Hi everyone.

I'm keeping an eye out for a property along Route 66, specifically between Lincoln IL and Joliet IL. My wife and I are moving closer to Chicago, and it feels like a good opportunity to open a shop. As someone who grew up along Route 66 (Braceville, Wilmington, Braidwood, and Normal), running a business here has always been a goal of mine.

Everyone keeps telling me the same thing, find a passionate owner looking to retire. So, that's the intent for this post.

If you are looking for a very passionate person to take over your property and/or business please reach out to see if I could be a good fit. I have a background in business, analytics, software development, user experience, and I have a strong background in environmental projects. My timeline is flexible. While I have a few specific business models in mind, I plan on letting the character of the property guide the final concept. Please shoot me a message if you’d like to chat or share details.

Regardless, thank you for your time and take care everyone. I'll see you on the road!

I'll be driving from North FL to Southern CA in September, so I want to hop on the part of Route 66 even if it's a bit more north than I need to actually go... I've started researching and thinking I'll jump on at Tucumcari, then go through Abequerque, Gallup, Holbrook, Flagstaff, and Seligman, then prob head south to SD.

Is it worth it to go up to Santa Fe instead of straight through Albequerque? Are any of these cities NOT worth a stop? AZ & NM seem the most interesting part of the road to me with the neon, motels, and old americana and that's what I'm looking for.

Please let me know of any helpful resources you used as I am directionally challenged lol. Thanks in advance!!

They seem hopeful it can be at least partially restored. Such a bummer.

There's a Kickstarter up to repair or build a new sign that has met it's goal already.

You never know when you go what will be there or what won't. If you have the means and haven't yet, get out there and experience Route 66.

You're looking a US84 in New Mexico with the majestic Hermits Peak in the distance.

Just the signs!

Glenrio NM&TX just had the lighting ceremony on July 11th. Bringing Glenrio back from the land of ghosts. Pretty exciting.

This is Meow Wolf Santa Fe's House of Eternal Return.

We got our rental Mustang stuck in the mud, and, we got it out without a truck. We found the Sun and Sand Motel sign just after it had fallen down. My Australian partner got excited about the snow (she almost never gets to see it). I managed to hit her so hard with a snowball that she fell over (sorry!) We asked people what they thought about the American Dream.

In case you decide to get your kicks by bike along Rt 66 here's what the experience is like. I had to divert at St Louis to the Katy Trail because of the flooding on the Ozark Plateau between St Louis and Springfield. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ1leQNcvIgU

I took this from the parking lot of what I think was a Super 8. It was in Moriarty, New Mexico. Across the road was this old gas station, mostly worn out and sitting there like it had been waiting on somebody for years. The pumps were still there. The sign was still standing. But whatever life the place once had was long gone.

That is part of what gets me about Route 66. You see these places that used to matter. People stopped there for gas, coffee, directions, maybe a little gossip before getting back on the road. Now they are just part of the scenery.

Still, the light hit this one just right that morning.

Maybe that is why I took the picture. The place looked tired, but not completely finished. And I guess there is something hopeful in that. Sometimes being remembered is enough to keep a place alive a little longer.

One of New Mexico's best-kept secrets.

Ute Dam near Logan is worth the drive. The fishing wasn't bad either.

Here’s some “Sidewalks Entertainment” Guest News:

The former “Beverly Hills, 90210” star will be hosting a new celebrity road-trip television event premiering this fall on The CW.

“’The Great American Road Rally™,” hosted by our previous guest Ian Ziering, will take audiences on a high-energy journey across America's most iconic highway, combining adventure, competition, entertainment, community celebration, and philanthropy. No celebrities have been announced yet for Wednesday night series, starting September 2^nd through November 25, 2026.

"’The Great American Road Rally™’ was created to celebrate the American spirit, the open road, the legacy of Route 66, and the power of entertainment to bring people together for something meaningful," says Ziering. "It's so much more than a road-trip series, it is a national celebration of community, generosity, American culture, and the charitable spirit that connects us all."

Filming begins in August 2026, with production traveling from the Midwest to the Pacific Coast along historic Route 66 before culminating in a special season finale event during Thanksgiving week.

Tallest Oil Derrick in North America - Tulsa, Oklahoma