SPRING IS IN THE AIR, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SNOWING
When I walked to work on Thursday morning there was a tangible sense of spring in the air. Even though the weather on Friday with near gale force winds, cold rain, sleet, and heavy blowing snow made it seem more like winter I still feel that spring stirring, that eager anticipation of warm weather, road trips, friends on road trips stopping by to visit, long desert hikes, camping trips, and, of course, home repairs and, perhaps, a bit of gardening.
In recent years a highlight of our spring, summer, and fall are the opportunities to share the wonders of Route 66 and our desert home with friends, fans of the double six, and folks fascinated with the vast Technicolor wonderland of the southwest. This, however, is also a source of frustration as it is simply not possible to meet with everyone or attend all of the festivals that intrigue us.
This year it is quite obvious that the visitor season commences on April 6. I have a request to serve as a guide to the ghost town of Signal on the Big Sandy from a German professor, and a request to serve as a guide to the Kingman area for a group of historic architectural enthusiasts from Switzerland.
However, as it turns out I have a prior commitment for this weekend, the seven author Road Trip Day event at Auto Books – Aero Books in Burbank, California. I am quite excited about this event even though the thought of a weekend in the Los Angeles metropolitan area leaves me a bit cold.
My dearest friend and I are as fish out of water in the hustle and bustle of the big city. Still, I am quite sure it will be a grand adventure as we will be using the trip to gather photos for the recently completed Route 66 guide book as well as the current project, a Route 66 historic atlas.
For the month of May our photography will be included in the Route 66 exhibit at Beale Street Brews & Gallery. As this coincides with the always exciting annual Route 66 Fun Run, I am quite honored as well as excited for this opportunity to share the wonders of the old road.
Ensuring the Route 66 Fun Run weekend will be most exciting, our friends from the land down under, Dale Butel and his charming wife, Kristi-Anne, will be in attendance with another tour group. Visiting with his groups are always a highlight of the tourism season, even if I am asked to meet with them at Cadiz Summit in the Mojave Desert – in June.
Last year our Route 66 Fun Run weekend was further enhanced by a surprise visit from Mark and Jo of England. Judging by notes received we are not the only ones who will never forget that weekend.
On June 7th we will be in Albuquerque for a meet and greet at Bookworks. As this will coincide with the New Mexico Route 66 Association Motor Tour, I am quite sure this too will be a most interesting adventure.
Plans are not confirmed as of yet but we may also be attending meet and greet signings in Las Vegas as well as Santa Fe during this week. Stay tuned for details.
June will also provide us with a much anticipated opportunity to visit with friends from Holland, Dries Bessels of the Dutch Route 66 Association, his lovely wife Marion, Karel Kuperus of US Bikers, and Hanneke Wiersma, and their tour group. Even though the visits are relatively short, they are always a highlight of our summer.
In June we are also supposed to meet with Zdnek Jurasek, his wife, and their tour group from the Czech Republic. Zdnek is a passionate enthusiast whose enthusiasm and excitement is most infectious.
In July, if all goes according to schedule, we will be opening our gallery in the historic Brunswick Hotel. Even more exciting is the fact that this will provide us with a place to meet with groups as well as travelers, and answer questions as well as provide information for stops all along Route as well as overlooked sites in the Kingman area.
For August the highlight will be lunch with Wolfgang Werz, and his wife, Anja, and their group from the Route 66 Association of Germany at Yesterday’s in Chloride. I am eager to share this little gem with our visitors.
It is still early but our plan is to round out a very exciting season with a road trip east in October. The destination will be Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri.
If your plans this summer include a trip through Kingman, drop us a note. We would enjoy meeting with you as well as helping you discover the wonders of an adventure on the road less traveled.
Our final note this morning pertains to an opportunity for you to assist with our mural program while adding a touch of color to your den, office, or living room. We are currently listing two of our most popular prints on Ebay, Tucumcari nights and Hackberry time capsule, and offering ten percent of the sale proceeds to fund completion of the Old Trails Garage mural project.