Book review: “Route 66 American Icon” June 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Books, Photographs.2 comments
Here’s a sign a photography book is really good: When I first opened it, I gasped. And when my wife saw the images in it, she gasped as well.
Photographer Shannon Richardson‘s new book, “Route 66 American Icon” (160 pages, hardback, self-published, $66), will elicit that sort of reaction. It proves to be a testament to the power of photography.
Indeed, it contains the best photos from Route 66 that I have ever seen. Considering the prodigious talent that has captured the Mother Road with photography, that is high praise indeed.
Richardson writes in the book’s afterward:
I wanted to document the road in a cinematic and nostalgic style, using traditional black and white film with conscious attention to avoid anything modern day from appearing in the composition. Although the images are contemporary, the evoke the essence of Route 66′s famed past.
“Cinematic” is a key word. Richardson, a commercial photographer based in Amarillo, used an expensive Hasselblad camera and high-quality black-and-white film to capture fine detail in many Route 66 landmarks. He also framed the images well, and the contrast amid the images made them nearly jump off the pages.
Many of the 132 images — especially neon signs — were shot during twilight or darkness, giving them a film noir quality. Think of great black-and-white movies — “Casablanca,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and yes, “The Grapes of Wrath” — and you’ll comprehend the atmosphere in “Route 66 American Icon.”
A double image of the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Shannon Richardson's new book.
No people will be found in these pages, although one burro makes a partial appearance.
Instead, you’ll see doorways, neon tubing, peeling paint, and puffy clouds. A sense of decay and abandonment come from the images, but so do dignity and resolve — much like the Mother Road’s history.
My favorite images from Richardson’s book? It’s tough to choose, but they would include an empty barber chair in Angel Delgadillo’s shop in Seligman, Ariz.; the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla; a close-up of a “Curios” sign in Holbrook, Ariz.; and a tight shot of the now-removed 66 Bowl neon sign in Oklahoma City.
Highly recommended.
(Review copy of the book courtesy of the author. The Facebook page for “Route 66 American Icon” can be found here.)
A barrelhouse cruise June 18, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
Rhythm-and-blues piano players often were described as “barrelhouse” piano players. The late Floyd Dixon shows how it was done with Bobby Troup’s song in 1996.
“A Collision of Worlds” June 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Music.1 comment so far
This video was posted on the British Disney site. It’s the Brad Paisley and Robbie Williams collaboration on the “Cars 2″ soundtrack.
You’ll hear Route 66 mentioned in the song.
“Cars 2″ opens in the U.S. a week from today.
Michael Wallis’ “State of the Road” speech June 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Books, Events, History, People.2 comments
Each year at the International Route 66 Festival awards banquet, “Route 66: The Mother Road” author Michael Wallis makes a “State of the Road” speech.
Save for a time when it was streamed live, I’m not aware anyone has ever posted video of Wallis’ Route 66 speeches on the Internet. Wallis owns a great baritone voice, and his storytelling often turns poignant or spellbinding. So the fact one his of speeches has never made it to the Web for posterity remains a puzzle.
This year at Amarillo, I hadn’t planned to videotape Wallis’ speech. But, upon seeing the banquet’s setup and hearing the good sound system, I decided to do it. It wound up being one of Wallis’ best speeches.
The speech is about 34 minutes, and comes in three parts, in order:
Wallis alluded to being glad the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., soon would get new owners. My somewhat more-nuanced response can be read here.
In appreciation of Bill Kinder June 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, People.9 comments
In a matter of days, Bill Kinder, with his wife Terri Anderson, of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., will turn over the keys to new owners Kevin and Nancy Mueller.
Bill and Terri will move to the Laughlin, Nev., area. Bill enjoyed owning the Blue Swallow, but has battled cancer for years. In the meantime, the historic motel will will be gaining two enthusiastic and capable new owners.
Bill Kinder and Terri Anderson, shortly after acquiring the Blue Swallow Motel in 2006.
Ordinarily, this would be a time for roadies to send well-wishes to Bill. However, at the International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo, “Route 66: The Mother Road” author Michael Wallis said during his annual “State of the Road” speech he was glad the Blue Swallow was gaining new owners, and inferred he was angry that Bill charged money to some visitors who wanted to take photos of the motel’s neon sign.
I emailed Michael for clarification, and have not yet received a reply (he is in the midst of a book tour). Having known Michael for about a decade, I surmise he thought Bill’s conduct was an affront to the legacy of longtime Blue Swallow owner Lillian Redman. “Miss Lillian,” as Michael called her, was a former Harvey Girl who treated travelers with kindness. Any act that veered from that legacy, I suspect, offended Michael deeply.
However, Bill’s stance on photographing that neon sign isn’t that simple. Overnight guests were allowed, of course, to shoot as many pictures as they wanted. Generally, non-guests who pulled up to shoot photos often were quickly encouraged by Bill to buy souvenirs in the lobby, and many did. Or he offered to take their photos in front of the sign, print a copy of the photo for them, and charge a nominal fee. Neither approach was particularly coercive.
Bill took more of a hardline when uninvited members of a motorcycle tour barged into the motel’s empty rooms — while Bill and Terry were cleaning them — and used the bathrooms. Bill had to call police to get rid of them, and that’s when a stricter pay-to-shoot rule essentially was enacted.
Now … was Bill’s rule unbecoming of a Route 66 business? Perhaps. Was it understandable in the wake of that incident? Probably.
Regardless, Bill Kinder and Terri Anderson were much more beneficial to the Blue Swallow Motel than detrimental. They greatly increased the motel’s financial viability, making it more attractive to prospective owners. They sold a lot more merchandise. They drew a lot more tour groups. In short, Bill and Terri were just what the motel needed at that time.
Other businesses gained as well. Bill often urged eastbound Route 66 travelers to stop at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, or other places. Or he’d direct overflow crowds to the Motel Safari down the street.
Bill wasn’t bashful about making money. But after the Blue Swallow was put up for sale, Bill turned down offers until he felt certain the new owners would continue operating it as a motel. That certainly doesn’t sound like greed.
Did Bill have faults? Of course. He could be quarrelsome and headstrong. He’s human. The history of Route 66 is filled with flawed business owners. Even the beloved Lucille “Mother of the Mother Road” Hamons could turn cold or hostile to visitors.
In the end, we have to ask ourselves — was this person ultimately good for Route 66? In the case of Bill, the answer is a resounding “yes.” For that, he should be applauded.
An image from the Mother Road June 15, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Animals.add a comment
Nests of hundreds of barn swallows on an Interstate 40 underpass west of Clinton, Okla., on old Route 66 on Sunday, June 12, 2011.
Angel’s story June 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Movies, People.2 comments
This is an excerpt from the recently released film “Route 66 Arizona.” This segment concentrates on Angel Delgadillo and his hometown, Seligman, Ariz.
The DVD of this film can be purchased here.
An image from the Mother Road June 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Vehicles.2 comments
Graffiti on a car at Bug Ranch, off Route 66 in Conway, Texas, on Sunday, June 12, 2011.
A chip off the old block June 13, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Motels, People, Restaurants.add a comment
We’d heard a rumor of a new restaurant along Route 66 in Clinton, Okla., that used recipes from Pop Hicks restaurant, which burned down in a fire in 1999 and was never rebuilt.
That rumor turned out to be false. However, the restaurant in question, Gayla’s at the Market, turned out to have long Route 66 history of its own. And it was less than a block west of the historic Glancy Motel and the vacant lot where the Pop Hicks restaurant once stood.
Gayla’s co-owner Ed Janning, who was the cook one Sunday when we were there, affirmed he did not use Pop Hicks recipes. He does, however, use old family recipes, including this chicken-fried steak meal:
Gayla’s on the Market stands where the old Dorsey’s Fruit Market and Grocery started on Route 66 in the 1930s. The business had sat empty and deteriorating for 20 years when the Jannings bought it. Now open for nearly two years, Gayla’s serves as a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant, catering business, and gift shop.
You can see remnants of the old Dorsey’s Market, including the original house inside and the old sign outside.
Ed Janning also regaled us with stories about the Pop Hicks restaurant’s owner (including the time he was challenged to a duel — and won) and how the Dorsey’s Market was renovated.
Hours of Gayla’s on the Market are from 7:30 a..m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is 580-445-7008.
A word on Hampton Inns June 13, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels.add a comment
We’ve always urged using local mom-and-pop motels during your Route 66 travels on this site’s Lodging listings.
However, from the earliest days of Route 66 News, we’ve also recommended Hampton Inn if you want a chain motel instead. That’s partly because of Hampton Inn’s Landmarks program, of which several Route 66 properties have benefited. In addition, Hampton Inn sponsored the Route 66 Caravan in 2002, which provided much publicity for the Mother Road.
During business travels in my pre-Route 66 days, Hampton Inns impressed me for offering good amenities (including continental breakfast) at a moderate price. So this recommendation was (and is) honest.
A few weeks ago, a publicist offered two free nights at a Hampton Inn of my choice as a thank-you for the listing on my site. In exchange, I was to provide an “honest” review of those hotels. Because the International Route 66 Festival was coming up in Amarillo, I elected to stay one night each at both Hampton Inns in that city. At least, I figured it would be informative for future Route 66 travelers.
With those disclosures out of the way, here’s what I found:
Hampton Inn, 1700 I-40 East, Amarillo: As expected, we received a clean room, continental breakfast and the customary free Wi-Fi. My spouse commented that she liked the strong water pressure from the shower head, so that she could more efficiently shampoo her hair.
However, the two-story Hampton Inn East in Amarillo contains no elevators. So elderly guests should keep in mind they will have to take the stairs if they’re booked onto the second floor.
Also, it seemed the room’s air conditioner was struggling to keep up. Fortunately, the high temperature that day was a mild 84 degrees. In the wee hours, the A/C unit began pulsating loudly. It obviously was an older unit that had been repaired, and needed more fixing. The next morning, we advised the front desk about the problem, and they promptly filled out a work order.
Hampton Inn, 6901 I-40 West, Amarillo: This three-story Hampton Inn was obviously the newer of the two in Amarillo. It boasted elevators, plus a newer A/C unit with a wall thermostat. So the room where we stayed was clean and comfortable.
One thing we liked was the table-level placement of the room’s electrical outlets, so you could more easily plug in your laptop or portable devices. Also, this Hampton Inn required no access code to tap into its free Wi-Fi (although it did also require an online waiver before surfing).
This hotel was undergoing a major renovation of its breakfast area. Food instead was being served in an adjacent ballroom — a bit cramped, but we did find a sofa where we could sit and eat.
Both hotels were good. But the Hampton Inn on the west side of Amarillo fared better.