The valued members of our association help support our efforts to preserve, promote, educate and enjoy Route 66 in Illinois. We welcome you to join us in this noble cause. We are a volunteer organization. Your membership dollars are responsibly allocated  to fund projects for the upkeep and promotion of the Mother Road. There couldn’t be a better time to join because…

Our Treasurer and Membership Chairman, Marty Blitstein, is having a

Birthday Month Membership Rocks Celebration!

His big day is September 15th – but the celebration goes on throughout 2021!

Marty’s a big fan of 50s Rock & Roll music, so to celebrate our favorite “oldie but goodie” we’re sharing 15 of Marty’s favorite “oldies but goodies” from the music world. We’ll post one song every week throughout the remainder of the year (December 31), just to remind you about Marty’s special Membership Rocks offer, which is:

Join our Association – (a 12-month membership)* – and we’ll extend it to 15 months!

Are you noticing a numerical  theme here?

Click here to go to our Membership Page to learn more and to join with check or PayPal

*This offer is extended to new members only. Previous members are only eligible if your membership has lapsed for two years or more. (Family memberships require 2 names.)

To kick off the celebration, lets rock out to Elvis with Marty’s favorite song:

ROUTE 66 MILES OF POSSIBILITY ANNOUNCES SLATE OF SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS FOR 2021 ALL-VIRTUAL CONFERENCE EVENT

The Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference is back this year with its sixth annual event, to be held Thursday – Sunday, October 21 – 24, with the theme “A Worldwide Celebration of Route 66.” To that end, this year’s slate of speakers and presenters comes to you virtually from across all eight Route 66 states and from locations around the world. Embracing the virtual format, the organizers are able to create a truly “worldwide” event!
The by-now familiar conference format plus social activities will be followed again this year with a few new twists. The event kicks off with a Thursday evening virtual Happy Hour to meet and greet old and new friends and colleagues from around the globe! Friday and Saturday feature daytime conference sessions, with no need this year to choose from multiple breakout sessions. Our Celebrity Emcees this year are Jim Hinckley and Joe Sonderman. ROUTE Magazine editor Brennen Matthews will present the keynote speech on Friday morning, October 22nd, followed by an exciting slate of speakers that Route 66 enthusiasts won’t want to miss!

The Friday, October 22nd additional slate of speakers includes: Bill Thomas (Illinois) The Road Ahead Partnership – “Route 66 Centennial”; Casey Claypool (Illinois), Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway – “Extraordinary Women Initiative”; Toshi Goto (California/Japan), Japanese Route 66 Association – “Traveling Route 66: Reality and Prospects for Japanese Travelers”; Heather Paxton (Missouri), Author and Journalist – “Researching The Harvey Girls”; and David Clark (Illinois), the Windy City Road Warrior – “Chicago’s Route 66 Connection.” On both Friday and Saturday, short videotaped reports from each of the eight Route 66 states will be presented.

On Friday evening, the popular Roadie Roundtable will be moderated by Geoff Ladd, Assistant Director of Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, and Penny Black, Route 66 grass-roots ambassador! Participating this year as panelists will be two knowledgeable couples from either end of Route 66: Bart and Denise Kimberley (Illinois) and Mike and Jessica May (California).
The Saturday, October 23rd slate of speakers includes: Dries Bessels (Netherlands), Dutch Route 66 Association – “America Through the Eyes of Europe”; Marian Pavel (Slovakia), Route 66 Passport – “How has the pandemic changed international and domestic tourism on Route 66?”; Jim Livingston (Texas) – The “I AM RT 66” Project; Bonnie Game (Canada), Canadian Route 66 Association – “Canadians Get Their Kicks on Route 66”; Renee Graef (Wisconsin) Author/Illustrator “Route 66 with my Imaginary Friend.” Scott R. Piotrowski (California) – “Route 66 in California”; and Liz Vincent (IL), Pontiac Tourism – “Invitation to Pontiac’s live event in October 2022.”

On Saturday evening, Ron Romero and Debyjo Ericksen will present a very special presentation, “Introducing the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 Inaugural Hall of Fame Event,” from the new Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois!

On Sunday morning, the Windy City Road Warrior David Clark and Sherry Meyer of InSites to Go say, “Yup and yay! You don’t have to go home yet! Join us for a virtual Route 66 Revival Tour, roaming via ZOOM southwest on the highway that’s the best!” Plan to wrap up the 2021 Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference on Sunday, October 24, beginning at 11:00 am Central Time. A separate ticket is required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/route-66-revival-tour-zoom-oh-the-miles-of-possibility tickets-151259805149.

Route 66 Miles of Possibility is now an Illinois nonprofit organization, working on its 501(c)(3) status. We are a female-owned and -operated Illinois organization, working to continue to achieve annual inspiring, productive, collegial, informative, and FUN conference-format-plus-social/networking events. We are looking forward to beginning live, in-person events again in October 2022 with a fabulous weekend in everyone’s favorite hometown, Pontiac, Illinois!

But meanwhile, please join us THIS year on October 21-24 from the comfort of your own home for a fun, entertaining, informative virtual event with some of the brightest stars of the Route 66 scene! The cost of this year’s conference per person is just $49.99 to gather with fellow Route 66 friends and colleagues all around the world. We hope to see you online October 21-24. Registration is now open at www.route66milesofpossibility.com. For updates and fun facts, join us on Facebook and Instagram.

This year, the conference fee has been reduced to $49.99, enabling “virtually” everyone to attend from their easy chair! Register now to secure your place in the 2021 version of the only annual, ongoing conference event dedicated to Route 66! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-miles-of-possibility route-66-conference-tickets-152266255469.
As a special registration incentive, register online before October 1st to be entered into a special drawing for an authentic Illinois Route 66 shield highway sign.

This year’s conference is presented by Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, the McLean County Museum of History/Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center, Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau and Visit Springfield Illinois. Thanks to all for your support!

Contact: Cheryl Eichar Jett | 618-567-6895 | route66mop@gmail.com
More information and registration details can be found at www.route66milesofpossibility.com.

One of our Hall of Fame Inductees from 2012 is likely facing a wrecking ball shortly. Quinn’s Shell Station in Bloomington, Illinois has been closed for the past eight years.

Read more history of this iconic station, once run by Elmo Quinn, declared, “Mayor of Main Street,” (of America) on Route 66 News.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

Ed Waldmire Family, The Cozy Dog Drive-In

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 1991

2935 S 6th St, Springfield, Illinois

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

The Cozy Dog is an original and traditional Route 66 business. Before our association was even formed, its founder and owner, Ed Waldmire, was supporting the road’s revival with displays at the Cozy Dog. His son, Bob, has drawn many scenes and maps of the highway. And Ed is credited with perfecting a classic form of American roadside fast food – the corn dog – on Route 66.

Ed was visiting a brother in Oklahoma in 1941 when he saw the first corn dog being made. “We stopped at a greasy spoon in Muskogee,” Ed said. “They were making it in a contraption like a waffle iron. They poured batter in a trough, put in three wieners and baked it for 15 minutes.”

Toward the end of WWII, Ed was stationed with the Army Air Corps in Amarillo, Texas. With a lot of time on his hands, he began thinking about those corn dogs in Muskogee – and how he could make them faster and in greater quantity. “Finally, I called a fraternity brother in Galesburg who ran a bakery and I asked him to make a batter I could dip a weenie in and deep fry like a doughnut,” he said.

Cooked in a gas-fueled fryer at the base PX, the corn dogs were an immediate success. Soon Ed was ordering hundreds of pounds of the batter mix at a time. After the war, Ed continued perfecting his hotdog on a stick. Cozy Dogs were first sold at the Lake Springfield Beach House; they were introduced at the Illinois State Fair the same year. The first Cozy Dog House was located in Springfield on South Grand between Fifth and Sixth Street. A second Cozy Dog House was located at Ash & MacArthur. In 1949, the Drive-In was born, built along “Route 66” South Sixth Street. In 1996 Cozy Dog moved to its current location, 2935 S 6th St.

At first, he called his batter-dipped specialty Crusty Curs. But his wife, Virginia, convinced him a more inviting name would help the product sell better. She suggested Snuggle Puppies, Long Johns and finally Cozy Dog. The last one stuck and she drew a logo showing two hot dogs in love. Only Snortin’ Norton on the trucks of Campbell 66 Express and the Fat Man at the Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, rank alongside the Cozy Dog couple as classic logos of Route 66.

Ed’s son, Buz, ran the Cozy Dog at the time of their induction to our Hall of Fame while Ed wholesaled the mix throughout the country. Meanwhile, Ed and Virginia became proprietors of Cardinal Hill Crafts, a unique shop built in an old corn crib near Rochester. They also built their solar-heated home onto the side of the crib. 

Their son Bob lived on the grounds in a converted 1966 School bus. A freelance artist, he specialized in Route 66 scenes and maps. He designed our association’s letterhead, T-shirt, bumper sticker,1991 Motor Tour shirt and much more throughout the years. Bob was to become an avid Route 66 preservationist and icon. Sadly, he died of cancer in 2009

Today, Sue (Ed’s daughter in law), Josh, Eddie, Tony & Nick (Ed’s grandsons) continue on with the business right next door to the original location.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

Calling all veterans and those who are proud of our outstanding veterans!

November 11th is Veterans Day. It is also the 95th birthday of the start of Route 66.

The VFW in Wilmington will be rededicating a Blue Star Memorial Highway plaque. This special location is directly alongside original Route 66 in front of the VFW. They would like to see a large crowd so the event will be held two days later on a Saturday November 13th instead of the 11th which is a Thursday.

This will be a solemn but joyful, fun event honoring our fabulous veterans and the mother of all roads, Route 66. Let’s help make this a wonderful tribute.

Here is some information that you can use.

The official starting time will be “11 AM” on Saturday Nov. 13th.
The Route 66 band will be performing after the ceremony.
The VFW is now able to have food available.
It looks like this is going to be a wonderful Blue Star rededication and Route 66 birthday party!

On August 1, our association held our annual picnic. In recent years, we’ve gathered at the picnic grounds at Sugar Grove Nature Preserve in Funks Grove, Illinois. This year’s event was another great day, mingling with Route 66 enthusiasts – longtime friends and new alike. Catered impeccably once again by our favorite chef, Kurt Wendlandt, the picnic was a huge and popular success!

Since a picture paints a thousand words, here’s an entire book-worth of photos of the picnic, courtesy of At Large Board Member, Lenny Scinto. Enjoy the virtual food and fellowship!

Throughout the summer, we’ll be sharing weekly installments of a Route 66 travel journal written by association member Joe Razumich. It’s his entertaining account of a recent road trip from his home down Route 66 to Rolla, Missouri for the 75th anniversary of the iconic Munger Moss Motel. On his adventure, Joe passes through Illinois so you’re sure to recognize many of the places he mentions. So, without further ado, here’s Joe!

Sit back and enjoy a Journey Joe travel adventure. Is Journey Joe a real person? Well, not really. But he’s as real as any nickname, any stage personality, any thought or collection of travel experiences that any roadie might have. The real “Joe” is Joe Razumich, a lover of cars and the open road ever since his childhood, growing up around the corner from a hot rod shop, a busy Broadway, and a railroad track. But really all Real Joe does is drive. And put gas in the tank. And put Mr. Suitcase, Mr. Duffle Bag, Ms. Cooler, Mr. Road Atlas, etc., collectively known as the “Inanimate Objects,” in the trunk or behind the passenger seat. Or, to put it another way, Joe loves to drive. Journey Joe loves to write about it – and take you, Dear Reader, along for the ride.

Oh, and the car has a name too. The one we’ll be riding along with on this particular trip, is Angel the Corvette. She’s blue like the sky and she believes she can fly.

EPILOGUE: The Theme Song

So what was this road trip’s message to me? Funny how after a few days of thought, it’s  deeper meaning is growing on me, slowly but surely. Of course, the obvious comes first;  the celebration of an icon of my beloved Route 66. Starting from there, and drilling down  into the soul of this journey, I see so many more individual stanzas in lyrics of that song  

I heard in the restaurant. Individual experiences, distilled as if in those lyrics, sorting  themselves into an order that forms a living, breathing spirit in and of itself.  

This was my fifth trip to Missouri Route 66 in the space of four years, and the only one  of those that did not bring about a mechanical or a medical issue. And then meeting  Susan, the emergency room nurse who treated me two years ago? My “Angel on the  wing.” “Wasn’t for her, I don’t know what I’d have done.”, said Jackson Browne. Magic.  Finally a happy ending! 

There’s this feeling of being involved in something bigger than myself while I’m on this  particular road. I’ve felt that on previous trips too. But this time, the involvement was  more than a participation, it was an embrace. It “gave me back something that was  missing in me.” Being a mostly a loner on my journeys, getting a hug is a treat, indeed.  It lifts me up into the stars, if only for just a few seconds.  

And then there are the people. Mostly women did I “engage” with at the personal level,  which was a welcome change. Having Lulu traveling with me offered major blessings,  one being the absence of those annoying mommy glares. And the stories! Lulu took me  on a thousand journeys at once with her memories. Driving down the roads, following  the old telephone poles as if each one of had its own story to tell; each of them  representing a star in a night sky that the lofty piano solo of this trip’s theme song  reaches for but can’t slow down long enough (or go fast enough) to fully grasp.

At the Munger Moss epic center of this festival, I met so many ladies and gents who  became more than two-dimensional Facebook posts. Many singular personalities who  have accomplished greatly recognized things for this Route 66 world, but all who were  so nice to me, a relative nobody, just because I was there. Please forgive me for  misrepresenting the names, but there were Kristy’s, Melissa’s, Stephanie’s, Shellee’s,  Ramona’s, Phyllis’s, Cougar’s, Rita’s, Judy’s, Jacqueline’s, Kenny’s, Penny’s, Scotts,  Larry’s and Lulu’s just to get started. Any of you whom I met, who read this story and  listen to the theme song at the end, consider yourself conjured for me, somewhere in  this musical image by Jackson Browne. And I hope I see all of you again someday;  maybe “not good at saying goodbye”, but Au Revoir is the sane thing to do. 

Even those less brilliant stars Ms. Handcuff, whom we encountered at the beginning of  this trip and Ms. Lyndsay Parasite whom we encountered at the end of this trip, you’re  now “celestial bodies” in my magical sky too. May the Lord bless you and the Holy Spirit  show you a better way.  

On Sunday morning, having breakfast at the Elm Street Eatery, sitting alone in a booth  at 7:00 am in the not yet bustling restaurant, The Theme Song presented itself to me  from the background music system. Route 66 restaurants commonly feature music.  While the song played and Jackson Browne channeled the Muse, everything else in my  world ceased to exist for four minutes and thirty five seconds. The poetry of the piano,  the guitar, and the images in the lyrics tied it all together for me. I hope you can feel it  too, Dear Readers. Route 66, oh how this girl can sing. 

Theme song: That Girl Could Sing

That Girl Could Sing.

She was a friend to me when I needed one
Wasn’t for her, I don’t know what I’d done
She gave me back something that was missing in me
She coulda turned out to be almost anyone
Almost anyone
With the possible exception
Of who I wanted her to be
Running into the midnight
With her clothes whipping in the wind
Reaching into the heart of the darkness
For the tenderness within
Stumblin’ into the lights of the city
And then back in the shadows again
Hanging onto the laughter
That each of us hid our unhappiness in
Talk about celestial bodies
And your angels on the wing
She wasn’t much good at stickin’ around, but
That girl could sing
She could sing
In the dead of night
She could shine a light
On some places that you’ve never been
In that kind of light
You could lose your sight
And believe there was something to win
You could hold her tight
With all your might
But she’d slip through your arms like the wind
And be back in flight
Back into the night
Where you might never see her again
The longer I thought I might find her
The shorter my vision became
Running in circles behind her
And thinking in terms of the blame
But she couldn’t have been any kinder
If she’d come back and tried to explain
She wasn’t much good a saying goodbye, but
That girl could sing

This concludes Joe’s travel journal. We hope you’ve enjoyed the ride! Catch up on the series with previous installments here.

Throughout the summer, we’ll be sharing weekly installments of a Route 66 travel journal written by association member Joe Razumich. It’s his entertaining account of a recent road trip from his home down Route 66 to Rolla, Missouri for the 75th anniversary of the iconic Munger Moss Motel. On his adventure, Joe passes through Illinois so you’re sure to recognize many of the places he mentions. So, without further ado, here’s Joe!

Sit back and enjoy a Journey Joe travel adventure. Is Journey Joe a real person? Well, not really. But he’s as real as any nickname, any stage personality, any thought or collection of travel experiences that any roadie might have. The real “Joe” is Joe Razumich, a lover of cars and the open road ever since his childhood, growing up around the corner from a hot rod shop, a busy Broadway, and a railroad track. But really all Real Joe does is drive. And put gas in the tank. And put Mr. Suitcase, Mr. Duffle Bag, Ms. Cooler, Mr. Road Atlas, etc., collectively known as the “Inanimate Objects,” in the trunk or behind the passenger seat. Or, to put it another way, Joe loves to drive. Journey Joe loves to write about it – and take you, Dear Reader, along for the ride.

Oh, and the car has a name too. The one we’ll be riding along with on this particular trip, is Angel the Corvette. She’s blue like the sky and she believes she can fly.

Monday, June 21. Day 7

Ms. Parasite and her jellybean sedan were gone in the morning. I slept well. I didn’t  remember my dreams, but now I understood what that dream meant that I had on  Sunday morning. It was a premonition: “Remember what you came here for.”  Premonitions don’t happen very often, and I thanked the Lord in my morning prayers for  the guidance. This time, it worked. 

Lulu and I agreed, it was time to shift gears out of wander mode and into homeward  mode. Angel put us on interstates 55, 72, and 57, and then into Indiana on the US  highways. We made it to Lulu’s place just after high noon. She bade farewell to me,  Angel, and the spirit of this road trip. I got back in my Angel, wound our way around the  puddled potholes on Front Street, and in 30 minutes had us home in the driveway.  Unpack, unwind, and understand.

Follow along with Journey Joe’s travels! Click to read the following entries in this series as they’re published.