It’s not a trick question. The Kansas Sampler Foundation is seeking nominations for the Eight Wonders of Kansas to help boost tourism interest.

Marci Penner of the foundation offered the Joplin (Mo.) Globe a helpful suggestion:

Penner said Cherokee County has other wondrous things that should be considered, including the 13 miles of Route 66 and the Rainbow arch bridge and Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store along the route.

Nominations will be taken until midnight May 6. The foundation will narrow selections to 24.  People can winnow it down to the final eight by voting for their favorites online from June 1 to Dec. 31.

For more about the Eight Wonders program and how to make a nomination, go here.

Yet Another Small Town Moment, which wryly tells of a family’s experiences since moving from Los Angeles to small-town Oklahoma, has long been one of my favorite blogs.

Recently, OKDad and his family took a trip on Route 66 in western Oklahoma. Their experiences are recounted here:

• Spring Breakin’ on Route 66
• Spring Breakin’ on Route 66, Part 2
• Still routing on 66
• Exploring the environs of the elk (that’s Elk City, by the way)
• “Still too muddy to ride horses”
• Radiator Springs in realtime

The last item is particularly interesting in that the family discovered a good pizza restaurant called Friends Pizza and Pub in the unlikely town of Canute (population 500, which is probably generous).

OKDad said:

Friends Pizza and Pub was the kind of place where the waitresses and kitchen staff were happy to take the time to get to know a little of our own story, what brought us to Canute and to their door, and where we were headed from here.

Even though the town surrounding them was obviously in the throes of neglect, in need of repair and attention, the collection of friendly faces, decent food fare, and local color was the exact Radiator Springs/Route 66 vibe we were hoping to find on our trip to motor west, on the highway, that’s the best.

Yet another convert.

This story by the Edmond (Okla.) Sun details all the recent business happenings going on in Arcadia, Okla., which is impressive because the Route 66 town doesn’t even have 300 people — yet.

• The Windmill Shops, a tastefully designed strip mall that includes a tag agency, insurance office, travel agency and tax-planning business. A hair salon is moving in, and the Windmill Shops’ owners hope to draw a sandwich shop and a few more tenants.
• The multimillion-dollar Pops convenience store, which will open this summer.
• The Biker Shak next to the Round Barn, which will sell fashion accessories and biker apparel.
• A historical museum is being built on the second floor of City Hall.
• More homes are being built in the area.

It was inevitable that Arcadia would eventually enjoy the spoils of Oklahoma City’s sprawl. I just hope it doesn’t lose its pleasant, small-town vibe.

Detlev Henschel is walking across North America on foot, trying to take historic roads, if possible. Much of his journey will be on Route 66, reports the Desert Dispatch of Barstow, Calif.

The journey started at the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, and will end in Newfoundland, Canada.

The reason for their voyage, Henschel said, is to see the real America, which to him has nothing to do with Washington, D.C., and international tension.

“We are only interested in good news about America,” he said. [...]

“This is old beautiful America, which still exists,” Henschel said. “America has lots to give.”

Katrin Frommhold is following in a vehicle, filming the adventure.

Henschel’s Web site is here, although it hasn’t been updated in about a week.

Logan County (Ill.) Tourism director Geoff Ladd and Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project historian Carl Johnson joined forces on Thursday to try to find all of the obscure alignments of the Mother Road through Lincoln, Ill., reported the Lincoln Courier.

Talk about a dynamic duo — Ladd has already proved his worth in a short time by rescuing The Mill from the wrecking ball and moving the huge Railsplitter Covered Wagon to town. And Johnson probably has done more honest work on researching Route 66 in Illinois than anyone I can think of.

The old route features they traced included a half-mile-long, one-lane, 10-foot wide section of roadway near North Kickapoo Street they believe was a test route for use of Portland cement, today a common ingredient of concrete.

South of Lincoln, on Cobblestone Avenue near Union Cemetery and continuing across Salt Creek, they noted other Old 66 features - including the meeting of the city’s brick and the state’s paved sections of Route 66 - and a historic marker.

They would like to see historic U.S. 66 designations for all the sites to boost tourism interest.

“This is a big deal,” Ladd said about the exploration and Johnson’s detailed research. “Getting the signage is going to be a big economic boost.” [...]
He and Johnson said they believe identifying and marking the lost portions of the old route will renew attention worldwide to the Mother Road’s history around and through Lincoln.

“It’s pretty much obscure,” Johnson said of accurate local history about the route. “We’re trying to make it not so obscure.

“You’re sitting on a gold mine, I think. “

This is another reason Ladd will succeed in his efforts — he seeks out the true roadies for knowledge and advice.