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| El Rey Inn, Santa Fe |
Two weeks ago, on Tuesday evening at this exact time, as the sun was sinking into the west behind a cloud of smoke from a distant forest fire, my dearest friend and I had just walked back to the motel after finishing a wonderful dinner at the Pantry Restaurant, and were relaxing near the fountain on the restful grounds of the El Rey Inn in Santa Fe. Tonight, after a grueling eleven hour day, is the flip side of the coin, with the exception of a wonderful dinner (Pita bread burgers with spices from my wife’s herb garden and goat cheese, hummus and whole grain crackers, and a tall glass of Guinness) eaten in the company of my dearest friend.
In between these two Tuesday’s are a whirlwind of Route 66 adventure, work, developing projects, another manifestation of what makes the Route 66 community special, a bunch of frustrating problems, and the general maelstrom that is life. Looking toward the future I see more of the same for at least the next few months but the reward is looming on the horizon – a pending visit from Dries Bessels, his charming wife Marion, Karel Kuperus, and Hanneke Wiersma, friends from Holland, and their tour group.
A few days ago I posted a note on the Yahoo Route 66 e-group, and various Route 66 social pages, and sent a few emails requesting input for the new book. Specifically I was looking for leads pertaining to crime scenes and disasters along Route 66.
The response was nothing short of amazing. This is why when I write an article or book about this storied highway, it is always noted that I merely compile the information. The Route 66 community writes the piece.
Last week I sat with a reporter for the Kingman Daily Miner and responded to questions about my passion for Route 66, the desert southwest, and the people that make these places special. Here is a link to the published interview.
Travel, and resultant arrangements, are a common occurrence in this family. This time it is for attendance of the International Route 66 Festival in Joplin this August.
Obviously attendance and the opportunity to meet with old friends (after all, these events are almost like a family reunion) would be most enjoyable. Added pressure is being applied by various groups in Kingman who feel the city needs representation and that I should serve as that representative.
The frustration with this is two fold. One, vacation time at the office is not easily acquired and my schedule, which includes the pending deadline for the new book and meeting with a tour group from Australia, during this period is very tight.
The second issue is in regard to finances. As we just returned from New Mexico, and as we have some unexpected expenses to resolve (see frustration below) this would really put a squeeze on the budget.
As often happens in my world lately, problems such as these seem to turn into potential opportunities that tantalize the imagination. When discussing this with a friend, in response to inquiries about possible attendance, I was asked if thought had been given to giving a Route 66 tour to Joplin for interested parties.
Last week I sat with a reporter for the Kingman Daily Miner and responded to questions about my passion for Route 66, the desert southwest, and the people that make these places special. Here is a link to the published interview.
Travel, and resultant arrangements, are a common occurrence in this family. This time it is for attendance of the International Route 66 Festival in Joplin this August.
Obviously attendance and the opportunity to meet with old friends (after all, these events are almost like a family reunion) would be most enjoyable. Added pressure is being applied by various groups in Kingman who feel the city needs representation and that I should serve as that representative.
The frustration with this is two fold. One, vacation time at the office is not easily acquired and my schedule, which includes the pending deadline for the new book and meeting with a tour group from Australia, during this period is very tight.The second issue is in regard to finances. As we just returned from New Mexico, and as we have some unexpected expenses to resolve (see frustration below) this would really put a squeeze on the budget.
As often happens in my world lately, problems such as these seem to turn into potential opportunities that tantalize the imagination. When discussing this with a friend, in response to inquiries about possible attendance, I was asked if thought had been given to giving a Route 66 tour to Joplin for interested parties.
Topping the list of frustrating problems are more issues with the rear differential in the Jeep. After months of dealing with a rear brake problem resultant of defective parts, I now have a bearing going out.
It began making serious noise on the last road trip. Needless to say, that wasn’t exactly conducive to relaxing.
The radio program (Jim Hinckley’s America for Alamo 1230) continues to develop and that includes me being able to round off some of the rough edges as this is a new endeavor for me. Still, even with the program being available on podcast my thoughts are that the reach is rather restricted.
The frustration in this is that my vision for the project is to use it as a promotional tool for the people and places on Route 66, as well as the back roads of America. At this time the decision is to follow this string a bit further.
Well, it looks as though I am out of time this morning. Here is to another day of adventure. I hope your day is a memorable one.
The radio program (Jim Hinckley’s America for Alamo 1230) continues to develop and that includes me being able to round off some of the rough edges as this is a new endeavor for me. Still, even with the program being available on podcast my thoughts are that the reach is rather restricted.
The frustration in this is that my vision for the project is to use it as a promotional tool for the people and places on Route 66, as well as the back roads of America. At this time the decision is to follow this string a bit further.
Well, it looks as though I am out of time this morning. Here is to another day of adventure. I hope your day is a memorable one.
