A DELAYED START FOR ANOTHER TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

For those who start their day with Route 66 Chronicles, I apologize for the late start. I awoke this morning and discovered that someone had set the way back machine to some point in the 1990’s and as a result did not have use of the Internet.

There was a bit of early morning frustration as a result since my plan was to write a morning post, respond to correspondence received yesterday, and prepare a few items for this evenings organizational meeting for the Route 66 International Festival. A deep breath and a bowl of oatmeal cast aside the anxiety that accompanies an overturned schedule.

The one and only Annabelle, left, author Jim
Hinckley, and Harley of Erick, Oklahoma.

So, I instead reverted to my old ways of starting a day and savored a cup of tea while reading a magazine article, played a game of chess with the computer, and then spent a bit of time visiting with my dearest friend. This was followed by a walk to work.

Now, it is time for a quick lunch and continuing with our journey down Memory Lane on the way to post number 1,500. As promised, this episode focuses on the people that make Route 66 special, and that ensure we are richly blessed. And, as it turns out, postings about these delightful folks have proven to be quite popular over the years.

To say the very least, there is only one Annabelle and Harley in Erick, Oklahoma or anywhere else on Route 66. As with everyone who has had the pleasure of being caught up in their redneck version of Vaudeville, we continue to pray for Annabelle’s recovery and the duos return to legendary Route 66 as the highway just ins’t the same without them.

Rich Henry and Red.

Here is another familiar face on Route 66. A stop at Rich Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is a step back into the world of Route 66 circa 1959 with its quirky attractions

The bonus of a visit is Rich himself. Several years ago my dearest friend and I shared a breakfast with Rich at Shelly’s in Cuba, Missouri and it remains a favorite memory of our various Route 66 adventures.

Here is another face that should be familiar to Route 66 travelers and the voyeuristic adventurers who get their kicks vicariously through Facebook and social media. Dries Bessels is more than a friend of our family. He and his charming wife, Marion, are an important part of the Route 66 community

Author Jim Hinckley, left, and Dries Bessels of the
Dutch Route 66 Association at Redneck’s
Southern Barbecue in Kingman, Arizona.

His infectious passion for the old double six mixed with a healthy dose of encouragement, as well as his generous assistance, has inspired many a traveler to set out on their own voyage of discovery. We look forward to seeing the Bessel’s at the Route 66 International festival in Kingman this August.

Meeting with travelers from the Netherlands, and a few resultant friendships, have served as incentive for my dearest friend and I to try our hand at learning Dutch. To say the very least, it is an interesting endeavor.

Jeroen and Maggie Boersma, a charming couple from the land of Hans Brinker, are fast becoming familiar faces on Route 66. To date I would feel safe in placing a bet that they have explored more of the early alignments of Route 66, and the National Old Trails Highway, in the southwest than I have.
Needless to say, these adventures, shared interests, our fledgling attempts at speaking Dutch, and their patient tutelage make for some very interesting dinner conversations. We are eagerly awaiting their next visit and an opportunity to renew friendship with another fascinating dinner and, perhaps, a bit of shared exploration.

Left to right, Jeroen Boersma, Jim Hinckley, and Maggie
Boersma involved in a bit of winter
exploration near Kingman, Arizona.

Route 66 at its core is about people and relationships built on the shared passions that transcend barriers of culture or language. However, it is also about discovering that common interests extend beyond the confines of the double six and its colorful history.

Professor Nick Gerlich and I share an insatiable curiosity about the road and highway evolution that preceded Route 66. With Rod Hokin of Australia, I discovered we have in common a shared fascination with the incredible pre-war Imperials manufactured by Chrysler.

As you travel Route 66, I challenge you to defy your mother and talk to strangers. Chances are that by adding pie and coffee to the conversation, they won’t be strangers for long.

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