8 Iconic Cultural Locations on Route 66-- Part 8: Bagdad Cafe

BAGDAD CAFE, Newberry Springs, California

Located east of Barstow and west of Amboy in the Mojave Desert, Bagdad, California,  was a thriving Route 66 town until it was bypassed by I-40 in the early 1970s.

Any remaining buildings were razed by 1990s.

Although the town was the setting for a novel and movie, "Bagdad Cafe" in Newberry Springs, California.

Built in the 1950s and renamed Bagdad Cafe in 1995, the spot  is still a popular destination for international fans of the film or anyone else looking for a good burger and a cup of coffee.

We didn't stop because they weren't open when we drove by back in 2006.

--RoadCafe

8 Iconic Cultural Locations on Route66-- Part 7: Roy's Motel and Cafe

ROY'S MOTEL AND CAFE,   Amboy, California

Opened in 1938 in Amboy, California,  by Roy Crowl, Roy's was one of many  gas and service stations along Route 66.  Eventually it expanded to include a cafe and toourist cabins,

Roy's iconic neon sign was installed in 1959 (dark since the  1980s, the sign was restored and relit in 2019.

Although the  motel remains closed to overnight guests, a coffee shop and gas station reopened in 2008.  The recognizable site has been the filming location for several productions, including  the 1993 film "Kalifornia" starring Brad Pitt and Enrique Iglesias's 2001 music video for his song "Hero."

Talk about out in the middle of nowhere.

--RoadRoy 

Eight Iconic Route 66 Locations-- Part 6: Old Trails Bridge (Ariz. and Cal.)

6.  OLD TRAILS BRIDGE, Topock, Arizona

The steel arch Old Trails Bridge carried Route 66 travelers across the Colorado River from Arizona into California from 1916 to 1948.  When it opened, the bridge was part of the  National Old Trails Road, an early transcontinental route that connected St. Louis to Los Angeles.

This road predated Route 66 by more than a decade.

In 1948, the deck was transfigured to carry a natural pipeline, and in 1988 it was listed on the National register of Historic Places.

IT'S FILM ROLE

This photogenic bridge is used by Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) in the movie "Grapes of Wrath" and motorcyclists Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) in 1969s "Easy Rider."

--RoadRider

8 Iconic Locations on Route 66-- Part 5: Twin Arrows, Az.

TWIN ARROWS TRADING POST, Flagstaff, Arizona

The Canyon Padre Trading Post was built in the 1940s along Route 66, but renamed Twin Arrows after two 25-foot wooden arrows were placed on the property.  Business immediately began to pick up as the arrows directed tourists to the gas station, diner and gift ship.

But like so many other businesses, Twin Arrows suffered after the construction of I-40 and closed for good in the early 1990s.

IT'S ROLE IN A MOVIE

It's a shame Forrest Gump didn't want to stop running long enough to explore the ruins  of the trading post, located in Flagstaff between Winslow and Williams, but the arrows can be seen in the background of the 1994 movie as he wipes his muddy face on a yellow tee shirt (unwittingly creating the ubiquitous "Have a Nice Day" smiley face merchandise).

I Hate That Smiley Face and Especially The One on Atlanta, Illinois' Water Tower.  --RoadSmiley

Along66, Jan. 2023: EZ 66 Guide & the Sidewalk Highway

JANUARY 17

The updated 5th edition of "The EZ 66 Guide for Travelers" by Jerry McClanahan is now available.  Anyone driving the Mother Road should take this along.  I also suggest Dave Wickline's book "Images of Route 66."

JANUARY 18

The Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma is undergoing a historic review before rehabilitation begins.

A section of the 9-foot-wide Sidewalk Highway (aka Ribbon Road) near Miami, Oklahoma, is undergoing a required Section 106 review before work on it begins.

The intent is to restore the road's original character.

It was built in 1922 and a part of the original Ozark Trail.

--RoadDog

Along66, Jan. 2023: Sleep in an UFO and How Does Your Garden Grow?

JANUARY 12

The Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, Illinois, plans changes.  Changes will include converting the Futuro UFO into an Airbnb.

Futuro Homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s and fewer than 100 were made.  They resemble a flying saucer and are quite eye-catching.  Sleep in an UFO.

They also will be changing the Twistee Treat ice cream cone building.  Also an eye-catcher.

The mall is housed in a former high school building and has been opened since 2005.

A real tourist trap.

JANUARY 15

A closer look at Jim Ross' and Shellee Graham's new garden near Acadia, Oklahoma, was made by an Oklahoma City TV station.  Two well-known Route 66 folks.

Sleep in an (or is it a) UFO in Illinois Soon.  --RoadTrap

Sad News About Ramona Lehman and the Munger Moss Motel

I was catching up with the Route 66 News blog and came across  the entry for February 14 which announced that the Munger Moss Motel has been sold and that long-term owner Ramona Lehman is in an assisted living facility in Lebanon, Missouri.

I knew she was having health issues because of her age and needed to find someone who would take over the motel and run it.

We have stayed there many times over the years and have had nice talks with Ramona and her late husband Bob.  I especially liked the morning coffee in the offce as Route 66 travelers checked out.  All sorts of good 66 discussion then.

She and Bob were some of the folks we met that hooked us into Route 66, many of them now gone, sadly.

Hopefully, the new owners will live up to their promise to keep the motel much as it is.

Like Ramona and Bob used to say, "It's your home away from home."

Thanks for the Memories Bob and Ramona.  --RoadSad

Eight Iconic Cultural Locations on Route 66-- Part 4: 'Standin' On the Corner'

4.  STANDIN' ON THE CORNER PARK, Winslow, Arizona

Released in 1972, the Eagles' "Take It Easy" (written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey) includes the line "Well, I'm a-standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, and such a fine sight to see.  It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me."

Like many other towns along Route 66, when they were bypassed by the interstates, Winslow began a slow decline in the 1970s.

In the 1990s the Standin' On the Corner Foundation was formed to attract tourists back to Winslow.    With the help of donors, a park was opened-- on a corner-- in 1999, featuring a hand-painted mural, a flatbed Ford and, after his death, a bronze statue of Frey in 2016.

In our end-to-end trip on 66 in 2006, Liz and I arrived in Winslow during their annual Standin' on the Corner festival.  That was great to hear a band playing "Take It Easy" in the street while standing on that corner.

My favorite Eagles song before we got into Route 66 in 2002 was "Already Gone.'  Guess what it is now?

--RoadEasy

Eight Iconic Cultural Locations on Route 66-- Part 3: El Rancho Hotel

3.  EL RANCHO HOTEL AND MOTEL, Gallup, New Mexico

Built by director D.W. Griffith in 1936 as a base for numerous Western movie productions, it has hosted many movie stars over the years, including Errol Flyn, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan.

Nearly a century later, the El Rancho still offers the "Charm of Yesterday."

This is a really neat place.  I just wish Liz and I had not opted for the cheaper motel rooms when we passed through and had stayed in the main hotel.  We did get to meet the owner at the time in 2006, Armond Ortega, in its 49er Lounge, who also owned a lot of the Indian souvenir places.  He was quite a gentleman and Liz was impressed when he clicked his heels, bent over and kissed her hand.

Wikipedia says the hotel was bult by D.W. Griffith's brother, R.E. "Griff' Griffith.

For a much longer list of people who stayed there, go to Wikipedia.

Impressed Me Too.  --RoadRancho

8 Iconic Cultural Locations on Route 66-- Part 2: 'The Outsiders' and 'Breaking Bad'

Here are those eight locations:

1.  "THE OUTSIDERS" HOUSE MUSEUM, Tulsa, Oklahoma

From the 1983 film adaptation of "The Outsiders" directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel by E.S. Hinton.  After decades of disrepair and near demolition it was purchased in 2016 and restored, opening as a museum in 2019.  

Lots of memorabilia from the movie and drop-ins from actors and even Hinton, who is a native of Tulsa.

2.  CENTRAL AVENUE, Abuquerque, New Mexico

Central Avenue is an alignment of Route 66 and is still,lined with motels, diners and neon signs, many of which can be seen in AMC's "Breaking Bad" (2008-2013).

The Dog House has been serving chili-topped footlong hot dogs for over 70 years, and its tail-wagging, suasage-eating neon dachshund makes a few appearances in the show's early years,as does the Crossroads Motel.

--RoadSider

Eight Iconic Pop Culture Locations on Route 66-- Part 1

From the RoadTrippers magazine by Alexandra Charitan.

John Steinbeck was the first person to designate Route 66 as the "Mother Road" (no, it wasn't Michael Wallis), but he was far from the last to recognize the route's cultural significance. In his 1939 novel "The Grapes of Wrath," Steinbeck describes  the east-west highway as a "long concrete path across the country, waving gently up and down on the map... 66 is the mother road."

Decades after Steinbeck's words were published-- and the 1940 film adaptation they inspired-- countless other books, movies, TV shows and songs have featuredthe landmark route.  While "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Easy Rider" might appear to share little more than Arizona's Old Trails Bridge, both movies embody the sense of possibility and freedom that still spurs travelers in search of their kicks to motor west.

I'd also like to add the movies "Vacation" and "Rain Man" as movies about life on the road.  They had parts along 66.

--RoadDog

Along66, Jan. 2023: McLean Train Depot Opens, Jungle Jim's Closes

JANUARY 8, 2023

McLean Depot Train Shop opens in the town's former train depot.  It is run by model train enthusiasts. 

The depot was built in 1853 and closed in 1970. 

The new business will be open 10am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and from 10 am to 5 on Saturday.

JANUARY 9

Jungle Jim's Cafe is closing permanently.  The auto-themed  restaurant is on the north side of Springfield, Illinois.  It closed Jan. 3, citing labor shortages, higher costs and the advancing age of the owners as the reasons.

It is at 1923 N. Peoria Road (Rt. 66).

The place was opened in 1988 by Jim Davison and his wife, and is listed for sale at $360,000.

We never ate there, but were planning to.  Guess not now.

--RoadDog

Outside Stuff on Illinois' Route 66-- Part 3: Rock Run and Midewin Prairie

In case you get tired of riding in the car and want to stretch your legs.

ROCK RUN PRESERVE

3669 Black Road, Joliet

Explore Illinois as it was centuries ago at Rock Run Preserve, a wetland with direct access to the Illinois & Michigan Canal.  Conveniently located just outside Joliet, the park is a major destination for those looking to picnic, fish, hike and bike a rambling 329-acre site.

You'll find a diverse natural habitat featuring wetlands, prairie and forest landscapes open to the public year round.

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MIDEWIN NATIONAL TALLGRASS PRAIRIE

30239 S. Illinois Route 53 Route 66) , Wilmington

Known as "The Largest Prairie Restoration Site East of the Mississippi River," the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is also the single largest open space in Illinois.

It is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and recognized as a U.S. National Grassland.  Bison were reintroduced on October 2015, making the gorgeous plot of prairie even more authentic.

They have nature talks and guided car tours.

--RoadDog

Outside Stuff on Illinois' Route 66-- Part 2: Waterfall Glen and The Forge in Lemont

WATERFALL GLEN FOREST PRESERVE, Interstate 55 and Lemont Road, Lemont

This place has pretty much any outdoor activity that you might want to do.  There are 11 miles of meandering trails and you can enjoy hiking, horseback riding, all just a short drive from the Mother Road.  

As implied, it has several tiered waterfalls and 740-plus documented species of native plants.  For you birders, it also hosts hundreds of species of our fine feathered friends.

**********************************

THE FORGE, LEMONT QUARRIES 1001 Main Street, Lemont

Get ready for some real adventure at The Forge.  Built in and around the picturesque Lemont Quarries, the place has rope courses, zip lines, climbing walls, mountain biking and an assortment of trails for all abilities.

There is also a 1,000 foot zip line.

I Don't Think So.  --RoadNoWay

Want to Do Something Outside the Car on Route 66 in Illinois?-- Part 1: Brookfield Zoo

From the November 20, 2021, Northwest Herald "Route 66 the first hundred miles" in Illinois by Ryan Searl.

The first hundred miles of the Mother Road have some beautiful parks, zoos and natural attractions which many Route 66 travelers miss.

Here are some that are near or on the road:

BROOKFIELD ZOO

8400 W. 31st St., Brookfield

Fifteen miles from Chicago, the 200 acre zoo is widely regarded as one of the best zoos in the country with an amazing array of animals inhabitants.

Opened to the public in 1934, it now has 450 species and more than 2,500 animals.  

And, of course, there's the park's famed Mold-A-Rama as a souvenir of your visit.

--RoadZoo

Along66, Jan. 2023: Ike's in Tulsa Celebrating 115 Years in Business

JANUARY 6

Oke's Chili in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is marking its 115th year in business this year.

It originally opened in 1908, one year after Oklahoma's statehood.  It was in an alleyway in downtown Tulsa near East Second Street and South Boston Avenue.

In 1913 Ike's moved to 312 Main Street then was in several different locations after that.  The 1913 menu lists chili at 15 cents a bowl.  Their prices have changed, but their chili has not.  What you got in 1913, you get in 2023.

It is now at 1503 11th Street (Route 66) and has been there for 8 years.  Previously it was at  Admiral Place, which was an early alignment of Route 66.

Don't you know that the father of Route 66, Cyrus Avery must have eaten there.

I had never heard of it before, but it is now on my list of places to visit the next time I am there.

Does this make Ike's the oldest continually operating restaurant in Oklahoma?

--RoadIke's

Along66, Jan. 2023: Trade Winds Inn, Elvis and a Route 66 Landing Strip

JANUARY 2

Clinton City Council (Oklahoma) approves purchase and eventual destruction of the Trade Winds Inn.

It is located at 2128 W. Gary Blvd. (Route 66). Built in the 1960s and famous 'cuz Elvis slept there at least four times.  Really he did.

JANUARY 3

Teenager makes emergency landing of his small plane on Route 66 on Cajon Pass, California. Brock Peters, 18.  No one was injured.

Something you don't see everyday.

Really, Elvis Slept There.  --RoadVis

Along66, Jan. 2023: Illinois Tourism in Tournament of Roses Parade

I take these posts from the Route 66 News site which has daily posts on what is going on along our favorite old road.  The site has more information and pictures as well as videos on occasion.  This is the best source for information on Route 66.

I run a month behind time (except when  I do something I came across on my own like the last post on Edwardsville).  I also just pick the stories of most interest to me.

JANUARY 1, 2021

The Illinois Office of Tourism to enter their first-ever float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on January 2.

It is 24-feet tall and has 30,000 flowers.  Also, this took 22,000 volunteer-hours to complete.

--RoadDog

Edwardsville, Illinois, Prepares for Route 66's 100th Anniversary

From the January 29, 2023, Edwardsville Intelligencer "Route 66  Monument sign erected across from Lincoln Middle School" by Charles  Bolinger.

The next part of the Route 66 Celebration was installed in Edwardsville Friday after public works crews installed a 12.5 foot tall Route 66 Monument sign on the east side of Illinois Highway 157 across from Lincoln Middle School.  This road, of course, was an alignment of historic Route 66.

This is to provide  "Instagrammable" moments for travelers as is a mural on the side of a building  at South Main and  East Vandalia streets that was put up last year.

The mural and monument are all part of Edwardsville's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road which will take place in 2026.

Another part of the effort will be tom open a Route 66 tourism museum at the southeast corner of  West and St. Louis streets.

Edwardsville, a Town That Knows Its Route 66 Heritage.  --RoadDog

Along66, Dec. 2022: Mel's, the Prez and Muffler Men

DECEMBER 18

Mel's Drive-In restaurant is celebrating its 75th anniversary.  It is at the western terminus of Route 66 in Santa Monica, California.  It has eight locations.

DECEMBER 28

President Biden to appoint 12 people to the Route 66 Centennial Commission.  I've seen the list and they all seem to be well-qualified.  Author and Sheriff Michael Wallis  is on that list.  Was I even considered?  Doubtfully.

DECEMBER 29

New documentary talks about an early champion of Muffler Men.  Glen Good of Texas spent decades repairing and preserving the giants.

The film is by Joel Baker.

And, speaking of movies, I watched "Cars" in TV the other day.  Still good after all these years.

Like With Neon, You Can Never Have Too Many Muffler Men.  --RoadDog