A few days ago, Kevin and Nancy Mueller at the Blue Swallow Motel asked me to check out the list of authors and artists slated to appear at the inaugural Wheels on 66 festival on June 7-9 in Tucumcari, N.M.
I have to admit, for a first-year event, the list is pretty darned impressive:
- Christopher Robleski, author and photographer for “Fading Nostalgia, Polaroid Photos from Route 66”
- Michael Campanelli, a noted Route 66 photographer and author of “Route 66: A Photo Journal”
- Joe Sonderman, Route 66 postcard collector (66postcards.c0m) and author of “Get Your Pics on Route 66” and books from Arcadia Publishing
- Jim Ross, Route 66 historian, author and co-creator of “Here It Is!” map series
- Jim Hinckley, author of “The Big Book of Car Culture,” “Ghost Towns of Route 66” and the upcoming “Route 66 Encyclopedia”
- Gene Duke, author and photographer for “Route 66 – May They Rust In Peace”
- Bob Saar, author of “In Memory of David’s Buick”
- Drew Knowles, author of the “The Route 66 Adventure Handbook”
- Bob “Crocodile” Lile, artist and longtime Route 66 advocate
- Jerry McClanahan, author of “EZ66 Guide for Travelers” and co-author of “Route 66 Sightings”
- Doug Quarles, artist who’s painted murals and old gas stations in Tucumcari
The festival also features live music, a parade, car and motorcycle show, and stops by the Mother Road Rally and the New Mexico Route 66 Association Motor Tour.
How could they leave out “Shelee Graham”???