Opening day of the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino was Thursday. The San Bernardino County Sun has a report.

Also, the Sun will have extended coverage of the event at this site, which also contains video links and audio slideshows.

The Sun also has this article about Route 66 businesses in the Mojave Desert and the Mother Road travelers that flock to them.

In case you’re too far east to check out the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino, your other option this weekend is the Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Ill.

The Springfield Journal-Register reports that the festival is expected to break the attendance record of 80,000 people and the record of 400 vehicles registered. More than 700 vehicles are registered.

Other than the vehicles, highlights of this year’s festival will include a Disney/Pixar exhibit of the summer movie “Cars,” which will feature Route 66 expert Michael Wallis, who voiced Sheriff Mercury in the picture.

Dean Walker, a Kansan who was the inspiration for Tow Mater, the car played by Larry the Cable Guy in the movie, also will be at the Disney/Pixar exhibit west of Lincoln Library.

The newspaper article includes highlights in the festival’s schedule. The festival’s official Web site is here.

Alan McNeil, the man who’s trying to rehabilitate the long-neglected Triangle Motel on Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas, wants to repair the roof on the motel complex but lacks the necessary credit history to obtain a loan.

His mother Marianne, who set up the Triangle Motel Web site, made this plea:

We were warned that most historical agencies offer only no-profit grants, but the Triangle Motel is such an important historical site in this area, and could make such a difference to the eastern end of Amarillo Blvd E. It is coming so close to being lost. If we can get a grant for the roof, it will save the project. Alan has no credit history; he’s doesn’t buy things on credit. We never realized how hard that would make it to find financial backing. If you can recommend someone who might help, we would appreciate it so much.

Contact us at Email ajmcneil@trianglemotelrt66.com, or call 806-676-7627 or 374-4534 and we will get in touch with them.

A good candidate may be Prosper.com, which is like an eBay for loans. It’s been getting raves. Or, if you know someone in the Route 66 community who might like to help out Alan and loan him some money at a decent rate, give him a call.

The attempted restoration of the long-closed Triangle Motel in Amarillo is featured in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s online magazine.

The Duke City Fix blog collective in Albuquerque has a story about the planned streetcar line that will run on Central Avenue, aka Route 66, from Tingley Avenue (near the river) to the Nob Hill district.

The artist’s rendering above is Sixth and Central.

The 4.8-mile line should be running by fall 2009. The city will hold meetings starting next week with the consultant team to discuss the project.

I’m enthused. This means instead of driving, one can gaze on Albuquerque’s neon signs from a streetcar instead of driving.

To see a 30-minute video about the rail line, go the the city’s Web site here (Windows Media required).