A company called Route 66 has launched its latest global-positioning system program, Mobile 7 for Windows Mobile smartphones. 

According to TMCnet.com:

Route 66 Mobile 7 determines its position using an advanced, highly sensitive wireless GPS receiver, using that information to guide the user with turn-by-turn voice instructions supplemented with on-screen visual directions. 

More specs are listed in the article. The full kit is $299. The program only is $149. Both systems have been available in Europe for quite some time, but they're now in the United States and Canada.

I already reported about this new event, the Tulsa World Route 66 Marathon, in December. Although the 26.2-mile run won't hear the crack of the starting gun until the late fall, KOTV reports it's already gaining plenty of attention from runners.

Runner Chris Lieberman came up with the idea after enjoying marathons in other cities. "It's kind of like a 26.2 mile tailgate party. It just made me want to have that in my city."

Runners can look forward to a full marathon, a half-marathon or a marathon relay. And apparently there's already a buzz. Kathy Sager with Runners World: "It's early in the phase already and people are already getting excited about it. People have already signed up, so it has potential to be huge.”

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And all of the run's proceeds will benefit the Tulsa Area United Way. Kathleen Coan with the Tulsa Area United Way: "And so it's going to be fun. But it's also the 65 agencies that we support through the Tulsa Area United Way, will be very grateful for the monies that will be raised."

The Route 66 Marathon will be a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Shirley Rose Higgins of the Royal Gazette in Bermuda has provided a pretty good travel guide about the Navajo Nation and its history.

It includes this excerpt about the Route 66 town of Gallup, N.M.:

If you approach through Gallup, New Mexico, you'll want to stop at the tourist information office in the old train station on Route 66 in the heart of this interesting town. In addition to helpful staff with lots of information, a large room is dedicated to those brave Code Talkers who utilised their once-forbidden Navajo language so remarkably, it was never deciphered by the Japanese in the Pacific war front.

As mentioned last week, Kayenta, Arizona's Hampton Inn owner, also has a display in his Burger King honouring those extraordinary men.

Visitors will want to linger in Gallup a bit, browse in shops, and stay on for free evening Indian dance performances held in a special outdoor arena next to the old train station beside an historic railroad display. (Memorial Day through Labour Day) Gallup's main centre remains very unchanged and is home to August's widely acclaimed Inter Tribal Indian Ceremonial.

Many westerns were filmed around here starring Spencer Tracy, Barbara Stanwyck, Ronald Reagan, Errol Flynn, Katherine Hepburn, Joel McCrae, Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, so scenery may look familiar.

The article is recommended reading.