Brad Nickson of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association shot photos when the "Cars" road show made a stop in Tulsa. Here is the set of photos on Flickr.

After a well-run and productive Route 66 Summit yesterday, the law of averages would dictate that something would eventually go wrong at the Route 66 Festival in Albuquerque.

Well, Murphy's Law took effect this morning during the setup of the authors and artists showcase at the Hotel Albuquerque. First, the hotel goofed with the location of the showcase. Instead of being in the outdoors-but-shaded courtyard, it is indoors in one of the main ballrooms. So there's some apprehension of whether traffic will be as good as it would have been outside, near the classic-car show.

Also, in the early hours, there was confusion about where authors and artists should set up and whether there were enough tables.

To top it off, the fire marshal was prohibiting any exhibitor from using a two-pronged electrical plug. I guess he figured the ballroom would turn into a raging inferno if the lady next to my booth used a couple of non-grounded plugs to illuminate her display of decorated glass blocks with Christmas lights (((sarcasm))). What irritated the exhibitors was that there was no apparent advance notice that the grounded electrical cords were required.

Anyway, it's now about noon, and everything seems to be under control now. If this is the worst thing we'll have to deal with, we'll be fine.

I'll be at the Will Rogers Awards banquet tonight; I'll report on what transpires later. 

During the Route 66 Summit yesterday, the publishers of the Route 66 Pulse newspaper distributed complimentary copies of its first issue at the Hotel Albuquerque, which is the headquarters of the Route 66 Festival this week.

In the issue are these stories:

• A story about the movie "Cars."
• A story about the festival
• An "exclusive" story about the making of "Cars" and custom-car maker Eddie Paul.
• A look at the "Route 66" television show from the 1960s.
• A story about the Big Texan restaurant in Amarillo, Texas.
• The excavation of a pedestrian tunnel in Odell, Ill.
• Laurel Kane explains how she amassed her huge postcard collection.
• The town "too stubborn to die," Oatman, Ariz.
• A report from the "Cars" world premiere in the Lowes Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
• Why Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire turned down a tie-in to the movie "Cars."
• The history of Burma Shave signs.

The newspaper is 16 pages, with lots of color photos. The first issue of Route 66 Pulse magazine isn't being distributed up and down the Mother Road. But attendees at the festival are being encouraged to take multiple copies home. If you weren't able to go to Albuquerque, look up your local roadie for a copy.