I was so happy when I found this rare snapshot of a dinosaur play structure. It appears to be located behind some housing addition but I’m not sure. It could be a roadside attraction. Either way, it pays homage to everyone’s favorite purple longneck Snorkasaurus, Dino, of Flintstone fame. It put a big smile on […]
Route 66 Blue Whale
My father lived for roadside attractions along the rural byways of America. He loved to take Sunday afternoon drives and he loved to take long trips across the country. Born in 1930, he was a member of the Silent Generation. He grew up during The Great Depression and hated the Interstate Highway system because he […]
Update: Carlyle Motel Sign Destroyed; Sold Off In Pieces.
The fate of the Carlyle Motel sign on Route 66 in Oklahoma City is worse than I thought. Click here for my original post on the subject. Both sides of the sign (referred to in the promotion as east and west) are being sold off as puzzle pieces. Most of the pieces have already been […]
Carlyle Motel Sign on Route 66 Replaced With Backlit Junk
Future generations will not be able to enjoy Oklahoma City’s world famous Carlyle Motel sign on Route 66. It is gone. The owners sold it back in January and replaced it with this ugly backlit piece of junk. I noticed it today driving home from the kids’ soccer game on the west side of Oklahoma […]
The Big Texan Inn and the Cadillac Ranch
The Big Texan Motel …When that sun is high in that Texas sky I’ll be bucking at the county fair. Amarillo by morning, Amarillo I’ll be there. — From Straight and Amarillo By Morning Another summer has come gone. I’d be a liar if I didn’t confess how sad it’s made me. The kids are […]
The Historic Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66
“When Route 66 was closed to the majority of traffic and the other highway came in, I felt just like I had lost an old friend. But some of us stuck it out and are still here on Route 66.” –Lillian Redman, former owner, Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico This is the last in […]
Abandoned Motels On Route 66
The Lasso Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico was bulldozed in February 2010. Who knows when it roped in its last customer, but as far back as 1970, it was creating hellish experiences for travelers. Get a load of this comment I swiped from Flickr user, butitsmine: “In June of 1970 my husband and two daughters […]