Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park September 15, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Attractions.1 comment so far
Here’s a very good film by John Parham about Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park near Foyil, Okla.
The park isn’t on Route 66. In fact, it’s 3.5 miles east. But it’s been inextricably linked to the Mother Road because of its beauty and quirkiness.
Music is by The Ventures.
New “Tucumcari Tonite!” billboard September 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Gas stations, Signs, Towns.1 comment so far
A new billboard usually isn’t anything special. But this one for the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., boasts a retro look that’s difficult to ignore.
Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari in Tucumcari, said in an e-mail:
We’re helping to celebrate New Mexico’s Centennial 1912-2012 this time, with a turquoise colored background, much like the state’s new license plates, which recently won best new state license plate in the United States. This time we’re also going for an old postcard kind of look too, and will be adding a few more locations than we had before, which reflects our slow but steady positive growth we’ve now sustained over the past 3 years and still continue…
Also, Tucumcari’s ongoing gas-station repainting project will continue on Saturday. The smoke shop, almost directly across the street from the Lowe’s grocery, will receive a face-lift.
Pixar’s podcasts from the Mother Road September 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Restaurants, Road trips.add a comment
A few weeks before “Cars” debuted in movie theaters in 2006, Pixar Animation Studios made available a series of behind-the-scenes podcasts about the film.
The podcasts were available only via iTunes. But an enterprising soul on YouTube recently posted the videos for greater mass consumption.
Here’s the “Kickin’ It on Route 66″ podcast, showing how the Pixar crew was guided down the Mother Road by “Route 66: The Mother Road” author Michael Wallis. Pixar was researching Route 66 for the film.
And here’s one of the Pixar animators taking on the 72-ounce steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo:
All of the Pixar “Cars” podcasts from 2006 can be found here.
“The Road to Amarillo” video September 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.1 comment so far
A few months ago, The Road Crew composed and recorded a new song about the International Route 66 Festival that came to Amarillo in June.
After the festival, the country-rock band has unveiled its video for “The Road to Amarillo.”
The band was presented with the Bobby Troup Artistic Recognition Award during the festival’s awards banquet.
“My Hometown” September 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
David Lowe, an opera singer who is a native of Joplin, Mo., composed this song after the tornado destroyed much of his hometown on May 22.
The song is part of a CD, titled “Back to My Roots,” of which proceeds of its sales will go the Bright Futures program at Joplin High School. The album includes a version of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66.”
“My Hometown” can also be downloaded for $1. Everything can be ordered online here.
“My Town” September 13, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Uncategorized.add a comment
Dennis Beck and his longtime music group, the James River Band, grew up in the Route 66 town of Marshfield, Mo. The video for this song, “My Town,” includes vintage footage from Marshfield and plenty of reminisces as well.
http://youtu.be/zc770HH9z70
As a bonus, here’s another James River Band song that mentions Route 66:
(Hat tip: Rich Dinkela)
A culinary tour September 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Food, Restaurants, Road trips, Signs.1 comment so far
The Food Channel (not to be confused with the Food Network) posted this clip about many restaurant signs along the Mother Road and some non-food landmarks as well.
More Route 66 signs installed in Oklahoma City September 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways, Signs, Towns.add a comment
Finishing a four-year project, Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation installed about 30 Route 66 road signs in the metro area, reported The Oklahoman newspaper.
State Sen. David Holt said it was done to help direct Route 66 travelers through the city.
Holt [...] noted there were only a half-dozen or so signs marking the route through the metro, five of them at one intersection. Holt thought there had to be a better marking.
The city named this portion of the road the official Route 66 Scenic Byway because it largely is the location used from 1929 to 1954 during the heyday of Route 66.
That route, from west to east, follows NW 36 to NW 39 Expressway, briefly follows Interstate 44, turns south at May Avenue, east at NW 23, north at N Lincoln Boulevard, follows I-44 again until turning north at Kelley.
It then leaves Oklahoma City just north of Memorial Road before coming back into the city for 3 more miles east of Arcadia along NE 192.
Whew! See why it was confusing?
The city’s cost was a shade under $3,000.
The city also worked with Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Mike Hickey to point out landmarks that would get their own signs.
I had recently heard OKC was installing more Route 66 signs in the metro area, and noted it had become easier to follow the Mother Road through there.
New Web address, same site September 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Web sites.add a comment
Those of you who surfed here during the weekend may have noticed the “route66news.com” in your browser address bar being replaced by “route66news.com.”
That’s because I used a tool that WordPress.com offers called domain mapping. It basically slaps a new domain name over the old, although the original domain remains operational.
I used “rwarn17588″ in the domain for years because it was a variation of an old e-mail, plus “route66news.com” wasn’t yet available. I thought I was stuck with that clunky old domain, until WordPress started offering mapping a few months ago. Route66news.com obviously is easier to remember and type, so it didn’t take much persuasion to use it.
As for you readers, you shouldn’t have to do anything. Old links to this site should continue to work fine. There may be a hiccup (like I experienced) when you surf for the first time to the new domain, but it should clear up for good when you hit the refresh button on your browser.
Otherwise, Route 66 News remains the same, except for its simpler and more concise URL address.
Mixing the metaphors September 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Religion.add a comment
One of the fellers from the “Route 66: A Road Trip through the Bible” needs to keep his cliches straight.
This entry covers the third book of John.