Mr. Route 66?
In recent years as the groundswell of international fascination with Route 66 continues to grow, and as I have focused my attentions as an author on that highway, its history, its unique culture, and the resurgent interest in it my life has taken a rather interesting turn. In the year 2012, an average day often included speaking with a group of seventy fine folks from Australia, having lunch in a 1950’s cafe with a tour group from China that spoke little English, having breakfast at Dora’s Beale Street Deli with an interesting group of travelers from the Czech Republic, having folks from Germany stop by the office to have me sign a book they had purchased in Munich, hoisting a few pints with friends from England and Australia, and having dinner with a group of guests from Holland, who as it turned out, were movie stars.
It is all quite exciting and heady for a boy who claims a small dusty hamlet in rural Arizona as his home. To have friends in dozens of countries who stop by for dinner or a drink as they motor along America’s most famous highway is a blessing that I could never have imagined a couple of years ago.
With the awe that rides side by side with this notoriety there is also a growing awareness of the responsibility that accompanies it. With each book written, with each interview given, with each tour group met, I am representing the Route 66 community past, present, and future.
And that takes me to this, a little snippet sent from a friend in England who spotted in on Amazon.com UK.
About the Author
Author Jim Hinckley (Kingman, AZ) is Mr. Route 66. He has written several books on the subject, including Ghost Towns of Route 66 and Route 66 Backroads. He writes a feature column for Cars & Parts magazine and maintains a daily blog called Route 66 Chronicles (www.route66chronicles.blogspot.com).
Okay, I have a passion for the old road and the people associated with it. I greatly enjoy sharing its wonders and history. I take my responsibility in representing the community of Route 66 quite seriously.
Still, Mr. Route 66? That is a pretty heavy and humbling title that hints of even greater responsibilities.
As we are on the subject of Route 66, in the next posting I will be providing details on a contest authorized and coordinated with the publisher. It will be one part trivia contest, one part virtual scavenger hunt, and two parts fun. I guarantee a challenge for Route 66 enthusiasts.