The speed with which change is occurring in my world is absolutely dizzying. The fast and furious pace is most exhilarating, just a bit unnerving, and a great deal of fun.
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| The trademark image for Jim Hinckley’s America. |
Yesterday episode two of Jim Hinckley’s America aired on Alamo 1230 (in Alamogordo, New Mexico) and it was released on podcast this morning. In this episode that included a plug for the delightful Dora’s Beale Street Deli and an interview with Sam and Monica Frisher, owners of the historic El Trovatore Motel, I promoted the colorful history and multitude of diverse attractions that make Kingman, Arizona such a fascinating place.
Next week the program will profile the history and hidden wonders found along the road between Glorietta Pass and Las Vegas in New Mexico. This would be the pre 1937 alignment of Route 66, much of which follows the Santa Fe Trail.
I started this morning with an emailed notice from Dave Alexander of Legends of America that the Jim Hinckley’s America gallery segment of that site is now available for viewing as well as for the ordering of prints. As a long time fan of this site, being given an opportunity to have our images displayed there as well as to provide articles is truly an honor.
It appear as though I am on the fast track to joining Kleenex and (Louis) Chevrolet. Jim Hinckley’s America with its signature logo designed by my dearest friend is becoming a brand name complete with copyright and trademark. Wow!
This coming Tuesday evening I will be serving as the ring leader at the organizational meeting for the committee overseeing development of a very large Kingman event in 2014. All involved are quite confident, and with good reason after recent discussions with Michael Wallis of the Route 66 Alliance, that the event will be the 2014 International Route 66 Festival but we will have to wait until August and the formal announcement at the Route 66 Festival in Joplin to get a final verdict.
In either case this will be a huge event and a new chapter in Route 66 history. The rough schedule of events so far includes a Saturday evening car show under the auspices of Chillin on Beale, a gathering of Route 66 and southwestern artists as well as authors and collectors, a barbecue at Hualapai Mountain Park on Saturday afternoon, special events at Stetson Winery and the award winning Desert Diamond Distillery, events at Southwest Alpaca, a film festival showcasing movies filmed on Route 66 or in Kingman, and of course, lots of Route 66 cruising that includes events from Seligman to Needles.
All of this, Jim Hinckley’s America and the big event in Kingman, have received the offer of a promotional boost from Gary of Route 66 Radio and Baby Boomer Radio. Now, we need sponsors and advertisers to fund development of a promotional campaign.
On June first we turn the homestead over to the caretaker (aka our son) and hit the road. The destination is a New Mexico adventure that includes a stop in Prescott on Monday morning for a television interview with Tonya Mock, an installment of Jim Hinckley’s America, the radio program, from the road, and a book signing at Bookworks in Albuquerque on the evening of June 7, just before the big doings at Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park that are a part of the New Mexico Route 66 Motor Tour.
To ensure spare minutes are not wasted I am again working to beat a couple of deadlines, one is for completion of the edit on the Route 66 travel guide, and the second is writing the Route 66 historic atlas. I am quite confident boredom should be kept at bay for at least a few more weeks.
