by jimhinckleysamerica | May 15, 2011 | Uncategorized
Another KABAM (Kingman Area Books Are Magic Festival) is now history and indications are it was a rousing success with plans underway to make next year an even larger event. Authors, artists, and poets from throughout the country, as well as one from England, performed, displayed their work, and took the message that books are magic into area schools.
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0760338434&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrFor me there was an added bonus, a visit from John Springs and his wife Judy. This charming couple is rapidly becoming the face that represents a new era on Route 66 as they have boldly launched an on line publication, the first of its kind, with a primary focus being an opportunity for the small buinesses, the heart and soul of this highway, and the museums along the route to garner international exposure. You can check out the premier issue here.
Ghost Towns of Route 66 is going out to those who preordered on Amazon, to select media outlets for review, and to book stores and gift shops even though the official kick off for the tour is at the 2011 International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo in June. Even though I have confidence that the book is well researched and the photography is excellent as a result of Kerrick James artistry, there is always an apprehension on how a book will be received.
Initial indications are these concerns are without merit. The Route 66 Association of Arizona gift shop in the Power House visitor center in Kingman sold almost their entire order in one day.
Amazon.com is apparently selling them like hotcakes. #11 in Books > Travel > United States > Regions > Midwest #61 in Books > Travel > United States > Regions > South
One aspect of writing that I truly enjoy is that it allows me to share, to provide context, and, in regard to books written on travel related subjects, to enhance an adventurers experience. In Ghost Towns of Route 66, I was able to do all of this by bringing to light the stories of towns where the resurgent interest in Route 66 came to late, places where that legendary highway will always be Main Street.
http://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=ifrSpeaking of books, and while I am on the subject of shameless self promotion, Ghost Towns of the Southwest is selling well enough to warrant another printing. This book is available through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, other book stores, and at the Power House Visitor Center in Kingman.
This old road is, and always has been, in a state of flux. Two of the most recent items of note include the sale of the iconic Blue Swallow motel in Tucumcari and the announcement that the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas is going up for sale.
Now, a few quick items of note pertaining to Route 66 in the Kingman area. My office/museum and unofficial visitor center continues to expand its offerings. In addition to the growing collection of historic automotive advertisement and rental cars, I can now offer official Arizona highway maps at no charge, free Kingman post cards, Kingman area visitors guides, a wide array of brochures for sites along Route 66 from the Wigwam Motel in Rialto to Afton Station, and, dependant on availability, free passes to area museums as well as signed copies of most of my books.
If you would like your brochures displayed drop me a note. The only cost is an agreement to display a few from the Kingman area in your facilitiy.
Last but not least I would like to call your attention to a relatively recent addition to the attractions found along our section of Route 66, Seligman Sundries. Check out their site from this link and them to your list of must see attractions and stops.
by jimhinckleysamerica | May 13, 2011 | Uncategorized
I apologize for the delay in posting but Blogger has been down for several days.
Today I offer the last feature written for the Independent Thinker column for Cars & Parts magazine. It was my privilege to be associated with such a pioneering publication and its presence in the old car hobby will be missed.
Who would you include if asked to compose a list of the 10 men most responsible for the development of the American automobile industry? Would your list include A.W. Tobin and Ross Judson?
Today, these men may be less than an obscure footnote to automotive history but the business they created was the very cornerstone for a staggering number of famous and forgotten manufacturers. It was also a foundational element in the development of the fledgling American aeronautical industry.
The story begins in 1901 when Judson, a gifted engineering student, examined a Mercedes L-head four-cylinder engine and noticed a number of flaws. Following this discovery was the conviction that he could resolve these issues and vastly improve that engine.
In 1902, almost immediately after graduation from the Armour Institute of Technology, Judson drafted a sales pitch that he presented to Tobin, his brother-in-law. His enthusiasm carried the day and Judson soon had a partner in Tobin, a $2,000 investment of capital from this partner, a hayloft converted to a machine shop in Chicago, and a company named Autocar.
Judson’s first engine and an eye-catching display debuted at the1903 Chicago Automobile Show. Judson and Tobin had high expectations from this endeavor, but the inundation of orders must have left them stunned.
To fill these initial orders, the company launched full-scale production with expansion of the facilities. By 1904, Judson and Tobin found themselves in the enviable position of needing to find a location suitable for dramatic expansion.
Incentives provided by Muskegon, Michigan, resulted in the relocation of Autocar operations and the construction of a state-of-the-art, 16,000-square-foot factory in that city in 1905. The following year, the company experienced equally dramatic changes. Studebaker increased its order from 100 engines to 1,000. The discovery that a company in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, had used the name Autocar since 1899 led to reorganization under the Continental name. Production of stationary engines commenced. And the number of employees increased from 25 to almost 600.
It was also during this period the company developed an aircraft engine production-and-development division. This would become a subsidiary, Continental Aircraft Engine, in 1929, with the 170hp A-70 radial engine the foundation.
With receipt of an order for 10,000 engines by a new manufacturing concern, Hudson, in late 1910, Continental launched an ambitious expansion program that included addition to the Muskegon facility and construction of a factory in Detroit. Two years later, Walter Frederick, a former engineer for the truck manufacturing concern Autocar, assumed Judson’s position as chief engineer.
Under his supervision, the company expanded the engineering department and launched the development of engines for catalog sales to automobile manufacturers, companies in need of stationary industrial engines, aircraft firms, and tractor manufacturers. If a client requested engine specifications not listed in the catalog, staff engineers modified existing models accordingly.
The next 20 years were golden for Continental. Automobiles manufactured by Apperson and Case, Crawford and Jordan, Ace and Vellie, Durant and Erskine, and dozens of other companies ran on Continental engines. Numerous companies that manufactured trucks exclusively including Corbitt, Federal, Schacht, Selden, Sterling, and Reo used their powerplants as well.
The 1920s was another pivotal period for the company. W.R. Angell, a member of the company’s board of directors, finalized an agreement with William Durant to supply engines for his new lines of automobiles – Durant, Star, and Flint. Tentative merger negotiations initiated between Continental and three manufacturers that utilized that company’s products – Peerless, Moon, and Jordan – were stillborn.
The new decade began with Judson’s retirement and the rise of Angell to the presidency of the company. His expansion of the diesel truck, aircraft, and agricultural engine divisions of the company kept it afloat during the tumultuous days of the Great Depression. His decision to initiate the launch of a Continental-manufactured automobile and purchase of a truck manufacturer nearly sank it.
The short-lived Continental Beacon, Flyer, and Ace, were, in actuality, little more than new emblems placed on the equally unsuccessful De Vaux. The acquisition of Divco in 1932 proved another unwise, costly venture.
The richly diverse legacy of independent thinking Ross Judson did not end with the Great Depression or the heady days of the post-war era. Continental engines powered the grandfather of the Jeep, the Bantam Reconnaissance and Command Car prototype, as well as the iconic Checker taxi through early 1964. Nor did it end with the cessation of engine manufacturing as Continental lived on in corporate reincarnation as Ryan Aeronautical, and Teledyne Continental Motors.
by jimhinckleysamerica | May 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
I have always felt that in one aspect horses were a better idea than automobiles, at least when they give you trouble they can be shot and the neighbors can be invited over for a barbecue. Not so with automobiles, when they are down you are either stranded or left with a huge paper weight in the driveway.
Such were the thoughts on a grand Route 66 odyssey that soon took on the aspects of a Biblical disaster. This particular adventure involved a 1988 Ford Crown Victoria Country Squire station wagon, the first big father/son trip, my first book contract, and a host of unexpected detours.
It started with the acquisition of a beautiful, one owner station wagon. With the exception of some peeling clear coat the 49,000 original mile car was immaculate.
Receipts provided evidence that the owner had religiously taken the car to the Ford dealership for service every 3,000 miles. The Michelin tires were almost new, the ash tray was spotless as were the seats and carpet. The extra seats under the cargo floor retained the original factory plastic covers as did the jack.
So, even though the car was almost thirteen years old, I peeled off twenty-five one hundred dollar bills and exchanged them for the title. My general rule of thumb is to buy new belts and hoses with every used car purchased but this car came with a new set stashed in the side cargo compartment, an added bonus.
Now, at just about the same point in time I accepted a contract to write my first book, a profile of the Checker Cab Manufacturing Companyhttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=158388100X&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr. A video of the interview I had with Jay Leno about this book is found below.
As it turns out the surviving vehicles built by Checker are quite rare. In fact when I wrote this book there were less than twenty existent vehicles known to represent the period between 1922 and 1958.
So, when I learned the first ever gathering of Checker owners and enthusiasts was being scheduled for an event at the Gilmore Automobile Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan, an event that would include many of the early models including the only known 1940 Model A, there was little doubt where my vacation time would be spent. As further incentive my dad lived in Jackson, about sixty miles to the east.
In my mind a thirteen year old son, a station wagon, twelve days off, and an excuse equaled road trip. Here was a perfect opportunity to introduce my son to the wonders and excitement of legendary Route 66.
Well, even though the Ford was like new, I packed the wheel bearings, changed the belts and hoses, serviced the transmission, rotated the tires, flushed the radiator, inspected the brakes, and topped off the rear differential. This was hands down the nicest vehicle I had ever owned for a road trip.
With camping gear and luggage on board we bid adios to my dearest friend as daylight began chasing the darkness west and pointed the Ford east. In Peach Springs we made a stop for breakfast, in Seligman we stopped for a cold drink, a restroom break, and to say hello to Angel.
In Williams I topped off the tank as an excuse to stretch the legs. When driving Route 66 it seems almost sacrilege to hurry.
It was a delightful late spring day that encouraged stops and meanderings at Meteor Crater, Holbrook, and Winslow. My destination for the day was Santa Rosa, a bit of a push but one I felt was obtainable by around seven or eight that evening.
It was near Chambers when I first noticed the back window on the tailgate was going dark. A bit of investigation revealed a transmission leak of sizable proportions. The underside of the chassis was dripping, the exhaust smoking, and the tail gate was soaked.
So, I added the spare quart of transmission fluid and set my sites on Gallup with the faint hope of finding a garage open on a Sunday afternoon. Well, we made it and found a Pep Boys that was open and that had a rear transmission seal in stock.
Several hundred dollars and a few hours later we were back on the road but with curtailed expectations as to destination. We weathered the gauntlet of traffic in Albuquerque and called it a day in Moriarty with dinner at the Rip Griffin Truck Stop and then a nights rest at the Super Eight Motel.
The next morning we walked down the road to find 5:30 was to early for breakfast at the cafe and so returned to the truck stop. We loaded the gear and even though I had topped off the tank in Gallup decided to fill up here and then shoot for Vega or Amarillo.
It was a cool morning so I let the Ford warm up a bit before slipping the transmission into reverse. Well, reverse was imitating neutral and so was drive. This wasn’t a good way to start the day.
I let the car run for a while with the dip stick removed in case there was air in the system. Then I shut it off and added a half pint of transmission fluid.
Success! I put the Ford in reverse, backed from the parking space, slipped it into drive and rolled east on 66. I say rolled because within about a block, drive began imitating neutral.
So, I got the car off the road at the Sunset Motel, and repeated my earlier procedure. Again, success!
We stopped at the supermarket, stocked up on lunch supplies, and hit the road in high spirits. It was somewhere between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari that the u-joints began to clang and vibrate.
We limped into Tucumcari, found a shop, and parted with another couple of hundred dollars. Still, it provided time to gain an intimate knowledge of the town and its association with Route 66 as I am quite sure we walked from one end to the other while we waited.
The walk gave me time to think about the situation. I am always amazed by how often our prayers are answered by a God who sounds just like us, especially when He is in complete agreement.
So, with completion of repairs I kissed the carefully planned budget goodbye and turned west. I had phoned ahead so my wife could purchase two airline tickets and make rental car reservations.
With our only stops being for fuel I hit Kingman late that evening and the next morning headed for Laughlin to catch a flight to Minneapolis. As it turned out this was another grand adventure that included a run in with airport security, a ferry ride across Lake Michigan, and an excellent car show where we met some of the most wonderful people. All of that, however, is a story for another day.
As to the Ford, we drove it for nine years after this debacle without a glitch. In that time we made trips to Denver and Utah, throughout California, on deer and elk hunting expeditions, and all over New Mexico.
Then we gave it to a family in need of transportation. It is still on the road.
There were a couple of valuable lessons learned on this adventure; don’t place your confidence in vehicles, make sure you know the difference between God’s voice and your own, and things happen along the way so just make the best of it and enjoy the ride.
by jimhinckleysamerica | May 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
Illinois is not often thought of as a vacation destination. Those who harbor those thoughts are either uninitiated into the lure of Route 66 or are unaware of its charms because this storied highway is often rated among the top attractions in the state.
Of course that is no secret to the thousand of visitors from throughout the world who set their sights on a Route 66 adventure every year. Promotion and preservation of the states longest attraction is the bailiwick of the folks with the Illinois Route 66 Association who do an outstanding job.
Just follow the link posted above to see what they have planned this year and how to get the most out of your cruise on legendary Route 66. And if your an automotive enthusiast be sure to pay special attention to Pontiac that is on the fast track to the opening of its one of a kind Pontiac museum and archives.
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1968adventurer&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0760338434&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrIn the second week of June it is the BIG EVENT, the 2011 International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo that kicks off on June 9. Acclaimed author Michael Wallis, cars, motorcycles, art showings, banquets, dancing, vendors, and of course, the debut of my latest book, Ghost Towns of Route 66.
It isn’t part of the event but I hope to introduce folks to the wonders of Route 66, encourage them to enjoy the festivities, and, perhaps sell a few books at a meet and greet on the 9th. The event is scheduled for 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble.
Even though the book isn’t officially going to be released until early June, review copies are on the way to a wide array of media outlets as well as vendors along the highway. To stoke the fires of interest in the book, me, and in Route 66, I will be the featured author this Wednesday evening for a slide show presentation on that legendary highway, its ghost towns, and the evolution of the American automotive culture at the Mohave County Library in Kingman.
This part of the KABAM festival with events taking place all week. A number of fine authors will be in attendance, so if your in the neighborhood …
Carolyn Hasenfratz, a very gifted young lady from Missouri with a passion for Route 66, has kicked off an interesting website. Sell 66 Stuff is exactly what the title says. Check it out.
If you know of interesting website, or are hosting a Route 66 event, send me the link. As the summer road trip season progresses I will be providing regular Route 66 updates and, perhaps, I can assist with a plug.
by jimhinckleysamerica | May 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
Lou was so short she could have passed for a tall midget. She was a first generation Pole transplanted from Chicago to the deserts of Arizona that chain smoked Pall Mall cigarettes and liked cold Olympia beer. She could out cuss a sailor, was as tough as a bag of nails and as fearless as grizzly bear on meth, and she was a mother to a herd of displaced and lost young men.
Life hadn’t been easy for Lou and it showed in her stooped walk supported with a cane, and in the scars and lines in her face that made her look seventy at age fifty. But she always had a smile and seldom spoke of the past. To this day I have no idea how she ended up in Kingman, Arizona.
Regardless of the offense that brought you to her door with a request to borrow her couch for the night there was never any condemnation. Of course you also would be hard pressed to find tolerance or acceptance of your actions, just a welcome without question and a hearty breakfast the next morning.
Kingman was still a small town in those years and the wild bunch was a tight knit crew. So, when one knew Lou we all knew Lou.
Her kindness was always repaid when we had money, with a barbecue, something she loved, at her house, or by stocking her refrigerator with beer, sausages, and cheese. She didn’t own a car but was never without transportation.
There were two big events in Lou’s world, St. Patricks day, for reasons unknown, and any time the Quiet Man with John Wayne was on television. The first was reason for a big celebration and the latter was the only time you could be thrown out if there wasn’t absolute reverent silence.
But the best was always Thanksgiving dinner. She lived behind the butcher shop and had found favor with the owners who always gave her a ham, a turkey, or sometimes both.
Her tiny apartment would be packed and there would be all manner of food from gas station burritos to a beautiful turkey and ham. Everyone brought what they could and Lou was an excellent cook.
No one was turned away and as this dinner was well known among the wild bunch and their associates that lived in the netherworld of street people, it was always a colorful assemblage. Hitchhikers, and various members of the wild bunch, Indians just released from jail and street people, Circle K clerks without family for the holiday and hookers. Of course there were always visits from those who had broken free from the destructive downward spiral and became somewhat successful as a result of Lou’s kindness and tough love.
She was always there to scrape up the last few bucks towards making bail when one of the wild bunch went just a bit far. To ensure repayment she always knew someone that needed work done or a yard cleaned and it just wasn’t possible to say no to Lou.
She would poke and prod us on to the right path when ever we began to drift. Sometimes it was with a fiery and colorful tirade, on other occasions it was with a gentle talk over a warm meal.
In time the wild bunch began to part ways. A few became guests of the state for long stretches of time, a few checked out far to young, and for the blessed few of which I was one, we moved on to begin the climb from the mire and muck.
My visits to Lou’s decreased but she was never forgotten, especially on Mother’s Day. Few things speak about a persons life as much as the legacy they leave and who shows up at their funeral.
Some funerals are empty as the tomb itself. Others are gala extravaganzas where attendance is the social event of the season. For Lou it was a manifestation of the love she had given and the lives she had changed.
Lou was a one of a kind. She was a mother to one and all.
