Route 66 News: Galena, Kansas, Ernie Edwards and Combine Ranch

I took the first three from Ron Warnick's Route 66 News site. If you want to know WHAT'S Happening on the Mother Road, this is where you want to go.

1. COMBINE CITY- First it was those old Caddies at Amarillo's Cadillac Ranch (hey, didn't Bruce Springsteen have a song about that?), then the Volkswagen Beetles buried front down near Amarillo at Bug Ranch, and soon, Rich Henry's Volkswagen Rabbits at the Rabbit Ranch in Staunton, Illinois.

Now, we go from the ranch to the big ci-tae, I mean the Combine City. Eleven combines from the 40s to the 70s are buried in a field.

They're turning it into a regular "tourist trap" with all sorts of merchandise.

www.combinecity.com

By the way, a combine, for those of you who were wondering, is a large machine used by farmers to harvest crops.


2. ERNIE EDWARDS is going to be serving up those wonderful Pig Hip sandwiches in Broadwell, Il, this Saturday. and perhaps for the last-ever time. Or, I should say, I imagine they're wonderful, as I didn't get into Route 66 until his restaurant had already been closed for ten years. He has served them on special occasions in the last five years, but I have never been able to be there for it.

This time is no different. I have to work, but I'm sure the good roadies on the Route 66 Association of Illinois' annual Motor Tour will enjoy them. Wish I was there.

3. GALENA, KANSAS- The Green Parrot Bar was closed last summer for a very different reason. It wasn't for fights or underage drinking. The back half of it sank in a sinkhole. They were able to reopen, but now has been condemned by the city.

A huge amount of mining went on in the area at one time and a lot of the town has been undermined, and, perhaps, may sink away at some time in the future. Let's hope not.

4. TRAVEL STORIES- I came across a website that features RV roadtrips. There is narration and pictures of trips on Route 66 and other US highways primarily out west: US-80, US-60, US-70, Camino Real.

www.rvtravel.com

THIS DAY IN AUTO HISTORY- 1954- Ford's design team go to work on an entirely new car that was supposed to incorporate America's desire for high horsepower, heavily styled, lots of chrome, and accessories. Ford had been doing very well with its Thunderbird easily beating out Chevy's Corvette. The motto was no longer "Beat Chevrolet", but now "Beat GM".

By the way, the name of that new car.............The Edsel.

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog