by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 8, 2010 | Uncategorized
Dust off the crayons and markers, its time to showcase your artistic skills and proclaim to the world why you love Route 66. The theme for the September edition of Chillin on Beale Street is Greetings from Route 66 and what a grand celbratory party it looks to be.
Here is the initial press release received this afternoon. Updates will be posted as soon as they are received.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact – genral information/vendor space:
Chris Durkin
928-830-3755
Greetings from Route 66, a new book about America’s Main Street, launched at Chillin’ on Beale Street, Kingman, AZ
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| Greetings from Route 66 |
Kingman, AZ – Chillin on Beale Street, sponsored by the Kingman Route 66 Association, will be held Saturday, September 18 from 5:00 to 10:00 pm in Kingman, Arizona. Along with an Anything with Wheels Auto Show (no entry fee), Chillin on Beale Street will celebrate the launch of a new book, Greetings from Route 66, published by Voyageur Press, with contributions by Kingman author and Route 66 expert, Jim Hinckley.
Special guest Bob “Boze” Bell, editor of True West Magazine and a former Kingman resident whose father, Al Bell, owned the Flying A gas station in Kingman (profiled in the book), will give away a signed copy of Greetings from Route 66 to one lucky winner. A special commemorative Greetings from Route 66 dash magnet has been created and will be presented to the owners of the first 200 vehicles sporting any Route 66 promotional material from bumper sticker, antenna ball, or home made poster to a Route 66 postcard, brochure or map. Additional prizes include free passes to the Route 66 museum at the Kingman Power House Visitor Center, and a signed Route 66 print by Jim Hinckley.
So park your classic car, hot rod, cruiser, bike, truck – anything on wheels – and enjoy live music, prizes, a Route 66 scavenger hunt along with food, fun, and a terrific new book at Chillin on Beale Street, in Kingman, AZ.
About the Book
Greetings from Route 66 has a subtitle that says it all: The Ultimate Road Trip Back Through America’s Main Street. Illustrated with over 700 vintage photographs, postcards, travel decals, collectibles and other memorabilia and filled with essays and photography by renowned Route 66 authorities Jim Hinckley, Michael Karl Witzel, Russell A. Olsen, Kathy Weiser, Kerrick James, Lee Klancher and others, Greetings from Route 66 is the ultimate celebration of the “Mother Road”.
About Voyageur Press
Voyageur Press, a member of the Quayside Publishing Group, features books about nature and the environment, American heritage, country life, crafts, trains, boats, sports, collectibles and travel. Other Route 66 titles published by Voyageur Press include Route 66 Backroads: Your Guide to Scenic Side Trips & Adventures from the Mother Road by Jim Hinckley, Legendary Route 66: A Journey Through Time Along America’s Mother Road by Michael Witzel and The Complete Route 66 Lost & Found by Russell A. Olsen.
by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 6, 2010 | Uncategorized
Tree rings are a very important tool for archaeologists, paleontologists, and anthropologists working to unravel the mysteries of the past. In a similar manner, Route 66 can be studied to unravel the past century of American societal evolution.
Additionally, a study of the many facets of Route 66 can provide a bit of a mooring in these uncertain times. After all, the past is not dead, it is a repository for answers to the problems faced today.
Scattered all along the length of Route 66 are a cornucopia of ghost towns. Each has a diverse history. Each is unique. However, the demise of each has a common denominator, changing times.
Endee, New Mexico, about five miles to the west of Glenrio, Texas on a dusty dirt track that was once the Main Street of America, Route 66, is now an empty place where ground squirrels rest among the ruins of the old auto court. Even the most imaginative adventurer may have trouble seeing a town of more than 150 people, a town that survived more than seventy years of changing times in the ruins on the lonely hillside.
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| Silence now reigns supreme in Endee, new Mexico |
Ranching and the railroad gave it the breath of life. The name itself was derived from the sprawling ND Ranch.
Route 66 gave it vitality. With the realignment of that highway to the north, the town that had survived the demise of the railroad, drought, the restrictions imposed by a nation fighting two world wars, and the Great Depression simply withered on the vine.
Afton, Oklahoma was for a brief time a small city at the center of a vast agricultural empire. It was a beehive of activity with a railroad roundhouse, a busy two line rail yard, and legendary Route 66 as its main street.
Afton is as different from Endee as Chicago is from Phoenix. Still, they share a common thread, an inability to adapt to changing times.
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| Downtown Afton is now a quiet place. |
Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica is an endless lesson about weathering hard times, seeing opportunity and grasping it, and the inescapable fact that, like it or not, times change. With or without Route 66 Flagstaff, Arizona has thrived. Without Route 66, Ashfork, Arizona died.
For as long as I can remember Route 66 has been an integral part of my life. Still, this past May, I saw it for the first time through the eyes of the tourist, the uninitiated.
I was moved and unnerved. There was inspiration in the tenacity of the people that saw opportunity among the ruins and that carved a comfortable niche for themselves. There was something unsettling about the brevity of success and the fleeting nature of prosperity in the forlorn ruins of the painted Desert Trading Post framed by awe inspiring landscapes that reflect some of God’s finest handiwork.
These are truly times of great transition. These are the times that shake the foundations and fill one with unease. These are times of reflection.
This fall sail into the past with a cruise on the old double six. Listen quietly as the empty places tell their tales and watch for glimpses of better times that like spring flowers in a rocky desert valley are but a rainstorm away.
by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
Many facets of history are repetitive and even cyclical which enables the astute student of the subject to develop an acuity not available to the person myopically focused on the present. Simply put, a student of history may see the train approaching the washed out bridge before anyone else but the momentum of the locomotive makes it impossible for them to do much more than watch the tragedy unfold, cover their ears to soften the sound of the crash, and make preparation to rescue survivors.
A case is point is the unfolding of the Great depression 2.0. The astute observer of history realized as early as 1999 that a major economic storm was rapidly developing just as his predecessor in 1919 saw the world sliding toward the economic abyss that manifested in October of 1929.
In 1928 the advent of of low interest home loans, the introduction of manufacturer financed auto loans, and payment plans for household appliances promised a rosy future for all. However, for those who chose to look beyond the rosy glasses all was not pretty. A repeat performance of 1928 played out in 2008, for those who chose to look beyond the promises of riches beyond measure through the flipping of houses.
Then as now, it was happy talk and happy times fueled by easy credit that made it possible for the average family to drive a Cadillac on a Chevrolet budget. Then as now, governmental intervention, though necessary, prolonged the problem by addressing the symptoms and not the cause.
One of the best books on this topic to cross my desk in quite some time is Breaking The Banks In The Motor Cityhttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0036FTNZO&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr by Darwyn H. Lumley. The subtitle is an even more apt descriptor, The Auto Industry, The 1933 Detroit Banking Crisis, and The Start Of The New Deal.
The parallels between the origins of the first and second depressions were startling. The insider trading, the development of a “To Big To Fail” policy that resulted in the creation of new governmental agencies and the bailout of banks, and the dangerous intertwining of government and corporate entities.
As Mr. Lumlyey notes, “Spurred by failed decision making and conflict of interest by automobile industry leaders, Detroit banks experienced a critical emergency, precipitating the federal closure of banks on March 4, 1933, the first in a series of actions by which the federal government acquired power over economics previously held by states and private industrial and financial interests.” Sound familiar?
Even though there are a multitude of parallels between the first and second depression there are also some startling differences. The first depression spawned a wide array of safety nets that are today preventing the worst degradations of poverty associated with the era of the Dust Bowl. However, these safety nets have also created a dependency unknown during Depression 1.0.
Another stark difference is found in the current entanglement of governmental regulations the negate a vast array of opportunities which were available to those suffering through the first depression. Have you tried raising chickens and selling eggs, bartering services, or getting your sixteen year old son a part time apprentice position to help cover expenses. lately?
In the research for the book Ghost Towns of the Southwesthttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0760332215&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr, I discovered that the Great Depression spawned a new life for many old mining camps turned ghost town. Many of these were rediscovered by men who scratched a better than subsistence living with placer mining or the reworking of old tailing’s at these sites. What are the odds of unemployed man turning to this in support of his family today?
Another aspect that separates the two depressions is the never ending learning curve associated with technology that dominates the job market today. If you have current computer skills, loose your job, and find another in seven months many of your skills are as antiquated as the ability to operate a Model T Ford.
This depression has another aspect that I find rather unnerving and that is the implosion of the industrial city and the suburban satellite that encircles them that dominated the American landscape for more than a half century.
Imagine this, a recent study has concluded that forty square miles of the greater Detroit metropolitan area are abandoned, left to the ravages of the modern Vandals. In Las Vegas abandoned housing projects stand in mute testimony to the death of suburbia that is becoming a symbol of this depression but under the glitter an even darker chapter is unfolding, the death of the American middle class.
For those with work, then as now, times are not so bad as prices fall, bargains abound at endless yard sales, and cash is king. For those without, then and now, it is the camp and the roust.
In Depression 1.0 legendary Route 66 was the road of flight for those dusted out of Oklahoma and the Panhandle of Texas. It was also the road of fun and adventure for those on their way to the Los Angeles Olympics of 1932.
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| The ghost of Christmas future? |
In Depression 2.0 iconic Route 66 is still the road of choice for those seeking fun, adventure, and tangible links to the pre generic age. However, for the astute observer there is the faintest of hints of the ghost of Christmas future found in its tarnished gems and fast fading remnants, in its ghost towns and empty motels.
The last depression had a face. It also had a voice in John Steinbeck and his now classic work, The Grapes of Wrathhttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0143039431&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr.
This depression is still unfolding much as the first one did between 1919 and 1930. As a result its voice and face have yet to be identified.
by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
During the course of my interview on KNTR radio in Lake Havasu City last Monday the topic turned toward modern ghost towns. At the time I had not given it a great deal of thought but in retrospect now see that the uncertain economic times and the quest for understanding by seeking answers from the past may be a contributing factor in the sales success of Ghost Towns of the Southwesthttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0760332215&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr.
Several months ago I had been discussing this book with Mr. Schulman of BBC America when the topic turned toward the creation of ghost towns in the modern era. It was the same turn that the interview with KNAU had taken.
This mornings bout of introspection soon had me thinking about the book just finished, Ghost Towns of Route 66. For the most part the towns included in this book are ghost towns of the modern era, towns once brightly lit with colorful neon, with service stations that never closed, and the most modern of conveniences from automotive dealerships to motels with Magic Finger beds.
Deep into this line of thought, seasoned with the recent news that Amos Publishing is pulling the plug on Cars & Parts magazine after more than a half century, I perused similar topics on Google over breakfast. At the very least it was a fascinating adventure that left me with an unshakable sense that we have turned a corner in American societal evolution and the future that is now upon us is a rather unnerving place fraught with uncertainty.
First, I wandered the dark recesses of the Ruins of Detroit website. At first the exploration through the ruins of a lost civilization were quite fascinating and then a cold shiver ran down my spine as the realization dawned this lost civilization was the one of my youth.
As a kid we took field trips to the Detroit zoo or went out to the island. When visiting families we often drove through the shadowed canyons of Detroit’s heart. It was here that America produced the land yachts bedecked with glittering chrome that cruised legendary Route 66 and the vintage work horses that transported me deep into the wilderness of the desert southwest.
My next step on this voyage of dark, contemplative discovery was to a website featuring a photo gallery of haunting images from modern ghost towns. As the clock ticked by the seconds and minutes I found myself a modern archaeologist deciphering the remnants of a lost world.
The search continued with a sobering article from the Las Vegas Sun. As I perused the photo gallery of a modern housing development being reclaimed by the desert another chill ran the length of my spine.
These may not be the worst of times or the best of times. However, these are most definitely changing times with an emphasis on rapidly.
As I have spent most of the past two years amongst the ghost of the past perhaps the next endeavor should be ghosts of the modern era. Perhaps I could entitle it “The Present As Seen From the Future” with a subtitle of “Future History Stories.”
by jimhinckleysamerica | Sep 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
I have heard it said that if you enjoy what you do, the money will soon follow. Well, I enjoy most every aspect of writing from the research, the travel, the endless opportunities for sharing my fascination with forgotten history and forgotten places, and meeting new people in our travels as well as through the books written. As for the money, I am not sure what the amount of time measured by a “soon” is but so far it has been two decades and I am still waiting.
In all honesty, I enjoy the many facets involved with writing so much that if we were to win the lottery, I would write until we were broke. Still, it would be kind of neat to make a living this way.
To illustrate the grand adventure that is writing, let me share a few highlights from 2010 in reverse order. I will also share a few exciting things that lurk just ahead.
This morning I received a note from Scott Piotroswski in Los Angeles in response to an inquiry about purchasing his book, Route 66 in Los Angeles County
. Scott is the ultimate tour guide when it comes to deciphering the spiderweb of streets and highways that pertain to Route 66 in the Los Angeles area. As an added bonus he knows where every tarnished gem is hidden including those that have received a face lift or two with fresh facades.
So, to receive an offer of a personal tour is a very real treat. It also means I have another excuse for a road trip as it might be very difficult to take advantage of the offer on the upcoming September 11 trip.
This past weekend I was privileged to speak with Russell Olsen, the author of Route 66 Lost and Foundhttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0760334927&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr. His astounding efforts to chronicle the evolution of Route 66 through a series of “then” and “now” photos make his book a must have for fans of the double six as well as those who are simply fascinated by glimpses into the past through modern windows.
The primary topic of discussion was in regards to illustrative material to be utilized in the current project, a Route 66 encyclopedia. As it turned out, one of his primary sources for older images was post card collector extraordinaire, Joe Sonderman.
His website filled with Route 66 related post cards is a veritable time capsule chronicling nearly a century of societal evolution as seen from a narrow ribbon of asphalt numbered with two sixes. Joe was gracious enough to allow use of his collection to ensure Ghost Towns of Route 66, scheduled for release next spring, added some flesh and color to the dry dusty bones.
Fortunately Joe has also found another way to share his precious treasure trove through the publication of a number of books. His latest, Route 66 in St. Louis, is
another one that should be in the library of every Route 66 enthusiast.
Joe’s books are available through most book stores including the big on line ones. However, you might consider a signed copy by ordering from
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=073855216X&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
his website. The link is listed above.
Each book and each article written opens new and exciting doors. On September 11, it is another trip to Auto Books – Aero Books in Burbank, an absolute must visit for anyone interested in automotive or aeronautical books.
It was with a book signing at this store that the Jay Leno adventure began. I have to admit, an unexpected phone call from Mr. Leno on a lazy Saturday afternoon rates very high on my list of writing related adventures.
The upcoming trip to California will be a busy one that includes signing books in Burbank, meeting with Debra Holden at the Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, and photographing sites along the highway for a new print series as well as the Route 66 encyclopedia. Waiting to be added to the schedule would be a meeting with Hank Hallmark and Jim Conkle, and, possibly, a stop at the Wigwam in Rialto.
On September 27, I will again be a guest on AM Arizona. The excitement here is the opportunity to share some things discovered on recent trips and an excuse to make the long awaited trip to Crown King via the historic Senator Highway.
Adventures have definitely been the hallmark of this year. Ghost Towns of Route 66 necessitated a trip east as far as Springfield, Missouri utilizing the trusty Jeep, a 1929 Rand McNally atlas, and the expertise of Jerry McClanahan encapsulated in the ultimate Route 66 guide book, EZ 66. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0970995164&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
This wonderful excursion provided an opportunity for introducing my wife to the wonders of the road east of Albuquerque including the MidPoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas. As an added bonus we were able to meet Melba with 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kansas, and Laurel Kane and Ron Jones at Afton Station in Afton, Oklahoma.
Having a front row seat to the endless parade on Route 66 is never a disappointment and this year may have been the best yet. There was the micro car event, not one but two opportunities to meet with Dale Butel from Australia, dinner with Dries Bessels and his group from Holland, and the monthly editions of Chillin on Beale Street.
It would seem the organizers are hitting their stride as each month shows a marked improvement from the previous one and indications are the September edition, scheduled for the 18Th, will be the best yet. The theme for this Chillin on Beale says it all, Greetings from Route 66. A special souvenir will be given to the owners of the first two hundred owners of cars sporting anything related to Route 66, including home made posters spelling out why they love Route 66.
The highlight of the event is encapsulated in the title. A signed, pre release copy of the exciting new book, Greetings from Route 66 will be the grand prize for the evenings drawing. As always there is no charge for vehicle entry, participation, or to register for the drawing. The emphasis is on a good time in historic Kingman, Arizona. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=076033885X&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
Milestones in my twenty year odyssey to become a writer were many this year and a few more are looming on the horizon. This was the first time a book I wrote, Ghost Towns of the Southwest, went into a second printing in less than three months.
This was the first time I did not have to look for work after finishing a book. The contract for the Route 66 encyclopedia and atlas was approved just days after completing Ghost Towns of Route 66. It was also the first year our prints were sold in a fine art gallery and the first time I signed books, and prints, for international visitors as they rolled through Kingman.
At this rate I may be able to avoid spending the golden years as a greeter at Walmart!
Of course the real milestone, the one for which I am most proud and most humbled, is the forthcoming celebration of being married to my dearest friend for 27 years. I may still have a day job that supports the writing habit but there is little doubt that I am very blessed.
Well, in a nut shell that is a quick peak into the life of a starving artist on Route 66 in the year 2010. Writing may not be the quickest way to fame or fortune but it is most definitely the most exciting.
Meanwhile, back on Route 66 …
