Atlanta Journal-Constitution television critic Jill Vejnoska has an irreverent take on Oprah Winfrey’s big summer road trip, which will be unspooling on Oprah’s show over the next few weeks.

Here’s an excerpt:

She promised to give the car to somebody when they’ve finished showing us this whole “Big Adventure” thing, which, presumably will be many, many ratings-swollen weeks from now. But the studio audience did get a consolation prize: Homemade root beer shipped in direct from Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner in Kingman, Arizona, where the duo had stopped on Day 2. I know what you’re thinking: What if they have to pay taxes on it, like the “Oprah” audience that all got cars a few seasons ago? Here’s what I’m thinking: How much can a root beer possibly cost in Kingman, Arizona?

As for me, I’m not as willing to poke fun at the divine Ms. O. Because of one measly little visit to Mr. D’z, Route 66 News experienced a traffic jump of the likes not seen since the opening week of the “Cars” movie.

Oprah is mighty. Do not taunt mighty Oprah.

Although official figures won’t be out until later in the week, the San Bernardino County Sun is reporting that attendance at the Route 66 Rendezvous was about the same as last year — in the 400,000 to 500,000 range during the four-day event.
The major difference is that this year’s event was entirely in downtown San Bernardino. In 2005, part of it was at the National Orange Show, a couple miles away.

If you live near Richmond, Ind., you may want to keep your calendar free on April 15. That’s when the local Lions Club will screen “Route 66, Part II — The Romance of the Road” as part of the Lions Travel Film Series, according to the Richmond Palladium-Item.

Presented by Charles Hartman, it is an expedition across the states California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. It focuses on the National Old Trails route, the building of the highway through the Mojave Desert, a history in billboards and classic roadside museums.

The film will begin at 3 p.m. at the Vivian Auditorium in Whitewater Hall at Indiana University East in Richmond. Tickets are $6.

• Zamozo on Unschooling drove from Albuquerque to Oklahoma City on Interstate 40, but made a few offramp stops on old Route 66 that included this exceptional night photograph of the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas.
• Martin posted a huge number of photographs of Route 66 in Illinois on his MySpace site.
• Saint’s Heart, Sinner’s Style posted a bunch of photos from the Route 66 Rendezvous.
• Here’s another Rendezvous slideshow by Julie Rudolph.
• Connie and David start the first day of their Route 66 Trip, including a stop at the Ariston Cafe.
• Here’s another first day of a Route 66 trip, this time by the Price family.
• The Southwest Association for the Paranormal investigates whether there are ghosts at the Red Garter Bed & Bakery in Williams, Ariz. Its findings: The Red Garter is a great place to stay, but evidence of paranormal activity was scant and inconclusive.

Keepers of the Wild, a nonprofit animal park and sanctuary that’s moving to about 20 miles north of Kingman, Ariz., on Route 66, soon will be opening to the public, reports the Kingman Daily Miner.

Keepers of the Wild used to be along U.S. 93, close to Hoover Dam. But owner Jonathan Kraft was landlocked and decided to look for land elsewhere so he could expand his sanctuary.

He says he happened to be driving along Route 66 north of Kingman when he saw a “For Sale” sign near Valentine and fell in love with the spot.

Things fell into place quickly and he was able to buy the land. Keepers of the Wild has not yet opened at their new location, but they are planning a soft opening sometime this fall or winter, with a grand opening this coming spring.

The new property near Valentine is in a better location for tourists, and it allows for expansion. Sixty acres are being developed in the initial phase but the property totals 175 acres. The boulder-strewn, sloping desert will feature naturalistic habitats where animals can roam freely among the rocks and trees.

So travelers on Route 66 who are lamenting the likely closing of Exotic Animal Paradise now will have an alternative.