Tornadoes cause damage in Oklahoma Route 66 towns May 19, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Towns, Weather.add a comment
Powerful twisters on Sunday afternoon danced around the Route 66 corridor between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and damaged homes in Wellston and Edmond, reported The Oklahoman newspaper and other media outlets.
As of Sunday evening, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities.
The Oklahoman posted this video from Edmond:
Tornadoes also were reported near the Route 66 towns of Arcadia and Luther. But the twisters tended to go north of those locations. Pops in Arcadia tweeted that its landmark convenience store / restaurant was unharmed by the storm. And Route 66 author and photographer Shellee Graham, who lives near Arcadia, saw no damage but posted a photo of the tornado on her Facebook account.
KFOR-TV posted several photos of homes in Wellston that were damaged or destroyed by the twister.
The Associated Press filed a story about the damage in Edmond:
“I knew it was coming,” said Randy Grau, who huddled with his wife and two young boys in their Edmond’s home’s safe room when the tornado hit. He said he peered out his window as the weather worsened and believed he saw a flock of birds heading down the street.
“Then I realized it was swirling debris. That’s when we shut the door of the safe room, said Grau, adding that they sheltered in the room for 10 minutes.
UPDATE 3/20/2013: Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce sent these photos after a storm raked the east side of Carthage, Mo., on Sunday night. He said the storm didn’t affect any Route 66 landmarks which he’s aware.
Also, you’ve doubtlessly heard about the awful tornado that struck the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, Okla., on Monday afternoon. The storm that produced the tornado traveled northeast near the Route 66 corridor, but it weakened considerably by the time it reached the Tulsa region.
The story behind Albuquerque’s big aluminum yucca May 19, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Attractions.2 comments
A huge aluminum yucca sculpture, appropriately titled “Aluminum Yucca,” in the east mountains of Albuquerque along Interstate 40 and old Route 66 recently marked its 10th year of existence, reported the Albuquerque Journal.
The 22-foot-tall artwork stands out no matter when you see it. Its shape and polished metal amid the mountain rocks capture eyes in the daytime, and it’s lighted at night.
Gordon Huether of California created the $124,000 sculpture, which was paid for with grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, City of Albuquerque, and State of New Mexico.
Two parts of the story stand out. One was Huether’s inspiration for the sculpture:
His inspiration was twofold, the artist, now 54, recalled in a telephone interview. One part had everything to do with Albuquerque and the East Mountain’s ties to Kirtland Air Force Base: The sculpture’s shining stalks are actually fuel tanks recycled from old military aircraft. The second part of his inspiration stemmed from New Mexico’s state flower, the yucca. Huether said he finds “inherent dramatic gestures” in the yucca’s form.
Second, the sculpture was supposed to be part of a larger complex in that area:
The artwork was originally intended to be just one element of a much larger “East Mountain gateway project” welcoming motorists to the city, she said. Plans called for building a complete visitors’ center with nods to historic Route 66, Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories. Even more ambitious plans envisioned similarly grand gateways to the city at Albuquerque’s northern, southern and western freeway entrances.
To date, except for Aluminum Yucca, none of that has happened.
I wonder what happened with the visitor’s center? Did the recession in 2008 scuttle plans? Or did the U.S. government get tight-fisted with domestic money when it was fighting two foreign wars shortly after the sculpture was erected?
(Image of “Aluminum Yucca,” via JadeXJustice via Flickr)
A happy ending at Cadillac Ranch May 19, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Attractions, People.add a comment
We’ve seen a lot of bad and even unsavory news about Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas, in recent months — mainly because of the many legal troubles of the art installation’s longtime proprietor, Stanley Marsh 3.
But this video reminds us that Cadillac Ranch remains a roadside attraction of levity … and even poignancy.
The folks at One Tree Films explain:
Our journey across historic Route 66 took us to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Tex., on a cold and windy March morning. We would cross paths with young couple who were there to paint the cars and even offered to let us use some of their spray paint for our film.
We would come to find out they weren’t just there to paint cars. Nic had a painted message, “Will you Marry Me, Frances.” It was a little hard to read, but she figured it out quickly and One Tree was there to capture it all in pictures and film.
Our little engagement gift to you both for being just awesome people
An even more amazing coincidence is that One Tree Films specializes in wedding videos.
Cadillac Ranch | Fate from One Tree Films on Vimeo.
New Illinois Route 66 Hall of Famers announced May 18, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Gas stations, Restaurants.add a comment
The Route 66 Association of Illinois will induct three new members to its Hall of Fame on June 8, during its annual Hall of Fame banquet in Lincoln, Ill., reported the Morris Daily Herald.
The newspaper said the association received 17 nominations for the annual induction. The Class of 2013 in the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame are:
- The Palms Grill Cafe, Atlanta, Ill. It opened in 1934 in downtown Atlanta, when Route 66 ran through the town’s center. After being closed for many years, local leaders renovated and reopened it in 2006. It has become a must-stop for many Route 66 travelers.
- George B. Cathcart of Edwardsville, who owned the long-gone Cathcart’s Cafe in town. He also opened a tourist court, hamburger stand, and grocery along Route 66 in Edwardsville.
- Wilbur Fawns Sr. Family of Williamsville and Sherman. The family owned several gas stations, dating to 1937, in those towns along Route 66.
The Hall of Fame banquet is held in conjunction with the Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour. Details about the banquet and motor tour can be found here.
The full list of Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame members since 1990 can be found here.
Driving Route 66 in Amarillo May 18, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Television, Towns.add a comment
Meaghan Collier posted this story she did for KAMR-TV about Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas.
Much of the segment focuses on the Sixth Street Historic District in Amarillo, and longtime roadies will recognize Bob “Crocodile” Lile being interviewed.
The full “Two Lane Blacktop” May 17, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Road trips.add a comment
If you’ve never seen the 1971 film “Two Lane Blacktop,” now’s your chance. Someone has posted the entire movie on YouTube.
According to a Wikipedia article about the film:
Two-Lane Blacktop is notable as a time capsule film of U.S. Route 66 during the pre-Interstate Highway era, and for its stark footage and minimal dialogue. As such, it has become popular with fans of Route 66. Two-Lane Blacktop has been compared to similar road movies with an existentialist message from the era, such as Vanishing Point, Easy Rider, and Electra Glide in Blue.
I’ve spotted several Route 66 landmarks in New Mexico and Texas in the film.
Chicken-fried steak at Clanton’s May 16, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Food, Restaurants.2 comments
KTUL-TV in Tulsa continues its series about restaurants that serve chicken-fried steak with a road trip down Route 66 to Vinita, Okla., to visit Clanton’s Cafe.
If you can’t see the video, just click on the link below:
KTUL.com – Tulsa, Oklahoma – News, Weather
Although the segment doesn’t mention it, Clanton’s also is famous for serving calf fries — a delicacy in many parts of rural Oklahoma.
Clanton’s fame for those two dishes shouldn’t dissuade you from ordering other things on the menu. I’ve had a wide variety of meals at Clanton’s, and I’ve never been disappointed.