A WEEK OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
It has been a grand week here on Route 66. Friends old and new, progress on the new book, a Route 66 encyclopedia and atlas, good food, and even time for a drive or two were counted among the highlights.
By Friday the request for information and assistance that had consumed most of Monday was beginning to bear fruit, a tremendous relief. We ended the week with a pleasant dinner and excellent conversation with Dale Butel of Route 66 Tours, an Australian tour company specializing in the legendary double six.
The Hualapai Mountain Lodge and Resort, as well as Hualapai Mountain Park, have to rate high on a list of attractions missed by the majority of travelers getting their kicks on Route 66 in the Kingman area. First time visitors are astounded to discover that it is only a drive of one dozen miles from Route 66 to a pine forested island in the desert that is laced with miles of shade dappled trails.
During the months of summer the temperatures are often twenty degrees cooler. In the winter the park, lodge, and restaurant provide a rare treat for desert dwellers – a chance to play in the snow.
Our week of international visitors included dinner on Tuesday night with Dries Bessels of the Dutch Route 66 Association and his tour group. On Wednesday, I had an unexpected visitor to the office, a young lady from Russia who recently moved to Kingman and won a copy of my book, Route 66 http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=076032817X&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrBackroads at the last Chillin on Beale Street.
One aspect of writing that I have yet to grasp is how far reaching my work is even though it has yet to manifest as a profitable endeavor. Still, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the primary goal of sharing my love for the back roads and encouraging folks to take to the road less traveled is bearing fruit.
In addition to these international visitors a Dutch couple on holiday stopped by the last Chillin’ on Beale Street in search of Jim Hinckley. A couple of weeks ago the owner of the mail store I use called to say a group of European motorcyclists where there looking for me.
This is all a bit heady for someone who has spent most of his life living in anonymity and seeking the empty places. To say all of this is an interesting turn of events would be an understatement.
Meanwhile, back at he ranch …
The upcoming week promises to be a busy one. There is the need to push the text for the encyclopedia to 20,000 word, finalization of plans to attend the Authors Fair in Duarte, California in Ocotber, promotional work on the next installment of Chillin’ on Beale Street (Going Topless on Route 66), and working out the details pertaining to a request for an article for the Arizona Republic.
All of this leaves me amazed when I hear people say they are bored or killing time. I think the last time boredom was an issue Carter was in office. As to killing time, I will try that after I finish this book, assist with a groups forthcoming trip to Supai, finalize plans for Amarillo next summer, replace the roof on the back of the house, rebuild the porch roof, rebuild the carb on Barney the wonder truck, get this dental surgery behind me, finish the trip to Crown King via one hundred miles of Jeep trail, …