This is a pretty good idea. Joshua Noble, director of tourism at the Kingman (Ariz.) Chamber of Commerce, has created dozens of geocaches around the city to help attract visitors, reported the Kingman Daily Miner. And it sounds like the project will expand well beyond Kingman's borders ... Over the last several weeks, Noble said … Continue reading Buried treasure
Category: Maps
More about the historic stretch near Springfield
Route 66 News was the first to have this story a few days ago, but the Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register has elaborated about an old stretch of Route 66 south of Lake Springfield being designated to the National Register of Historic Places. According to the nomination, the Springfield road was typical of two-lane, access highways in … Continue reading More about the historic stretch near Springfield
Notes from the road
It's a busy weekend for many roadies. First, the Arizona Route 66 Association's 22nd annual Fun Run begins Friday. The Kingman Daily Miner has a schedule and a preview. Second, the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor celebration in northern Illinois is Saturday and Sunday. The Pontiac Daily Leader also has a preview. The Bloomington … Continue reading Notes from the road
GPS 66 site launched
Drew Knowles, author of the "Route 66 Adventure Handbook" and the "Route 66 Quick Reference Encyclopedia" and proprietor of the Route 66 University site, has launched the interactive and open-source GPS 66 site. He described it "as the closest thing yet to an online tour of Route 66, including precise GPS-based mapping, eyewitness commentary, and … Continue reading GPS 66 site launched
Book review: “Drive the Broadway of America”
It's not about Route 66. It's not a book in the traditional sense. But Jeff Jensen's "Drive the Broadway of America" (self-published, 223 pages, $30, including shipping) should greatly please Route 66ers and entice roadies to new two-lane adventures. Jensen's book, subtitled "The U.S. 80 and the Bankhead Highways Across the American Southwest," is the … Continue reading Book review: “Drive the Broadway of America”
New version of “EZ 66 Guide” is out
Route 66 artist and researcher Jerry McClanahan has just released a revised version of his acclaimed "EZ 66 Guide for Travelers," published by the National Historic Route 66 Federation. It's $15.95 in a handy spiral-bound form, with $4.95 priority shipping. McClanahan keyed me in about the book's revisions: Despite a change in cover color, it’s … Continue reading New version of “EZ 66 Guide” is out
Photo collection includes mapping
Nick Kenny of the United Kingdom has done several Route 66 trips and has wisely documented his experiences with a Nikon camera. His Flickr account contains more than 450 images of Route 66. That's reason enough to check it out. But then there's this: I have geocoded all photos exactly to help others planning a … Continue reading Photo collection includes mapping
A visit to Meteor City
A videographer checks out Meteor City in Arizona, which features what purportedly is the world's longest map of Route 66. There's another long map of 66 in Winslow, Ariz. The Meteor City map was painted originally by Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, but it was repainted some years later. You can see Waldmire's version here.
Parking lot closed near Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
I was afraid this might happen, and it appears my fears were realized. The St. Clair County Journal in Illinois reports that the parking lot on the Missouri side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was closed by Trailnet a few days ago. The pedestrian bridge, which once carried Route 66 over the Mississippi … Continue reading Parking lot closed near Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Filling the holes
It wasn't long ago that if one wanted to find historic Route 66, vintage maps, old-timers and make plenty of guesses were required. Now there are maps and guidebooks. Realizing that Route 66 was a tourist attraction, states for the most part installed enough road signs to direct novice travelers. However, there are stretches of … Continue reading Filling the holes