Severe storms rake Lebanon, Rolla in Missouri

The storm systems that roared across the Midwest late Tuesday and early Wednesday -- including one that caused fatalities in Harrisburg, Ill. -- affected the Route 66 towns of Lebanon and Rolla in mid-Missouri. Ramona Lehman, longtime co-owner of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, said in a phone interview that no damage occurred at … Continue reading Severe storms rake Lebanon, Rolla in Missouri

New Alan Wake video game takes place on Arizona’s Route 66

A new video game, "Alan Wake's American Nightmare," has hit the market, and its setting lands on Route 66 in Arizona, according to VentureBeat.com. The game is a reprise of the original "Alan Wake" game in 2010. The Alan Wake character is a horror novelist who encounters real-life horror of his own. VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi … Continue reading New Alan Wake video game takes place on Arizona’s Route 66

Albuquerque restaurant bottling the world’s hottest salsa

El Pinto Restaurant in Albuquerque now is making the hottest salsa in the world, reported the Albuquerque Journal. The salsa is called Scorpion Salsa. The newspaper reported: The Trinidad Scorpion pepper was certified by the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University as one of the top three hottest peppers in the world. El … Continue reading Albuquerque restaurant bottling the world’s hottest salsa

$800,000 grant sought for Route 66 visitors center in Albuquerque

A pack of lawmakers is seeking an $800,000 grant from the state of New Mexico for a Route 66 visitors center on the east end of Albuquerque. A couple of sharp-eyed readers saw the line item in the long list of capital-outlays requests by the New Mexico Legislature. You can see the listing on the … Continue reading $800,000 grant sought for Route 66 visitors center in Albuquerque

Illinois Tourism creates new Route 66 videos

DiscoverIllinois.org (aka the Illinois Office of Tourism) recently uploaded well-produced videos about Route 66 in the Land of Lincoln. Here's the introduction: https://youtu.be/4WaQ6LoaYBM And here's a five-minute tour of the Mother Road in Illinois, courtesy of expert John Weiss: https://youtu.be/4dTkCcQC0gQ And several tourists are asked about Route 66's appeal: https://youtu.be/9ZHBKceCFoM

Albuquerque mayor wants input on revitalizing Route 66

It's going to be interesting to see how this shakes out later today: The most interesting part of KOB-TV's report on the mayor wanting to revitalize Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in Albuquerque is this: Whatever the perfect formula is, Mayor Berry says he wants to find it and make Albuquerque's star along Route 66 … Continue reading Albuquerque mayor wants input on revitalizing Route 66

Ostrich farm led to a stretch of Route 66

A small section of Sunset Boulevard (aka Route 66) in the Echo Park neighborhood in Los Angeles is lined with sandstone bluffs. That "cut" dates to an 1887 railroad line to an ostrich farm. No kidding. This video explains: https://youtu.be/szlrNfuRVb0 If you'd like to explore it yourself, here's a Google Map of the location. The … Continue reading Ostrich farm led to a stretch of Route 66

Mitchell Caverns vandalized after state closes it

Mitchell Caverns, part of the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area in Southern California's Mojave Desert, was extensively vandalized after it was closed last spring due to state budget cuts, reported the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported: Intruders cut fences, kicked doors off of hinges and shattered windows and display cases. They stole metal signs and … Continue reading Mitchell Caverns vandalized after state closes it

“Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” Episode 7

Here’s the seventh episode of Japanese television’s “Yamashita Tomohisa Route 66,” which chronicles the singer and actor’s trip down the Mother Road last fall. This installment takes him from Amarillo to Gallup, N.M. It looks like a side trip to Monument Valley is coming up on the next episode. https://vimeo.com/37240819

Route 66 photo exhibit soon will open in Pasadena

Photographer Rick Yenofsky of Arcadia, Calif., will display images of the Mother Road in Southern California with "Getting There - Old Places on Route 66, Planes, Trains, Ships & Automobiles: Modern and Historic" at Colonnade Art Gallery and Studio in Pasadena. The exhibit starts March 3. The Pasadena Star-News reports: Yenofsky traveled from downtown Los Angeles through … Continue reading Route 66 photo exhibit soon will open in Pasadena