New Old Name for a Historic Highway in Iowa and a cruise

While you guys may know me better as the guy with the huge car show photo collection on Fotki (and a bunch of photos of the Kurt McCormick Kustom Collection) I am also the Director of the Route 6 Tourist Association for the state of Iowa.

Highway 6 is America's longest highway, stretching all the way from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach California. In Iowa, much of the signage for Highway 6 was moved out to Interstate 80 about 30 some years ago, leaving nearly 40 percent of the the original alignments as county roads, and bypassing 16 towns.

Well this year, we decided to do something about that. Working with the mayors of Davenport, Walcott, Durant, and Wilton, we got the first lost corridor of Highway 6 signed...




Of course, you know we can't just stop there, so we are continuing west. Along with that, we are also doing a documentary on the Iowa stretch of Highway 6 with Fourth Wall Films.

http://youtu.be/gkwwWMMNXCU

As part of that documentary, we are filming classic cars and hot rods on the old road. After all, what better combination? Old car, and a two lane highway...

Oh, but Iowa is flat you say? Think again....





"The horizon is always the promise of what lies beyond. And the adventure of going into the unknown. The horizon is always something that beckons you towards an adventure that you've never had before... The horizon is everything that the rearview mirror isn't... It's the unknown." <O</O

Rudolf Wurlitzer, screenwriter - Two Lane Blacktop


This cruise starts in Davenport Friday September 7th, with a stop at the world's oldest ice cream soda fountain...



and reaches Council Bluffs Saturday September 8th, then backtracking, with a layover in Atlantic.



The next morning we head back, finishing with a stop for lunch at George The Chili King, an authentic 1952 Drive In.







Flyer? Yes there is one...



I hope I'm not bending the rules here too much, but this is a very worthy cause, as it benefits both the mom & pop businesses (money spent at a locally owned business stays local) and the travelers alike.

The best part is that it is free to join us, and you can pick up or leave off where ever you like. Email me at [email protected] to RSVP and for an itinerary. We have arranged special group rates for motels both nights.

And you get extra coolness points if you dress all nostalgic like...

 

That would be neat to do, but it's Greenfield weekend. Next year pick a date that isn't Greenfield weekend.

I drove that road from Brooklyn to Grinnell a few weeks ago. I'd never been on it before, and thought it was a neat bit of highway.

 

As an "old" Iowegian, I can attest to the fact that Iowa in NOT Flat...eastern Iowa is very hilly...and in an old car, it's certainly a joy to drive...I've been on that route more than once in the last 20 years or so...the scenery is great...not boring like the Interstate is (I get tired of trying to read Interstate signs three blocks off the interstate and keeping 18 wheelers from riding my bumper...!!!).

Is this a "First Annual" event...??? If so, do a bit of advertising next summer and perhaps l'd join you from Council Bluffs to Davenport...

My first two books celebrate Iowa and Nebraska in that I learned to drive there and terrorize several western Iowa towns with a three year old 1957 Chevy when I was 16 years of age...!!!

R-

 

Kudos to you for the efforts, I lived in Atlantic for over 30 years and now live near Council Bluffs just off of Hwy 6. Haven't eaten in Wiota for awhile but it was good years ago. One of the shots appears to be east of Council Bluffs and as a prior poster stated the Greenfield Swap meet is on the same weekend and we will be there. Maybe next year one of the two old cars we have will be on the road and we can join in. Looks like a fun ride!

 

Kudos to you for the efforts, I lived in Atlantic for over 30 years and now live near Council Bluffs just off of Hwy 6. Haven't eaten in Wiota for awhile but it was good years ago. One of the shots appears to be east of Council Bluffs and as a prior poster stated the Greenfield Swap meet is on the same weekend and we will be there. Maybe next year one of the two old cars we have will be on the road and we can join in. Looks like a fun ride!

 

This Greenfield Swap Meet, I see it is three days. Is it reeeeally big? I've done most swap meets in one day. No reason you couldn't do both. If we do this again next year, however, it'll be on a different date. Either way though, in the summer, you'll always be bumping into some event's weekend.

 

This looks very cool!

 

It's Iowa's best swap for old car stuff. We go on Friday and Saturday. You could do it in one day, but a lot of new stuff comes in the second day also. We usually bring home two truckloads of parts between the three of us. I'd never miss it.

 

Well depending on our schedule, we may even swing by it, prolly Sunday if we do. What town are you from?

 

CooooooooL Hwy. .................Rich

 

Has a great Route 66 feel to it..Must be a blast to drive

 

That is cool. Will have to add this to the list of drives to take.

 

Where and when are u leaving Atlantic Sunday?

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

We are heading out of Atlantic Sunday morning for Anita (Breakfast at the Anita Weathervane Cafe) at 8:30. We'll arrive in Anita at around 8:50. I hour for breakfast there, then we head toward Des Moines, where we'll have lunch at the Chili King at the corner of Hickman Rd and Merle Hay Rd.

 

Cool my wife in her 53 Chevy pickup and I in my chopped and dropped 49 Plymouth would love to meet up with ya Sunday morning and cruise to des moines.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

We'll be happy to have you.

 

Thanks for your hard work. This is something that actually matters and is something, i feel , more people are interested in if they only knew it was happening. definitely something id spend a hr or so to watch.

 

It's good to appreciated! Thank you! And you are right. This is truly a great cause. We are supporting mom & pop businesses, which in turn, supports America. Plus we are taking the drudgery out of travel. It's win win!

 

where and when in council bluffs.I would like look

 

We hope to hit Council Bluffs by around 3:45.

​

<TABLE dir=ltr border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=7 width=816><TBODY><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top colSpan=3>Saturday
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top colSpan=3>[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]8:30 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Breakfast[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]9:30 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Colfax[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:20[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]9:50 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Altoona[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:14[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]10:04 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Tony's[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:45[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]10:49 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Back to 6[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:10[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]10:59 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Adel[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:46[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]11:45 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Redfield[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:11[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]11:56 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]White Pole Road[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:07[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]12:03 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Dexter[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:05[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]12:08 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Drew's[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:30[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]12:38 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Stuart[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:05[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]12:43 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Menlo[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:05[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]12:48 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Menlo Cafe[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:48 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Casey[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:06[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:54 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Adair[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:05[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:59 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Anita[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:08[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:07 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Wiota[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:07[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:14 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Atlantic[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:10[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:24 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Atlantic[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:10[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:34 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Lewis?[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:34 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Oakland[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:32[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]3:06 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Council Bluffs[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:38[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]3:44 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Omaha[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:30[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]4:14 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Atlantic[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:30[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]5:44 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Wiota (Dinner)[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:10[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]5:54 PM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top colSpan=3>Sunday
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top colSpan=3>[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]8:30 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Atlantic[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]8:30 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Anita [/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]0:20[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]8:50 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Breakfast[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]1:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]9:50 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Chili King[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]2:00[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD><TD height=7 vAlign=top width="33%">[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]11:50 AM[/FONT][/FONT]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

I will see what works out and try to meet up somewhere along the trip
thanks

 

Where in Omaha are you stopping? Thanks

 

We are actually just going to cross the bridge and go around the block, and head back to Iowa. But if there will be some rodders along the way, we can maybe do something a little different.

 

Are u guys running i-80 tomorrow? We gonna try and meet up with ya at exit 86. No worries on stopping, we just hang out and wait for ya.

Thanks

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

I'm glad you photographed a Real car in your poster. Nothing like a '61 Virgil Exner design. Who owns that car??? Good luck with the tour.

 

Thanks Dave for posting this up,had a great time today just going 1\2 way back east.Thanks for the history lesson also! Nice bunch of folks too! Rob

 

HI Tank, the only i-80 we ran was just to bypass Des Moines, then we got right back on 6. Sorry we missed you!

 

Hey Rob, thank you for joining our cruise. KV and I are still grinning over the brody you spun out at Greenfield! Here you are with the Menlo Gas Station Man.

 

As the time gets closer, I'll do a complete new post, but we have established the dates for next year's Route River to River Cruise as August 23, 24, and 25th 2013. It's going to be even bigger and better. We hope to see you there!

 

I've been enjoying your photos. I travel most of the western part of highway 6 regularly. I live about 15 miles straight South of that White Rose Gasoline sign in Menlo. He had that sign restored 2 or three years ago and it sure looks nice now, sometimes when he has it on it will wave at you while you drive by. I've hauled a lot of grain past that sign, the people I work for own the grain elevator in Menlo and I haul a lot of corn into the ethanol plant East of town.

I've never been in the Wiota Steakhouse but I've hauled a lot of grain out of the Wiota elevator on the South side of town. The scale at the elevator looks like it's been in use since the 1800's, it's the only plank scale still in use that I know of.

I wonder if George the Chili King still has it's cruise nights? I haven't been to one of those in several years.

I was on part of old 6 over by Atlantic yesterday and I'll be on about 25 miles of it tomorrow on my way to Council Bluffs. That section just got a new layer of asphalt this fall so it's smooth!

And yes, Iowa is not flat.