Along66 Feb. 2022: New Store and Tasting Place in Elkhart and Magazine in Illinois

FEBRUARY 25

Elkhart Station General Store shop & tasting room to open March 4 in Elkhart, Illinois.  

The tasting room will feature Illinois-made products such as beer, wine and spirits.

They will be open 10 ton 6 Wed. thru Sunday.  It is in the former Blue Moon Bar at the corner of Route 66 and the village's main street.

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FEBRUARY 26

The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway will soon publish a special edition magazine and will feature the Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad Restaurant in Wilmington on the cover.

It will also include lots of stories about Route 66 in the Land of Lincoln.

--RoadDog

U.S. Flags Up for National Vietnam War Veterans Day Today

The ceremony will be held on the USS Alabama in Mobile, Alabama.

The five objectives of the commemoration are:

**  Thank and honor our Nation's Vietnam Veterans  and their families for their service and sacrifice.

**  Highlight the service of our Armed Forces and support organizations during the war.

**  Presentation of Wreath & Taps to recognize our  Fallen by Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) 864.

**  Guest speaker Val  Obregon VVA 864.

**  Closing

My Flag Is Up!!

Along66, February 2022: Bristow, Oklahoma and the Boots Court in Carthage

FEBRUARY 21

Bristow, Oklahoma, wants to restore four Route 66 landmarks including the Chrysler-Plymouth Tower.

**  The 100-foot tall Beard Motor Company sign.  They want to relight it.

**  Bristow Train Depot built in 1923 and used until 1970

**  1929 Frisco water tower

**  The Bristow Town Square

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FEBRUARY 24

The full restoration of the Boots Court Motel in Carthage, Missouri has begun.  The non-profit Boots Court Foundation along with the CTown LLC are doing this.  Some of it has already been restored.

The Boots was built in 1939 by Arthur Boots.  The two former owners bought a really run-down place in 2011 and have done much renovation to the point we were able to stay there several years back.

--RoadDog

25 Fascinating Facts About Fast Food Chains-- Part 4: Love Them Sliders

19.  Smashburger co-founder Tom Ryan is responsible for  some famous food favorites.  Smashburger has some 370 locations and has only been around for ten years.   He was involved with Pizza Hut's Lovers pizzas and McDonald's McGriddles to name a few.

20.  White Castle is the oldest  fast food burger chain.  The first one opened in Wichita, Kansas, in 1821 by Walter A. Anderson and  Billy Ingram.

21.  You can get fancy tableside service at White Castle on Valentine's Day.

22.  Sonic serves hundreds of thousands of drink combinations.

23.  Mama Cass Elliot sang a Hardee's  jingle in 1973.

24.  Elvis Presley was obsessed with Krystal burgers.  Along with the famed peanut butter and banana sandwich.

25.  Whataburger (unofficially) allows horses.  Of course, they are not allowed inside.

So, as you travel around this great country of ours, here is a little info behind all those fast food places you see.

--RoadBurger

March Madness Is Here and What a Time!!

All I have to say about the first two rounds of NCAA Tournament games is WOW!!

I count 25 close games  and  11 big upsets in 48 games.  Now, that's a good time.

I didn't even fill out brackets this year.  I strictly go for upsets.  I lobe it when a little guy beats a big guy.  And, that St. Peter's #15 beating Kentucky #2.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  And of the three #1s who are left:  Gonzaga, Arizona and Kansas, all three had close games to get to the Sweet Sixteen.  And, Baylor, another #1, was knocked out in overtime by UNC #8.  But, even at a #8, UNC is, well, UNC, one of the big guys.

Anyway, right now we have started the Sweet Sixteen games and #9 Memphis is ahead of #1 Gonzaga at the half  32-29.

Maybe?  --RoadHoops

25 Fascinating Facts About Fast Food Chains-- Part 3: Firing the 'Where's the Beef' Lady

13.  Wendy's fired its 82-year-old "Where's the Beef" actress Clara Peller.  It was 1984 and when she got fired she probably deserved it.  Go to the site to find out why.

14.  In-N-Out's president and owner is  only 35-years-old.  Find out why.

15.  In-N-Out has been doing drive-thrus longer than anyone else.   And, here is a Route 66 connection, Red's Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri,  opened thy very first drive-thru in 1947.  In-N-Out opened theirs the following year.

16.  Most In-N-Out locations feature  a movie reference in their landscaping. The crossed palm trees.  Find out what movie and why?

17.  Five Guys was actually founded by five guys (and a gal).

18.  Shaquille O'Neal owns a lot of Five Guys locations.  Latest numbers are 155 owned by The General Insurance guy.

--RoadDog

THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY:  The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.

25 Fascinating Facts About Fast Food Chains-- Part 2: A Burger King and Wendy By Any Other Name

7.  There's an Illinois mom and pop restaurant legally named "Burger King."  In Mattoon, Illinois.  Turned their Frigid Queen ice cream place into Burger King  1959 and received a trademark for it.  When the big Burger King expanded into the state  in 1961, a dispute arose.  The big Burger King is allowed to use the name elsewhere on the state, but not withing twenty miles of Mattoon.

8.  Burger King is also called "Hungry Jack's" in Australia.  The name Burger King had already been trademarked by a restaurant in Adelaide.

9.  Burger King grants celebrities exclusive  "Gold Cards" for free burgers.  Free burgers for life.  George Lucas and Jay Leno have them, but I don't!!  What Gives!!??

10.  Burger King sponsored a couple's wedding in 2015.  A man named Joel Burger was marrying a woman named Jane King.  I don't get it?

11.  Wendy's founder Dave Thomas was once a successful KFC restauranteur.

12. There is  a real Wendy.  Dave Thomas named his store after his red-haired, pig-tailed daughter Melinda Lou.  She had trouble pronouncing her name as a child, saying "Wenda."  This turned into "Wendy," and the rest is history.

For more information, go to the site.

Love Them Whoppers.  --RoadBurg

25 Fascinating Facts About Fast Food Chains-- Part 1

From March 18, 2022, YardBarker  "25 fascinating facts about your favorite burger chains: by Matt Sulem.

As you travel around our great land, you often see what are called fast-food restaurants.  

I am just listing them.  For pictures and more information, go to the site.

1.  McDonald's feeds 68 million people a day with 37,000 locations in 120 countries.

2.  McDonald's serves up 75 hamburgers (of various types) every second.

3.  One in eight of every American worker has been employed by McDonald's.  (Not me.  My first job through high school and parts of college was at Burger King.)

4.  McDonald's  golden arches are more recognizable than the Christian cross.  (I don't know about that.)

5.  McDonald's is the world's largest distributor of both Coca-Cola and toys.  (I don't know, they never gave me any toys!!!)

6.  Subway has more locations than McDonald's.  45,000 to be exact, maybe more.  But, McDonald's does a whole lot more business:  $40.3 billion to $7.1 billion.

--RoadDog

Relighting of the Shamrock Court in Sullivan, Missouri

And I sure wish we could be there.  

The relighting takes place in just a few hours, at 6:30 CDST.  They have a reproduction of the motel sign and  office and no vacancy signs as well.    There will also be simulated LED lighting along the building.

Official time between 6:30 and 8:30 pm.  Roamin' Rich warns that if you show up earlier than that  you WILL BE PUT TO WORK.

I am really happy to see all this.  I must admit that I really thought seriously about buying the place, especially when I saw it was just $125,000 obo.  At one time, I also thought about buying the Blue Swallow in Tucumcari which a few owners ago was going for $159,00.

But, then I got to thinking about how much work is involved in running a motel and, being retired, I'm "agin"  it.  So I didn't.

And, doesn't shamrock have something to do with what we've been celebrating the last few days?

I'm So Happy!!   --RoadSham

Along66, Feb. 2022: Death of Marty Blitzen and Burning of the Bar-B-Que in Oklahoma

FEBRUARY 16

Marty Blitzen of the Route 66 Association of Illinois died Sunday, February 13 at age 80.  

To say he did a lot for the association is an understatement.  

We had he privilege of eating lunch with him once and sure enjoyed the conversation.

FEBRUARY 19

Fire destroys Dan's Bar-B-Que Pit in Davenport, Oklahoma.  It was open almost fifty years and it is unclear at this point whether it will reopen.

Dan Thompson opened it in the 1970s.

Like neon and museum, there can never be too many bar-b-que or barbecue places to my way of thinking.

--RoadDog

It's Tournament Time Again (And Boy Am I Enjoying It)

The annual NCAA College Basketball Tournament is underway again.

From that unbelievable Notre Dame double overtime First Four game on Wednesday over Rutgers to now, there has been some great basketball.  I classified seven great games yesterday.  A great game was a close game or upset.  And, speaking of upsets, there were three major ones:  Saint Peter's over Kentucky,  New Mexico State over UConn and Richmond over Iowa.

In the First Round (Round of 64) I pull straight down the line for underdogs, even if they are playing one of my bog tome schools like Iowa.

And, of course, I had to look up St. Peter's to see where it was, much like that first year Gonzaga was in the tournament.

And, I really love the new way we have of seeing the games.  Every game is shown in its entirety on one of four different channels:  Tru, TNT, TBS and CBS.  That way we get to pick the games we want to see.  I used to hate it when we would have to watch Duke blowing some team out by 35 points when I could see that there was another one in the final minutes with the lead changing back and  forth.

I only like to see the close games.

Anyway, basketball nirvana for the next three days.   And, then there is next week and then the Final Four.

By the way, St. Peter's University is a Jesuit school located in Jersey City, about two miles from New York City.

Dribble That Ball.  --RoadBall

Along66, February 2022: The El Rancho's Renovation

FREBRUARY 17

El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, is undergoing $6 million in renovation.

Shane Ortega, grandson of long-time El Rancho owner Armond Ortega (who died in 2014) bought out his aunt and uncle's share in 2018.

R.E. "Griff" Griffith, brother of the famous movie director D.W. Griffith, opened El Rancho in 1937 and encouraged film makers to shoot in the area (and, of course, stay at his hotel).  And they did.  

Many stars stayed there including John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck and Humphrey Bogart.

The place started declining after I-40 by-passed it and Route 66.  Armond Ortega bought it in 1986 for $300,000 and spent another $300,000 restoring it.

We stayed there one night on our retirement trip across Route 66 from end-to-end in 2006.  Sadly, we stayed in the newer part instead of the older one (next time the older one), but had the good fortune to meet and have a nice talk with Mr. Ortega in the bar.  Such a gentleman.

First Class All the Way.  --RoadDog

Along66, Feb. 2022: Route 66 Black Experience Grants, More Neon in Tulsa and Bringing Back the Ghost in Glenrio?

FEBRUARY 8

Key organization launches Route 66 Black Experience Grant Program.

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission have provided a $250,000 grant to help give the Black Experience on the Mother Road.

FEBRUARY 15

Another neon sign turns on in Tulsa, Oklahoma's Route 66 Corridor.  This one is at the Dental Design on East 11th Street (Route 66).

A great program.  You can never have too much neon.

FEBRUARY 15

Bringing back the ghost.  A coffee shop, gift shop and possibly a motel is being planned for the Longhorn Cafe and Motel property in our favorite ghost town, good ol' Glenrio.

Like I Said, You Can Never Have Too Much Neon.  --RoadDog

Goetta's Got It Going in Cincinnati-- Part 2: Yo Mama Burger at Arnold's

 The best-selling burger at Arnold's Bar and Grill is the Yo Mama, named for Rhonda Breedon, mother of manager Chris Breeden and a long-time Arnold's waitress who worked her way up to be owner of the city's oldest bar.

"It's like breakfast on a burger, and the hardest burger to make" because of all of the layers, the son explains.  The cheeseburger gets a spicy kick from the chipotle may and a potato pancake spiked with crushed red pepper.  

On top is a sunny side up egg, but what makes the pudgy sandwich truly indigenous to Cincinnati is a thin slice of fried goetta.

In case you're wondering, it's pronounced GET-ah.

A Yo Mama burger will set you back $12.50.

Got It?  --RoadEtta

Goetta's Got It Going in Cincinnati-- Part 1

From the November 19, 2019, Chicago Tribune  "Fork in the Road:  Goetta's got it going on" by Mary Bergin.

Cincinnati chefs are getting creative with this mashup of meat and grain.

Believe it or not, Cincinnati is not all about that Cincy chili stuff.  They've got this thing called goetta which is pretty good itself.  (I owe my buddy Denny for my introduction to goetta and Arnold's.)

Chris Breeden, manager if Arnold's Bar and Grill, open since 1861, describes his menu as "Cincinnati condensed."

Burger meat is a mix of ground chuck, short ribs and Wagyu beef from the 125-year-old Avril Bleh butcher shop, four blocks away.  Patties go on buns from the local Sixteen Bricks Bakery.  The default side is Grippo's potato chips made in Cincinnati since 1919.   (Those are pretty good themselves.  I always stock up with them when in Ohio.)

--RoadGoetta

Florida's Ghost Highway: The Old Red Brick Highway of the Dixie Highway

 From the Florida Traveler site by Michael Warren.

It is a ten-mile stretch of red brick ghost highway located  in central Flagler and southern St. Johns counties in Florida.  It once brought a steady stream of "Tin Can" tourists  in their Model T Fords from as far away as Chicago to the tropical Florida lands.

It is one of the few remaining original segments of the famed Dixie Highway.

This portion was completed in 1916 but was obsolete within 15 years.  What remains is a  rugged (and sometimes bumpy trip down the days of yore.

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The Dixie Highway was a massive project that brought together  private industry and state governments to create a network of paved roads from Chicago to South Florida.  The leader of the project was Carl  G. Fisher, who had previously  created the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the transcontinental Lincoln Highway.

This Dixie Highway  connected ten states with more than 5,000  miles of paved road.

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This highway in Florida is a real ribbon or sidewalk highway like the famed stretch of Route 66 in Oklahoma, at nine feet wide.  You don't want to meet oncoming traffic on this one.

--RoadDog

Oldest Autoist in Nebraska in 1935 Was a Civil War Vet-- Part 3: Has Owned Many Cars and Attended GAR Convention

After the Chicago Fire in 1871, he drifted west as far as the North Platte River where he met and entertained  such early celebrities as Buffalo Bill,  Texas Jack, Wild Bill Hickok and Duke Alexis of Russia.

(Texas Jack 's real name was John Baker  Omohundro and had been in he Confederate Army as a teenager and was a well-known frontier scout, actor and cowboy.)

HAS OWNED MANY CARS

He purchased his first car  27 years ago, hoping that it would help in his business, but it couldn't climb hills.  Three or four years later he bought another car and since then has owned many.

Mr. Woodworth returned  only Thursday from a month's trip -- this time by train-- to the G.A.R. convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  He was one of those who balked at plans for a joint reunion in 1938 if the confederate veterans were allowed to march with their colors.

"I marched under those confederate colors once for a little ways," he told his comrades.  "That was when I was captured at Holly Ridge, Mississippi on December 20, 1862.  But I'll be damned  if I'll march under those same colors again unless the circumstances  are equally unfortunate."

--RoadDog

Oldest Autoist in Omaha, Ne., a Civil War Vet?-- Part 2: Driving Those Cars and Performing Magic

(There is still a house at 1428 Fort Street valued at $64,000 with 1 bedroom and one bath.  Probably his.  Looks small.)

He has never run into anyone (while driving), but says he has been struck two or three times.  In town he drives  about 15 miles an hour, but out on the highway he sometimes pushes it up to 35.  A year ago, the desire came upon his wife for even more speed and he said he  pushed it to 55 mph on one particularly nice stretch of highway.  It scared him enough that he eased back on the  accelerator and told her if she wanted faster, she'd have to do it with somebody else.

Two automobiles are in the Woodworth garage.  He has owned the lighter one for several years.  But he bought the second one in Chicago at the world fair.  Before returning home he put more than three thousand miles on it driving through Indiana, Illinois and  Michigan.

A watchmaker by trade and once a registered pharmacist, Mr. Woodworth has also tried other businesses.  But, he always gave those up to return to the road as a professional magician.  His best tricks were sleight-of-hand with coins, cards and other small items.

When he was young and supple, he could get into a box 26 inches long and  13 inches square.  Most people thought it was a deceptive trick but he says it wasn't.  He can still manipulate his joints with ease.

--RoadDog

Oldest Autoist in Nebraska in 1935 Was a Civil War Veteran, Well, Maybe

Well, for you youngsters, autoist used to be used for folks who drove automobiles back in the good old days, you know.

From Civil War Talk  "75 years are gone, but old men will remember"  John Hartwell found a picture of some Union veterans  going to or returning from the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.  One of them was Homer S. Woodworth, age 95.

He included an article from the October 6, 1935, Omaha (Nebraska) World Herald "Omahan at 93 believed to be oldest auto driver."

Here is the article which besides its Civil War connection (which, of course is of great interest to me) also has that automobile Lincoln Highway thing going for it.

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Homer S. Woodworth will be 93 on December 28 and thinks he may be the oldest automobile driver in Nebraska.  He is a Civil War veteran and has been driving cars for 27 years driving from his home at  1428 Fort Street downtown at least 3-4 times a week and  frequently on trips out of state.

--RoadDog

Composer Traveling Route 66 to Put It To Music

From the March 5, 2022, U.S. News & World Report, AP by Casey Jones.

If you've ever wondered what US Highway 66, our wonderful old Route 66, would sound if put to music, and not just "Get Your Kicks" but high-brow music, you may soon get your chance.

Music professor and composer Nolan Stolz, who teaches at the University of South Carolina Upstate near Spartanburg is taking a 15-month sabbatical and spending 13 months traveling back and fort and back on the Mother Road between Los Angeles and Chicago to get the feel for it.  

He proposes to make a symphony to be performed in 2025-6 season to celebrate the highway's centennial.  It will contain eight movements and be called "Route 66 Suite."

But, first, he has to do his research.  Right now he is making his third westbound trip and in late February was in Kingman, Arizona.  Stops are made to talk with business owners and locals.  Stays at old timey motels and hotels, shooting video and taking pictures to jog his memory.

Well, soon we may be able to put on our tuxes and evening dresses and go out for an Evening at the Opera.  Maybe even hear "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Somehow I always figured Route 66 folks were high brow.

Looking Forward to It.  --RoadBrow

Along66, Feb. 2022: Desecration on La Bajada Hill and the Gasconade River Bridge

FEBRUARY 4

Desecration at La Bajada Hill southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as a result it won't be reopened any time soon.  

Petroglyphs have been desecrated.

Of course, the La Bajada Hill is famous for its zig-zags up the mountainside.

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FEBRUARY 5

Part of the Gasconade River Bridge may be moved to Boswell Park in Lebanon, Missouri.  Boswell Park, of course, has all sorts of Route 66-related items.

It is better to save some of it than none.

But, I'd like to see the former site of the bridge turned into a park,

--RoadDog

Along66, February 2022: Grants and Cost-Shares

These are taken from the Route 66 News blog which has many more posts than here.  I just pick out the ones of most interest to me.  For more information and pictures and videos go to the site.

FEBRUARY 2

Cost-share grant season opens for the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.

Grants can be applied for that include preservation planning, NRHP nominations, preservation and rehabilitation work on eligible sites.

Since 2001, the program has given $2.37 million for 158 projects and $3.69 million cost-share for a total of news$6.06 million.

You can submit through April25 so get to writing.

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FEBRUARY 3

Illinois announces a $4 million grant program for Route 66 for the 100th anniversary of the road in 2026.

Those Grants Sure Do Help.  --RoadGrant

Along66, Jan. 2022: Oklahoma's Pony Bridge Still Open Until June and Matchbook Covers

JANUARY 27

Reconstruction of Oklahoma's Pony Bridge near Bridgeport won't start until June.

It will be closed for two years but you can still drive across it  until June.'

ODoT has a $22 million grant from the federal government.

The bridge will be widened to modern standards, but the pony trusses will be reattached thankfully.

It was opened in 1934 as the William H. Murray Bridge and is 3,900 feet long with 38 yellow pony trusses and was featured at one point in the 1939 film "The Grapes of Wrath."

So, if you want to go over it, you'd better get a move on.

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JANUARY 30

The Route 66 Matchbook Cover Database is looking for more submissions.  

They currently have 650 matchbook covers from Texas and now want some from other states.  

You can view the collection at the site.

So, if you have some hanging around, you know what to do.

That Pony Bridge Is as Much Fun to Drive Over as the Chain of Rocks Bridge.  --RoadDog

Pulling for Ukraine Right Now

I was very disappointed when the Russian person went ahead and attacked Ukraine and am pulling for their troops and people to withstand the dastardly attack.

That Russian leader is not fooling anyone with his lies.

It's like we are back to the old days of the Soviet Union.

So Sad.  

Top 10 Most Overrated Tourist Attractions

From the August 18, 2021, ListVerse by Christopher Dale.

He gives good reasons, some of which I don't agree with.  Read it and judge for yourself.  I am just listing them.

10.  South Beach(Miami)  I agree with this one.

9.  Forbidden City  (Beijing)   Disagree

8.  Checkpoint Charlie  (Berlin)    Disagree

7.  Old Town Montreal

6.  Guiness Brewery  (Dublin)    Disagree.  I'd go just to drink samples, especially if they are free.  Boy, that first Guiness I ever had.  Boy!  I've gotten used to it now.

5.  Leaning Tower  (Pisa)

4.  Times Square  (New York)

3.  The London Eye  (London)

2.  The Blue Mosque  (Istanbul)

1.  The Eiffel Tower  (Paris)

Decide for Yourself.  --RoadDog