franchise September 9, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants.1 comment so far
Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant, a Route 66 icon near the eastern terminus of the Mother Road in Chicago, is set to begin selling franchises for the first time, reports NBC Channel 5 in Chicago.
I’m not sure this can be pulled off easily. The interesting thing is that Lou Mitchell’s president feels the same way.
“We’ve spent not only a considerable amount of financial resources, but a considerable amount of time working that out,” said Nicholas Thanas, the third-generation president of Lou Mitchell’s, in a telephone interview. “It’s not going to be an easy feat, I’m not going to kid you.”
An architectural firm aided the company with the franchise to duplicate the shape of the space, the detailed mill work, the signage, floor tiles and the lightning.
Even the heights and colors of booths and the counter has been specified.
Thanas said the Chicago area will be the first priority with franchises, then the Midwest, then, ultimately, nationally. He said Lou Mitchell’s is already “very close” to signing contracts for a deal.
The original Lou Mitchell’s was built in 1923 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It has long served as a first meal for those beginning their Route 66 journeys westward, including giving the traditional box of Milk Duds to female customers. It also has served several U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
(Photo courtesy of Guy Randall.)
Roiled Riviera September 8, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants, Route 66 Associations.5 comments
The good news is that the Riviera Roadhouse, a seminal Route 66 business in Gardner, Ill., reopened about 10 days ago after longtime owners Bob and Peggy Kraft retired earlier this year, with the new owner using the Riviera’s old recipes.
The bad news is that the Riviera received a “shut-down letter” from the City of Gardner on Tuesday morning that puts the fate of the business and seven employees in limbo.
Bob Keller, who told me by phone that he’s not the owner but is “heavily involved” in the restaurant, said that the letter came unexpectedly. But he says that some members of the city council oppose the Riviera’s reopening because it would create competition to two other restaurants in town.
“They’re just playing political games,” Keller said angrily. He said about $70,000 has been spent on renovations.
Obviously, this situation is in flux. But I have little doubt that members of the Route 66 Association of Illinois, many of which live near Chicago near Gardner, will do their utmost to try to rectify the situation. We’ll try to keep you posted on developments.
(Photo courtesy of Guy Randall.)