Health nuts February 28, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Religion.add a comment
Looks like one of the Thessalonians needs a spotter, and the other has a case of OCD.
This is the latest edition of “Route 66: A Road Trip through the Bible.” This video chapter concentrates on the first book of Thessalonians.
A few inside details from “Cars 2″ February 27, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Restaurants, Vehicles.6 comments
Author Michael Wallis, who voiced the Sheriff of Radiator Springs in Disney-Pixar’s “Cars” and served as the film’s Route 66 consultant, recently completed voicework on the sequel “Cars 2.”
Although he hasn’t seen a final edit of the film slated for theaters June 24, he revealed a few tidbits about it:
— Wallis is “almost positive” the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs will be featured in the beginning and likely at the end. Most of the plot takes place overseas, where Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater inadvertently become involved in a spy caper. Roadies were concerned that Radiator Springs wouldn’t be shown at all in the new film.
— Many of the roles in the first film will be vastly reduced in “Cars 2,” including Wallis’ own Sheriff character. A bunch of new characters will be introduced, which almost certainly will set off a new multimillion-dollar frenzy of buying “Cars” memorabilia.
— Wallis confirmed the first film’s Doc Hudson character, portrayed by Oscar-winning actor Paul Newman, was retired for “Cars 2″ in the wake of Newman’s death in 2008. However, Fillmore will reappear in the new film, despite the death of comedian George Carlin the same year. Wallis said Pixar found an actor whose voice sounds almost exactly like Carlin’s.
— For the eventual release of “Cars 2″ on DVD and Blu-ray, Pixar is producing a short documentary about the impact the original “Cars” made on the real-life Route 66. Production will begin in the coming weeks, Wallis said.
“(Director) John Lasseter continues to be surprised by the impact ‘Cars’ has had on the road,” Wallis said. “It delights him.”
Wallis says he’s lobbying to have the Pixar documentary crew visit 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan., which displays the original 1951 International boom truck that inspired Mater; and the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., owned by Dawn Welch, who inspired Sally Carrera.
(Image from “Cars 2″ courtesy of Pixar)
For a really big meal … February 27, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants.add a comment
Folks may laugh at restaurant gimmicks like this … until they remember the Big Texan Steak Ranch‘s 72-ounce steak challenge has helped keep it in the public eye for more than 40 years.
This restaurant is Cookin’ From Scratch, near Route 66 in Doolittle, Mo. It boasts of a 66-ounce challenge, which is this:
The challenge consists of a 66oz burger on a 1.25 lb homemade bun, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, & pickles. Along with the giant burger comes 1.5 lbs of french fries. Challengers have 66 minutes to finish the delicious feast. Winners receive the meal free, a T-shirt, their picture on the Wall of Fame, and a framed certificate proclaiming their victory.
The 66-ounce challenge stood undefeated until this dude vanquished it on his second try:
Shake-up at the Route 66 Festival February 26, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, People.15 comments
A committee that oversees the June 9-12 International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo, Texas, recently took the responsibility for organizing the festival and its awards night away from longtime Route 66 enthusiast Jim Conkle.
In the wake of that move, Conkle has vowed to hold another Route 66 festival in Joplin, Mo., the following weekend. Conkle says his festival would include the Will Rogers Awards and Route 66 Summit.
Bob “Crocodile” Lile, a member of the Amarillo committee, was reluctant to talk about the move. However, he provided e-mails from various sources with the festival for background.
The 13-member committee includes representatives of the Old Texas Route 66 Association, the Sixth Street Route 66 Association of Amarillo, roadies, and the City of Amarillo. Without delving into he-said-they-said minutiae, the primary reasons Conkle was relieved of his duties seem to be declining attendance and revenues and organizational mistakes, such as setting dates for the Amarillo festival that conflict with the popular Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour.
In light of that, it’s understandable that the committee decided to go another direction. But Conkle says he was kept “in the dark” — no one consulted with him about changes sought. He said in an e-mail if he’d been clued in beforehand, he would have stayed on to help the Amarillo festival.
Conkle has vowed to organize his own Route 66 festival and banquet in Joplin, Mo., on June 16-19 — a week after the Amarillo event.
Although it’s not clear on the event Web site, Amarillo organizers say they’re still planning for awards during their banquet. In an e-mail, Lile said there “probably” would be awards, “but not as many as last year.” (Ten awards were given during the 2010 banquet.) Lile was reluctant to say much until the committee makes a final decision.
An e-mail, however, makes it clear that for now, “Will Rogers” will not be part of the event’s name, because the committee will not use it without the Rogers family’s approval or blessing.
Conkle says he controls the Will Rogers Awards and the Route 66 Summit and has permission to use Cyrus Avery and Bob Waldmire’s names on the awards. But it was my understanding the fledgling Route 66 Alliance would undertake much of the festival’s organization. Since Conkle was removed as an Alliance officer during a reorganization a few months ago, his claim to the Will Rogers event and Summit seems dubious.
Regardless, I am skeptical about how successful another national festival and awards event would be. Most roadies likely will feel indifferent to it at best and hostile at worst, and many have already planned their vacations for the summer. It’s hard to imagine the Joplin festival drawing much of a crowd.
In the end, one has to ask: “What’s best for Route 66?”
Perhaps Amarillo committee members could have handled Conkle’s dismissal better. But there seems little doubt they have the long-term health of the festival in mind. They want it to be viable again so Route 66 fans will keep coming. It’s difficult to fault them for that.
I have known Conkle for years and love him like a father, but his quest to create another festival and awards event seems spiteful. Advancing the cause of Route 66 and its preservation should be the goal. Instead, this seems to be retaliation, and little else. If Conkle truly has the welfare of Route 66 in mind, he needs to drop this idea and move in a more constructive direction for the Mother Road.
Angel on their shoulders February 25, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels.add a comment
Here’s a lodging option near Luther, Okla., if you’re traveling Route 66 — Angel’s Way Guest Ranch.
If you’re the immediate family of a police officer who died in the line of duty, you get to stay overnight for free. The video explains why:
Angel’s Way Guest Ranch is three miles north of Luther, off Route 66.
Bill would cut funding to Claremore museums February 25, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Museums.1 comment so far
A bill working its way through the Oklahoma Legislature would cut funding to the Will Rogers Memorial Museums and the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum along Route 66 in Claremore, Okla., reported the Claremore Daily Progress.
State Rep. Leslie Osborn (R-Tuttle) proposes phasing out funding to those museums so money can be devoted to more crucial areas, such as schools and roads. Because of the recession, the state of Oklahoma is dealing with an estimated $400 million deficit.
The newspaper points out a somewhat thorny problem with Osborn’s proposal:
But the Will Rogers Memorial and the J.M. Davis Museum are special in that both were founded by generous donations by benefactors — the Rogers family and J.M. Davis — with agreements that the state would maintain them. (my emphasis) [...]
The extensive collections in the museums do cost money for upkeep. As state institutions, both are free to the public with donation boxes available. [...]
“The J.M. Davis and the Will Rogers museums are the only two public museums not under the Oklahoma History Center and the reason is, both of the museums were created by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor because both of these museums are so unique in what they do,” said Wayne McCombs, Director of the J.M. Davis. “The land for both museums was given to the state.” [...]
Should funding be lost, it is likely the J.M. Davis Gun and Historical Museum could close. If the state reneges on its commitment, the heirs would be free to sell the guns, which are worth a fortune.
Obviously, most Oklahomans would not want these museums to close — especially the one devoted to Will Rogers, who arguably remains the state’s most famous citizen even 75 years after his death.
But it’s almost impossible to refute that schools and roads are more critical to a state’s citizens than museums.
Here’s an idea: Hasn’t anyone considered whether the Will Rogers Museums and J.M. Davis Museum could be operated better and more profitably in private hands? That’s especially the case for the J.M. Davis Museum, which has been besieged by problems with theft, neglect and mismanagement in recent years.
I’m not saying privatization is an answer. But it shouldn’t be quickly dismissed, either.
The bill number is HB 1667.
Antiques TV show coming to Albuquerque February 24, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Television.add a comment
The “Treasure Hunters Roadshow” syndicated television show is coming to Albuquerque on March 1-4 for filming along Route 66 in the city, according to a press release today.
Albuquerque residents are invited to bring their rare collectibles and antiques to the Inn at Rio Rancho for evaluation by antique experts from 9 am to 6 pm each day. Producers seek to showcase highly unique items in the program and encourage collectors to visit and show off their prized possessions. [...]
Currently scheduled for inclusion in the Albuquerque show are the Turquoise Museum, 66 Diner and a profile of a Route 66 memorabilia collector. Local residents will also be stars of the Albuquerque episode as they share interesting information about their prized collections and prove that behind every treasure there is a story.
Hopefully, residents will bring some of their own Route 66 memorabilia for the show. Given that town’s rich history, maybe some long-buried treasures from the Mother Road will be unveiled.
Panel advances Oklahoma Route 66 bike trail bill February 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in bicycling, Highways.3 comments
The Oklahoma Legislature’s House Transportation Committee advanced a measure Wednesday that would create an approximate 90-mile “Historic Bike Trail” along Route 66 from Sapulpa to Edmond.
The committee passed House Bill 2049 by a 14-5 margin. It is now on the House floor.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Lewis Moore (R-Arcadia) and co-authored by Sen. Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City), would:
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.
A committee report says the markers would cost from $200 to $2,000 apiece, although the report noted that “most markers include a cost near the lower end of the estimated range.”
The measure, if it becomes law, would go into effect Nov. 1.
With Oklahoma’s deficit estimated at about $400 million because of the recession, lawmakers ordinarily might be reluctant to pass the bill. However, HB2049 includes the crucial passage “contingent upon the availability of funds.” So lawmakers simply could pass the bill into law, with the understanding that the bicycle shoulders be built only when finances improve. So Moore’s sensible language in the bill probably improves the odds of its passage.
UPDATE: In an interview in the print edition of the Tulsa County News today, Moore explained why he wanted a bicycle trail on part of Route 66 in Oklahoma:
“I’ve been into road bikes and mountain bikes since at least 1997 and we don’t have a lot of rails to trails for long distance in this state. [...] I live less than a half a mile from Route 66 in Arcadia and I see people from all over, not just from the U.S., who bike or drive the Mother Road. I thought about how great it would be to have a historic trail for people to ride on. As it is now, it is too dangerous unless during a sponsored event with protection for riders. It would be great to improve the whole riding experience so it is safe and not a nerve-wracking time.”
As for why plan a bicycling trail for the area between Sapulpa and Edmond, Moore said if passed, his HB2049 is “just a start. I’d like to see it go all the way to Missouri and New Mexico.”
Moore added that even if the state didn’t immediately have money for the project, he was confident that donations and other funding sources could at least partly cover it.
(Hat tip: Schlegel Bicycles)
‘No chance’ marathon organizer will be rehired February 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Sports.1 comment so far
Joplin’s city manager said there was “no chance” Dean Reinke would be rehired as the director of the 2011 Mother Road Marathon, according to a report in the Joplin Globe.
In an e-mail headlined “A Special Message from the Mother Road Marathon,” Reinke, of Winter Haven, Fla., questions the city’s ability to put on the run this year, and adds that he has received numerous inquiries and requests to step back into the lead planning role.
But Reinke no longer has any rights to the marathon. [...]
Jim Frazier, interim executive director of the Joplin Sports Authority, said of Reinke’s remarks: “I think the perception that he has is without the reality of facts.”
Reinke organized the inaugural Mother Road Marathon last year, which drew about 1,500 runners. But, afterward, the city of Joplin quickly announced that Reinke wouldn’t be rehired and sued him in federal court when he filed a trademark claim for the 26.2-mile footrace.
The Globe reported that a settlement of $30,000 to Reinke was paid late last year.
I’m afraid that with so much confusion about who’s putting on the marathon, you might have dozens, maybe hundreds of runners who simply won’t show up for the event. It also doesn’t help that I still don’t see an official link at the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau for the race.
The Mother Road Marathon goes from Commerce, Okla., to Joplin, and is believed to be the only marathon to traverse three states — Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.
Exploring the Inland Empire’s Route 66 February 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Motels, Museums, Restaurants, Television.add a comment
Here’s a good video about The Magic Lamp Inn restaurant, which has graced Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., since 1955.
This is part of the ongoing Inland Empire Explorer series.
Here are more Route 66-related videos about Sierra Bakery and Wigwam Motel in Rialto, and the McDonald’s Museum in San Bernardino (owned by Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura, who also happens to own the entire Route 66 hamlet of Amboy).
(Apologies for the lack of videos on this post, but the makers turned off embedding on each of the clips.)
And there’s even a video of Route 66 Memories, apparently before it closed a few weeks ago.
If you’re in the Inland Empire region, segments can be viewed at these television channels. Or you can view all the videos at its Vimeo channel.