Old sounding new June 30, 2008
Posted by Ron in Music.1 comment so far
Change the key and slow the tempo, and Bobby Troup’s “Route 66″ sounds like a new song.
This version is performed by Steve Binetti.
A drive through the desert June 29, 2008
Posted by Ron in Motels, Road trips.add a comment
Timothy O’Grady of The Observer in London writes about his driving journey through the American Southwest, much of it on Route 66.
Among the places featured in the story is the Route 66 Motel in Barstow, Calif., and the Monte Vista Hotel in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Mother Roadrunner June 28, 2008
Posted by Ron in Animals.add a comment
I’ve seen roadrunners in Oklahoma, where I live, but only as a blur as they zip by at incredible speed.
This videographer got good footage of two of them, on old Route 66 between Oatman, Ariz., and Kingman:
I got my camera to take a video, and when I tried to slowly approach the bird it suddenly ran toward me. It was hard to video because it kept approaching so close. It must have been used to handouts from passing motorists.
Animals that get used to handouts from humans often are susceptible to predators. But these birds can easily outrun anything with sinister intentions.
Notes from the road June 27, 2008
Posted by Ron in Attractions, Businesses, Events, Music, Preservation, Television, Theaters, Towns.2 comments
There seems to be some activity at the long-abandoned old Route 66 town of Spencer, Mo. We heard from Gary Turner up the road at Gay Parita that someone has bought the town’s handful of buildings and plans to revive it with a gift shop and maybe other things. When we drove by on Sunday evening, old-style gas pumps had been installed. With an old iron bridge nearby and an alignment that’s considerably more serene for travelers than the busy Highway 96, perhaps Spencer can again become a destination. Maybe Turner and Spencer’s owner can feed off each other with tourism visits.
- Pending clearance from health officials, the historic Bono’s orange stand in Fontana, Calif., is set to reopen, reports the San Bernardino County Sun. It’s sits on the Bono’s Restaurant and Deli parking lot on Foothill Boulevard (aka Route 66). The orange-shaped stand dates to the 1930s.
- The Route 66 Festival-Hot Dogs and Hot Rods is in Clinton, Okla., this weekend boasts something unusual — the Wiener Nationals dog races on Saturday, in which full-blooded dachshunds participate. Clinton decided to do another Route 66 festival after its hosting of the national festival last year was such a success.
- The village of Gardner, Ill., reports that out of expenditures of about $17,000, the village lost a little less than $500 during the Kicks on Gardner Route 66 event a few weeks ago. That doesn’t sound encouraging, but for a new event, nearly breaking even is quite good. Most new festivals bleed money for the first few years until the kinks are worked out.
- It appears, according to varying news reports in varying cities, that the 14th annual punk-rock Vans Warped Tour has a Route 66 stage. It had one actual stop in a Route 66 town, the first date of Pomona, Calif.
- The Route 66 Rendezvous on Sept. 18-21 in San Bernardino, Calif., needs volunteers. More information here.
- A new theater troupe called the Route 66 Theatre Company has formed in the Windy City. According to Playbill, “artistic director (Stef) Tovar was looking for a way to collaborate on theater pieces with friends in both L.A. and Chicago.”
- Michael Giltz of the Huffington Post, ranting against Hollywood’s questionable pricing and constant repackaging of television shows on DVD, singled out “Route 66,” among others. “When the iconic show Route 66’s first season came out in two parts last October and this February, I objected mightily but the people behind the set (a tiny company) insisted they had to put out the first half just to see if they could justify putting out the second half. The company was so small I relented a little. But now that they’re releasing the first season in one set just four months after putting out the individual volumes, I’m sorry I did.”
Montana, R.I.P. June 26, 2008
Posted by Ron in Animals, Attractions, Businesses, People.2 comments
Word came today that Montana, the beloved mascot of Rich Henry’s Rabbit Ranch on Route 66 in Staunton, Ill., died overnight, likely from natural causes.
Montana some months ago underwent abdominal surgery and was nearly seven years old, which is the upper limit of the typical life span of rabbits. Montana even had her own Web page on Henry’s site.
Montana was known for her remarkably soft fur, quiet disposition, and tricks that she would perform for Route 66 travelers.
Here’s a video of Montana performing. It begins at the 3:17 mark:
Baby steps for national Route 66 alliance June 26, 2008
Posted by Ron in Uncategorized.3 comments
During last week’s Route 66 Summit at Litchfield, Ill., a steering committee was formed to establish a national Route 66 alliance. One of the organizers at the meeting is optimistic the group will be operating by 2009.
The organization would be similar to the old U.S. Highway 66 Association, which operated until 1976, and the Lincoln Highway Association, which has a paid executive director, office staff and representation from all the member states.
Talks about a national Route 66 group occurred at the 2007 Route 66 Summit in Clinton, Okla., but nothing much happened afterward. Route 66 author Michael Wallis, who presided over that meeting, acknowledged a mistake was made in not forming a steering committee at the time.
“Everybody’s heart was in the right place and the intentions were good, but we didn’t put it away,” Wallis said ruefully during a telephone interview this week.
“But it’s a brand-new day, and I was incredibly impressed with what happened at the summit in Litchfield. The debate never got heated. It got lively, that’s for sure, and that’s good. I think everyone, particularly the people on the steering committee, all got on the same page.”
A number of the steering committee members will gather before a meeting in November of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program advisory board in St. Louis, as many of them are associated with both. But much of the talk about a national Route 66 alliance will occur electronically. Swa Frantzen, proprietor of Historic66.com, donated the rt66.org domain to be expressly used by the alliance.
“A lot of what we can do can be accomplished by e-mail, phone or conference calls,” said Jim Conkle of the Route 66 Preservation Foundation, who also presided over last week’s summit. “Getting together is nice, but it’s not a necessity.”
The steering panel will have a long to-do list, including writing bylaws, applying for nonprofit status and deciding classes of membership.
“We would like to be up and running by Flagstaff (during the annual Route 66 festival in September) and elect a board of governors,” Conkle said.
The steering committee consists primarily of members of existing Route 66 associations from the eight states. The tentative list is:
- Marty Bilecki, Illinois
- Tommy Pike, Missouri
- Mike Pendleton, Kansas
- Scott Nelson, Kansas
- Someone from the Oklahoma association
- Bob “Crocodile” Lile, Texas
- Vickie Ashcraft, New Mexico
- Mike Ward, Arizona
- Kevin Hansel, California
- Michael Wallis, at-large
- David Rushing, at-large
- Rick Freeland, at-large
- Swa Frantzen, at-large
- Jim Conkle, acting chairman
Requests to several other people involved in Route 66 to serve on the committee have been made, but responses have not yet been made.
Conkle is adamant that the future board of directors has representation from outside of Route 66’s eight states, including from foreign countries.
“We’re looking for input,” he said. “This is not a clique; this is not a secret society. It’s going to be open to everybody who has a stake in 66, whether they’re on the road or off the road.”
As for where the alliance will be based, Wallis is lobbying for Tulsa, where a Route 66 museum will soon be built at Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza.
“But I’m pushing for this thing whether the alliance is there or not,” Wallis said.
Fodor’s “Essential USA” a disappointment June 26, 2008
Posted by Ron in Books, Road trips.1 comment so far
On Wednesday, I received a copy of Fodor’s “Essential USA” (688 pages, $21.95), which is sub
titled “Spectacular Cities, Natural Wonders and Great American Road Trips.”
I requested the book from Fodor’s because of this description:
The book includes classic road trip itineraries like Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway, where to stay and eat for all budgets, “best bet” tours and attractions in dozens of locales, best places to slow down (Maine coast, Western Montana, California desert, North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the Florida Keys), and best destinations for foodies (New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and Texas Hill Country).
But having perused it extensively, I found that the entries on Route 66 are scant. The “Best Road Trips in the U.S.” section takes up only three pages, and Route 66 only five paragraphs.
Worse, the Route 66 text contains at least one significant error. It lists the National Historic Route 66 Federation (National66.com) as a place to download turn-by-turn directions, when it actually is Swa Frantzen’s Historic66.com site. And it is curious to list from Arcadia, Okla., to Stroud, Okla., as “one of the longest surviving stretches” of Route 66 when there are others that are longer and more prominent.
“Essential USA” contains chapters on Chicago, Los Angeles and the Santa Fe / Albuquerque / Taos. Each is informative, but has almost no information on the “kitschy roadside attractions, old diners and motels … often marked by huge elaborate neon signs” that Route 66 travelers would seek. The “Along the Way” short summaries of other cities include Amarillo and St. Louis, but omit prominent towns such as Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Flagstaff, Ariz., and both Springfields.
This is the first edition of “Essential USA.” Maybe Fodor’s will devote comprehensive chapters to the best road trips, including Route 66, in future editions (hint, hint).
UPDATED: City will try to buy Red Cedar Inn June 25, 2008
Posted by Ron in Preservation, Restaurants.1 comment so far
The Red Cedar Inn restaurant in Pacific, Mo., which closed a few years ago after more than 70 years on Route 66, eventually will reopen as a visitors center and area history museum, reports KTVI-TV in St. Louis.
As expected, the City of Pacific voted unanimously Tuesday night to acquire the property. The city had been discussing a new site for its museum, and the Red Cedar was the leading favorite early in talks.
KTVI has a video with the story.
UPDATE 6/25/08: The Tri-County Journal reported that the Pacific City Council decided to enter into negotiations to buy the Red Cedar Property. So KTVI’s report that the council voted to purchase the property was a tad premature.
But it appears that Route 66ers helped push the city in the right direction:
The city also received what City Administrator Harold Selby called a “surprising” letter from Michael Taylor, Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program manager for the U.S. Department of the Interior. Taylor also offered to help provide information on potential technical and financial assistance available to the city for the restoration project.
The letter was just one of many letters and e-mails Adams said he received in support of the idea of the city buying and restoring the Red Cedar. In addition to letters from area residents, letters of support also came from St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and local radio personality Joe Sonderman of KLOU, whose recent book on Route 66 includes information on the Red Cedar and other Pacific Route 66 landmarks.
“This historic building (Red Cedar) is important not only to Pacific, but the whole region,” said Esley Hamilton, a preservation historian for the St. Louis County Historic Building Commission. “This is definitely a building that should be preserved.”
One of the biggest enthusiasts for the Red Cedar project was Kit [sic] Welborn of St. Louis, a member of the Route 66 Association of Missouri.
“We believe if the city does this, it will not only allow one of the most viable icons on Route 66 to remain, but it will be a wonderful welcome mat for people who travel along Route 66 into Pacific,” Welborn said. “Let’s preserve the past so future generations will be able to tell their kids about the Red Cedar.”
Frozen custard in Tucumcari? I’m there June 25, 2008
Posted by Ron in Food, Restaurants.add a comment
I found this fascinating little tidbit in the Quay County Sun about the CornerStone Deli, a fairly new restaurant on Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M.
It’s in an old Pizza Hut building, and is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week. But this part of the story got my interest up:
Employing a staff of 11, it is also one of the few places in New Mexico where you can purchase frozen custard, the Hicklins said.
“We use only the best ingredients, to produce the freshest, best tasting product possible,” Hicklin said.
It may not be Ted Drewes, but the prospect of frozen custard in a desert town like Tucumcari is an enticing one indeed.
Mike Hicklin and his son Ruben also opened a CornerStone Donut shop across the street a few weeks ago.
‘Tucumcari Tonite’ billboards will return June 25, 2008
Posted by Ron in Signs, Towns.add a comment
After a short hiatus, the famed “Tucumari Tonite!” billboards that once graced Route 66 will be returning to Interstate 40 and U.S. 54 to publicize that eastern New Mexico town, reports the Quay County Sun.
For more than a year, billboards advertising the city have featured a silhouette of cowboys on horseback and the slogan “Gateway to the West.”
“We want to go back to ‘Tucumcari Tonite’ which is nationally recognized,” said Bill Kinder, owner of the Blue Swallow Motel and a member of the city’s Lodgers Tax Advisory Board. [...]
In outlining board members emphasis for the new billboards, board chairman Diane Morency said the billboards will focus on the old slogan and Route 66 to draw in tourists.
As other billboard contracts expire, the board plans to reintroduce the old slogan, ‘Tucumcari Tonite.’
The “Gateway to the West” slogan was amazingly ill-advised, considering that a certain town by the name of St. Louis had dibs on it.
“Tucumcari Tonite” was used for decades, is instantly recognizable and conjures up a lot of memories for older travelers. Let’s keep it, OK?
After the party … June 25, 2008
Posted by Ron in Events, Magazines, Web sites.2 comments
Emily and I have been home for a couple of days since the Route 66 Festival ended in Litchfield, Ill. So I’ve had some time to reflect on our unexpected twin killings.
Even when you don’t count our honors, we agreed it was the best awards banquet we’d attended since we started going to these annual gatherings in 2002. The meal was first-rate, the program was crisp, and, most of all, the honorees were highly deserving.
And the honors earned by Swa Frantzen’s Historic66.com, yours truly’s Route66News.com and Emily (who has a considerable presence with multiple Web sites) show how much of a role the Internet has played with the Mother Road’s revival. Without the World Wide Web, I doubt Route 66 would have seen the renaissance it is experiencing today.
My first experience on the Internet with Route 66 was Frantzen’s site, David Williams’ graphic-heavy Route66.com and the Route 66 e-group, back about 2000. Regrettably, Williams lost interest in the site some years ago, was taken over by what he called “hijackers” and appears to be defunct. But the Route 66 e-group, now a yahoogroup, is still going strong with 1,400 members and lively discussions.
Not long after that, Emily and I went on our first big Route 66 trip. It changed our lives. We experienced the tremendous beauty and diversity of our nation. We became more involved with preserving the historical landmarks that remained. And we moved to Oklahoma, which boasts more miles of Route 66 than any other state.
The genesis of Route 66 News came gradually. I saw there didn’t seem to be many people monitoring newspapers and other news outlets across the country for Route 66 articles. Save for an occasional post on the e-group, there wasn’t much firsthand reporting, either. Route 66 Magazine and American Road did yeoman’s work, but it was weeks between printing runs. There was difficult to find news from the Mother Road now.
Also, I grew tired of hearing how Route 66 was a dying road and that nothing was going on there. I knew better. I knew that not only were many of the old businesses hanging on, but new businesses were rising as well. But little did I know how much activity there was until I plunged into building Route 66 News as a media clearinghouse. It surprised me — and others, too.
Route 66 News was never intended to be a blog. But the more I investigated the Internet avenues available, it became clear that blogging — with its ease of writing stories, its archives and its multimedia capabilities — was the way to go. So here we are, in the blogosphere.
I figured Route 66 News would receive its formal accolades in five to 10 years, not in less than three. But it drew a dedicated readership quickly, and a few posts (the “Cars” references come to mind, with more than 100,000 page views) attracted the attention of non-66ers. So it appears my faith has been rewarded.
I received the Person of the Year honor. But, actually, it honors Route 66 News. And you readers are the reason the site is thriving.
Thank you.
Jest for fun June 24, 2008
Posted by Ron in Music.add a comment
The three singers are the 3 J’s, which are “Whispering Joe” Gnaidek, Johnny “Moo Moo” Miller and John Weiss, which formed five minutes before their performance of “Route 66″ at the Route 66 Association of Illinois’ Hall of Fame Banquet in Lincoln on June 6.
(Courtesy of Lenore Weiss)
“Culinary zen” June 24, 2008
Posted by Ron in Food, Restaurants, Road trips, Television, Web sites.add a comment
Kevin Sheedy of the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle and his wife, inspired by a recent Food Network episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” went from Wichita to Stroud, Okla.
Two Route 66 restaurants — Cafe on the Route in Baxter Springs, Kan., and the Rock Cafe in Stroud — were the highlights of their trip.
On the Cafe on the Route:
For lunch, we tried several items featured on the TV show: Apple Smoked Salmon, a seven-ouncer with apples, bacon and chives served with Mandarin orange glaze. I’m no Joe Stumpe or Denise Neil, but I know good food when I swallow it, and this was good eatin’.
For dessert, we shared Fried Cheesecake. In a word, supercallifragilisticexpialidocious.
Amy Sanell, the co-owner with gourmet chef/hubby Richard, and a young waitress made our party feel at home and shared personal details — some astonishingly sad — that you don’t learn from a chain restaurant’s staff on the Interstate.
On the Rock Cafe:
Once again we ordered items that the hefty host sampled on the TV show: a Ruben Sandwich and Jagersnitzal and Spaetzle. What the heck is a Jagersnitzal and Spaetzle? To quote the menu: breaded and fried pork cutlet topped with creamy bacon, onion and mushroom sauce served with small German homemade and hand-cut noodles.
It’s not something you’d expect in a roadside diner, and it’s the kind of food I’d whiz past while scanning the menu, because in general if I can’t pronounce it, I don’t eat it.
In this case, my lack of vocabulary would have cost our tastebuds one heck of a treat. And in some sort of culinary zen, the Ruben and the Jagersnitzal and Spaetzle worked nicely together as we shared our plates.
For dessert, we shared Peach Cobbler with ice cream and Bread Pudding. Cholesterol? Never heard of it.
As wonderful as the food was it might have been topped by the zany characters running the cafe. Welch, who was one of the inspirations for the character Sally the Porsche in the animated movie “Cars,” was the chief jester in a court full of fun folks.
To Sheedy’s dismay, he learned the Rock Cafe was gutted by fire shortly after his visit. But he promises to be back when it reopens, probably sometime next year. You can check the progress of the cleanup and rebuilding here.
A visit to Gay Parita June 24, 2008
Posted by Ron in Attractions, People, Preservation.5 comments
We travel the old alignment of Route 66 in west of Springfield, Mo., at least once a year. That stretch of the Mother Road is a joy to drive, but many of the old gas stations have fallen into ruin.
But just a mile or so west of the spot where Missouri Highway 96 forks to the left and Route 66 continues straight is a re-creation of a historic gas station that disappeared decades ago. It is the Gay Parita station, which sits in the hamlet of Paris Springs.
Gay Parita is a re-creation of a gas station once owned by Gay and Fred Mason. It was built in 1930, and was destroyed by fire in 1955.
But Gary Turner, a Route 66 buff, decided to revive it in the past year or so. At first glance you’d think it’d been there for generations. It includes the old Mae West-style gas pumps.
Turner (here sitting with Emily Priddy) is more than happy to show a Route 66 traveler around if he’s there. He’ll regale you with stories about the station — both past and present — and might offer you a cold can of orange pop. Turner is as much of a Mother Road attraction as his station is.
The interior of the station is crammed with memorabilia, too.
Gay Parita isn’t entirely a re-creation. The separate garage, where auto repairs were made, was built in 1926 and still stands. Parked in it is a 1948 pickup truck.
The garage contains more gas-station memorabilia, including the pay window.
The “Cabins” sign is an original, too. The guest cabins at Gay Parita are long gone.
And this gasoline truck parked between the garage and station sure isn’t a re-creation, either.
The day we stopped on the sparsely traveled road, we heard soft 1950s music coming from the station, and cottonwood seeds floated in the wind. Turner and his wife were sitting in outdoor chairs next to the station, contentedly watching the world go by as the sun started to set.
I thought to myself: “That’s not a bad way to live, right there.”
Scenes from the Route 66 Festival June 23, 2008
Posted by Ron in Events, Highways, People, Photographs, Road trips, Television, Vehicles.1 comment so far
Here are a few shots I gathered at the Route 66 Festival on Saturday in Litchfield, Ill.
More photographs by other bloggers at the festival can be seen here and here. If you know of more, send me an e-mail and let me know. UPDATE: Here’s more from Denny Gibson.
Here’s the car show, set on a blocked-off section of 66:
Buz and Tod from the “Route 66″ television series also made an appearance in an early 1960s Corvette. They seemed a bit stiff, though.
Hauled on a trailer, straight from Kansas, to the festival was Tow Tater — the inspiration for Tow Mater of the movie “Cars.” The truck can usually be found at 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan.
And Tow Mater’s pal, Lightning McQueen (or a reasonable facsimile), also made an appearance.
Getting ready to back off a trailer is Bigfoot, which later squashed a bunch of junker cars as flat as day-old roadkill.
Michael Wallis was at the Authors and Artists display, which was housed in a big Ford dealership next to the Mother Road. Those are replicas of the two giant arrows seen in Twin Arrows, Ariz.
Laurel Kane of Oklahoma chats with Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire next to his Volkswagen Microbus. Waldmire endured two breakdowns en route from Arizona, but made it into Litchfield during the wee hours of Saturday.
Are high gas prices hurting Route 66 tourism? June 23, 2008
Posted by Ron in Attractions, Road trips.1 comment so far
The answer seems to be: No.
The Pontiac Daily Leader decided to check with the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac to see whether tourism numbers are down from a year ago, when gasoline cost about a $1-a-gallon less.
This May, 1,238 people visited it, a 77 percent increase over the 699 who stopped in during May 2007. This April’s visits, 745, was more than twice the 357 total for April 2007.
One likely reason for the increase in May 2008 was that the museum is open more hours than a year ago during prime tourist season. [...]
As of 2 p.m. Friday, the museum had had visits for that day of 19 people, traveling in 13 parties. Four were from Kansas, others were from Florissant, Mo., Racine, Wis., and Cincinnati.
But there also were visitors from Fox Lake, Tinley Park, Plainfield and Carol Stream — possible examples of one kind of visitor that expensive gas might encourage: “staycationers.” [...] The word has no dictionary definition, but refers to people who take shorter trips instead of more long-distance ones.
Visitors from Illinois have increased dramatically from April and May of 2007 to those months this year: from 190 to 497 for the Aprils and from 435 to 843 for the two Mays. Karls said increased interest in the museum and Route 66, plus the increased hours, is a likely explanation for the increase. [...]
Pontiac’s motels provide another statistical source of how Pontiac tourism is faring. Motel taxes for April were up 9 percent from that month in 2007, and they are up for calendar year 2008 as a whole, compared to the same months of 2007.
The story goes on to say that participation in the annual Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour was down. But the number of foreign travelers visiting the museum is way up, no doubt spurred to travel here by the weak U.S. dollar.
Those observations match others I’ve heard along the road — that the number of domestic tourists is stable or down slightly, but the number of foreign tourists is up. So it’s even-Steven or even a net gain.
R.I.P., Fillmore June 22, 2008
Posted by Ron in Movies, People.add a comment
On Sunday night, it was learned the comedian George Carlin died of heart failure at a Los Angeles hospital.
Carlin is best-known for stand-up comedy that was biting and irreverent, yet revealed a love of the English language (even those famed “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television”).
Carlin also was the voice of Fillmore the hippie VW Microbus during the Disney/Pixar animated movie “Cars.” Carlin didn’t have many lines, but a few were memorable. That goes for his “Respect the classics, man” when Sarge, his Jeep neighbor, objected about Fillmore playing Jimi Hendrix’s version of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
So Carlin is no longer with us. But Fillmore’s direct inspiration, Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, is still very much alive and traveling the road as usual.
4 Women on the Route gets a surprise June 22, 2008
Posted by Ron in Businesses, Events, Signs.1 comment so far
It was quite a weekend for the 4 Women on the Route of Galena, Kan.
First, their restaurant and gift shop, in renovated gas station, was named New Business of the Year during the Will Rogers Awards Event on Saturday in Litchfield, Ill., at the Route 66 Festival.
Next, during the annual Route 66 yahoogroup breakfast on Sunday at the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, 4 Women on the Route was surprised with a new neon sign that was commissioned and paid for with donations from Route 66 enthusiasts. The neon depicts Tow Tater, a 1950s boom truck in Galena that was the inspiration for Tow Mater in the hit Disney/Pixar movie “Cars.”
Doug and Jennifer Babin of Michigan led the effort to have the neon sign made. Here’s Jennifer reading the text of the plaque that came with the sign, and Jim Conkle is holding up the neon.
Here, with their new sign is Shelby Rigg, Renee Charles, Judy Courtney and Melba Rigg of 4 Women on the Route.
Swa Frantzen wins top Route 66 award June 22, 2008
Posted by Ron in Businesses, Events, People, Preservation, Restaurants, Web sites.14 comments
Swa Frantzen (shown above), an Internet pioneer in publicizing Route 66 with his Historic66.com site, won the top honor during the Will Rogers Awards Event on Saturday night during the Route 66 Festival in Litchfield, Ill.
The New Business of the Year was 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan. Chicago Route 66 researcher David Clark earned the Founders Award. Ron Warnick of the Route 66 News Web site won Person of the Year. Business of the Year was the Ariston Cafe of Litchfield.
Also, Route 66 enthusiast Emily Priddy won the first Wallis 66 award. Trailnet earned the Cyrus Avery Preservation Award for its work with the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Longtime Missouri Route 66 ambassadors Tommy and Glenda Pike were given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Frantzen, a native of Belgium, became the first foreign winner of the annual Route 66 banquet. His site was established in 1994 and was the first Route 66 site. Master of ceremonies Jim Conkle read the inscription on the trophy, which noted that Frantzen’s comprehensive site was “unequalled” in its promotion of the Mother Road internationally. Stunned by his honor, Frantzen said he began setting up the site in 1993 after initial attempts to find more information online about Route 66 bore little fruit.
The Pikes, who reside in Springfield, Mo., have been involved with the Route 66 Association of Missouri for many years, and have traveled the Mother Road extensively since the 1970s. “I never expected this,” Tommy Pike said, “because you do what do you because you like what you do.” He saluted the members of the Missouri association, and thanked his daughter Tonya.
Joy Avery (center), granddaughter of “Father of Route 66″ Cyrus Avery, was the presenter of the Cyrus Avery Preservation Award. Trailnet converted the long-moribund Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis into a popular cycling and pedestrian trail. Accepting the award for Trailnet was Mary McIntyre. The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge will host the St. Louis Route 66 Festival on Oct. 4, featuring a car show, events on both sides of the bridge, and an outdoor screening of the film “American Graffiti.”
The Business of the Year honor was accepted by Ariston Cafe owners Nick and Demi Adam. The Ariston, founded in 1924, has sat on Route 66 in Litchfield since 1935. Nick Adam paid tribute to his father, who started the business.
Accepting the New Business of the Year award for 4 Women on the Route were Judy Courtney, Renee Charles, Melba Rigg and Shelby Rigg. Conkle said the women, who converted a long-abandoned gas station into a restaurant and gift shop, were being lauded not for what the business was, but “what you represent.”
Priddy, of Tulsa, won the inaugural Wallis 66 award, named after keynote speaker and author Michael Wallis and his wife, Suzanne, and was chosen by Michael. The award recognized Priddy for her written and creative work, and her “provoking and inspiring” passion for the road. Priddy thanked Wallis for his friendship and her husband Ron Warnick for his support. She also urged roadies to contribute donations to help complete the restoration of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., destroyed by fire a month ago.
Clark, who has written two books about Route 66 in Chicago and has guided walking tours of the Mother Road there, said during his acceptance of the Founders Award that “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Carol,” his wife.
Warnick, of Tulsa, earned the Person of the Year honor for his Route 66 News Web site. He thanked his wife, Emily Priddy, for her support, and recognized Frantzen for his longtime work on the Internet for Route 66. Warnick’s award came several minutes before Frantzen was bestowed the Will Rogers Award.
Wallis’ keynote speech waxed nostalgic of his memories of Route 66 in his boyhood home of St. Louis, but also noted that Route 66 is “an unfinished story and a work in progress.” Paying particular attention to the Rock Cafe’s recently being destroyed by fire, he said “I have never doubted for an instant that the Rock Cafe would come back” because of the tenacity and vision of its owner, Dawn Welch.
It was announced that the 2009 Route 66 Festival is tentatively scheduled for the second weekend in September in Flagstaff, Ariz. Candidates for the 2010 festival are Amarillo, southwest Missouri and Tucumcari, N.M.
The Will Rogers Awards Event chairman was Tom Wanko, and the caterer, which drew acclaim from the attendees, was JoDanni’s Catering in the old Route 66 town of Benld, Ill.
The maker of Round Barn Root Beer June 21, 2008
Posted by Ron in Businesses, Food.add a comment
KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City did a feature about Huebert Brewing Co., which makes Round Barn Root Beer for POPS on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla. The root beer is the top-seller at the business.
The root beer is named after the historic Round Barn in Arcadia.
(Hat tip: Rich Imrie.)
