The Cozy Dog Drive-In restaurant, a landmark on Route 66 in Springfield, Ill., is listed as a “can’t miss” stop in the Rand McNally Midwest Getaway Guide, published this month.

According to the news release:

Cozy Dog Drive In, locally owned and operated since 1946, has been a Route 66 attraction drawing travelers from around the world. […] “We are delighted to be recognized in the Midwest Getaway Guide,” said Sue Waldmire. “It’s an honor to know that people who travel in Illinois will not only know about us, but will be able to see us right on the map.

The Cozy Dog’s founder, Ed Waldmire Jr., is reputed to be the perfecter of the modern corn dog. The history of Ed’s efforts can be read here.

The Midwest Getaway Guide takes an in-depth look at restaurants, lodging and unique attractions in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Last year, I had a YouTube video of Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel performing Bobby Troup’s “Route 66.”

YouTube took it down some months ago, but a new one has been posted. Check it out:

The historic bridge that takes an older alignment of Route 66 into Devil’s Elbow, Mo., needs repairs. Without it, many residents of the town would have to drive miles out of their way.

This sounds like a slamdunk for state road assistance. But the Waynesville (Mo.) Daily Guide says the county isn’t taking chances:

Pulaski County Commissioner Bill Farnham told commissioners Thursday morning that he plans to go in person on July 13 to the District 9 transportation meeting in Willow Springs to advocate for the Devil’s Elbow project, which he said would prevent the loss of a segment of Historic Route 66. [my emphasis]

Farnham said he’ll be authorized 20 minutes to make his presentation and will speak at 10:15 a.m. on July 13.

I wouldn’t think the state would be so short-sighted to cut off Devil’s Elbow like that. The town contains several river safari businesses, a campground or two, and a general store that doubles as the town’s post office. It’s not just tourism that losing the bridge would hurt.

If you missed author Michael Wallis‘ keynote speech at the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., last week, you can listen to it on this page.

The QuickTime sound file is about 33 minutes. Rod Harsh at Route66TVonline.com and Visit66.com recorded it.

Harsh also has a bunch of photos from the festival.

I missed the beginning of this event, but Kit-Kat Klocks is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a Route 66 tour, joining with the Great All-American Road Show, from Los Angeles to Chicago.

The tour includes a display of the world’s largest Kit-Kat Klock, which is 75 inches tall (shown above).

The group stopped by Thursday at the Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, Calif. Here below is curator Deb Hodkin and All-American Road Show founder Woody Young.

Stops include Kingman and Flagstaff, Ariz.a; Albuquerque, N.M.; Amarillo, Texas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; Springfield, Ill., and ends in Chicago on Sept. 3.

You can follow the tour on its Web site here.

(Photos courtesy of Woody Young.) 

The Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff tells about how Malcolm Mackey and others saved a 1911 steam engine locomotive, nicknamed Old Two Spot, that now sits at the town’s historic railroad depot.

“It was kind of the town mascot because it had a whistle that was recognizable,” said Mackey, 80, who still lives in the home where he was born. “The old-time people who are my age or older had a fondness for that old steam engine. It was bought new and brought here. Town drunks turned out for a big celebration, with the bar right across the street.”

Mackey doesn’t take solo credit for saving the old engine.He said he was one of a group of concerned citizens who each put up $10,000 to buy Old Two Spot from Stone Forest Industries for about $45,000. […]

Stone Forest was the last lumber company to operate in Flagstaff and closed its doors in 1993. The engine was retired on company property in 1966.

“Stone Forest was very unhappy with the city of Flagstaff for its support of the spotted owl; they would not sell to us,” he said. “Through the backdoor, we bought Two Spot and got it moved downtown.” […]

The locomotive has sat downtown since June 1999, when it was dedicated to “all those who worked in the Flagstaff timber industry over the last 110 years.”

In case you’re wondering, here’s a photo of Old Two Spot.

The Joplin (Mo.) Globe published a story about four women who are refurbishing a former gas station on Route 66 in nearby Galena, Kan., into a tourism center.

On Thursday, a family from Texas with a 1995 Mustang Cobra decked out to resemble Lightning McQueen from the 2006 animated movie “Cars” stopped by to visit and see the 1951 International boom truck that inspired the Mater character in the film. Needless to say, the sight of two real-size “Cars” characters caused a bit of a commotion.

The 4 Women on the Route, the group fixing up the former Little’s Service Station, recently uncovered more history about the site:

Charles said the corner once was the location of the Banks Hotel, but she found a Joplin Globe story from 1933 stating that the hotel had to be removed because it obscured visibility for motorists along Route 66. She said she thinks an old photo of the Little’s Service Station on display in the building dates to the late 1930s or early 1940s.

Charlie Elliott wants to hold biker rallies off Route 66 near Depew, Okla., but Creek County won’t let him because Elliott’s property is not zoned properly for such events.

Elliott tells the Sapulpa Daily Herald that “I am being discriminated against.”

Elliott formed a Route 66 Biker Church and has held toy rallies for charity.

However, other things have happened that would make me question whether Elliott is serious about forming a church and other philanthropy. I’ll let these excerpts from the story explain:

“The unincorporated town of Milfay objected to the events and complained to the county,” Elliott said.

“I had put up pictures of some of the women topless at our events and they didn’t like that. They said they didn’t want adult entertainment in their community.” […]

Elliott said that some of the typical events that can be found at his biker rallies are “Girls Girls Girls,” “Wet (No)T-Shirt Contest,” “Mud Wrestling,” “Lingerie Sale” and “Topless Karaoke.”

I think Creek County is within its rights to regulate large gatherings. And to its credit, it’s going by the book in regard to Elliott:

“It’s a simple matter of zoning compliance,” said District No. 1 County Commissioner Dana Hudgins.

“If he got zoned he could hold the rallies. There is no personal or moral issues directing our decisions. Elliott doesn’t want to do this in a professional manner.”

According to Hudgins, the claim that the county is blocking Elliott’s applications for zoning because of the adult nature of the biker events is untrue.

Hudgins said that a housing development across the road from Elliott’s property is proof of that.

“Oaklake Trails is a small nudist housing development that has been started recently,” said Hudgins.

“They have done everything by the book and they are considered a successful venture. Our decisions regarding who gets zoned are made based on sound, legal judgement and not based on personal preference.”

We already reported about the dispute about six months ago here (check out the comments, too). Our view remains the same — Elliott has a big credibility problem when he’s holding church services one week and nude karaoke the next.

After a court ruling struck down the city landmark designation for El Vado Motel in Albuquerque, the matter is back before the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission on July 11 on whether to make the historic Route 66 motel a city landmark to protect it from redevelopment.

A judge ruled that the commission didn’t adequately consider the economic impact of the landmarks decision. However, part of the blame needs to go to the owner himself. The economic data he provided to the commission was scant.

The court ruling basically sets back the clock to nearly two years ago, when El Vado was before the Landmarks Commission. At the time, the panel voted unanimously to give the motel the historical designation.

The key difference is that owner Richard Gonzales and the city are currently negotiating for a settlement. The mayor has made his stance clear, saying “we’ll condemn it and take it” so the motel can be preserved if a settlement can’t be reached.

With the landmarks meeting looming and new pressure from the National Trust for Historical Preservation, I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of settlement is made before July 11.

To identify Route 66, the New Mexico Department of Transportation is painting Route 66 stencils directly on the road’s shoulder in the western part of the state, reports the Gallup Independent.

Delane Barros, spokeswoman for the state highway department, District 6, said 30 of the logos will be stenciled in using white paint this summer along the historic route. Nine will eventually go up in Gallup and six more between Milan and Grants.

These stencils not only will help travelers stay on-course, but they also will be theftproof. States have long had trouble keeping up the traditional metal signs at the side of the road because people steal them.