ROUTE 66 CHRONICLES

A PROGRESS REPORT, ANOTHER REQUEST, AND A FEW NOTES FROM THE ROAD

2012-02-12T07:28:00.002-07:00

In a note to Laurel Kane of Afton Station, I described the entire Route 66 encyclopedia project as the most exciting, most frustrating, most rewarding project yet undertaken. Another aspect of this daunting task has been a dramatic increase in my worries over accuracy as this book represents a sense of obligation that borders on something almost sacred.

Afton Station in Afton, Oklahoma

As I approach the finish line (March 1), the writing of captions, this concern seems to be magnified exponentially. To a degree this is partially resultant of the sheer size of this aspect of the project.

As the illustrations would mirror the scope of the text, I knew the list of selected images would be a lengthy one as almost 2,000 images were submitted. Still, when I received the list - 9 pages, single spaced - it brought me up short.

As is my custom at this stage of a project, I obsessively decided to commit every evening and every weekend to this, the final task in an almost two year project. And as is my wife's custom at this stage of a project, she made sure I was fed, and gently chided me into limiting the work to three or four hours in the evening after the day job and making time for a long walk or two on the weekends.

As a result, I am down to 2.5 pages of selected images to write captions for. As this stage of the project progresses I am again in need of assistance. Here are a few locations that I am unfamiliar with or that my information about is quite limited. Can you provide any information about these places?

Double D Ranch Cafe - Cajon Pass

Sun Set Rest Camp - Devil's Elbow

Camp Townsend near Flagstaff

Colorado Camp Ground - Gallup

Cottage Inn - Joplin

Log Cabin Filling Station - Lebanon

West Side Camp Ground - Needles

Wetheholt's Ideal Cabin Camp - Pontiac

Pillman's Camp - Arlington

Clarks Rock Garden - Galena

Idle a While Tourist Camp near Joplin

Before this is finished, I am quite sure there will be a few more. I can substitute images for these but these are the ones selected and as they are full of rich detail, I would really like to include them.

Another custom that accompanies commencement of the final stage of a project is to update the eclectic music collection that serves as the background for my myopic focus. The selection of music for this stage of the encyclopedia project made me think of Cort Stevens who regularly provides Facebook followers with a list of interesting music and an occasional radio show.

A few months ago I introduced Cort to the ballads crooned by Marty Robbins and Johnny Horton. Cort, would you be interested in a collection entitled American Murder Ballads from Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Burl Ives, Cisco Houston, Molly O'Day and the Cumberland Mountain Boys, and a few dozen other artists?

Here is another indication of what makes my dearest friend so special. With each project my office is transformed into a concert hall where tunes by Woody Guthrie are followed by Chopin who is often followed by Don Williams, AC DC, Allison Krause, Green Day, Roy Rogers, or Flatt & Scruggs.

With the sprint to the finish consuming my time and focus, there is little time for the occasional road trip or even a great deal of planning for road trips. Still, here is what I have on the schedule so far - the Route 66 Fun Run, KABAM, Wheels on 66 in Tucumcari, the International Route 66 Festival in Victorville, and Cuba Fest.

Well, again thanks for the assistance. Don't forget about our contest and I hope our paths will cross this year on Route 66 or somewhere along the road less traveled.

A LITTLE SOMETHING TO START YOUR DAY WITH A SMILE

2012-02-10T05:50:00.001-07:00

The schedule today is packed quite tight. Still, I felt that it might be nice to share something that might put a smile on your face.

For those who are thinking of Route 66 -

A TALE OF TWO EZRA'S

2012-02-09T05:54:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there were two Ezra's. One played a role in the transformation of Route 66, the other ensured the Oregon Trail did not fade into obscurity.
The first, Ezra Blaine Meeker, built a Cajon Pass empire with a series of businesses that began with a partnership in a cafe and service station near Camp Cajon in 1919. His properties were like the mythical Phoenix in that they rose from the ashes of destruction.
His first enterprise, a complex up the hill from Camp Cajon, vanished in the massive flood of 1938. The next complex, bigger and better than the first, prospered until a run away truck decimated the complex in 196. The next enterprise was erased with the construction of the four lane alignment of Route 66 and then came the popular Double D Ranch Cafe and station, a complex that included a home built from two of the cabins from the previous endeavor.
The first Ezra Meeker was the grandfather of Ezra Blaine Meeker, a tenacious man whose life bridged the world of John Adams and the world of Henry Ford. Often, I have mentioned my fascination with the period between 1885 and 1930 resultant of the people that lived in the world of the frontier and the modern era. Meeker exemplifies this.
Born in December of 1830, Ezra Meeker migrated to Oregon with his wife Eliza, and newborn son, Marian, over the Oregon Trail in 1852. They traveled by wagon and a two ox team. a mode of transport that would figure prominently in his latter life.
In Puyallup, Oregon Ezra turned to the growing of hops and made himself a small fortune, much of which was lost when hops aphids devastated his crops in 1888. Undaunted, the 58 year old Meeker turned his attentions to other ventures - developing waxed paper cartons for milk, an advanced means for dehydrating fruits and vegetables, among others.
The gold rush in the Klondike grabbed his attention. So, he decided to try his hand as a prospector making several trips tot he Yukon and Arctic in search of elusive riches. Then, in 1906, at age 76, he discovered his calling.
With the advent of the automobile and the sweeping changes being wrought by technology, the nation turned its eyes to the future. Meeker worried that they would forget the past, their all important roots and so he decided to shine the light on the Oregon Trail and its importance to the nation.
With a covered wagon garishly painted and adorned with advertisement, and a team of oxen, he headed east over the old trail. Along the way he stopped and spoke at conventions, local events, schools, and any venue that presented itself. The media focus on his endeavor increased with each passing mile.
After reaching the eastern terminus of the Oregon Trail, he decided to take his message to Washington D.C. But times had changed and in New York City, Meeker crashed into the modern era and its tangle of red tape and regulation, a plague that would became the modern equal of the Hydra in the 21st century.
Still, Meeker persevered and on November 28, 1907 Meeker arrived in Washington for his meeting with President Roosevelt. Congress considered, and rejected, Meeker's request for $50,000 to mark the historic trail.
Meeker continued in his quest to bring remembrance of the Oregon Trail to the American people. In 1910, now 80 years of age, he repeated his cross country venture with wagon and team of oxen.
In 1916, he adopted modern technologies to his endeavor. For this cross country adventure, he drove an automobile.
The year previous, he had the oxen, Dave and Dandy, mounted by a taxidermist, attached to the wagon and sent around the country by rail. It was displayed in Washington D.C. and at the San Francisco Panama Pacific Exhibition and is currently on exhibit at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, Washington.
In 1924, Meeker, now 94 flew across the nation in an open cockpit biplane. This trip was at the bequest of Orville Wright, who he rode in a parade with the next day before continuing his journey east to meet with President Coolidge.
In 1926, Meeker's quest bore fruit. The Congress authorized the minting of a special Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar.
Meeker died on December 3, 1928, but not before meeting with Henry Ford to discuss a way to promote the new Model A through the promotion of the Oregon Trail. Meeker was truly a man who knew how to get the most from life!

A BOOK WRITTEN BY THE ROUTE 66 COMMUNITY

2012-02-08T06:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I asked a few questions about Route 66 locations that had me stumped. I am quite sure the answers could have been pried out of hours of research but instead turned to the Route 66 community.
With that said, a special thanks to the fine folks in Carthage, specifically at the Powers Museum, and Joe Sonderman. As I have but a few weeks to finish this project, and a few more loose ends and unanswered questions, I ask the Route 66 community to please stand by.
When I first announced the commencement of this project Laurel Kane, in her delightful blog about the adventures involved with Afton Station (it is listed below in my favorite blogs), delicately informed the world that a touch of crazy would be needed to take on a project such as this. First there is the magnitude of the undertaking. Then there was her well expressed concern about the hell to pay that will come with any exclusion.
She was right. This book will not and can not be all inclusive. However, it will be the most comprehensive book yet written about Route 66, of that I am quite confident. It will also serve as a solid foundation for those wanting to explore, to dig deeper for answers.
It will also be as unique as the old highway itself and that is made evident in the speed of response to my questions. See, I merely chronicled the story in this book. The Route 66 community past and present wrote it.
Every book and every article I pen requires assistance from experts, researchers, and those in the know. Ghost Towns of Route 66, and now the Route 66 encyclopedia, took this to new levels.
The Route 66 community has been so supportive and so quick to assist it would be almost impossible for me to take credit. I hope the Route 66 community will be satisfied with the final product.
Okay, lets talk about the contest with a grand prize of an evening of Route 66 conversation, dinner on me, and a signed copy of Ghost Towns of Route 66. Here too, the response has been rather surprising.
As a reminder, the deadline for entry is May 1. All you need to do to enter is send me a brief note about Route 66 and what it means to you, and permission to reprint your story here on the blog. Final arrangements of date, time, and place will be worked out with the winner.
The last note of the day pertains to Cuba Fest, the promotional tour for the new book, and a unique advertising opportunity. We are still in search of a major sponsor who would like to see their company logo and name on a vintage car driven along Route 66, on promotional materials, and in the media exposure that results. I should also note this is an opportunity to support the educational process as my goal is take Route 66, and the old car, to the schools in an effort to stir excitement about history.

CAN YOU HELP?

2012-02-07T06:02:00.001-07:00

Among the hundreds of real photo post cards provided by Steve Rider, Joe Sonderman, and Mike Ward for use as illustrations in the Route 66 encyclopedia are a handful that are rich in detail but that can not be used as I have almost no information about the location. Can you help?
Double D Ranch Cafe - Cajon Pass
Graham's Camp and Sunset Rest Camp, both in Devils Elbow, Missouri
Camp Townsend near Flagstaff
Boodle's Minerals near Galena, Kansas
Colorado Camp Ground near Gallup
Cottage Inn near Joplin
Log Cabin Filling Station near Lebanon
As I was writing captions for dozens of wonderful images yesterday there was a palpable sense of excitement. I can't wait to share this project with the Route 66 community.
The photos and post cards provided by these three collectors are truly the frosting on the cake. There are hand colored views of the hotel and store in Adamana, Arizona on the National Old Trails Highway, and of the main drag in Ash Fork in the 1920s and 1940s, as well as dozens of now vanished auto camps, auto courts, and motels. These are what will transform this book into a true time capsule.
As I strive to finish this project, and get it ready for the big debut in Cuba at Cuba Fest, there is the promotional work on Ghost Towns of Route 66 and Ghost Towns of the Southwest continues. As both books provide glimpses into forgotten and often overlooked chapters in history, I derive a great deal of satisfaction in speaking on this topics.
I suppose much of this is resultant of my fascination with the world between the years 1885 and 1940. What an amazing era!
Wyatt Earp was living in LA and providing consultation for the filming of westerns. Louis Chevrolet and Barney Oldfield were racing along the National Old Trails Highway through frontier era mining towns such as Daggett and Hackberry.
In 1906, a Stanley was driven to a new speed record of 149 miles per hour, and in 1899 Studebaker, after almost a half century of building horse drawn vehicles, produced an electric car designed by Thomas Edison. Glenrio in Texas was transformed from a prosperous little farming community into an oasis for motorists and Endee, a frontier era ranching center, withered on the vine.
In an unrelated note, a few days ago I announced a bit of a contest. In the next week or so, I will begin sharing some of the entries.

AND SO BEGINS ANOTHER DAY

2012-02-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

It looks as though we will be enjoying another Chamber of Commerce moment in Kingman today. It has been an unusual winter, just a touch of cold in the mornings but pleasant and warm most every afternoon. Of course the real concern is the lack of rain or snow.
This has been an issue here for several years but I believe this may be the driest winter yet. I am really starting to wonder if we will be hunting jerky instead of deer.
There is ample evidence to support the claims of climate change. Still, I just have trouble accepting the theory currently being marketed with fear mongering by a few folks who stand to profit greatly. Perhaps this is resultant of my years spent in close contact with used car salesmen.
In theory it is a day off, at least from the job that pays the bills. Numerous errands will consume a big chunk of the morning but the afternoon will be spent at the desk writing captions for the new book.
Before the arrival of my son and his family yesterday, I completed the "A' through "F" segment. In the process I became even more appreciative of the contributions to this project made by Steve Rider, Mike Ward, and Joe Sonderman.
I must confess, there is a little something very special and very personal in this book. I dedicate each book to my dearest friend. Without her patience, encouragement, support, and advise, I really doubt if the first book or feature article would have been written, let alone seven books and more than a thousand feature articles.

My dearest friend has always been my partner but with this project we took this partnership to a new level. This time the photography was a joint effort. Here is a little something from our visit to the Blue Swallow Motel.
If all goes as planned, which would be a unique experience, my plans are to celebrate completion of the book, and say thank you for keeping me fed and supported through a month of twelve and fourteen hour work days, with a quick weekend trip to the coast. My dearest friend enjoys our visits to the beach so, perhaps, we can take off after work on Saturday, and drive to Kumar's (the Wigwam Motel in Rialto). That is roughly 350 miles and as I get off at noon, that would be just about right.
Then we can do a little inner city Route 66 exploration on the way to Santa Monica. The primary obstacle is the fact that the crushing traffic congestion and high speed demolition derby from Hysteria (Hesperia) to the coast really makes it difficult to relax or enjoy anything.
I received notice on Friday that my potential service as a federal juror had been postponed until April. That will relieve a great deal of the pressure this month. However, it may create another issue as Ghost Towns of Route 66 has been nominated for an award at a prestigious Oklahoma event in mid April.
As it stands now, attendance would mean taking a Friday off, driving 1,000 miles in two days, and then getting back in 24 hours for work. Jury duty would add some complications to that tight schedule.
Well, its time to get the day going. I have captions to write for some great photos from the 1920s, 1930, and 1940s.

THE SPRINT FOR THE FINISH LINE

2012-02-05T06:59:00.002-07:00

I am down to three weeks, twenty one days, to finalize the text and write captions for the illustrations. This is always the most frustrating, most exciting, most tiring, and most rewarding period in the process of transforming an idea into a book.
The editors have examined the text with a magnifying glass looking for grammatical mistakes, inserted questions pertaining to something written, and made notes requesting clarification or more information. My job is to address each of these issues as well as fix small problems created when the editor removed something that didn't seem relevant or important.

The end is in sight.

The rough edit of the text is often received about the same time as the approved illustration list. For this project I submitted almost two thousand images, about 1,250 were selected. When the book is published about one thousand of them will be included.
The general rule of thumb is thirty or forty days to complete this segment of the project. As I have a full time job that supports the writing habit, this means there will be a month of long nights, full weekends, and early mornings.
Still, I find this portion of the project to be one of the most exhilarating. Even though it is still disjointed, and a bit rough around the edges, I can envision the final project with clarity.
A comparative analogy would be home construction. The foundation is laid, the walls up, and the roof is on. There is still a great deal of work to be done but now the end is in sight and you can see what the end result will be.
As my goal is to become a writer when I grow up, there is a need to keep the momentum, and royalties, rolling. So, there is an almost never ending need to promote books written, the book about to be published, and to get the next contract.
So, the month of February looks like this - final edit, captions, day job, the specter of federal jury duty, continuing work on the Route 66 in Mohave County photo exhibit, promoting books written, trying to get the publisher or a publisher interested in the next project, tax preparation, and the all important time to unwind with my best friend, my son, and his family. Grueling is an understatement but I would not have it any other way.
Among the many frustrations associated with writing is selling an idea to the publisher and keeping the promotional ball rolling. However, these are also fascinating challenges.
Case in point, Ghost Towns of Route 66. The book is selling quite well, in fact the publisher was slammed with orders and has to rush the next printing. However, these books will not be available until mid March which means cancellation of a couple of engagements including Bookworks in Albuquerque.
Ghost Towns of the Southwest promotion encountered a similar problem. Now, that book sells in steady numbers but there is still the need to promote
At one point in the very distant past, I tried my hand at selling used cars. I don't have that "key to success is sincerity and once you can fake that, the rest is easy" attitude so it was a short lived venture.
The books I write are easy for me to sell, to promote. I believe in them. I would not have written them unless there was a belief that they would add depth and context, that they would inspire and encourage exploration, or that they would be worth the hard earned money people paid for them.
As it turns out, that is the easy part. Convincing the publisher to sign on to another project is always the most difficult part of the writing process. In your mind it is a project with great merit but they need to see it as something with potential profit.
Meanwhile, it is time to write some captions.

GET YOUR PROGRAMS, CAN'T TELL THE PLAYERS WITHOUT A PROGRAM

2012-02-03T06:33:00.002-07:00

Yesterday ended on one of those good news, bad news sort of notes. I received word from Steve Roth, the publicist at the publisher that the signing at Bookworks in Albuquerque scheduled for the 26th of this month has been canceled. It would seem the publisher was slammed with orders for Ghost Towns of Route 66 and has had to rush a reprint that will not be available in time.

So, to the fine folks in Albuquerque, I apologize. We are working on rescheduling and as soon as a date is confirmed I will post details.
Meanwhile plans are moving forward for other appearances. These include the Route 66 Fun Run, KABAM, Wheels on 66 in Tucumcari, the International Route 66 Festival in Victorville, and the big one, Cuba Fest in Cuba.
But the pressing issue is completion of the Route 66 encyclopedia. The final edit is complete for "A" through "Q" entries, and captions are written from "A" to Barstow. This has presented another troubling issue, what illustrations to use and which ones to discard as it would be impossible to use all 2,000 plus images.
With vast donations from the collections from Steve Rider, Mike Ward, and Joe Sonderman, images from the Library of Congress, and hundreds of photographs from our files as well as those we took specifically for this project making choices is an almost impossible task. Fortunately I have assistance from Melinda Keefe, a gifted editor, at the publisher to help with the decision.
As an example, I have photos of Bender's in Amboy circa 1918, Bender's circa 1930, Roy's about 1945, Conn's Super Service, formerly Bender's, and Roy's about 1960. In addition I have an extensive photo file of images we took on numerous visits. I can use one, two, or three but not all. Which do I choose?
Now, magnify that by hundreds of cities, towns, and sites. It is a wonderful problem to have, and I am excited to have access to hundreds of photos never before published.
So, the month of February, with the specter of federal jury duty in Prescott hanging over my head, is full from daylight to late at night. My dearest friend is so patient during these final weeks of a project and for that I am quite grateful.
Perhaps, we can escape for a weekend in March. I am thinking a night at the Wigwam , a visit with Kumar, maybe a stroll on Santa Monica Pier, a stop at Auto Books Aero Books in Burbank, a pleasant dinner at some little Route 66 roadhouse, and a picnic in the desert near Amboy would suffice.

AND THAT MAKES 1,000

2012-02-01T18:32:00.002-07:00

Well, here we are, post number 1,000. When this adventure in blogging began a milestone such as this was unimaginable. After all, it started off as a simple experiment in my ongoing endeavor to move into the world of the late twentieth century, even though the rest of the world was already well into the first years of the twenty first century.
From its inception the blog has revolved around my fascination with the resurgent interest in Route 66, and a life long love of the road less traveled as well as old trucks. Around this simple theme I shared stories of my misspent youth and adventures of discovery in Arizona as well as New Mexico, shared our road trips, introduced readers to Barney the wonder truck, and documented the often darkly comedic quest to become a writer.
It has been a grand adventure to say the very least. But the greatest reward is in the letters and notes received from readers, and the people we have met as a result of the blog, books, written, and photographs shared.
So, as we begin the journey to 2,000, I feel a special thank you is in order. Without the notes and letters of encouragement, and the notes of thanks received in regard to assistance given, I would have given up on this endeavor long ago.
With that said, I would like to do more than just say thank you, I would like to express my gratitude. After evaluation of the responses received when I asked for input about how to celebrate this momentous occasion, the decision was made to give it a Route 66 theme as that old road has been the centerpiece of this blog, and most of my life since 1959.
The deadline for submission will be May 1 of this year. The prize is dinner, my treat, lively conversation about Route 66, and a signed copy of Ghost Towns of Route 66.
All you have to do is submit a letter about what Route 66 means to you. I will select a letter from those submitted, share excerpts here on the blog with your permission, notify the winner by May 15, and then make arrangements to coordinate my schedule to meet with you along Route 66, or when you stop by Kingman.
Again thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.

THE WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD

2012-02-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

In working through the final edit for the Route 66 encyclopedia I developed a sense that the editor was about to pull her hair out at times. Here is an entry for something as obscure as the Horn Oil Company of Albuquerque that consumes a half page while the entry for a "town" like Prewitt, New Mexico is a succinct couple of lines.

Not much can be said for a small ranching outpost with pre statehood origins where a couple of entrepreneurial cowboys established a trading post in a large tent along the National Old Trails Highway in 1916. Jack Rittenhouse, in 1946, noted the trading post and said no other services were available.

From its inception I envisioned a book that provided a reason and a story for every dot on the map from Chicago to Santa Monica. This was to be the foundation. In my quest to create a Route 66 time capsule nothing and no place was deemed to obscure for inclusion.
Now, with the final edit of entries "A" through "Q" complete, I will turn my attention to the writing of captions for the thousand or so images while awaiting the editor to send "R" through "Z". Meanwhile, another project that demands immediate attention is the penning of an article on Glenrio and Endee that will be a feature in the March issue of 66 The Mother Road.

I am looking forward to the next issue. In addition to the crime and punishment theme, they will be providing details about their massive Route 66 contest that will culminate with the awarding of a wide array of prizes at the Wagon Wheel Motel during Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri.

With the completion of the captions, due by March 1, the publisher will create a galley proof for a final evaluation. Then its off to the printer and a touch of the worries that accompany every book written. What did I miss or overlook? Are the dates correct? How will it be received? Will it enhance the Route 66 experience and encourage the uninitiated to discover its wonders and treasures?
With the latter in mind I have almost completed a business plan for the solicitation of corporate sponsorship to fund my combination educational/promotional/media tour along Route 66. In talking with Ron of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce, thoughts are again turning toward the original idea of utilizing a bone stock Model A for this venture. This would allow for the development of an educational program centered on the Great Depression.
Would you care to share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions about this lofty goal?
Well, the next post will be landmark number 1,000. A few days ago I asked for ideas on how to celebrate this momentous occasion. One of the best ideas to be submitted was this -"Why not offer dinner, and some good Route 66 conversation, with a signed book."
Do you have a suggestion?

NUMBER 998

2012-01-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Well, this is post number 998. That means I have just two more posts to go before coming up with a way to reward those who have followed my wanderings and ramblings for 1,000 posts. Do you have any suggestions?
As is often the case, my weekend was consumed with a flurry of activity, most of which was centered on the quest to become a writer when I grow up. Of course that means a number of pressing projects unrelated to this pursuit were again pushed to the back burner - fixing a flat tire on Barney the wonder truck, scraping the eaves, replacing the tub surround, tax preparation, and similar items that have been hanging over my head.
The publisher sent the text for the Route 66 encyclopedia, at least "A" through "Q", with notes, requests for changes, and questions. So, the final edit stage of the project was the primary focus.

Sunset in Glenrio

They also sent a list of images approved as illustrations for the project. The adjustments to this list, including the submission of alternates, and then the writing of captions for about 1,000 images will be the focus of at least a weekend or two, and a few evenings, once the text is complete.
This is always one of the more exciting aspects of writing a book as it becomes easier to envision the finished product. With images from the collections of Joe Sonderman, Mike Ward, and Steve Rider constituting about 80% of the illustrations for this book, the anticipation is far greater.
The deadline for all of this is March 1. This was a secondary reason for the filing of an exemption request in response to the summons for federal court jury duty selection during the month of February.
I worked in the office until noon on Saturday, and as my wife was hosting a baby shower for my daughter-in-law at the house during the afternoon, grabbed some lunch and went back to work on the encyclopedia in relative silence. At home, I worked for another hour, and then watched a movie with my dearest friend.
On Sunday, after our traditional mornings activities, I again fastened my butt to the chair and glued the eyes to the computer screen. I took a break late in the afternoon to answer correspondence, and to send a flurry of emails pertaining to upcoming appearances - Bookworks in Albuquerque, the Route 66 Fun Run, KABAM, Wheels on 66 in Tucumcari, and the International Route 66 Festival in Victorville.
Today, a scheduled day off from the job that pays the bills and that supports the writing habit, will be spent in imitation of Saturday afternoon and Sunday, with the exception of an appointment with the optometrist this afternoon. It looks as though I have turned writing and photography into a full time job. Now if I can just figure out how to turn it into one that pays ...
On a more serious note, as nice as it would be to make this the primary source of our income, I can't imagine doing anything else. I derive such enjoyment out of sharing our adventures, and encouraging others to explore through that sharing, as well as adding depth and context to adventures, that it is impossible to think of anything more rewarding.
Even better, it has opened the door to meeting the most fascinating and encouraging people. What a blessing it is for a small town redneck to have friends from all over the world.

IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION - PART VI

2012-01-28T06:10:00.001-07:00

In recent weeks the inbox has filled with questions pertaining to Route 66, travel, and my schedule. As many of these questions pertain to obscure places along the highway, its history, and yet unpublished updates to my schedule, I thought the sharing of answers might be of benefit to other fans of the double six.

WHERE IN ILLINOIS CAN I FIND A COMMUNITY ALONG ROUTE 66 THAT SEEMS TO BE UNDISCOVERED? Dwight, Illinois, in the district around the train depot. Dwight has a wide array of wonderful Route 66 attraction such as Ambler Texaco, and excellent places to eat such as the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant.

However, if you venture into town there is a sense that Dwight is little more than a time capsule preserved into the modern era, a place where the fame of Route 66 has passed it by. The train depot, a bank designed by Frank Loyd Wright, the former Keeler Institute with its Tiffany inspired stained glass windows, and the Country Manor Restaurant with it park like grounds dominated by the most fascinating windmill are but a few of its treasures.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR TRAVEL? Well, that would depend on what you are looking for on your trip. Most of your festivals and events that center on Route 66 take place from May through September. However, the months of June through August are brutal along the segment between Kingman and Victorville.

My preference is mid May to mid June, or late September into mid October. On occasion you will encounter cold weather or storms during this period but overall it is the only times of year where you will have near perfect weather along the whole route.

We enjoy seasoning our trips with long walks. Strolling across the Chain of Rocks Bridge when it is near one hundred degrees and the humidity is at almost the same level, or making the trek to the summit of Amboy Crater when the temperatures are exceeding 120 degrees and even the snakes are seeking shelter, just isn't very enjoyable.

Our last journey along the double six was made in October. To be honest, it was one of our more enjoyable trips. As a bonus, we had fall colors along most of the route.

QUITE OFTEN YOU MENTION ROUTE 66 DETOURS. IF THE TIME FOR OUR SCHEDULE IS LIMITED, AND WE CAN TAKE BUT ONE DETOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SUGGESTION? My hands down favorite is Prescott, Arizona, about sixty miles south of Ash Fork, especially the downtown district around the courthouse square.

Prescott is unique in that the downtown area, the historic district did not go through the evolution of decline and rebirth. With the exception of the cars that line and clog the streets, it is still 1950 here.

There are three excellent historic hotels, countless restaurants, some family owned for more than fifty years, an authentic Old West saloon, excellent museums, and even night life. What people seek along Route 66 is found in Prescott in spades.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE RESTAURANT ON ROUTE 66? Yes, several. For authentic atmosphere, good food, and tradition it would be the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois.

I love pie and cobblers. Fortunately the places I know of for the best pie are spaced enough to keep me from having withdrawls but not so close together I tire of the treat.

The Palms Grill in Atlanta, the Midpoint in Adrian, Texas, and the Pine Country Restaurant in Williams, Arizona rate at the top of my list.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC MOTELS I SHOULD INCLUDE IN MY TRIP? Yes, by all means, yes. Few things enhance a Route 66 adventure like being able to keep the illusion of time travel alive when the sun goes down. There are a number of great old motels found along Route 66, Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide, published by the National Historic Route 66 Federation is an excellent reference source.

My favorites (I have not experienced them all as of yet) are the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri, the Munger Moss in Lebanon, Missouri, Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Motel Safari, also in Tucumcari, and the Wigwam Motels, one in Holbrook, Arizona, and one in Rialto, California, the best of the pair.

HOW OFTEN IS YOUR SCHEDULE PAGE UPDATED? An effort is made to update it as soon as a new appearance is confirmed. For 2012, I will be a Bookworks in Albuquerque on the February, 26, at the Route 66 Fun Run in Kingman on the first weekend in May, the KABAM festival in Kingman the second weekend in May, the Wheels on Route 66 event in Tucucmcari on June 9, the International Route 66 Festival in Victorville, California in August, and the biggie, Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri in late October where the long awaited Route 66 encyclopedia will make its debut.

Pending are two events in California, one in Santa Monica and one in Burbank.

THE LONG ROAD TO CUBA

2012-01-27T06:06:00.002-07:00

I am not sure when the quest to use my writing and photography to promote Route 66, its unique culture, and the people who give it life and vitality began. However, I do know who set that quest in motion - Bob Waldmire.
We met shortly after he began moving into the old Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona. Even though I lean a bit toward the red neck side my view is that there is a danger of becoming so narrow minded you can look down a beer bottle with both eyes if you don't associate with, and cultivate friends from a wide spectrum of life. Bob was at the far end of my spectrum.
Over the years Bob and I became fairly good friends. And as that friendship developed I began to see Route 66, a highway that had been a part of my life since infancy, in a different light. The rest, as they say, is history.
Initially my writings were centered on the development of the American automotive industry, specifically between the years 1885 and 1940. The one deviation was a weekly travel column written for the Kingman Daily Miner.
Meanwhile, I promoted Route 66 in my corner of the world and became frustrated by the lack of progress in preserving its unique attributes in my adopted hometown. With the exception of one particular endeavor, my contributions were rather anemic.
I served as the chairman for the organizing committee of the Arizona Route 66 Association in charge of the Route 66 Fun Run.
We introduced a few changes. Some, like relocating the main event from Centennial Park to downtown Kingman became integral components for the event. Others, like hosting a display of Shelle Grahams work at the Hotel Beale, fell by the wayside.
The first real opportunity to promote the entire road through my work came with the contract to write Ghost Towns of Route 66. This book provided me with an unprecedented opportunity to add depth and context to the Route 66 experience as well as shine the light on towns where the resurgent interest came far to late.
With the Route 66 encyclopedia project, I was presented with an incredible opportunity for the promotion of the road. In October of 2011, as we traveled Route 66 to promote the ghost town book, and to gather photos for the encyclopedia, I began to expand on this line of thought and to develop the idea of using the books debut and initial promotion to bolster the promotional efforts of a community along the road.
The question of where followed us in our travels. Pontiac and Atlanta, Barstow and Santa Monica, Tucucmcari and Kingman all seemed like ideal places for what I envisioned. Then we arrived at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri to sign books along with Riva Echols and Joe Sonderman.
Even though the reception was a bit anemic there was a magic in the air; Connie's determined enthusiasm, Jane Reed's friendly focus, and the sense that this was a town where my support in the form of drawing media attention could be utilized with effectiveness. And so we selected Cuba Fest in Cuba for the big kick off.
Then we will take the show on the road. May I be of service to you and your efforts to promote Route66 or your unique community? If so, please drop me a note and lets see what I can do to help.

MORE THAN JUST A NAME

2012-01-25T19:00:00.002-07:00

The names roll off our lips with little thought to the story behind them. Chevrolet is a car, not a Swiss immigrant who came to the United States in the employ of Fiat, became a racing legend in the promotion of Buick, and who joined forces with William Durant to launch an automotive empire that become an American icon.
Chrysler is also a car, not some fellow named Walter who was instrumental in keeping GM afloat during some very difficult times. Likewise with Dodge, Nash, Buick, Edsel, Ford, Cadillac, and Studebaker.
We drive along Route 66, see the signs that ring with familiarity - Winona, Kingman, Barstow - and never give thought to the stories, or people, behind the names. Mention Cuba and fans of the highway think Wagon Wheel Motel, not an island in the Caribbean. Mention Romeroville and few will think Don Trinidad Romero.
Those individuals who lent their names to products and towns have been awarded a very dubious form of immortality. Their names are remembered and spoken throughout the world decades after their demise, but few know who they were.
The Stanley brothers were the fellows who manufactured the steam car. They were also the fellows who invented the dry plate photographic process that became the cornerstone of Eastman Kodak and manufacturers of quality violins.
The Don Trinidad Romero or Romeroville was a man without a country after the United States gained control of the New Mexico territory. He was also a prosperous freighter on the old Santa Fe Trail, a prominent rancher, the territorial representative to Congress, and sheriff of San Miguel County.
His home in Romeroville was the showplace of northeastern New Mexico. It was there he hosted formal dinners and entertained a wide array of prominent gusts such as President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes, and General William T. Sherman.
For fans of the double six, Afton is that faded old town in Oklahoma with a former DX station that has been transformed into a "must see stop." However, for Anton Aires it was a tribute to his daughter, Afton Aires, and a memorial to his former home in Scotland along the Afton River.
Kingman will be forever linked to America's most famous highway resultant of a song that proclaimed this as THE road for getting your kicks. Meanwhile, the industrious, adventuresome, and somewhat vain, Lewis Kingman, a railroad location engineer who named this stop for himself, has been relegated to obscurity.
And that little town in Illinois known worldwide for the hospitality and good food found at the Ariston Cafe is the legacy of Electus Bachus Litchfield.
So, the next time you decide to motor west, give some thought to the names you see along the way. There might not always be an interesting story behind them, but there is most likely a very interesting person.
As a bit of a shameless self promotion, if your curious about the names of the towns along Route 66, I am quite sure you will find my next book, a Route 66 Encyclopedia & Atlas, of interest as I provide a concise history for every town on every alignment of Route 66! The book is scheduled for an October of 2012 release with an official debut being scheduled at the Wagon Wheel Motel during Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri.

YOU FIND THE STRANGEST THINGS IN THE ODDEST PLACES

2012-01-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

By nature, I am a rather inquisitive person. So, I suppose, that is one reason the research for the books and feature articles I write intrigues me so. And as I can't help but think there are others that share my proclivity to finding pleasure in obscure facts, a certain pleasure is derived in sharing what is learned.
As a result, being contracted to produce the Route 66 encyclopedia and atlas, and generous editorial parameters that allowed for up to 150,000 words of text, was akin to being a painter whose imagination was unleashed with a commission that allowed him to move from portrait painting to creating the artistry of the Sistine Chapel. However, the excitement derived in contemplating the massive blank canvas before me was tinged with a sense of apprehension as this work, a time capsule chronicling the 85 year history of Route 66, was seen as a sacred honor, a thought that magnified my obsession with accuracy.
Before the work of writing commenced, I created a basic framework for the project that included the need to have a concise history of every community on every alignment of Route 66. Then I buried myself in research, a project that manifested in an entire file drawer filled with notes.
Years ago I learned that in the quest for information you will find the strangest things in the oddest places. When offered the opportunity to write a book on the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company (subject of interview with Jay Leno, the clip is toward the bottom of this column), I jumped at the chance. Writing a book represented the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
This led to the learning of another lesson. Before accepting a project, always ask why no one had attempted it before.
As it turns out, little had been written about Checker because there was very little information available. It had been a family run operation from its inception, with the exception of a brief period in the 1930s when the founder, Morris Markin, lost control of the company and turned to E.L. Cord for assistance in regaining control of the helm.
Most decisions were made among a very small circle and there was very little promotional material produced as the company allowed the product to advertise itself. Further limitations on available material for research was derived from the fact that Markin owned another company, Checker Taxi, that he sold the cars to and through.
As a result, the period between 1922 and the end of World War II was an almost completely blank slate. Here was a company that had produced, in small numbers, a job specific designed vehicle that dominated much of he American taxi business and there was almost no documentation. Here was a company that produced an incredible number of specialty, niche market vehicles and there was only the faintest of paper trails, few photographs and fewer existent models.
In fact, when I wrote this book there were less than twenty existent Checker built vehicles to represent the period between 1922 and 1958! Needless to say, I was faced with a daunting task.
My first attempt at unraveling the Checker story was through the front door, a series of phone calls to the Checker company in Kalamazoo in the hopes of scoring an interview with David Markin, the founders son. When these efforts were rebuffed I turned to a friend who worked in the transportation wing of the Smithsonian Institute archives.
Imagine my surprise when I learned that their collection of pre war material consisted of five photos, two brochures, and a couple of trade journals from the 1920s! That was when I instituted my research in odd places starting with the Detroit phone book.
In the 1970s a writer by the name of Stanley Yost had gained access to the Checker files and written a book about some of the various Checker models. A the time he had lived in the Detroit area, and the photography shop that had copied the photos he used as illustrations was also in that city, or at least it had been thirty years before.
Well, to make a long story short, the photography shop was still in business, the gentleman who had owned the shop before selling it in the 1990s was still alive, and with just two phone calls, I had his phone number. As it turned out this was a dead end for he had lost contact with Mr. Yost when he moved to Florida. Even worse, the photos from the Checker archives, and his negatives had been donated to a now defunct museum.
Back to square one with but one lead, Mr. Yost, a WWII bomber pilot who kept in touch with the surviving members of his crew, enjoyed vintage cars and airplanes. After spending a bit of time browsing the member registry of the Society of Automotive Historians and the Antique Automobile Club of America, and looking for areas in Florida where car shows and plane shows were often held together, I had a list of towns where a Mr. Yost, if still alive, might reside.
I called information in the first town, was given a phone number, gave it a dial, and a very elderly Mr. Yost answered! We talked for quite awhile, he provided with me information as he remembered it, and informed me that he had obtained a number of factory photos and negatives (some on nitrate film and some on glass negatives) from Checker and dozens of other companies during he 1950s. He then had these made into slides but had given them away years ago.
When we hung up I wrote a note to myself pertaining to getting a picture of the Kingman Army Airfield from the Mohave Museum of History & Arts and sending it Mr. Yost. Then I turned to tracing other leads.
A week or so later, Mr. Yost called and said he had found two boxes of the automobile slides in the attic. He was unsure of the exact contents but if I was willing to pay shipping, they were mine.
Two weeks later I was the proud owner of more than twenty one of a kind Checker photos! As a bonus I also had pictures of Buffalo Bill Cody taking delivery of his 1903 Michigan, Ben Turpin with his new McFarland, and hundreds of other rare photos.
With that experience at the forefront of my thoughts, I set out to unravel the secrets of America's most famous highway with an excitement only equaled by the start of a Route 66 adventure.

THE CHUTE IS OPEN

2012-01-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, lets talk voyeurism in the guise of Route 66 travel blogs and sites. One of my favorites, listed below in the section for favorite blogs, is that of Laurel Kane who chronicles the adventures of a Route 66 business owner.

Afton Station, Afton, Oklahoma

Laurel is the owner and proprietor of Afton Station, in the faded old town of Afton, Oklahoma. This former DX station, with its cast of colorful characters that often frequent the place, exemplifies the modern era on Route 66 while preserving the spirit, the essence of what made this highway truly unique.
Vintage cars, with the emphasis on vehicles manufactured by Packard, are but one reason to make a pit stop here. The eclectic collection of Route 66 and Afton memorabilia is another.
But it is the people that make Route 66 a real treasure and at Afton Station that is exemplified in spades. With that thought in mind, to borrow something from Dave Knudsen of the National Historic Route 66 Federation, I have to rate Afton Stations as a "very special, must stop."
Route 66 is like a long string of mismatched diamonds, rubies, and precious stones. Some are polished, some are pretty rough around the edges, some are so dusty it is hard to see the sheen but each and every one of them is a gem. Afton Station is but one of them.
On our trip last October, I had the opportunity and pleasure of introducing my dearest friend to a few of them. It also provided the opportunity to discover a few others, something that shows just how amazing this old road is.
I have been following its twisted course from east to west and west to east for about a half century and yet there are still treasures awaiting discovery. Some were simply overlooked, others didn't exist on our last trip, and others have been carefully polished.

The trail to Amboy Crater

We kicked off a new year of adventures on Route 66 with a trip to Amboy, and the climbing of Amboy Crater, on the second of January. As the calendar fills, and we balance the call of the road, the obligations of the day job that supports the writing habit, and the urge to see old friends on the road, and make new ones, this trip seems more, and more symbolic for the year 2012.
A first glance it likes a long drive across a big empty followed by a long, dusty, tiring walk through an even bigger empty. But as the anticipation builds, and the trip begins, the grand adventure unfolds and soon the cares, worries, and stresses of the day are rolled back with the passing of each mile.
Standing here on the thresh hold of a new year, I am filled with that sense of anticipation and excitement tinged with a fear that has the stomach sucked up tight against the backbone that filled those last second before the chute opened for a very long eight second ride. Deadlines and tight schedules loom, but the reward is miles of smiles, and the need for a larger trunk to hold the memories made.

MILESTONES, UPDATES, AND NEWS FROM THE ROAD

2012-01-23T13:50:00.003-07:00

First on the agenda this afternoon is a milestone of note. Our 1,000th post is now less than ten entries away.

When this project began the primary catalyst was educational as I was at a cross roads. I could either become at least partially literate in regards to new technologies or I could just pull the plug and find some place where it was still possible to homestead, pan for gold, grow your own food, and keep the cabin warm with wood.

I like keeping things simple. I am also entranced with technologies of the past. Still, years ago I tried setting the way back machine to 1890 and found it to be a fascinating way of life. In fact, it was a good life, especially if I did not planning on living long and but now I am looking sixty right square in the eye.

My voyage into the modern technological era began with email, moved to digital photography, then the blog, and eventually, a website. Last year I actually sent a text message.

Now my goals are quite simple. Find a balance between the world of 1890 and the frustrating, cold, impersonal age of electronic technology. Somehow there must be a way to blend the two together.

Now, a couple of quick updates. John and Judy Springs, 66 The Mother Road, are cooking up a Route 66 contest that will be the contest others aspire to in future years. Details will be published soon.

The February issue of Smithsonian Magazine has a great feature article on Route 66. You can find more information, a link, and preview at Route 66 News. This is also a great source for current information, events, and the economic impact of Route 66.

Details are being finalized but it looks as though I will be signing books as a fund raiser for the Arizona Route 66 Association at the Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman during the annual Route 66 Fun Run scheduled for the first weekend in May. In addition, the push is on to have at least a portion of the Route 66 in Mohave County exhibit on the second floor mezzanine complete. My dearest friend and I were quite honored to be selected as the photographers for this state centennial project.

Next on my calendar will be the annual KABAM festival, also in Kingman, on the third weekend of the month of May. This celebration of books and literacy, another event I am quite proud to be associated with, features lectures at the library and at local schools, as well as a day in the park with authors, poets, and musicians.

I spoke with Sam, the owner of the historic El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, this past weekend, and am pleased to report he is holding fast to his plans for the renovation of this Route 66 landmark.

The neon sign in front is back on even though one letter needs repair. The neon trim on the office and first block of renovated rooms is again lighting the night. Now he is planning murals for the east walls and the relighting of the tower on the bluff at the back of the property.

We have added an option for the purchase of a print of the month in the right column along with options for ordering a signed copy of Ghost Towns of Route 66 and other travel guides written, Backroads of Arizona, Route 66 Backroads, and Ghost Towns of the Southwest. Next will be an option for selecting and ordering prints in various sizes that we hope to have operational in a week or so. I should also note that we are offering a discount for orders of ten or more, or for those looking to add our prints to the walls of their restaurant, motel, or office. Contact us for details.

Last, but not least, I am pleased (and just a bit concerned) to announce my schedule for 2012 is filling fast. The tab at the page contains details. If you would like to schedule an appearance for your fund raiser or event, please let me know soon.

WE ARE BACK!

2012-01-23T08:16:00.003-07:00

This past weekend gave me a litany of reasons to retreat to 1930, a time when the existent technologies did not dictate or dominate life, and they could be understood and repaired by most anyone with common sense and a box of basic tools.

On Saturday morning my attempt to provide a few exciting updates about Route 66 to the bog was met with a tab reading "Blogger Dashboard" and a blank page. Suffice to say, between my dearest friend and I we were able to figure it out.

Of course it required the loss of almost an entire day, a couple of beers, lots of prayer to avoid giving the computer a case of high velocity lead poisoning, and greatly elevated blood pressure. To say the very least, this past couple of days have solidified my belief that the modern electronic age and the society built upon it is a great deal like an inverted pyramid.

It was the type of weekend that has you looking forward to work for a bit of rest. In addition to the computer issues there was a bit of touch and go with my daughter in law (for a time it looked as though our granddaughter would be arriving a few weeks early) and as a result we had the grandchildren, an inquisitive 15 month old grandson and a delightful four year old granddaughter that likes to test the boundaries.

In between I worked on development of a business and marketing plan that will be utilized for the solicitation of corporate sponsorship for the envisioned Route 66 promotional tour that will include an educational program for schools, and the publicity for the new book, a Route 66 encyclopedia, as well as the previous book, Ghost Towns of Route 66. The idea is to use the promotion of these books as a venue for the promotion of the road, its unique culture, the people who give it life and vitality, and to educate a new generation about its importance to the evolution of American society. Lofty goals to say the very least.

There are a great number of developments on Route 66 that I look forward to sharing with you. So, this evening I will get these posted.

In the mean time there are a few meetings to attend, a dentist appointment, and other pressing details.

DARE TO IMAGINE

2012-01-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

Recent conversations with Dan Rice, owner of 66 to Cali on Santa Monica Pier, Jane Reed, a driving force behind the transformation of Cuba, Missouri utilizing the resurgent interest in Route 66, and Josh Noble, the tourism director in Kingman, have left few doubts that former U.S. 66, now known lovingly throughout the world as Route 66, is alive, well, and thriving. Evidence of this is found all along the highway.

Just look at the exponential increase of popularity being awarded 66 the Mother Road, or check out the reviews on Tripadvisor for properties such as the Wagon Wheel Motel, the Munger Moss Motel, the Blue Swallow Motel, the Motel Safari, the Galaxy Diner or the Ariston Cafe. Surf the net in search of Route 66 related sites and forums.
Still, as exciting as this is, I can't help but feel we are missing something of great importance in the single minded focus on iconic Route 66. The resurgent interest in this highway is more than the fostering of a bastion of mom and pop enterprise, it is the template for a new era of small business and a catalyst for the development of heritage travel that could fuel the renovation of historic businesses on other bypassed highways.

Route 66 is in a league of its own. No other highway in America can hope to ever equal it in popularity but is it possible for other communities connected by other forgotten highways to ride on its coat tails and emulate what is taking place on Route 66 with a degree of success? Can colorful communities that are rich with history such as Coldwater, Michigan on historic and scenic U.S. 12, or Towanda, Pennsylvania on U.S. 6, or Craig, Colorado on U.S. 40 move into the shadow of Route 66 from the darkness of obscurity?
The development of heritage travel tourism is about more than economic development, it is also the rediscovery of what has made this one of the most amazing countries in history and the rebuilding of a solid foundation for the future. This pride, this building of links with the past for a strong future, this passion for a return to a pregeneric world, is a tangible force all along Route 66. What if this spirit, this passion was unleashed in the communities along U.S. 6, U.S. 50, U.S 30?

I have been giving thought to this a great deal in recent months. It was in conversation with Dan Rice about the rise of heritage travel that the ideas came rushing to the forefront of my thoughts.
But why stop there. If we dare to imagine, let us dream big.
Could heritage travel be a cornerstone for an American renaissance? Imagine small town America where small grocers thrive by selling locally grown produce, and, as in Cuba, shoe stores serve generations of customers and the owners know their customers and their families by name?
Imagine the possibilities of an America where the essence of Route 66 is coupled to the wonders of the modern era. Imagine the wonders possible with the unleashing of the entrepreneurial spirit manifesting all along Route 66. Dare to imagine a world where the journey is again just as important as the destination.
Travel Route 66 in 2012 and unleash your imagination. Get your kicks on America's most famous highway, catch a bit of the enthusiasm you will find there, take it home, and turn it loose in your community to see what will grow.

NOTES FROM ROUTE 66 AND THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED

2012-01-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

Modern technology never ceases to amaze me even though I prefer simple things like a Model A Ford, an open road, and pie and coffee at some place like the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas. More on this subject in just a moment.
On Monday, I had a most interesting conference call with Carolyn Hasenfratz and Mark Rice of Webinar Resources. The topic of discussion was promotion of the forthcoming Route 66 encyclopedia in the modern electronic age including the use of Q-codes.
Tied with this was the secondary topic of a promoting the proposed Route 66 tour from behind the wheel of a vintage automobile, ways to utilize this unique approach as an educational device for sparking an interest in history in general with students, and the acquisition of corporate sponsors for this endeavor. I lean toward a Hudson Hornet for the venture for a wide array of reasons including the association this vehicle has with the movie Cars.
Still, I have had an almost life long fascination for the Model A Ford and feel that a vehicle such as this could serve as a key foundational element for educating children about the Great Depression, the role Route 66 played in the transformation of the nation and its society, and vintage vehicles as tangible time capsules. Shortly after our conversation I had time to reflect on what had been learned, as well as ways to transform the idea into a reality, while waiting for the dentist to finish his work.
On Tuesday, I found that Fred Woods, a local auctioneer, had dropped off a flyer at the office for an upcoming auction. Right there at the top was the Model A truck envisioned, just rough enough to look as though it were a dust bowl refugee but not so rough that it looked as though it were ready for a WWII scrap drive.
Oddly enough, I have never owned, driven, or worked on a Model A even though my fascination for these vehicles dates back at least 45 years. I have played around with Model T Fords, Hudson's of various vintages, and a staggering array of trucks manufactured between 1942 and 1975 but never a Model A.
So, I now had another item to file away and to intrude on the more immediate plans such as income tax preparation, captions for the encyclopedia, trolling for the next contract and work, and the myriad details associated with a 2012 calendar that is quickly becoming a tiger by the tail.
On February 26, I will be at Bookworks in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On March 11, I have business in Santa Monica and possible Burbank.
On April 14, I have been invited to the Oklahoma Center for the Book, 23rd Annual Oklahoma Book Awards celebration in Oklahoma City. The evening of the 19th is being set aside to meet, in Kingman, with Lon Haldman's group who will be bicycling Route 66.
The Route 66 Fun Run in Kingman is scheduled for the first weekend in May. Then I will use my first week of vacation to attend the Wheels on 66 event in Tucucmcari, scheduled for June 7th through the 9th, a part of the New Mexico Route 66 Motor Tour.
On June 19th, we have the long anticipated visit with Dries Bessels, his wife Marion, and their tour group for Holland. Dinner at Redneck's Barbeque in Kingman and lively conversation are the hallmark of the visit.
In July, the Route 66 in Mohave County exhibit will be unveiled at the Powerhouse Visitor Center. I am quite honored to have been selected as the photographer for this project.
Next on the calendar of events is the International Route 66 Festival scheduled for August 9th through the 12th in Victorville, California. Then there is a lull and the big one, the one we are counting the days for, Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri.
The excuse for this adventure, one that will consume my second week of vacation is the launch of the Route 66 encyclopedia and atlas. But in all honesty, we really need very little reason to visit the wonderful people in Cuba, to relax at the Wagon Wheel Motel and visit with Connie, or catch up with old friends such as Joe Sonderman, Dean Kennedy, and Rich Dinklella.
It is a schedule that makes me grateful for a day job to support the writing habit! Will you be joining us for a little fun and adventure on Route 66 in 2012?

ROUTE 66 CRIME BEAT

2012-01-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Route 66, like the yellow brick road that led to the Emerald City, followed a twisted course through some very dark places on the way to the golden city by the sea. There were never any flying monkeys or vengeful witches but there were bandits, desperado's, and some generally nasty people.
In writing the Route 66 encyclopedia, as well as Ghost Towns of Route 66, I made the decision to avoid a great deal of sugar coating in telling the tale of this highway. That has been done far to often and as a result the image we have of the highway is often one dimensional instead of multifaceted.
John and Judy Springs, publishers of the exciting new publication 66 The Mother Road asked if I would share a few of the stories from the dark side of the highway for a forthcoming issue. So, I dug through the files to find news stories that would provide a little depth and context, as well as a little dark levity, to the Route 66 story. Here are a couple of my favorites -

Syracuse Herald, January 29, 1928 – dateline Wildorado, TX – “Wildorado, Texas, the most plundered town in the United States has an itching trigger finger.

The Wildorado State Bank has been robbed eight times in the last three years and he general store next door has been visited by bandits so frequently that its proprietors have lost count of the number of times they have looked down revolver muzzles.

Mrs. W.E. O’Neal, wife of the Wildorado State Bank president, acts as cashier of the institution and has been on the ground during most of the holdups.

Mrs. O’Neal is the woman who crossed swords with Jose Alvardo, famous gunman and state officer of Oklahoma, whom Governor Johnson recently took under his wing but who was found guilty of robbery since then and sentenced to eight years in the penitentiary.

Mrs. O’Neal identified Alvardo as the bandit who called her “sister” when the Wildorado bank was robbed last spring and who again warned, “Be careful what you say, sister” when she appeared at Alvardo’s requisition hearing in Oklahoma City.

The last robbery of the bank occurred when two youths armed to the teeth entered the building. Sharp-shooting citizens of the town had gathered quickly and captured one of the bandits. They were forced to release him, however, when his partner threatened to kill O’Neal, the bank president.

The bandits got only $100 in cash, all the bank dares keep on hand at one time.

One of the men participating in the attempted capture of these bandits was the night watchman who killed one robber and wounded another in a recent gun battle during an attempt to rob the Wildorado Grain and Mercantile store.

“How does it feel to be stuck up?” Mrs. O’Neal was asked after the last bit of banditry.

“It has happened so many times we are getting used to it,” she replied.”

The Hutchinson News, March 13, 1923 – dateline Wichita – “Basil Quilliam, Wichita grocer, who is said by local police to be a member of the Edie Adams notorious bandit gang, pleaded guilty in federal court here today to charge of conspiracy to rob the Rose Hill State Bank, Butler County, Kansas, November 10, 1921. Quilliam was arrested several weeks ago here and detectives found $19,000 in liberty bonds in his possession, they stated, which Quilliam said today was part of Halltown, MO. Bank robbery.”

Santa Fe New Mexican – March 24, 1928 – “Paul B. Campbell of Fairfield, Me. had one ear almost torn off, and Everett Hunter of the same place, was stunned and bruised but not badly hurt when a Ford overturned at the top of Little La Bajada Hill.

…Campbell said he had fallen asleep while driving on the highway, they reported. The Ford was wrecked.”

Alton Evening Telegraph – August 20, 1943 – dateline Edwardsville, IL – “Stolen early Thursday morning by burglars who broke into a service station adjoining Rut’s Corner tavern at Litchfield, Montgomery County, a 300-pound steel safe was recovered later in the day on a farm east of here, off Route 43, where it had been blasted open and abandoned.

Approximately $700 worth of liquor, stored in the service station was hauled away by the thieves, whose only reward for transporting the safe thirty miles and blasting it open was a meager $45 in cash the strongbox contained.”

THE TIN LIZZIE AND THE ORIGINS OF ROUTE 66

2012-01-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

The origins of Route 66 and the U.S. Highway system are firmly rooted in the bicycle craze that swept the nation in the late 19th century, and the resultant rising cry for better roads upon which to enjoy them. However, this bicycle mania did more than spawn lobbying groups such as the League of American Wheelmen, and consequently an organized "Good Roads" movement, it also served as a foundational element in the development of the American automobile industry.

Many of the pioneering automobile companies initiated production as bicycle manufacturers including Pope, Pierce-Arrow, and Haynes. An argument could also be made that it was the bicycle that spawned the American aviation industry as the Wright brothers initiated their endeavors with a bicycle repair facility in Ohio.

The speed with which the automobile, its manufacture, and the development of supportive infrastructure transformed society was without equal in history and only the development of the Internet and electronic communication can compare.

In the 1880s, Ransom Olds began endeavors to move his company from the production of stationary engines to self propelled vehicles with the development of experimental steam powered carriages. In 1896, a Duryea motor wagon received top billing at the Barnum & Bailey circus over the albino and fat lady.

By 1904, an automobile had been driven from coast to coast and there were literally dozens of companies manufacturing automobiles. In 1906, a Stanley built "steamer" established a new speed record that was just shy of 150 miles per hour. In the next three years, a race from New York to Paris, across the United States, China, and Russia, dominated international headlines and in 1909, the Wayne County Road Commission, on Woodward Avenue between Six and Seven Mile Roads, introduced a revolutionary new concrete roadway.

With the luxury of hindsight, we now see that 1909 was also the year for an event that truly transformed the world. This was the year Henry Ford introduced the Model T, a car that would become affectionately known as the Tin Lizzie.

One of the most innovative aspects of the new Ford was its price, less than$1,000. The overwhelming percentage of automobiles being produced sold for twice as much or more, and this at a time when a nice home could be purchased for $2,000.

Surprisingly, the new Ford offered state of the art automotive technology for this price. In fact it also featured a wide array of highly advanced features including extensive use of vanadium steel, a new process that allowed for lighter, stronger metals.

From his earliest endeavors in automobile production, Henry Ford had envisioned the automobile as a contrivance for the common man, a vehicle that would free farmers from rural isolation, and provide urban residents with access to the recuperative bucolic landscapes of the farmlands. The Model T was a manifestation of this vision.

Most manufacturers pushed the envelope of automotive technology and embraced the resultant advancements. Henry Ford chose to instead focus on means of streamlined and faster production to lower costs, and ways to keep the costs of production to an absolute minimum.
As a result, the cost for a new Ford continued to plummeted while other companies were forced to raise their prices. At the time of its introduction in 1909, the Model T sold for less than $900.00. By 1913 the base price had dropped to near $500.00.
Numerous companies tried to compete as Ford was soon dominating the market. Chevrolet introduced its model 490 (a nomenclature indicating the price) in its second year of operation but still was unable to compete as Ford merely lowered his prices.
By the late teens Ford had, with the exception of rubber, full control of every aspect of his automobile production. He owned vast tracks of hardwood forests in northern Michigan near Iron Mountain, a material utilized in the internal body ribbing of his cars as well as the wood spoke wheels. He also owned coal mines, iron mines, and railroad and ship companies for the transport of raw materials to the factory, and the transport of finished products to dealers throughout the world.
In the late teens he stood the social order of the day on its ear by instituting a $5.00 work day. Leading economists and bankers decried this as the unleashing of anarchy but Ford saw this as an opportunity for making his cars affordable to a larger customer base.
Then, in the 1920s, he built the legendary River Rouge plant. With docks and rail yards, this massive plant could literally take in raw materials at one end, and roll a completed vehicle from the other.
By 1920, Ford dominated the world automobile markets. A study from this period found that one in three automobiles in the world was a Ford. And this did not take into account the trucks or tractors also produced by the company.
The Model T represented an engineered simplicity that proved to be a perfect fit for the market of the times. With even limited mechanical skills repairs were possible with the most rudimentary of tools. It was rugged enough to meet the grueling road conditions of the time and was even designed to offer more frame and body flex to endure the rigors of rutted roads.
However, by the early 1920s the dominance of the Ford was facing serious challenges from numerous competitors. Roads were improving if ever so slightly. Technological advances allowed for manufactures to offer basic amenities even in low priced vehicles while Ford was still offering what was essentially a 1909 model automobile.
Ford had abandoned the water pump after 1910 to cut costs. By 1920, the Ford was still utilizing thermosiphon cooling.
The first successful electric starter made its debut on the 1912 Cadillac. This was not offered as an option on Ford produced automobiles until late 1923.
To put this in perspective, imagine having an electronics store today, and your inventory consisted of Commodore computers and Atari game consoles. This was exactly the position Ford dealers were in by 1925.
Henry Ford had consistently lowered the price, $390.00 in 1924, but the public was clamoring for a more modern vehicle and other manufacturers were more than happy to meet the demand. Chevrolet was nipping at the heels of Ford by 1924, and other companies such as Star and Willys Overland, were also garnering a share of what was once a Ford dominated market.
In 1927, Ford succumbed to the mounting pressures, including vocal complaints from his son, Edsel, and simply closed down operations while design work for a new and improved Ford commenced. The result would be the now famous Model A introduced for the 1928 model year.
Today, more than a century after its introduction, the lowly Model T remains a treasured memento. A recent study pertaining to classic car ownership indicated there were more than 300,000 of these cars registered world wide.
They remain, as intended, an every mans car. Restored examples sell for $10,000 or less making them ideal as an entry level vehicle for classic car enthusiasts. The parts supply is both plentiful and reasonable. Their simplistic mechanical design makes it easy for the novice to repair and maintain.
Henry Ford's Tin Lizzy forever changed the world. He put the world behind the wheel and, as a result, finshed what the League of American Wheelmen had begun, created a demand for good roads that could not be ignored.

DETOUR AHEAD

2012-01-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

With the exception of the Alcan Highway, there are few paved roads as exciting as legendary Route 66. However, as exciting as it is, with the addition of a detour or so a journey along the iconic old road can be greatly enhanced, and a near endless array of opportunities present themselves for future excursions.
These detours were the primary focus of a book I wrote, Route 66 Backroads. The primary shortcoming of this book was the fact that time and budget constraints often force the planning of a myopic journey along this highway and several of the detours outlined added one hundred miles or more to each deviation from Route 66.
With that thought in mind I have been giving thought to another book, one that is both a guide to Route 66, to the attractions found with the slightest of detours, twenty-five miles or less, and to seasonal wonders found with these detours as well as great places for stretching the legs after a long day on the road. The one exception would be Catalina Island, a never never land accessed via a drive from Santa Monica to Long Beach followed by a pleasant ferry ride across the Gulf of Santa Catalina.
In giving thought to this project the first detour to come to mind was the home of Abraham Lincoln, the recreated Mr. Lincoln's neighborhood, and a museum dedicated the 16th president and his world located just blocks from Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois. With a twenty mile drive on state road 97, you can round out the Abraham Lincoln experience with a visit to Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, an historic village transformed into a time capsule from Lincoln's early adult years.
After exploring St. Louis, a brief detour from Route 66 in Hazelwood and Bridgeton that would be worthwhile is a visit to St. Charles just across the Missouri River a drive of less than twenty miles. Specifically, I would suggest the unique historic district with vestiges representing two centuries of history.
Missouri, as with Illinois, presents the opportunity for a wide array of diverse detours. A few that come to mind would be the Cave Restaurant in Richland just north of Laquey, Onodaga Cave State Park near Leesburg, and Harry Truman's birthplace about twenty-five miles north of Carthage.
Kansas would be a challenge. Not because there aren't things to see with a short detour but because of my unfamiliarity with the immediate area off of Route 66.
Detours in Oklahoma could be a book in itself. Guthrie, just north of Oklahoma City, with one of the largest, continuous historic districts on the National Register, would have to be included. Likewise with the Black Kettle National Grasslands, Red Rock Canyon State Park, and Lake O' Cherokees.
In Texas the list would have to begin with Palo Duro Canyon State Park even though it would push our detour mileage limit by just a bit. This wonderland of rocky spires, hiking trails, and awe inspiring vistas could easily be a vacation destination in itself.
My primary issue with New Mexico would be in showing restraint as most every road connected to Route 66, paved or unpaved, leads to a marvelous destination in less than twenty-five miles. The fact that the pre 1937 alignment loops through some of the most historic and scenic landscapes in the state, merely magnifies this dilemma.
There is Las Vegas with its magnificant Plaza Hotel, Madrid, Cerillos, the sky city of Acoma, and Pecos National Historic Park to name but a few. With the slightest of fudging in the mileage allowed for the detour we could add El Morro National Monument, Window Rock (actually in Arizona), and the Zuni Pueblo.

Hualapai Mountain Park near Kingman.

Arizona, like New Mexico, has near endless possibilities for little detours with very big rewards. There is the drive through the Petrified National Park and near Flagstaff, a great opportunity for a small hike through stunning landscapes at Walnut Canyon National Monument. Of course there is always Meteor Crater, the Johnson Canyon Railroad tunnel, White Horse Lake south of Williams, and the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge on the Colorado River.
I would be quite remiss if Haualapai Mountain Lodge and Hualapai Mountain Park were not included. Located less than twenty miles south of Kingman this pine forested island in a sea of desert has it all, especially for the summer traveler looking for a break from the heat. Fine dining, a small motel, rustic cabins, and miles of hiking trails are just a few of the areas many charms.
The desert from Needles to Barstow in California presents a wide array of opportunities but with the exception of Mitchell Caverns, none would be suitable for the months of summer when most folks take to Route 66. For those who prefer the months of fall or winter, I would have to include the beautiful hike to Amboy Crater.

Wrightwood, California

Another great summer detour is accessed from Cajon Junction. The charming village of Wrightwood nestled among the towering pines is a welcome respite, especially after a desert crossing.
The metropolis of Los Angeles, and its surrounding communities, offers more than enough detours for at least a vacation or two. Farmers Market is just south of Route 66 on Fairfax Avenue and just a few blocks to the south of this is the amazing Peterson Automotive Museum.

Topanga Beach is just north of Santa Monica. The world famous Venice Boardwalk is just to the south.

Hmm. I may have talked myself into another project.
Do you have a favorite detour along Route 66?

2012 - END OF THE WORLD OR DAWN OF A NEW ERA?

2012-01-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Doom, gloom, disaster, and end times all make for good press. Do I need to remind you of Y2K or the current crop of predictions about 2012 that is making headlines and inspiring a cacophony of discussion?
Even though it appears we are going to relive a slow motion replay of the Great Depression, and be forced to endure a year of debates, meaningless rhetoric, and talking points carefully crafted to create division and the perception that there is a distinct difference between the preselected representative of party "R" and party "D", the year 2012 has more than a few bright spots to provide a ray of hope in the darkness. As it so happens, many of these are to be found along Route 66.
Perhaps the first place to begin our search for good news is in this economic impact study by Rutgers University. A couple of things that should be noted in regards to this report is the under reporting of foreign tourism, and the lack of a more in depth focus as evidenced by the few references to Kingman.
Next, we widen our search for good news to Australia. This link is for Route 66 Tours, a company owned and operated by Dale and Kristi Anne Butel.
Please note the booking status of tours on Route 66 through 2013. I should also note this is but one of dozens of international companies and associations planning tours along this highway in 2012.
Now, lets examine the success of an on line publication, 66 The Mother Road, launched in 2011. I suggest first reading the current issue and then reviewing earlier issues through the archives.
Not seen in this study is the fact that readership has increased dramatically in the past several months. Also not evident in this search is the fact it is now being read in dozens of countries, or that the publishers are planning an amazing contest that is sure to greatly expand readership as well as publicity for Route 66.
However, research of this type will only present a one dimensional picture. To truly grasp the impact, the enthusiasm, and the template for development that is found along the multifaceted Route 66, it will need to be experienced.

Dan Rice, left, and Chris Durkin, right, on Santa
Monica Pier.

Only in listening to a new breed of entrepreneur such as Dan Rice, owner of 66 to Cali and the current president of the Route 66 Association of California, Connie Echols, owner of the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri, or Kevin and Nancy Mueller of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico will you begin to understand that Route 66 is more than a mere historic highway. It is a time capsule and a phenomena, it is the last bastion of mom and pop enterprise, and it is fertile ground for the ambitious, free thinking entrepreneur of a new era.
For years I have been expecting the international fascination with this highway to wane or level off. However, my recent travels along this highway in late 2011 confirm the Rutgers University report, the economic potential encapsulated in the resurgent interest in Route 66 has yet to be fully realized.

The Wigwam Motel in Rialto, California.

Only on Route 66 is there potential profit in the renovation of a circa 1949 motel with units built in the shape of teepee's located in a less than desirable neighborhood. This can be verified in discussions with the current owner of the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, California, Kumar Patel.
Only on Route 66 will you find a half empty franchise restaurant and a very full ten stool diner. Only on Route 66 will you find people traveling from the four corners of the earth to stand in an empty street and photograph ruins as evidenced most every day in the ghost town of Glenrio, Texas.
As people travel the road, see its potential, become enamored of its charms, and meet the people who seek its simple pleasures, another unique attribute of Route 66 is revealed. That is its ability to bridge cultures, barriers of language, and even racial divides.

Route 66 Fun Run in Kingman, Arizona

This is made manifest in a number of ways. These would include the international tour companies that cater to the foreign enthusiast, the number of international Route 66 associations, and most recently, the investment in, and renovation of, properties by either first generation immigrants or foreign born transplants such as the Israeli born owners of the 1939 El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Arizona.
With the economic potential growing in direct correlation to the expanding fascination with the highway, and with more and more people seeking a simpler, more fruitful way of life, and with so many historic properties awaiting refurbishment, can there be any doubt that 2012 might mark the end of the world everywhere else, but on Route 66 it is the dawn of a new era.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

2012-01-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

In the mid 1890s, Montgomery Ward said that the automobile was a fad the children should see before it passed. In 1906, a Stanley "steamer" was driven to a new speed record that was just shy of 150 miles per hour, there were almost three times as many horse drawn vehicles manufactured in the United States as automobiles, and Studebaker, a company that introduced its first automobile in 1899, an electric designed by Thomas Edison, and that was the largest manufacture of wheeled vehicles in the world in 1870, was quickly moving toward the abandonment of the manufacture of horse drawn equipment.

A tired old Ford out to pasture in Hackberry, Arizona.

Twenty years later, Route 66 and the U.S. highway system made its debut and the manufacture of automobiles by hundreds of companies, and its ancillary components as well as the development of supportive infrastructure, dominated the American industrial landscape. Surprisingly, a number of companies were still producing horse drawn vehicles but in numbers eclipsed by all but the smallest of automobile manufacturers.

Three decades later the dawning of the interstate highway system began sounding the death knell for Route 66, tail fins and the Edsel were about to transform the American automotive landscape, and fledgling motel chains were poised to end the dominance of mom and pop enterprise in that industry.

Americans have lived in the fast lane for more than a century now but the ever escalating speed of transition has left people hungering for solid ground, something tangible that is timeless, an escape from the dizzying changes that engulf them. Ironically, they have found it in Route 66, a highway that has been evolving since before its inception.

Santa Monica Pier from Pallisades Park

As a result, this iconic old road that sweeps across the heartland of America in gentle curves is fast becoming a blood stirring symphony where the past, present, and future blend together harmoniously. It is a 2,200 mile monument to what we were and to what we can be, it is a magic carpet of asphalt where dreams come true and memories are renewed.

I have traveled this old road for more than a half century and yet with each trip along its storied course find new reasons to hope for the future and opportunity to mourn what has passed. On our last trip along this legendary highway, we bid farewell to Zeno's with new found friends and discovered Angela's Cafe, renewed old acquaintances and joined in sorrow shared for those we have lost.

I am not myopic in my passion for the old roads, and the places that give them color or vibrancy. However, only Route 66 is woven into the threads of my heart.

And so it is with eager anticipation that I look forward into 2012. What discoveries will be made as I travel to Albuquerque on February 26 for a book signing at Book Works, and who will I be able to share them with?

What memories and friendships will be made at the Wheels on 66 event in Tucumcari, New Mexico in June? What will I preserve and who will I inspire with the Route 66 in Mohave County exhibit at the Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman?

Route 66 in 2012, another year of opportunities and memories along a highway signed with two sixes. Cuba Fest in October, the Fun Run in May, visits with friends from Holland in June, and friends from Australia throughout the year, are but a hint of what awaits us on this old road in the new year.

I may not be able to stop the world, nor would I want to. However, I can find temporary refuge and renewal in a magic carpet of asphalt that stretches across this great land. Will you be joining me in 2012?