Bridal barn January 13, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Magazines, Photographs.add a comment
Here’s a new behind-the-scenes video of a wedding-gown photography session at the Round Barn in Arcadia, Okla. It was for The Brides of Oklahoma magazine.
New bottles introduced for Route 66 Sodas January 12, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Food.2 comments
The new bottles of Route 66 Sodas in orange, lime and cream soda flavors.
Today, the folks at Route 66 Sodas in Wilmington, Ill., sent the new bottles for its Route 66 Orange Soda, Route 66 Lime Soda and Route 66 Cream Soda.
Each bottle has its own text and image on the back that pays tribute to certain historical landmarks on Route 66.
A close-up of the back of the orange soda bottle.
The Orange Soda tells about the varying incarnations of Dead Man’s Curve on the Mother Road, including the one in Tijeras Canyon near Albuquerque.
Close-up of the back of the lime soda bottle.
The Lime Soda pays tribute to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge near St. Louis.
Close-up of the back of the cream soda bottle.
The Cream Soda tells about ghost towns in California’s Mojave Desert.
Scott Cameron of Route 66 Sodas said each flavor is made with 100 percent pure cane sugar, instead of the high-fructose syrup often used by the soft-drink industry. Also, he said, in a letter:
We are awaiting the arrival of our new Black Cherry bottles and look to have them by early February. The Black Cherry theme will be Cabins, Motor Courts & Motels.
Tonight, Emily drank the orange soda, and I had the lime soda. Both were delicious, but that’s not surprising to anyone who’s ever imbibed in the company’s highly praised root beer. The liquid in the bottles was partly frozen because of the current cold snap in Oklahoma, making them even more refreshing.
If you want to buy Route 66 Sodas, here’s a handy map that will show you where.
The Possum January 12, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
Here’s a great song by George Jones that’s frequently titled “The One I Loved Back Then.” It’s also often called “The Corvette Song.”
Notes from the road January 11, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Events, Food, Movies, Museums, People, Photographs, Restaurants, Sports, Web sites.add a comment
Since Paul Newman’s death in 2008, speculation has run rampant on whether Disney-Pixar will revive his Doc Hudson character for the “Cars” sequel.
Larry the Cable Guy, who portrayed Mater in the original “Cars,” told the Whig Standard of Kingston, Ontario, that the Doc Hudson character has been essentially retired:
“It’s a shame he’s still not around,” says Larry The Cable Guy, who’s been reprising the voice of the Southern-fried tow truck Tow Mater in “Cars 2″ since last summer. “They were thinking about getting a voice to sound like him. But then they decided it would be disrespectful, and I agree. You can’t impersonate one of the greats.
“They’ll have some storyline to where he’s moved on or something, and maybe they’re going to do some kind of tribute or something at the end. I’d like to tell you more, but I’m sworn to secrecy.”
“Cars 2″ will be released in summer 2011. There was no word what also will happen to the Fillmore character, who was voiced by George Carlin, who also died in 2008. The unofficial inspiration of Fillmore, Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, died a few weeks ago.
(Hat tip: Upcoming Pixar)
— Here’s an excellent interview by the Seattle Times of Jane and Michael Stern, of the famed Roadfood books and Web site. The Sterns mentioned Route 66 as a favorite of their culinary travels: “Route 66 has great roadfood that’s inexpensive and fun — places like the famous Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois, or the onion-fried burgers at Johnnie’s Grill in El Reno, Oklahoma.”
— The latest print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator in Santa Rosa, N.M., reported that longtime Route 66 booster James “Bozo” Cordova was running for mayor. However, an online story by the Communicator reported that Cordova had withdrawn from the race less than two days after filing paperwork for his candidacy. He said he had “too much on my plate right now” to be mayor. Cordova owns Bozo’s Garage & Wrecker Services and the Route 66 Auto Museum in town.
— Jim Weiel, who has Tweeted his automotive-based photographic illustrations dozens of times on Twitter, has created a Web site in which you can view and buy his artwork. It’s called The Weiel Perspective, and roadies will likely be interested in his Americana gallery in addition to the Tribute 66 gallery.
— Organizers are getting ready for the second annual Race to the Rocker 4-mile footrace on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo., on March 27. It begins in Cuba, Mo., and finishes at the World’s Largest Rocker at the Fanning 66 Outpost. Proceeds will be used to buy equipment for the Cuba School Track. Organizers are hoping for 300 entrants. Go here to register for the race. For more information, go to the JOG Inc. site.
— Flash News posted a story about Ron “Tattoo Man” Jones of Bartlesville, Okla., who sports more than 80 tattoos of Route 66 landmarks. Photos of Jones and his tattoos can be found at Legends of America.
Frankoma Pottery up for sale again January 11, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Businesses.2 comments
Frankoma Pottery, located on old Route 66 near Sapulpa, Okla., has been put up for sale again after a poor year, reported KJRH-TV in Tulsa.
The company has had four different owners over the past 35 years.
The new owner, Joe Bagosta, didn’t want to do any on camera interviews, but he said the company’s sales are down between 60% to 70%.
Bagosta says five people were laid off New Year’s Eve, including production employees.
Right now, just three employees remain on duty.
Frankoma has been operating since 1933. With such a revolving-door of owners and mediocre sales, the future isn’t looking terribly bright for the Oklahoma icon. I suspect it will require a very creative and energetic proprietor for Frankoma to survive.
A destructive development idea January 10, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, Preservation, Route 66 Associations.add a comment
With the U.S. economy struggling, politicians are looking for ways to create jobs. But one office-seeker in Canadian County, Okla., has an idea that would prove destructive to a historic section of Route 66.
Larry Nance, an Oklahoma Route 66 Association county representative in El Reno, said at the association’s meeting Sunday that such an idea comes from Claude Wilkinson, a candidate for Canadian County District 3. And, sure enough, here’s a report in the Dec. 20 edition of the El Reno Tribune:
Wilkinson said another area crucial to Canadian County is its roads. He said he wanted to work on widening thoroughfares for farmers” vehicles, as well as establish a perimeter industrial road from U.S. Highway 270 to the new gas plant being built about one mile east of the intersection of that highway and state Highway 66.
“The traffic is congested through there, and that is not helping anyone in the area or the business traffic we need to encourage in the county,” he said. “Eventually, I would like to see that go past Fort Reno.
Nance said that Wilkinson wants to tear up at least five miles of original pavement of Route 66, from Fort Reno near El Reno to U.S. 270, and widen the roadway to help create an industrial road there.
An original Portland cement section of Route 66 west of El Reno, Okla.
Wilkinson is running for a seat left vacant by the car-crash death of the previous District 3 commissioner. The primary for the special election will be March 2, and the general special election will be April 6. At least two other candidates are running for the seat, and the sign-up period doesn’t end until later this month.
I don’t know whether Wilkinson is unaware of the road’s historical significance or whether he simply doesn’t care.
Regardless, it would be a good if roadies wrote letters of the editor to the El Reno Tribune and The Oklahoman, based in nearby Oklahoma City, and explain why removing or altering the original Route 66 in that area would be enormous loss.
The editor of the El Reno Tribune is Ray Dyer. He can be e-mailed at rdyer(at)elrenotribune(dot)com or written by snail mail at 201 N. Rock Island Ave., El Reno, OK 73036.
Here’s a link to The Oklahoman on e-mailing a letter to the editor, plus guidelines for doing so.
If enough letters are printed, we figure it could do one of two things.
First, they could persuade Wilkinson to back away from his plan to tear up the old Route 66 roadway.
Second, if Wilkinson proves intractable, the letters could persuade voters go choose someone else to be their county commissioner.
The key is to inform Canadian County voters about an important historical icon in their midst, and a possible threat to that icon.
Thrown to the lions January 10, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Religion.add a comment
Or, in this case, Labrador retrievers wearing big wigs.
Here’s the latest chapter of “Route 66: A Road Trip through the Bible,” with the Book of Daniel.