Artist Bob Waldmire to be at Route 66 Museum May 18, 2006
Posted by Ron in Art, Movies, People, Toys.8 comments
Longtime Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire will have his first-ever art show at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Okla., from June 1 to June 30. His 1965 Mustang "fastback" also will be on display there.
Waldmire will make a personal appearance at the museum during the June 1-4 weekend.
I unexpectedly ran into Waldmire at Hillbillee's restaurant in Arcadia, Okla., a few days ago. He gave me a hand-drawn placard that advertises his exhibit at Clinton. Alas, it didn't fit on the scanner I use.
However, you can peruse some of Waldmire's intricate artwork here. His drawing style is like a more sedate Robert Crumb.
Because Waldmire is a dedicated hippie and drives a vintage Volkswagen van from place to place, he is an unofficial inspiration to Fillmore, the VW hippie van in the upcoming Pixar "Cars" movie.
The movie's van was originally going to be named Waldmire. But the real Waldmire said he refused to sign the movie's release form for for several reasons, including Disney owning the rights in perpetuity and that toys featuring his character would be placed in McDonald's Happy Meals. Waldmire is a vegetarian and takes his beliefs seriously, so he had problems with his cartoon likeness being next to a hamburger. He said he offered Disney a counterproposal that would have funneled some money to charity, but it was turned down.
He has no regrets. Waldmire says he's creating a plush toy of his customized VW van and hopes to have it for sale within the next few weeks. He'll also be at the Route 66 Festival in Albuquerque next month.
Missouri association’s magazine is out May 18, 2006
Posted by Ron in Magazines, Route 66 Associations, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
The latest issue of Show Me Route 66, a quarterly magazine put out by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, came in my mail yesterday.
If you're not familiar with it, it's a glossy, professional-looking magazine. It's mailed to association members.
Stories in the latest issue include:
- A look at Cuba, Mo., and its ongoing murals project.
- The historic Munro House in Cuba.
- The history and continuing highway-realignment struggles of Vernelle's Motel, west of Doolittle.
- An Australian couple's tour of Route 66.
For more information on how to acquire the magazine, click here.
Harley-Davidson is surveying Route 66 riders May 18, 2006
Posted by Ron in Motorcycles, Road trips, Web sites.add a comment
Here's what Harley-Davidson's Web site says:
Harley-Davidson needs your help. We are gathering as much information as we can about the "Mother of All Roads," Route 66. If you have traveled any or all of the segments of Route 66 listed below, please take a moment to complete a survey about the conditions, sights, and amenities you encountered on your bike. Please complete a survey for as many of the road segments you have experienced. The survey questions are multiple choice and should not take more than a few minutes. Please do not take a survey if you have never ridden on the road.
Click on a Route 66 segment you have traveled to launch the survey. Once you complete a survey, you will be brought back to this page so you can take surveys for other segments as well. Thank you for your participation.
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New Route 66 restaurant May 18, 2006
Posted by redforkhippie in Businesses, Food, Preservation, Restaurants.5 comments
Red Fork Hippie Chick here, offering up a review of a new restaurant in Sapulpa: Al's Route 66 Cafe.
Al's went in where the old Rivett's Cafe used to be.
I had chicken parmesan for dinner there recently. It was utterly wonderful … and dirt-cheap. For $4.25, I got a chicken breast approximately the size of Tucumcari Mountain, slathered in cheese, tomato sauce, and sauteed mushrooms. It came with a cup of cottage cheese, and when the owner found out I shared her affinity for sauteed mushrooms, she brought me an extra cup of them just to make me smile.
Another 90 cents bought a big glass of sweet tea made the way God intended — brewed from real tea bags, sweetened with real sugar while it was hot enough to dissolve all the crystals, and served over a whole glass of ice, with a big ol' lemon wedge on the rim.
I never had a chance to eat at Rivett's, but I can wholeheartedly recommend Al's. The owners tell me they are planning to offer something similar to the Big Texan's famous 72-ounce steak challenge, too: In the near future, hungry diners will be able to tackle the Big Al, a 66-ounce burger served with three pounds of fries and a 32-ounce shake on the side — free if you finish in 66 minutes.
The decor is pretty great. The owners have restored the original tin ceiling, and they have some extremely artistic friends who decorated the walls with mosaics: A giant 66 shield, a map of 66, and a road (complete with yellow stripe) going off into the distance.
Quite a place. It hasn't quite dethroned the Rock Cafe as my all-time favorite Route 66 diner, but it's definitely in the top 10.
