Last weekend during Chillin’ on Beale, I took a peak inside and was quite impressed by the transformation. Even better, they have refurbished the historic neon sign. 
This is the second specialty beer shop on Beale Street to open. Last year, one block to the east, Black Bridge Brewery opened across the street from Redneck’s Southern Barbecue.   
I am not sure if this good news or bad news but work is underway at the long closed Bell Motel. There was talk of pending demolition but the hope is that it is being given a new lease on life. I will follow up on this next week to see if I can get an answer.   
This weekend I will look through the first chapters of a book being penned by Joe Sonderman. My role in this interesting but limited partnership is editorial assistance and provision of photo files. This is something I have been looking forward to delving into for quite sometime.

Courtesy Joe Sonderman, Route 66 Postcards.

Meanwhile, the self publishing endeavor is moving forward at glacial speeds. It is now quite obvious that the guide book to Kingman, including a walking guide to the historic district, and the surrounding area will not be finished in time for the Fun Run but I am confident of completion before the first of June. 
However, to ensure completion by that time, with  a hope of publication by the first of July, I will need to work on it over the weekend as well. That shouldn’t be a problem as it looks to be a rainy windy couple of days. As envisioned, this book will be the first in a series developed with other communities along the Route 66 corridor profiled in a similar manner.

The correspondence with Kerrick James was in regard to a project proposed by Voyageur Press. Kerrick and I have worked together on other titles in the back roads series but it looks as though we will have to decline adding a book on Texas to the resume. 
Simply put, the advance and royalties offered by the publisher, as well as our current schedules, the amount of travel the project would require, and our unfamiliarity with Texas are not conducive to ensuring the projects profitability or that we could do it justice. Nor would we be able to complete it in the time frame proposed. 
So, I am requesting that the publisher consider Gregory Hasman for the endeavor. He resides in Texas, is intimate with the states back roads, and is a talented writer. If your unfamiliar with his work I suggest perusing his blog, Ramblings from a Road-a-holic.
Next weekend is the annual Route 66 Fun Run. Always an interesting and fun filled weekend that transforms 180 scenic miles of that storied highway into a living time capsule, the 2015 edition promises to be a grand adventure. 
On Saturday, May 2, I will be signing books and answering Route 66 questions in Truxton at the Frontier Restaurant and Motel all morning. That evening my dearest friend and I will share a delightful dinner with friends; George and Bonnie Game, Mike and Sharon Ward, John Springs, Frank and Lynn Kocevar, and Sean and Karen Evans.
On Sunday morning, I will be speaking with the lively Aussies that are partaking in Dale Butel’s (Route 66 Tours) spring tour, answering questions, and signing books. This is always an interesting event that we look forward to. 
Monday evening we will be visiting with Atsutuki Katsuyama, the long distance runner from Japan that is retracing the route of the historic Bunion Derby. We are eagerly looking forward to his visit. 
Then there is the podcast. I should be submitting the first raw audio file for editing within the week. This will be followed with a public debut. 
I am always excited when new opportunities allow me to help folks plan or develop adventures on the old double six or the road less traveled.  To that end, Jim Hinckley’s America is evolving; walking tours of the Kingman historic district, the self published guide books, the gallery at Legends of America, and a limited partnership with Open Road Productions for the development of customized tours along Route 66 and in the southwest.
A friend of mine has harnessed his passion for sharing the wonders of southern Utah, taken the plunge, and launched a tour company – Seeking Treasures Adventures. Now, we are discussing the possibility of a cooperative partnership that links his expertise and tours with ours in the Kingman area.
The walking tours of the Kingman historic district is something I am eager to share with visitors. To that I may be adding a special evening event, Journey through Time on Route 66, if plans of a local real estate developer comes to fruition. 
Adventures await us at every turn. Sometime we have to look under the dung to find them, and sometimes there are found at every turn.    
         

Author Jim Hinckley at  the remains of Rimmy Jim’s old trading post.

In spite of the winds that rocked Dries’s rented RV, we took shelter on the leeward side and enjoyed a dusty lunch of salad, sandwiches, and ice tea, as well as laughter, and conversation, all of which was seasoned with the excitement that accompanies a shared adventure. 
Then we set out into the winds that whipped clouds of stinging sand for a guided tour along the National Old Trails Highway that served as an early alignment of Route 66 as well as through time. Thank you Sean Evans for bringing the ruins framed by stunning Arizona landscapes and snow covered peaks to life.
It was a delightful adventure! The worst day on a Route 66 expedition with friends is better than the best day most anywhere else. 
We visited the Apache Death Caves, and the ruins of the old trading posts, the zoos, the cafe, the service station, and the site where Earl Cundriff dies so long ago. As Sean’s fascinating narrative unfolded the wind that whistled and moaned through the ruins seemed oddly appropriate. This, however, was at its heart a Route 66 adventure and these are always filled with surprises.
Upon return to our parked vehicles we found a familiar site; the gaily painted Blue Swallow Motel trailer. As it turned out Kevin Mueller and his son Cameron had business in California. What a delightful surprise!
After a round of ice tea, conversation, and laughter, it was time to part ways. Even with the winds, it was such a wonderful outing we hated for it to end. 

The remains of Rimmy Jim’s famous four hole outhouse.

So, my dearest friend and I headed west toward the snow covered San Francisco Peaks, and the sun that was nearing the western horizon. As it turned out, there was one more surprise awaiting us before the trip came to an end. 
We had set our sights on Williams rather than Flagstaff for dinner as the desert adventure had stimulated the appetite. At least two or three times a year we stop in Williams, usually at the Pine Country Restaurant for a meal or pie and coffee. This time we decided to cruise town and see what was new before deciding where to placate the growing hunger. 
That was when we discovered Old Smoky’s, a new incarnation of a Route 66 classic in that city. As it turned out, this restaurant opened a mere two weeks ago. 
Old Smoky’s on the east bound alignment of Route 66 across from the historic Turquoise Teepee sign is a small place with seating for about a dozen people. Still, the atmosphere was pleasant, the staff friendly but professional, and the food very good. As a bonus the price was quite reasonable (barbecue chicken sliders, coleslaw, beans, and excellent coffee – $22.00 including tax). 
A very good dinner shared with my dearest friend, a new discovery, and an Arizona sunset – what a perfect way to close out a day of friends sharing memory making adventures on the most famous highway in America.