I am always amazed what can be thought of once we move beyond convention or tradition and unleash the creative mind. As an example, how do you promote a car show even if it is on Route 66? After all, there are dozens every year in most every town along the route from Chicago to Santa Monica. Well, it would seem the creative imagination behind the free Chillin’ on Beale Street held in Kingman, Arizona on the third Saturday night of each month, from April until October, has some ideas on that subject. A case in point is the event scheduled for next Saturday.
Even though the event is open to anything and everything with wheels it was decided last season to add some flair with a different theme each month. Some were, to say the very least, original.
My personal favorite was Going Topless on Route 66, a salute to the American convertible. It was most definitely an idea that caught peoples attention.
Ideas being tossed about this season include Mother Truckers, a salute to trucks and the women who drive them, an all Volkswagon Octoberfest, and another rendition of orphans on Route 66, homage to the great automotive orphans such as Studebaker, Plymouth, Packard, Oldsmobile, Nash, and Hudson.
The event is just one of the many things that make Kingman a unique place to visit, or live. Consider this, during the months of winter, deep snows are often just a dozen miles away even if your enjoying the sunshine in your shirt sleeves. For the flip side when the folks along the river are basting in their own juices with temperatures often exceeding 120 degrees, and the folks in Kingman are slowly turning to jerky with temperatures around the century mark, cool, pine scented breezes are just twelve miles away.
This little island in a sea of desert is Hualapai Mountain Park. Fine dining, hiking trails, and cabin rentals are just a few of the surprises found there.
Kingman is where the past and future intersect. It is also close to everything even though it is in the middle of nowhere.
Las Vegas is 100 miles to the north. The beach, on the other side of the traffic nightmare of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, is just over 350 miles to the west. Phoenix is 180 miles to the south, Albuquerque is 480 miles to the east.
For those who zip through town, even on Route 66, looks can be very deceiving. Between the monuments to the generic world on both ends of town, and the dusty, tumble down look of the historic district, there are a staggering array of treasures, surprises, and hidden gems awaiting discovery.
The Grand Canyon is less than one hundred miles to the north. At the city limits there are miles of beautiful trails that twist and turn through the towering stone monoliths that give Kingman its one of a kind skyline.
A ghost town for every age and taste is just a short drive away. There is the now forgotten town of Cerbat for those in search of adventure and fine food with excellent music in the now quiet town of Chloride, and the ghost town of the imagination at Oatman.
If you feel charitable toward millionaires and money is burning a hole in your pocket, the world class resort community of Laughin is just thirty miles away, fifty if you follow Route 66 through Oatman.
For those in search of something different for their vacation this year my suggestion is Kingman. You might just decide to make it a lifelong vacation.
