66 The Mother Road January / February 2012

January/February, 2012

Route 66

America’s Most Amazing Community From a Whiting Bros Motor Hotel to the Globetrotter Lodge ...

A lost treasure found again Route 66 Tour Experience

Not the ordinary ... the Extraordinary

Follow Jess McEntire & Project Route 66

Find out how to win a Route 66, custom, personalized Loretta Lynn signature guitar

Become a Fan on Facebook at 66TheMotherRoad

www.66TheMotherRoad.com

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The Launching Pad

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Jess McEntire announces a signature guitar

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America’s Most Amazing Community

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Cruzin’ With Kramden

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Route 66 Experience Not the ordinary ... the extraordinary Tour Experience

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The Globetrotter Lodge Holbrook, Arizona A Lost Treasure Found Again

Outside Front Cover Courtesy of Joe Sonderman www.66Postcards.com Outside Back Cover Photography by Jim Hinckley Black Mountain, fall; Jim & his wife, Judy, have been selected for the “Route 66 in Mohave County” exhibit featuring large, over-sized images, now under construction at the Powerhouse Visitor Center.

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How to Reach the ROUTE 66 ASSOCIATIONS California Historic Route 66 Association 16825 S. D St., Victorville, CA 92323 CAHistoricRT66@aol.com http://www.route66ca.org Arizona Route 66 Association PO Box 66, Kingman, AZ 86402 928.753.5001 azrt66@frontiernet.net www.azrt66.com New Mexico Route 66 Association 14305 Central Ave. NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87121 505.831.6317 www.rt66nm.org Old Route 66 Association of Texas PO Box 66 McLean, TX 79057 806.373.7576 or 806.779.2225 www.mockturtlepress.com/Texas Trewblue@centramedia.com Oklahoma Route 66 Association, Inc. PO Box 446 Chandler, OK 74834 www.Oklahomaroute66.com or okrt66association@sbcglobal.net Kansas Historic Route 66 Association PO Box 66 Baxter Springs, KS 66713 620.856.2385 http://www.ixks.com/alynn/index.htm

Judy@66TheMotherRoad.com Judy@66TheMotherRoad.com

Route 66 Association of Missouri PO Box 8117 St. Louis, MO 63156 www.missouri66.org

John@66TheMotherRoad.com John@66TheMotherRoad.com

Illinois Route 66 Association Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum 110 W. Howard St. Pontiac, IL 61764 cathiesb@earthlink.net www.il66assoc.org

Bev@66TheMotherRoad.com

Canadian Route 66 Association PO Box 81123 Burnaby, BC V5HK2 604.434.1818 route66kicks@mac.com, or route66@telus.net www.route66.ca

Bev@66TheMotherRoad.com

National Historic Route 66 Federation PO Box 1848, Dept. WS Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 909.336.6131 www.national66.com

January / February 2012

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Images Š www.rt66pix.com

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January / February 2012

Route 66, Interstate 0 Is this really Route 66? Embossed letters “USA” leap across rusted steel. Rocket-nozzles on the pink fin of a ‘59 Caddy threaten to blast an intruder. Cows try to read an old sign. A chrome missile zooms past the rusted cavity where a front tire used to be.

It MUST be Route 66--because the Blue Whale of Catoosa is about to swallow a tourist!

This is the Mother Road looked at in a fresh way...as art instead of history. More than 525 exclusive road images are on the just-launched website www.rt66pix.com. Old pavement takes on new life here, and many of the photographs are uniquely beautiful. For example, the opening image “Miata Sunset” which the photographer credits to good luck and a steady tripod: “The sun had slipped below the horizon line seconds before. It was actually radiating UP into a cloud bank creating a perfect diagonal spear.” www.rt66pix.com is the work of a man and his Nikons. Frank Gifford (not the ex-football player, but thanks for asking) brings a fresh look to a road that has largely been photographed from an historical perspective. Frank agrees that’s valid--but says treating Route 66 as art leads to new sights...and insights.

“Classic signs we know and love are here, shown in new ways. Many of the 100+ images in the “Neon Lives!” gallery are extreme close-ups exploring a hidden world. One image from the Sunset Motel in Missouri shows both sides of the restored sign at once...and actually makes the pole into the star: This was the 52nd shot I took there that night. As I got closer and it got darker, it was almost like a rocket launch.” www.rt66pix.com has more than 525 images from Route 66 offered as art-quality photographic prints. About half are also formatted and captioned for T-shirts and related merchandise. All will be sold exclusively online. Custom-captioning of T-shirts and merchandise is available for groups.

Cars and motorcycles are as well represented in this mix of images as they are at Route 66 festivals.

For those who just want to enjoy the ride, the free site is designed for surfing. And it has a trivia section filled with loopy questions that will have you revisiting images and captions time and time again.

As Frank says: “If you’re in a hurry take the Interstate where there’s no annoying scenery.” That’s the message behind the caption on several T-shirts: “Route 66, Interstate 0.”

Images © www.rt66pix.com January / February 2012

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The Launching Pad

By Judy Springs

B

efore an idea comes to fruition, there is usually a circuitous line from concept to reality. Not so with 66 The Mother Road. Our vision and mission was clear from the start. We can draw a straight line from our goals to our finished product. We remain transparent and goal-focused as much today as we were back in May when we released the first edition. The only evolution has been the quality of the magazine itself, and that will remain a work in progress.

As with anything in life, there are dues to pay. Very little happens over night and without effort. Huge “Kudos” go to our team who have worked tirelessly to meet the goals and expectations we required of ourselves and promised to you. We are so excited as we look back at what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last 8 months. And while I share this information with you, keep in mind the team – although fully engaged in full-time work – has devoted countless, unwavering early-morning, late-night and weekend hours to this endeavour because it was our promise to you, and we keep our promises. It’s that simple.

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Our objective was to be able to tell your story to a world-wide audience. We are “jumping up and down, over-the-moon excited” to say we are now being read in 32 countries and growning daily! We really are reaching a world-wide audience!” Our statistics are a combination of our web site, www.66TheMotherRoad. com, and Issuu Magazine analytics – the hosting site for the magazine itself. The most thrilling part is that your stories are being seen worldwide. We are simply the “launching pad.” To date, our readership extends to: United States, Australia, Spain, United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Brazil, Iceland, Sweden, Canada, Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Argentina, Portugal, Finland, Hungary, South Africa, Denmark, Austria, New Zealand, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Turks and Caicos Islands, Switzerland, Poland, Faroe Islands and Namibia And we are finding that the traffic to 66 The Mother Road

January / February 2012

The Mission Our mission statement is actually pretty simple: “If it’s good for the entire Road, do it!”

We are dedicated to providing an online platform with a world-wide audience for the entire Route 66 Corridor.

magazine is coming from almost equal parts direct traffic as referral sites. Those are important statistics to us because they prove our relentless endeavours to promote and advertise the magazine are gaining traction; and that partnering with other businesses not only helps them, but helps to make us stronger, too. Working together for a common goal - that’s the American spirit!

We are more dedicated than ever to continue our efforts to promoting business across all 8 great states! We extend a giant Thank You to those that have supported us so far, and look forward to growing our “family” of supporters as we continue into 2012. We are constantly trying to exceed your expectations.

“Tell us what you want to see.

Contact us with your ideas, stories, experiences, and photos.

Join our team! Go to the website at www.66TheMotherRoad.com, and click on the “Contact Us”, or “Submit Content” buttons; or email us at Info@66TheMotherRoad.com.

We’re looking forward to a strong 2012!

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Store605@JBS-Restaurants.com

Route 66 Historic Seligman Sundries Gourmet Coffee Bar & Gift Shop 22405 W. Old Highway 66 Seligman, AZ 86337 928.422.4795 www.SeligmanSundries.com Sign up to begin receiving the Historic Seligman Sundries newsletter.

On the National Register of Historic Places

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January / February 2012

www.Travelretro.com

www.Route66Tours.com.au

January / February 2012

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Jess McEntire announces ...

A Signature Guitar!

www.ProjectRoute66.com 10

January / February 2012

Man on a mission ~

Get Your Riffs’ ‘ on Route 66 Building awareness, promoting tourism, and helping to preserve and honor the Road is an all-important objective of the ‘Man on a Mission’, musician, singer, songwriter, Jess McEntire. With the help from his friends, including legendary Country Western star, Loretta Lynn, Jess has realized a vision-cometrue with the creation of the Route 66 electric guitar.

Only a dozen will ever exist, and will be raffled off in conjunction with ProjectRoute66.com, a non-profit organization he helped launch to raise funds to further assist Route 66 businesses and the Road.

Additional details will be announced on the ProjectRoute66.com website in the coming weeks, so stay logged on to find out how you can win one of these phenomenal instruments.

Taking on the shape of the Route 66 shield, each guitar will feature the image and autograph of the Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta Lynn, and include a certificate of authenticity. The distinctive guitars were created by skilled craftsman, G. H. “Jerry” Reno of G. H. Reno Guitars, custom guitar specialists with a location right off Route 66 in Tulsa, OK.

By Beverly Maxfield his “Man on a Mission” CDs featuring original songs inspired by the Road. “We can all benefit while sharing the powerful tool that brings everyone together… music,” he said.

ProjectRoute66.com is also in the process of planning fundraising tours featuring top music acts in areas along Route 66 that rarely have the opportunity to host concert events. “There’s one we are working on right now in Cartersville, GA up by Joplin, MO,” he said. “I’m gonna be out on the Road, doing a meet and greet with the shop owners out there. I’ll be promoting the album and the cause, the billboards that I know will help Route 66 more than anything.

It’s all about bringing awareness to the Road, not just to one community, but to everybody.” The idea of having one of the billboards standing tall, right in the middle of downtown Nashville really gets a response from Jess: “Now wouldn’t that be something!”

You just know that is the ultimate dream.

“I was driving down the Road looking at a Route 66 sign and I just got the idea to make this guitar,” Jess recalled. “We did a patent search before we started on the guitar design and it came back with nothing out there like it. I was surprised. So now, we’re the only ones that can make that shape of guitar. Jerry at G.H. Reno Guitars has been great, did such an incredible job with it. It looks so good, sounds so good. It’s something else with Loretta’s picture on the back!” he said proudly. “This guitar has just raised the bar, it’s another step up of all the things we want to do. We’re going to do some fundraising shows with those guitars! What a collector’s item!”

Jess has plans for another line of guitars in the future, and possibly a bass guitar, too. “My band will all be playing Route 66 guitars!”

His dream of placing billboards bearing the message ‘Take a Trip on Route 66’ throughout the country to promote the Road needs your assistance. Right now, ProjectRoute66.com asks for the support of Route 66 businesses to join in and help raise funds and build awareness, tourism and continued interest in the Road, by purchasing and carrying

This Loretta Lynn personalized signature guitar could be yours! To find out how, go to www.ProjectRoute66.com

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O Off Road E

there is an event worthy of mention t Occasionally, something that Route 66 enthusiasts hold near a

events coming up that happen “off the Road,” b

February 16-26, 2012 The Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance.

This event is a Palm Springs Life event and tickets and information for this year’s event can be found by visiting www.DesertConcours.com, or call 760.766.1777.

The schedule of events includes: THE DESERT CLASSIC CONCOURS VINTAGE AND HISTORIC RACE Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 17, 18, & 19, 2012 at CHUCKAWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY, Indio, California TOUR CLASSIQUE FORMAL ROAD TOUR FOR SELECT ENTRANTS FROM CONCOURS Friday and Saturday, February 24 & 25, 2012 THE DESERT CLASSIC CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE Sunday, February 26, 2012 At the Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa, in Rancho Mirage, California. In the heart of the Palm Springs valley.

The Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance is a 501(c)(3), non-profit corporation. Net proceeds from the event will be donated each year to our charity partners.

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www.DesertConcours.com

February 16 - 26, 2012 www.DesertConcours.com

Experience

that is not on Route 66 — only because it may be and dear to their heart. In this case, we have two but both events feature classic and vintage cars.

February 24, 25, and 26, 2012 McCormick’s Classic Car Auction 52 held at the Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs, California.

Friday is check-in day and the auction starts at 3pm with 100 vehicles crossing the block. Friday is also FREE ADMISSION and free food for all VIP registered bidders. Saturday & Sunday the gates open at 8am with the first car crossing the block at 10am. McCormick’s will have 225 cars cross the block on Saturday and another 175 on Sunday.

General admission is $15 per day or $25 for both days. McCormick’s will have over 500 cars crossing the auction block over the 3 days so there will be something for everyone.

www.Classic-CarAuction.com

February 24 - 26, 2012 www.Classic-CarAuction.com

SCHEDULE: Friday, February 24th: 100 cars crossing the block at 4pm sharp. Lots 1 - 100 Saturday, February 25th: Gates open at 8am for preview, auction starts at 10am sharp.

McCormick’s will run 225 cars this day.

Lots 101 - 325.

Sunday, February 26th:Gates open at 8am for preview, auction starts at 10am sharp.

McCormick’s will run 175 cars this day.

Lots 326 - 500.

Read more about the new VIP Bidder Card this year, and all the details of this fabulous auction at: www.classic-carauction.com. You can call or Fax at Tel: 760.320.3290, Fax: 760.323.7031 General Email - jason@classic-carauction.com

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Route 66 America’s Most Amazing Community

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y association with this storied old road signed with two sixes spans more than a half century, and yet with each trip there is the joy that comes from renewing an acquaintance with an old friend. There is also an odd sense of renewal with the reawakening of an almost child like sense of excitement and anticipation for the next stop, the next meal, or even the next hillcrest.

Therefore, it was with nearly uncontainable enthusiasm that we set out on our grand adventure in October of 2011. Officially, it was a business trip to promote Ghost Towns of Route 66, and to gather images for the forthcoming Route 66 Encyclopedia & Atlas.

Additionally, it provided the opportunity to use the promotion of these books to garner publicity for the communities, the businesses, and the people that make Route 66 the treasure that it is. There was also a need to play tourist as though it were our very first trip in an effort to evaluate the state of the highway with honesty.

Reservations are something I strive to avoid, as the ideal road trip is one that severs the constraints of a schedule. With the timetable for this trip framed with military precision that luxury was not one available to us.

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Initially, fourteen days had been allotted for the drive from Kingman to Chicago and home again. A number of issues resulted in a cutting of the time to 9.5 days, with the half-day resultant of a morning at the office on the Saturday that we were to hit the road, for the odyssey through the very heartland of America that totaled 4,150 miles.

As a result, we missed visits with a number of friends, and people we wanted to meet, and often stopped to photograph sites shortly after sunrise and just before the sun sank in the west. Still, the worst day on Route 66 is better than the best time anywhere else.

In spite of this, the first Saturday afternoon that included a little Route 66, and a nongeneric dinner at the La Posada in Winslow, mirrored the remainder of the trip. We never allowed the rigid schedule to crowd out the magic and the wonder of an adventure on Route 66.

We made time for a stop at 4M Vineyards & Farms in St. James, Missouri where we stocked up on jams, sorghum, and half of a delicious grape pie that was savored high on the bluff above Pacific at Jensen Point surrounded by dazzling fall colors. There was a stop at the gallery of Jerry McClanahan, and lunch with this artist at the Rock CafÊ in Stroud, Oklahoma, where the delightful meal was enhanced with conversation, a visit with Dawn Welch, and a chance for a sneak peak of Jerry’s new book Route 66 Sightings.

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I fulfilled the childhood dream of visiting the home of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield Illinois, just a few blocks off Route 66, and embraced the inner child at Pop’s in Arcadia, Oklahoma with the purchase of a variety of root beers and ginger ales. We chased away the exhaustion at the end of the day, and received inspiration for the future of the nation and this amazing old road, with the hospitality of Bob and Ramona Lehman at the Munger Moss in Lebanon, and Connie Echols at the Wagon Wheel in Cuba, Missouri.

We took in the colorful murals at Pontiac and Atlanta in Illinois, worked up an appetite by walking the Chain of Rocks Bridge, along Memory Lane, a pre-1930 segment of the highway preserved as a walking trail at Lexington, Illinois, and the empty, wet streets of Texola, Oklahoma. Then we satisfied that appetite with wonderful meals at the Ariston Café in Litchfield, Illinois, and Angela’s Café in Gallup, New Mexico, at Big Vern’s Steakhouse in Shamrock, Texas and Zeno’s in Lebanon, Missouri.

Our enthusiasm for the road, and how it can be used to transform a community, as well as its ability to bridge chasms of culture and language, were fueled with visits with the Mueller’s, the new owners of the Blue Swallow Motel. We also found it in conversations with historian and author Joe Sonderman, Rich Dinkella, Dean Kennedy, Jane Reed, and Connie Echols under a starlit sky on the patio at the Wagon Wheel Motel, and in talking with Mark Spangler of the Route 66 Museum in Lebanon.

Conversations with David Clark, historian and author, at the new Route 66 Museum in Berwyn, Illinois, and stops at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma, and the

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National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma where passionate preservation of the roads colorful history were made manifest, provided reassurance that the future of the iconic highway is secure. Likewise, with the people we met from Holland and France, England and Australia, who were touring the road with contagious enthusiasm.

Our condensed tour of Route 66 reaffirmed what I have long known. When it comes to two lane highways, it is not the most scenic, most historic, or the easiest to follow – especially in St. Louis. However, it is truly the last bastion of mom and pop enterprise for only here can the creative individuality of the small business compete successfully, with chains, franchises, and box stores. It also presents a very rare opportunity for true time travel without the sacrifice of the modern amenities we have come to expect here in the first decades of the 21st century. Route 66 long ago transcended its original purpose.

It is now America’s longest attraction, a tarnished and dusty time capsule illuminated by restored neon, an endless string of tangible links to more than two centuries of American societal evolution with the faintest overlay of Disneyland. It is also America’s longest and most colorful community. As author Joe Sonderman so eloquently expressed it,

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“The myth has become the reality.”

Visit Jim’s web site to learn how to obtain autographed copies of his books, and to view a list of establishments along the Route where his books may be purchased. http://route66chronicles.blogspot.com/p/autographed-books-by-jim-hinckley.html

Books by this author include: Ghost Towns of Route 66, Ghost Towns of the Southwest, Backroads of Arizona, Route 66 Backroads, and The Big Book of Car Culture (bronze medal winner at the International Automotive Media Awards) Books by Jim Hinckley are also available at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon.com, and Hastings Boooks & Music.

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By John Springs

Well, the Holidays are behind us and it’s time to prepare in making 2012 a special year—both in our personal lives and on The Mother Road.

We are extremely happy with the progress we have made with the magazine, not only in terms of our readership levels but in bringing awareness to all things Route 66. If you, your business, or organization has an event, or something to which we can help raise awareness, we invite you to contact us. We will do our best to help get the word out around the world! Our Facebook page and our outreach, as well as our magazine is gaining huge momentum, and we would be happy to provide a “shout out” in our magazine. We are very proud that Route 66 enthusiasts in over 32 countries are reading our stories! This really helps folks that are planning their Route 66 adventures to see what’s going on before they get on The Road.

Ron Warnick and Route 66 News (www.Route66News.com) is also always a good site to check out for current events and obscure happenings on The Road. Ron does a fantastic job finding nuggets and tidbits to share about The Mother Road!

One great weekend that Judy and I are looking forward to is CubaFest in Cuba, MO. The weekend of October 19th and 20th will be a party for the ages. We have already reserved our room at Connie’s Wagon Wheel Motel, in my opinion one of the best, most complete renovations of a historic property on Route 66 (http://www.wagonwheel66cuba.com). Author Jim Hinckley will be unveiling his Route 66 Encyclopedia at Cuba, and I’m sure he will be joined by many friends, authors, and Route 66 enthusiasts from all over the world. Additional dates to circle on your Route 66 calendar are August 9th – 12th when Victorville, CA hosts this year’s Route 66 Festival, which should draw record crowds to The Route 66 Museum and The Green Tree Inn. (http://califrt66museum.org/). Amarillo, TX was the host city last year and, by all accounts, it was the best festival yet. Let’s all get behind Victorville and make 2012’s festival one to remember.

Another fantastic Route 66 festival is in Springfield, Illinois – home of the Cozy Dog Drive In (http://www.cozydogdrivein.com). September 21st – 23rd are the dates for Springfield’s 10th Annual Festival (http://www.familyevents.com/event/220).

As you can see there are plenty of exciting Route 66 events for everyone to choose from. Again, if you have an event in which we can help generate excitement and awareness, just drop me an email and we’ll do our best to help out – John@66TheMotherRoad.com

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GHOST TOWNS of ROUTE 66

By Jim Hinckley Photography by Kerrick James

ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-3843-8 Hardcover • 160 pages 151 color & 21 b/w photos, 1 map $25.00 US • $28.00 CAN

Explore the beauty and nostalgia of these abandoned communities along America’s favorite highway!

Ghost towns lie all along the Mother Road. The quintessential boom-and-bust highway of the American West, Route 66 once hosted a thriving array of boom towns built around oil mines, railroad stops, cattle ranches, resorts, stagecoach stops, and gold mines. Join Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley as he tours more than 25 ghost towns, rich in stories and history, complemented by gorgeous sepia-tone and color photography by Kerrick James. Also includes directions and travel tips for your ghost-town explorations along Route 66!

For trade sales, please contact: Brenda Lunsman, Sales Representative blunsman@mbipublishing.com • 612-344-8179

You can find Ghost Towns of Route 66 and our other Jim Hinckley books in fine bookstores, online booksellers, or www.voyageurpress.com.

To order a signed copy of Ghost Towns of Route 66, please e-mail Jim Hinckley: JimHinckley@Yahoo.com jimhinckley@yahoo.com

Voyageur Press is an imprint of Quayside Publishing Group • 400 First Ave. N., Suite 300 • Minneapolis, MN 55401

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Not the ordinary ... the “ ” Tour Experience

By Beverly Maxfield

on Castro is into experiencing … going beyond merely ‘travelling’ or ‘ visiting’ on Route 66 with a tourist’s map in hand. By employing a great amount of creativity, his love of motorcycles, and a deep affection for America’s Mother Road, Gon developed—with a little the help from his friends—the Route 66 Experience, a tour group based in Spain.

It took years of planning and research to organize this inventive and spirited group; offering an experience that certainly goes beyond the usual. With Gon and his cycling compatriots, one can see the country traveling mythical roads and alternative routes not as well-traveled—not seen every day. Those that take a Route 66 Experience tour experience the history and become one with the Road.

Gon, who resides in the beautiful and sunny village of Marbella in the south of Spain, recounts the roots of his group.

“Some years ago I met a man named Bob McFarland, an American who was visiting here in Spain, and we started a fast friendship based on our common passion for motorcycles.” McFarland, who is a resident of Costa Mesa, CA, has been conducting tours for 25 years. “He invited me to visit his home 22

January / February 2012

in the LA area,” he said. “When I came to the US, I rented a bike and we both rode the 66 together.

It was my first time, and what an exciting trip it was! There were so many interesting things to see, and I have to say it was the most special trip of my life. I have taken bike trips all around Europe and Africa, but this trip was like a film; all of the magical places were telling me that I should come back, that I should show more people this part of the world.”

At this time Gon was the Director of the Harley Owners Group in Marbella, and couldn’t wait to return and share his trip experience with the group. “So, when I returned I explained to all the members what a special trip I had, and that got their interest going and from there, marked the start of our company, the Route 66 Experience.

This next year will be our 5 years of riding along Route 66,” he said.

More and more Europeans are flocking to the US to experience our treasured Route 66. Many find it more exciting to drive, ride, sleep and eat along Route 66 than walking across the Golden Gate Bridge on a foggy afternoon, traveling up to the top of the Empire State Building to scan the city skyline, or strolling down the Walk of Stars in Hollywood in search of a favorite celeb. Route 66 is recognized more and as one of the few pure and true icons of Americana.

Gon feels that Route 66 holds the key to a lot of interesting things that inspire and captivate the European people.

“Route 66 is an important icon. All of our lives abroad we have viewed the American films set within areas of the Road, or places very similar,” he said.

The films evoked wonderful, faraway dreams when they saw the diners, the long picturesque roads that seemingly went on forever, and the lonely and enchanting deserts, the old gas stations.

“The American films that depicted all of these scenes helped us get to know the history and magic of the Mother Road,” he continued.

“For Europeans, riding the 66 is really a dream, a romantic trip filled with famous locations and exotic roads ready for exploration. Everyone here is really fascinated when I start to describe our tours and they immediately want to come with us.” Gon has noticed more and more new travelers are coming out to explore Route 66 each year. “I think the US people are becoming more conscious of the historic importance of this road for the nation. This is a treasure for Americans, so the tourism I provide with my Route 66 motorcycle tour company can only help to promote and conserve it, and this makes me very proud.”

And, if you are wondering what would be his

favorite experience, city or area along Route 66, he answers after thinking a moment or two. “That is a very difficult question,” he says.

“I love a lot of places along the 66, I think that my favorite things are the classic diners and the old gas stations, but there is a lot to love! All of Route 66 is so special. I do love the ride from Oatman to Williams (Arizona); there is some special attraction for me to this part of the country. There are a lot of wonderful places to mention, but I would need the next twenty “66 The Mother Road” magazines to explain each!” he smiles. “The travelers will have exciting experiences in each place, because each place has its own unique history.”

“Yes, there are a lot of nice and beautiful places around the world, but Route 66 is something different; it is the most genuine route to ride a bike. The scenery is a perfect dream to enjoy as you ride along its miles.

You can feel the freedom, and when you ride with us, it’s a genuine tour with all the awesome places to discover … to experience!”

Get more kicks on Route 66 with Gon Castro and the Route 66 Experience. For more information, log onto: www.Route66Experience.eu, or email Route66Experience@gmail.com

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The Globetrotter Lodge

By Beverly Maxfield The bright sign with its American flag signals a welcome hello as you approach. Who would have known just a short time ago that this friendly icon of The Mother Road was a lifeless, boarded-up abandoned shell, left to deteriorate as the hands of time passed. It took the ingenuity of an enterprising couple to find this lost legend, repurpose it and reintroduce the Globetrotter Lodge to Route 66 travelers. Mona and Peter Hoeller, a husband and wife team from the Austrian Alps, sold everything back home so they could climb all-new heights, start a new chapter and find a perfect place to call their own. They chose a beloved area of the US southwest, Holbrook, Arizona on Route 66. Their journey and relocation was complete after discovering a diamond-in-the-rough they were anxious to polish back to a bright perfection. Thanks to the possibilities they made a reality, the Globetrotter Lodge is now alive and well.

wonderful service and hospitality its proprietors extend to their guests. Peter and Mona have only been in the US for about 2 years, but what a 2 years it has been!

“We wanted a change, we were ready for something new in our lives, and so in 2007 we sold everything back in Austria,” Mona said.

“We sold our house, my husband’s company, and we made a journey around the world, starting in the US. When we got to the southwest we were so impressed. It was decided to stay right here.”

A Lost Legend Found Again

The reviews are in—make that rave reviews—all over the web. Just do a Google search for the Globetrotter Lodge and read all of the accolades and high praise, and about the

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The US southwest was their first and only choice.

“The chance to have warmer winters was one thing,” she laughed, “After living in the Alps!”

One day they discovered an opportunity, an old, deserted motel that was offered for a fair price. “The Globetrotter Lodge was an old and nasty motel,” Mona recalled. “The asking price was not very high, so we decided to do it.” After all, it was in the southwest on Route 66.

It would be a daunting task ahead, with the

Mona & Peter Hoeller Phone 928.297.0158

l l

902 West Hopi Dr. l Holbrook, AZ 86025 Globetrotterlodge2010@hotmail.com January / February 2012

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need to restore absolutely everything after a decade of abandonment. “We had to restore everything from the plumbing to the electricity, just everything imaginable,” she said.

The Globetrotter, built in the 1950s, had seen a set of owners or two. The Hoellers purchased it from a lawyer who had acquired it from a previous group that hadn’t paid the property taxes. “It had been a good motel in the past, and it was sad to see it in such bad condition,” she said.

at a convenient location, just 6 miles from the Holbrook Municipal Airport and a quick drive to the Rainbow Forest Museum, a favorite stop for Route 66 travelers. The Route 66 shield is displayed prominently in various forms throughout the property as a salute to the famous roadway that takes you to the Hoellers’ door.

Mona and Peter hold many plans for the future and will expand on their work of art as time goes on. “We are always looking ahead,” she said proudly.

We can’t wait to see what’s next for the Globetrotter Lodge, a lost legend found again.

Doing all of the work themselves with just the help of an electrician, their son and another helper, The Hoellers brought the faded icon back to a charming and cozy establishment with 10 well-appointed rooms in near-original condition with many modern twists. When they purchased the Globetrotter Lodge, it was a completely empty building; a perfect blank canvas to transform. “We wanted to do it a little bit differently from the original way it was because so many of the motels look alike on Route 66… look the same in their style.

We wanted to stand out,” she said. “So now I would say, after 8 months of restoration work, the Globetrotter is different! It was a lot of work, a lot of money… hard work.” The Hoellers are proud of their accomplishment, enabling travelers the opportunity to check into a legendary Route 66 motel with a host of outstanding amenities coupled with a full measure of European hospitality.

“It was interesting when the original owners came by last year to visit,” Mona said. “They were very happy to see that we had brought it back in good condition!”

Each room at the Globetrotter Lodge offers a flat-screen TV with private baths highlighted by charming handmade sinks. Decorated in Western influenced accents, the rooms include unique, handmade wood furniture.

The centerpiece pool is an ideal spot for relaxing after a long drive with chaise lounges provided for sunbathing. The lodge is situated January / February 2012

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www.Route66LastStopShop.com

endrt66@gmail.com

www.CubaMoMurals.com

www.HenrysRoute66.com

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January / February 2012

www.wagonwheel66cuba.com

www.MissouriHick.com January / February 2012

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This album (first in a series) includes 21 new heartfelt country songs written about Route 66. Sung by Jess McEntire, along with Special Guest, Loretta Lynn, and a duet with Danny Shirley of “Confederate Railroad.”

Purchase this CD and help fund more billboards to raise awareness and promote tourism on Route 66.

Visit www.ProjectRoute66.com to find out how you can win a custom, personalized Loretta Lynn signature guitar.

“I am proud to announce that ProjectRoute66.com, Inc., and The Route 66 Chamber Of Commerce have teamed up to place our first billboard promoting tourism on Route 66 in Hurricane Mills,Tn., home of the country music legend Loretta Lynn. The billboard is located at exit 143 off I-40 half way between Memphis and Nashville next to the Pilot Truck Stop.” Bill Hamilton

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January / February 2012

www.WigwamMotel.com WigwamMotel@GMail.com January / February 2012

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