100 Things to Do On Route 66 Before You Die

Recently a publisher, on recommendation of Jim Ross, approached me with an intriguing proposal – write a book about Route 66 that is in essence a bucket list. The challenge fascinated me. How do you whittle down America’s longest attraction, a 2,000 mile corridor of fascinating museums, quirky folk art parks, historic sites, renovated motels, […]

Good friends, good times, grand adventures, and exciting times

The good folks at the City of Kingman, Josh Noble, the tourism director, Ray Cullison and the Kingsmen, and the volunteers who labored so hard to make the recent Best of the West on 66 Festival a success deserve a hearty thank you.The good folks at the City of Kingman, Josh Noble, the tourism director, […]

Two great Route 66 Exhibits in New Mexico – Catch them before they’re gone!

Route 66: Radiance, Rust, and Revival on the Mother Road Until October 2nd at the Albuquerque History Museum and conceived in honor of the 90th anniversary of Route 66, this exhibition celebrates the art, history and popular culture of the iconic Mother Road. Too often the history of Route 66 in Albuquerque has been overlooked, even […]

Lighting of the green at the Boots Motel!

We’ve been watching the restoration of the Boots Court Motel in Joplin, Missouri for years, from the “Save the Boots Motel campaign”,  until they reopened in 2012 and we got to visit and check it out in June 2011. This latest, and possibly the last piece of the  renovation not only highlights what a great […]

Catch the sites on Route 66 – Pops, Arcadia OK

We love driving Route 66 and each time we find new sites and fun finds and our favorite on the last trip was Pops in Arcadia Oklahoma. Not only is it a fabulous piece of retro architecture, it’s also a really really fun place to visit! We went at night: A video posted by Mid-century […]

Travel Route 66 – a handy companion for a trip down the “Mother Road”

Having used this book twice now on different trips along Route 66, I feel very slack in not writing a glowing review! Travel Route 66: a guide to the history, sights, and destinations along the main street of America is like having Jim Hinkley, the author, right in the car with you helping you decide […]

Googie and neon sign preservation and museums

One of our favorite mid-century things are Googie signs. There are plenty of photos out there, but one thing is certain and it’s that they’re a dying breed and ripe for preservation efforts. In case you’re not familiar with the term, “Googie” architecture, approximately from 1950-1970, is a futuristic or ultramodern derivative of art moderne […]

The Historic Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba MO

If you find yourself in the middle of Missouri – you’re going to want to make sure that Cuba Missouri is a stop on your trip! With it’s retro murals and almost Disneylike feel, Cuba is Americana at it’s finest. And it’s here that you find one of the best kept motels along Route 66. […]

Retro Roadtrip: The Blue Swallow, Tucumcari, NM

We have had the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM in our Motel Directory for a long time.It’s as much of an icon along Route 66 as the WigWam Motels. Owner Lillian Redman, a legend along Route 66 ran the motel from 1958 to 1997.  By a stroke of luck, owners over the years after […]

Steel Rails and the Double Six

Legendary Route 66 is more than America’s most famous highway and its longest attraction. It is also more than a living, breathing time capsule with a soft neon glow. The old double six is also a railroad buffs paradise. From Chicago to Santa Monica vestiges from the golden age of rail travel abound. As the […]