RV Route 66

Victorville, California site of 2012 International Route 66 Festival

2011-12-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Route 66, Victorville, California, 1935

You don't usually connect the word "extravaganza" or "50,000 to 100,000 enthusiasts" with Route 66, but that is what promoters of next summer's 2012 International Route 66 Festival are predicting.

The festival is held each year in one of the eight states the route passes through and 2012 is California's year. Victorville outbid several other communities along the route to become the official site.

The festival runs from Aug. 9 through Aug. 12 and will feature a classic car show, food and merchandise vendors, singers, entertainers, and Michaeel Wallis, a Route 66 historian and author who provided the voice of Sheriff in Disney’s “Cars” series.

The festival is partnering with the Route 66 Museum in Old Town Victorville and will feature a tour down Seventh Street, the route of the original Route 66.

Kansas Route 66 declared Kansas Historic Byway

2011-11-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

The Kansas Department of Transportation has designated the original Route 66 in Cherokee County an official Kansas Historic Byway, the state's eleventh byway receiving official designation.

The route begins at the Kansas-Missouri state line and follows the old route for 13.2 miles through Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs to the Kansas-Oklahoma state line.

According to wibw.com, "There are museums, collections, murals and ghost writing that tell the local history of life along the route. A traveler can drive over many of the original structures of “The Mother Road,” including the only remaining Marsh Arch Bridge on Route 66, or explore the mining and railroad history of the area.

"Visitors can have a picture taken with the tow truck that was the inspiration for the character “Mater” from the 'Cars' movie or discover Schermerhorn Park and the Southeast Kansas Nature Center south of Galena. They can learn of the importance of hydroelectricity in Riverton or enjoy a stop at the Eisler’s Brother Store, the location of a 1920’s Route 66 gas station.

"The stories of Baxter Springs include Native American history, early battles of the Civil War, a frontier cattle town and baseball. There are tours offered throughout the year and many dining and lodging facilities available for travelers as well as locations that offer Route 66 memorabilia for sale."

Chandler, Oklahoma national guard armory becomes Route 66 Interpretive Center

2011-11-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

Route 66, the Mother Road described by John Steinbeck, was the gateway from the northeastern states to the west. It ran through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona finally arriving in California.

Now a former National Guard armory in Chandler, Oklahoma, built by the WPA in 1937 during the Great Depression and abandoned when the Guard built a new one in the 1970s, has been rescued from destruction to tell the story of route 66.

The Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center, at 400 East Route 66, presents exhibits featuring virtual hotel rooms, vintage billboards, a gift shop, and period video viewed from the seats of a 1965 Ford Mustang.

It currently welcomes 700 to 800 visitors a month, with approximately 20% international travelers. The building’s transition from National Guard armory to decaying building on the verge of dismantling to Route 66 tourist destination is the town's preservation success story.

Located in the middle of Oklahoma, Chandler (pop. about 3,000) contains a number of attractions for fans of The Mother Road. You’ll find the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Museum, a county museum of pioneer history, a cottage-style Phillips 66 gas station, the colorful PJ's Bar-B-Que, and one of the remaining painted barns advertising Meramac Caverns.

Let them eat pie

2011-11-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

Today is Route 66's birthday, and at 85 years old she is showing her age, but still kicking.

As quaint as it now sounds, back then you could drive on one road all the way from Illinois to California, a remarkable achievement, and along the way you would find motels to stay in and restaurants to eat in gas stations to fill your tank.

Guidebook publisher, Lonely Planet, has written a special piece on its blog in celebration of the Mother Road's birthday. It is called A Pie-Five for Route 66's Birthday and features--as the name implies--pie, a listing of five places you can buy American pie along your route.

It begins with Lou Mitchell's in downtown Chicago, where even though a breakfast place, you can find a fruity pie-a-la-mode on weekdays to wash down your pancakes. Then on to Motor on to Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook for a warm, buttery, blueberry pie (but hurry, the selection rotates).

Next stop is the Old Log Cabin in Pontiac for coffee, conversation, and Crisco-based pie crusts filled with banana cream, cheery, rhubarb, and more. In Atlanta pull in to the Palms Grill Cafe for thick slabs of gooseberry, peach, sour cream raisin, and other retro pies. And don't forget to say hello to Tall Paul, a giant statue of Paul Bunyan about to munch a giant hot dog, as he watches you from across the street.

Last is the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, one of Route 66's oldest restaurants. After a diner dinner of meat loaf and mac and cheese, the waitress hauls out a big ol' dessert tray stacked with apple and other pies. And as Lonely Planet says, "Consider it fuel for the long drive onward, because friend, you're still in Illinois. You've got 7 states and 2000 miles to go to reach the end of the road."

Classic Route 66 postcard

2011-10-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

This postcard was mailed with a three-cent stamp on July 27, 1959 to a Mr. W.S. Christian c/o the Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California. The message read: "We should have brought you to the country. You would have been getting well in a hurry. Wonderful food and lots of fresh air. These kids are sure having a time. They dug potatoes and Deb said someone hid them in the dirt. They really have a time feeding poultry." It's signed Love, Lorna.

We hope Mr. Christian got better.

More from filmmaker John Holod as he travels Route 66

2011-10-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

In this eight minute video, filmmaker John Holod continues his RV tour of Route 66. He begins this segment at a very chilly Albuquerque Balloon Festival, then continues in his Winnebago View west through Seligman and then into the "ghost town" of Oatman, where he finds the local burros taking a break from their normal daytime activity, begging for food. Across the border in California he stops at the McDonald's Hamburger Museum with its historic sign offering 15 cent hamburgers. And there's more. Click the video to watch.

Emma Jean's famous Route 66 cafe achieves historic status

2011-10-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

If you were the owner of Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe on Route 66 in Victorville, California, it must have brought a huge smile to your face when Guy Fieri, host of the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," proclaimed Emma Jean's among the top three roadside cafes in the entire nation.

But that's not all. On Sunday, the cafe, the Victor Valley’s oldest restaurant and long a Route 66 landmark, received another recognition when it was made an official historic point of interest.

Though Emma Jean, who took over the restaurant in 1979 while working there as a waitress, died in 1996 her husband Richard continued to run the cafe with the help of his son Brian--namesake of the cafe's signature Brian Burger--and Brian's wife Shawna. (photo - Brian and Shawna with the historic place of interest plaque.)

Bob and Kate Holland founded the cafe in 1947 and it became part of Route 66’s history appealing to locals and truckers. Brian still cooks and serves food the same way, homemade food and a home-style atmosphere for customers.

The cafe has also been featured in many scenes in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2.”

Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe is at 17143 D St. Hours are 5 AM to 2:45 PM Monday through Friday and 6 AM to 12:30 PM Saturdays.

RV filmmaker traveling Route 66

2011-09-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

Veteran RVer and filmmaker John Holod has begun a journey on Route 66, traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles for a DVD he'll produce on his adventure. Along the way, Holod is posting video clips of interesting sights and discoveries along the Mother Road. Here's his first installment.

Tucumcari to Gallup on New Mexico Route 66

2010-01-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

New Mexico's slogan is "The Land of Enchantment," offering a fascinating blend of Native American, Spanish Colonial, and Western American cultures.

Travelers of yesteryear from the East knew they had arrived in the great Southwest when they entered New Mexico--the towns along Route 66 were ablaze in neon, and the motels lured travelers with Western themes, Pueblo Revival architecture, and Native American trading posts.

An adventure still awaits the traveler today who takes the time to exit I-40 and leave the franchised blandness behind. The neon still flickers at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, and at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup.

The "Fat Man" still smiles at Joseph's Bar and Grill in Santa Rosa. Many stories have played out at those landmarks, as well as the stories at bygone establishments that are lost forever or slowly crumbling to dust among the tumbleweeds.

Harvey House, home to Route 66 museum, turns 100

2010-01-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Barstow Chamber of Commerce is preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Harvey House, home to the Barstow Chamber of Commerce, Western American Railroad Museum, and the Barstow Route 66 "Mother Road" Museum.

The Harvey House was completed in late 1910, but didn't hold a grand opening until 1911. The chamber is planning to hold events from February 2010 to 2011 in honor of the building.

As part of the year's events, the Harvey House will host a farmers market on the third Saturday of every month until September, according to Sielski, and the chamber will host a Harvey House Centennial Celebration on August 14. There are plans for an event to mark the anniversary of the grand opening in 2011.

The Harvey House was the scene of several events and hosted many famous people after its completion in 1910. Smith said Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas Dewey both made stops to speak at the Harvey House during the 1944 election. Winston Churchill even took a break from a train ride to use the Harvey House's baths in 1929.

You don't need a map of Route 66 if Ron Jones is handy

2010-01-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

Car enthusiast Ron Jones is a hit at Route 66 events, according to flashnews.com. Jones is also known as Tattoo Man, since his body is covered with 82 tattoos of towns, pitstops, and historic landmarks found along the old Route 66.

Jones got his first tattoo, the Route 66 shield, ten years ago and now has a new road-releated tattoo added about every six weeks. The most painful tattoo he ever had was of Roy's Cafe in Amboy, CA, the subject of a December 1 post on this blog, since it wrapped around his side.

Jones does admit to a problem with his tattoos of Route 66 points of interest. At 5 foot 7 inches tall, he's running out of skin to add tattoos to.

Old motels symbolize Route 66 history

2009-12-30T13:13:00.000-08:00

Many old buildings and businesses that thrived when Route 66 carried the main traffic east and west across the country have now faded into period relics. An example among many is this classic motel in Barstow along Route 66 in the California high desert.

Barstow is at one end of the National Trails Highway. This scenic byway gives the driver a never-ending show of historic buildings, 1930s era gas stations, and cafes. Many of the building walls are now abandoned and surrounded by a fence but their spirit lives on.

Sleep in a wigman on Route 66 in San Bernardino, California

2009-12-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Most RVers prefer to sleep in their rigs. But once in awhile an opportunity comes along that shouldn't be missed -- like spending the night in a giant tee pee. The Wigwam Motel along old Route 66 in San Bernardino, Calif., was built in 1949, the seventh and last in a chain of similar motels. Its 19 Wigwam-shaped rooms are arranged in a semi-circle like an Indian village. How often can a person say he or she slept in a wigwam? Stay here and you'll earn bragging rights forever. Watch this short video to see what this unique motel is all about.

71-year old retiree jogs entire length of Route 66

2009-12-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

Tired of looking for things to do in his retirement, a 71-year-old Illinois man decided to go for a jog on Route 66--all 2,448 miles.

Emory Duick started out on June 2 at the intersection of Jackson St. and Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago where Route 66 begins. After 202 days and more than 2,000 miles, he is passing through Victorville and Hesperia California this week on his way to the Santa Monica Pier, where the highway ends.

“I’m doing this for seniors age 50 to 85 years old because what I saw, even prior to doing this, is that when people retire in their 60s they kind of retire from life to, and that’s just not right,” Duick said.

People he met along the way see Duick as an inspiration.

“I had a woman in Tulsa tell me she got inspired after reading a story in the local paper about what I’m doing,” Duick said. “She caught up with me and told me she retired a few months ago and wasn’t doing anything. But after reading about my jogging cross country, she said she’s joining a gym and getting active.

Duick, who lives in Des Plaines, Ill., has been jogging on the Mother Road for 202 days and when he got to Victorville had logged more than 2,150 miles. He’s on his fifth pair of jogging shoes. His daughter, Lauren Duick, follows along in a car tracking mileage and mapping out the route.

In a metaphoric way of speaking, Duick says life is just one long road and it doesn’t end at retirement. “Your quality of life after retirement is contingent on whether you stay active or not,” he said.

He hopes to make the Santa Monica Pier by New Year’s Eve.

New marathon planned for 2010 would cover 3 states ending in Joplin

2009-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

Dig out those old running shoes. Marathoners will have another race to train for, this one covering three states and ending in Joplin, Mo.

The first Mother Road Marathon also has a catchy date: Oct. 10 of 2010 — or "10-10-10."

Planners say the location will attract runners because the race will travel Route 66 through three states: Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

The 26.2 mile route will start in Miami, Okla., wind through southeast Kansas and finally end up at the Joplin Sports Complex.

Fly Route 66 in this New Mexico town

2009-12-16T22:56:00.000-08:00

An interesting stretch of old Route 66 is located in Santa Rosa, New Mexico at the airport. No, the old stretch of the Mother Road is not the present-day airport road. In fact, a piece of the old highway that was decommissioned in 1937 now serves as the actual runway of the airport.

The original Route 66 alignment snaked through Santa Rosa on local streets and dirt roads. Early motorists paused in the business district for gas and food or rested overnight in the camps, motor courts, motels and hotels that sprung up with demand. Railroad era Fourth Street has served as Santa Rosa’s Main Street since 1901. It was Route 66 until the 1937 alignment switched over and still boasts turn of the century architecture. A movie theatre, banks, barber shops, drugstores, pool halls, dance halls, bars, cafes, hotels, mercantile, grocery stores and cafes lined its blocks.

Santa Rosa is also a part of Route 66 film history. When John Steinbeck's epic novel, Grapes of Wrath, was made into a movie, director John Ford used Santa Rosa for the memorable train scene. Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) watches a freight train steam over the Pecos River railroad bridge, into the sunset.

Photo: Route 66 near Santa Rosa

Download free Route 66 puzzle

2009-12-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

Travel the Mother Road in Route 66, a magnificent journey through the historical American highway! Madeleine Mayflower is taking a break from the competitive world of bike racing to get some much deserved rest, and what a better way to relax than to hit the open road? Join Madeleine and her grandfather on this old-fashioned road trip from California to Illinois! Visit 25 memorable stops along the legendary highway and pick up unique items while searching through the sights. Learn surprising historical facts about the highway, and if you need extra downtime, play a collection of fun mini-games. When your journey is over, you will have a new appreciation for this piece of classic Americana! Download and play Route 66 free with the demo version or reward yourself with the full version today!

Route 66, the Grand Canyon, and the Hualapai Reservation

2009-12-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

Just west the Grand Canyon Caverns on Route 66, the highway meanders on to the million-acre Hualapai Indian reservation, which includes 108 miles of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Peach Springs is about 12 miles west of Grand Canyon Caverns and is the tribal headquarters for the reservation.

The “People of the Tall Pine” have been occupying these lands for more than 1,400 years. It was from the Haulapai's west rim that the earliest visitors gained access to the wild Colorado River below. In the early 1880s, the railroad established a water station on these lands and called it Peach Springs, for the many peach trees found around the spring that fed their steam engines.

Soon the small settlement reportedly had ten saloons but no churches or schools. After Route 66 came through, Peach Springs offered several cafes, motor courts, and tourist services to the many travelers along the not-yet-famous route. Though little is left of Route 66 era landmarks, Peach Springs provides access to one of the last undeveloped sections of the Grand Canyon.

The Hualapai River Runners office, near the intersection of Route 66 and Diamond Creek Road, is the only Indian-owned and operated river rafting company on the Grand Canyon. Diamond Creek Road on the west rim of the Grand Canyon is the only known existing road that leads to the bottom of the canyon (photo). Though a road of this rustic nature would not be accessible if on National Park Land, if you are towing a 4WD or Jeep it's do-able.

The Hualapai Reservation is an outdoorsman’s paradise, offering hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping facilities. Grand Canyon West (located on the south side of the Colorado River) is managed by the Hualapai Tribe. This land lies outside the boundary and jurisdiction of the National Park Service and is administered by the Hualapai Indian Tribe.

Inquiries: Hualapai Tribe, PO Box 538, Peach Springs, Arizona, 86434, 928-769-2216. They can provide you with driving directions and information on access permits to their reservation lands along the rim.

Amboy: a ghost town in the Mojave Desert on Route 66

2009-12-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Roy's Motel and Café was a landmark on the famous Route 66 in Amboy, California, until Interstate 40 was built in 1973. Roy's became an icon for a lonely desert gas stop because of multiple appearances in several movies.

At one time, Amboy had it all: airport, garage, cafe, school, church, graveyard, even a volcanic crater. Today it is a ghost town--only the post office still operates today--reminding tourists traveling Route 66 of what it once used to be.

Amboy was originally a mining site and saw increased activity when the railroad came through and made the settlement a stop.

Just east of Amboy is one of the few shade trees you will find in this part of the desert, and it has been turned into a shoe tree by Route 66 visitors.

Currently the town of Amboy is owned by Albert Okura, who also owns the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, who will try to preserve Amboy in a 1950's look. This is not Mr. Okura's first project as a preservationist. He also owns the very first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino and operates it as a museum.

RV the slow road on Route 66 through Arizona

2009-11-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Whether by car or your RV, you'll enjoy traveling Route 66 -- the Mother Road -- through Arizona. Much of the old road still exists -- virtually all of it accessible by recreational vehicles. Traffic is mostly light: motorists in a hurry chose I-40, which is often close by.

There was a slower, simpler time before the Interstate picked up the pace of today. Back then, Route 66 was the Main Street of America. Arizona is home to the longest original stretch of this road, which is one of 25 scenic byways in Arizona, and much of it is still preserved by the locals who lived it.

Day 1: Live it up in Lake Havasu – and cross the London Bridge on the same day.
Your trip begins three hours west of Phoenix in Lake Havasu City. In the morning, take a museum tour to learn about the history of Lake Havasu, its founder, Robert P. McCulloch and the purchase, transport and reconstruction of the historic London Bridge.

Have lunch and enjoy lake views at one of the local microbreweries. Later, enjoy a leisurely cruise through beautiful Topock Gorge, near the start of the Arizona stretch of Route 66. Your leisurely trip up the Colorado River will give you the chance to observe interesting rock formations, ancient petroglyphs and abundant plant life. You might even spot a coyote, wild burro or bighorn sheep along the way. Overnight at Lake Havasu State Park, which is within walking distance of the London Bridge Village.

Day 2: Experience gold mines, gunfights and wild burros in Oatman.
Drive north to Oatman, an old gold-mining camp and your first stop on the longest original stretch of the old Mother Road. Stroll the buckboard street and visit the Oatman Hotel, where movie stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned. Enjoy staged gunfights and the famous four-legged settlers of the town – the wild burros that wander the street. Take an authentic stagecoach ride at the Gold Road mine before heading out of town.

Take the scenic drive through the Black Mountains and head into Kingman (:30) Very long RVs not recommended. Visit the Powerhouse Visitor Center on Andy Divine Road, which is also home to the Route 66 Museum.

Have a bite in one of the old nostalgic diners and stop in Peach Springs, which is home to the Hualapai Indian tribal headquarters.

Drive to Seligman and get a snack at the quirky Snowcap -- a Route 66 nostalgia lover's delight. If you have time, stop in the museum a couple doors down. Drive to Williams to overnight.

Day 3: Tour the Grand Canyon by car or rail – and don’t miss the sunset.
Drive north to Grand Canyon National Park or board the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams for a scenic trip to the Grand Canyon Village. Spend a few hours exploring the grandest natural wonder in the world. Be sure to visit the El Tovar Hotel and Kolb Studio, as well as numerous lookouts for different and awe-inspiring views of this amazing place.

To experience a breathtaking sunrise or sunset, overnight in the park at one of the lodging facilities. Otherwise, head back to Williams or Flagstaff to overnight.

Day 4: Find old-fashioned charm and classic diner fare in Flagstaff.
Spend the day in Flagstaff, where the main drag is Route 66. Start off with a visit to the Museum of Northern Arizona, the gateway to understanding the land and peoples of the Colorado Plateau. Two hours or more can easily be spent learning about this magnificent region.

Visit Riordan Mansion State Park. The mansion was built by two brothers who married two sisters, and the mansion is actually two homes that are mirror images of each other. The homes offer a picture-perfect example of Arts and Crafts architecture.

Grab a bite at the Galaxy Diner on Route 66, then walk off your meal by strolling the wonderful shops in Flagstaff's downtown area. Be sure to stop by the Visitors Center in the historic train depot.

Have dinner at Charly's Pub and Grill in the charming Weatherford Hotel, a place with a history of presidents and gunslingers – so much so that Zane Grey was inspired to write Call of the Canyon while staying there.

After dinner, take a guided tour of Lowell Observatory, where you can see the telescope a Lowell astronomer used to discover Pluto in 1930.

Spend the evening country dancing at the Museum Club, a historic Route 66 roadhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Overnight in Flagstaff.

Day 5: Stop at Winslow’s famed La Posada Hotel, then check out rock art in Holbrook.
Drive to Winslow via Interstate 40. Stop to visit the La Posada Hotel, a National Historic Landmark and Arizona historic preservation at its best. Mary Colter built this beautiful structure, which was once a Fred Harvey hotel, along the Santa Fe Railroad.

Continue east to Holbrook and stop at the Wigwam Motel for a photo in front of the teepee motel rooms. It doesn't get kitschier than this. If you want to pause here for the night, consider getting a room at this classic motel. They are clean and inexpensive.

Drive west back toward Winslow. Between Holbrook and Winslow you'll find Joseph City and the Rock Art Canyon Ranch. This privately-owned working cattle ranch offers tours of a spectacular rock art site in Chevelon Canyon, considered by some to be the finest rock art site in Arizona. Reservations are requested.

Drive back into Winslow for more nostalgia. Stop at the Standin' on the Corner State Park. "The Corner" was made famous by the Eagles song "Take it Easy." Overnight in Winslow at the La Posada and have a fabulous dinner in the Turquoise Room.