Eagle Hotel in Wilmington put up for sale January 25, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Preservation, Restaurants.add a comment
The historic Eagle Hotel along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., has been put up for sale, according to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times.
The item was tucked into a story about the Launching Pad Drive-In restaurant in Wilmington also being put up for sale, which Route 66 News reported a few weeks ago.
The Eagle Hotel’s sale was mentioned in October in a very brief ask-the-editor piece in the Free Press Newspapers of Wilmington. I called the phone number in the story and left a message. The phone number appeared to ring into a real-estate office.
The Eagle Hotel, dating to 1836, has seen a tumultuous existence in recent years. Previous owner Bill Scales sought to rehab the building and reopen it as a restaurant. But he kept having trouble making deadlines and acquiring financing. Scales finally put the building up for sale in 2009.
UPDATE: The Joliet Herald News reported that the person on the for-sale sign on the Eagle Hotel was Tom O’Brien. He did not return the newspaper’s calls.
Senator introduces bill to create Mojave Trails National Monument January 25, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Preservation.add a comment
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.) introduced a bill today that would in part create the Mojave Trails National Monument, which would encompass and protect much of the Route 66 corridor in California’s Mojave Desert.
The bill is called the California Desert Protection Act of 2011, according to a news release from Feinstein’s office. The Mojave Trails portion would be 941,000 acres.
“Conservation and renewable energy development can exist hand in hand, and that’s what my legislation will do,” Senator Feinstein said. “With this bill, I believe we’ve found the right balance between interests that were previously set against each other.
We know that we must do more to advance renewable energy, but we must also be careful where we decide to permit these projects. I strongly believe that we should not permit the development of land that was donated to the federal government or acquired with taxpayer funds for conservation.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee prefers to move energy-related legislation separately from land conservation legislation. Therefore, I plan to work with senators from Western states on a bill to improve the renewable energy permitting process to allow quicker development of renewable energy projects on private and disturbed public land.”
The National Parks Conservation Association already has given its support to the bill.
“Visitors from around the world come here to visit Route 66, to experience our sand dunes, Joshua Tree forests and wildflowers because our scenery is unique in all the world,” said Marcia Bond, General Manager of Barstow’s Hampton Inn. “But to keep visitors coming, we have to ensure these incredible lands and their rich cultural heritage are still here for them to experience.” [...]
The desert region’s timeless and iconic appeal includes sacred Native American sites, pioneer trails and Route 66, which Smithsonian Magazine named as one of the ‘10 Must-See Endangered Cultural Treasures.’
UPDATE: Tonight’s story by the Desert Dispatch in Barstow reported a couple of factoids I neglected to mention. Feinstein’s bill is a re-introduction of similar legislation. She introduced the previous version last year, but the proposal stalled.
Also, this:
One of the biggest changes to the bill is the elimination of a renewable energy section. Instead, the bill will separate the land conservation from the renewable energy portion and will leave the renewable energy to other agencies.
Those other agencies include the Department of the Interior, which is proposing parts of the Mojave Desert for solar energy projects.
(Hat tip: San Francisco Chronicle)
Longtime Route 66 researchers endorse GPS product January 25, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Books, Maps.1 comment so far
Longtime Route 66 researchers Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan have endorsed the “Route 66 Attractions” global-positioning system download that became available in December for Nuvi, Zumu, Oregon, Dakota, or StreetPilot GPS units by Garmin.
This is a nice coup for the GPS program. Ross and McClanahan developed the popular “Here It Is!” map series for Route 66 travelers. Ross also published the “Oklahoma Route 66″ book, and McClanahan published the “EZ66 Guide for Travelers” guidebook.
From the news release by “Route 66 Attractions” developer River Pilot Tours:
River Pilot states, “We are pleased to receive this endorsement from Jerry and Jim who are known worldwide as two of the most noted experts on Route 66. They have created some of the best content and literature surrounding Route 66 and we intend to continue that legacy through our technology well into the future. We are glad to have them onboard and this endorsement confirms the Route 66 GPS to be the best product on the market.”
Ross told me in an e-mail that he and McClanahan road-tested the GPS download before providing the endorsement.
River Pilot is developing a program that will provided turn-by-turn directions for drivers on Route 66. However, the “Route 66 Attractions” GPS program still contains impressive features, such as:
- More than 850 attractions on Route 66 listed.
- Descriptions, photos, websites, addresses, and phone numbers for hundreds of these locations.
- Attractions include those on obscure Route 66 alignments, including Cuervo Cut-Off and La Bajada Hill in New Mexico, Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma, Jericho Gap in Texas, and the original Santa Fe alignment.
- Information is up-to-date, as data was gathered in late 2010. It will be updated quarterly.
The download costs $9.99.
Billy Vaughn’s take on “Route 66″ January 24, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music, Television.3 comments
The “Route 66″ instrumental for the 1960s television drama of the same name was originally written and arranged by Nelson Riddle. This version by Billy Vaughn contains subtle differences — especially the backing vocals — but is largely the same.
Oklahoma bill aims to establish bicycle trail on Route 66 January 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in bicycling, Highways.1 comment so far
An Oklahoma state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would designate Route 66 between Sapulpa and Edmond as a “Historic Bike Trail” and eventually construct a shoulder for bicycle use on that stretch.
Rep. Lewis Moore (R-Arcadia) recently introduced House Bill 2049. The bill says:
The portion of State Highway 66 between the Sapulpa city limits and the Edmond city limits shall be designated as the “Historic Bike Trail”. The Department of Transportation shall cause suitable permanent markers to be placed upon the highway bearing that name. Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Department shall provide a shoulder lane designated for use by bicycle traffic on the Historic Bike Trail.
The bill’s prospects for passage remain unknown, although it’s worth noting that Republicans now control all of the legislative branches of Oklahoma’s government. Moore, a Republican, has that going for him.
With the state running a deficit of about $500 million because of the recession, lawmakers ordinarily might be reluctant to pass this bill because of its cost.
However, Moore’s bill includes the crucial passage “contingent upon the availability of funds.” So the legislature simply could pass the bill into law with the understanding that the bicycle shoulders be built only when finances improve. So Moore’s caveat in the bill seems sensible and probably improves the odds of its passage.
Route 66 has seen a surge of interest from cyclists in recent years. Illinois has been building stretches of bike trails next to the Mother Road, and the Adventure Cycling Association a few weeks ago announced it is beginning a project to trace a bicycle trail from Chicago to L.A. along Route 66.
Also, Route 66 between Tulsa and Oklahoma City — the stretch that Moore wants designated — annually is used for a big Bike MS multiple sclerosis fundraiser. Hundreds of cyclists from the Sooner State already ride Route 66 at least once a year.
So, given the trend lines of cycling’s popularity, Rep. Moore’s proposal would seem to be a good one.
(Hat tip: Route 66 World)
Tattoo you January 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Motorcycles, People.2 comments
Ron “Tattoo Man” Jones of Bartlesville, Okla., isn’t the only guy who’s decorated his body in a Route 66 theme.
This is an early-stage tattoo done for Jim Bush of Chicago. The artist is Larry Brogan of Tattoo City Skin Art Studio in Lockport, Ill. You can see the finished product here in an archived article in the Route 66 Pulse newspaper.
It had to be time-consuming and painful. Jones sports 80-some tattoos, but he didn’t have them done nearly all at once.
New Oklahoma guide touts restaurant options January 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Publications, Restaurants, Television.add a comment
If you’re traveling Route 66 through the Sooner State and wondering about a place to eat, the state tourism department has just published its Discover Oklahoma Destination Dining Guide to help you decide, according to The Oklahoman newspaper.
This food lovers’ companion was compiled by the experts from the “Discover Oklahoma” television show and is the ultimate guide to exploring more than 100 uniquely Oklahoman diners, kitchens, drive-ins and restaurants across the state.
Inside the guide, you’ll find information about restaurants such as Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita, a Route 66 staple that’s been serving chicken fried steaks, lamb fries and other mouthwatering delicacies since 1929.
You can mail-order the guide, along with the department’s excellent Oklahoma Route 66 brochure, here at no charge. The guide also is being offered at the state’s tourism centers.