James H. Roche has just published a Route 66 children’s book, “Route 66 Road Trip Family Fun.” It contains pictures for the kids to color, facts about Route 66 and a list of attractions and Web sites. It goes for $10.95, and it can be ordered through the Web site.

UPDATE: Before buying Roche’s book, read this.

Junior Whipp’s Inn on Route 66 in Bellemont, Ariz. (about 12 miles west of Flagstaff), was destroyed by fire on Tuesday. Whipp, reports the Arizona Daily Sun, wasn’t injured.

The tavern had been open nearly 50 years. It was a favorite for motorcycle riders, locals and Camp Navajo workers.

Bellemont was featured in a scene in “Easy Rider” when Captain America and Billy try to rent a room at the Pine Breeze Inn. That motel is now closed.

Here’s a 2004 story from CNN about Bellemont.

Remember the dispute between the City of Flagstaff and an Asian businesswoman over the red color of her building? Well, there’s been a compromise reached, according to the Arizona Daily Sun.

Ace Jackalope of The Lope blog pays his first visit to the restored Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Rialto, Calif. As usual, he took a lot of photographs. Ace was impressed with the work the Patels did on the once-seedy property.

The new proprieters of the famed Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M., will be Bill Kinder and Terri Johnson. They are a retired couple from Florida. The ownership change occur in early March, according to the Quay County Sun.

“We’ve been thinking about buying a motel for about 10 years,� Johnson said, “and Bill kept going back to this one, going back to this one.�

Dale and Hilda Bakke were the ones who restored the motel to its original splendor after they purchased it eight years ago.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,� Dale Bakke said of leaving the Blue Swallow’s nest. “We do like it here; we love New Mexico. This is a good town to live in, we like the smaller town and the people here.�

New owner Johnson said she and Kinder are sure to feel the same, especially since they’ve lived in New Mexico before and prefer small towns.

“There’s enough people, but not too many, like in Amarillo or Albuquerque,� she said.

“Bill likes all that nostalgic stuff,� Johnson said of one of the reasons they were drawn to the Blue Swallow.

“This place has got a lot of heart,� she said, “a lot of character.�