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| Courtesy Steve Rider |
A few weeks ago I requested that followers of the blog share their Route 66 stories. These would be posted every week, and once a month a copy of Travel Route 66 would be the prize for the best story submitted. In addition, a few of these stories would find their way into a current book project.
To say the very least, the stories have been interesting and inspirational. Some of them also provide interesting insight into life on Route 66 when it was the Main Street of America.
Next week I will share the story of a mechanic and service station attendant who worked in Ludlow during the mid 1960s. I also have an interesting story from the Czech Republic, and a few from some Route 66 celebrities. As long as there is interest, I will keep the contest rolling. So, please feel free to share your favorite or most memorable Route 66 experience.
This afternoon I will be making a presentation entitled an Armchair Tour of Route 66 at Beale Celebrations. This is the kick off for the Route 66 Association of Kingman’s ambitious 66 Celebrates 90 fund raising initiative.
Though the presentation will be of interest to Route 66 enthusiasts, I designed the slideshow presentation, with special effects, to serve as an introduction to a Route 66 adventure in the 21st century. The goal is to introduce Route 66 to a new audience and, perhaps, inspire a road trip or two.
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| Ramada Kingman |
If you have an event or fund raising initiative, or a group that is interested in Route 66, and feel that this one hour presentation would enhance it, please let me know. My calendar for 2016 is still relatively free with the exception of the first weekend in May, and mid July when we will be attending the first European Route 66 Festival in Germany.
Now, lets talk about ongoing developments in Kingman. The eagerly anticipated area tour packages developed through cooperative partnerships with Ramada Kingman are now available. One of these is a customized walking tour of the historic district with me as your guide.
This coupled with the initiation of phase two in the historic properties renovation and upgrade is another manifestation of the owners goal to create the only full service Route 66 resort in Kingman.
Plans are underway to add a unique Route 66 Association of Kingman gift shop that will specialize in Mr. D’z merchandise and Kingman/Route 66 souvenirs to the historic Dunton Motors Dream Machines facility. Currently the complex houses a classic vehicle dealership, garage and body shop that specializes in restoration as well as customization, as well as the offices of the Route 66 Association of Kingman, and offices with a reception area where I will meet with media and visitors, and kick off tours of the historic district.
Chillin’ on Beale, held on the third Saturday of each month, April through October, is being expanded. The free cruise and mingle event in the cities historic district will include Cinema Under the Stars and a variety of special activities.
Open to anything with wheels, this year the classic and custom cars will initially fill the block from Fourth Street west along Beale Street. Motorcycles will fill Beale Street from First Street at Thunder Rode east. when all four blocks are full, then they will be begin lining Beale Street east past Black Bridge Brewery, Redneck’s Southern Barbecue and other businesses.
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Powerhouse Visitor Center, traditional Hualapai dancers and singers perform. This complex also houses the critically acclaimed Route 66 museum, and the worlds first electric vehicle museum.
This is but the tip of the iceberg as a music festival at Grand Canyon Caverns is under development, there is the Route 66 Fun Run in May, and Best of the West on 66 takes place in September. So, my suggestion is that if you have plans for traveling Route 66 or exploring Arizona this year, add Kingman to your list of destinations.
Jim,
As a Baby Boomer who traveled Route 66 every other summer with parents, I remember stopping in Arizona where a roadside stand in a vast open Navajo area sold Native American blankets and jewelry. While our parents shopped, I had a change to talk to several pre-teen children of the reservation and they ask if we had any comic books. We were glad to pass on a stack we had read and it was a magic moment to enter their world.