Coffee With Jim, the live weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley’s America, is all about inspiring road trips by telling people where to go, and the sharing of America’s story. Personally it is also a challenge, a source of frustration, a rewarding endeavor and a grand adventure for a tech challenged old timer like me.

On the December 3rd program our guest was Scoff Dahl, the dynamic Director of the Springfield (Illinois) Convention & Visitors Bureau. We talked about Route 66 events and developments, the Route 66 centennial, and gastronomic adventures in Springfield.

Overall it was an excellent program. Lots of inspiration for road trip enthusiasts, and for community organizers. And as happens every once and awhile, there was a bit of a glitch that put a damper on the first six minutes or so.

Scott called in rather than using the app. Not a problem in itself. But our theme song was stuck on a loop. Interestingly I couldn’t hear this issue on my end, but the audience could. Fortunately a couple of listeners let me know .Still, by the time I resolved the issue by deleting the music, nearly seven minutes of my conversation with Scott was difficult to hear.

What Did You Miss?

As the discussion was so fascinating, I decided to have the program transcribed. Following is the transcript of the first four minutes of our conversation, after we established the phone connection, during the bleed over with the theme song. After the seven minute mark all was good.

I do not like turning out anything that is unprofessional. So, I do apologize. We will continue working to iron out bugs, and to develop the program as a platform for event organizers, community leaders, authors, artists, photographers, and for people with a fascinating or inspirational story to share.

Coffee with Jim is sponsored in part by the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri. It is also sponsored by the 1960s time capsule that is the Roadrunner Lodge Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Uranus Fudge Company & General Store, and Cactus Inn Motel and RV Park in McLean, Texas, another Route 66 gem.

Coffee With Jim, December 3, 2023

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Jim: All right. Just hang right on. I’ll be right with you.
Scott: Sounds good.
Jim: …. a beautiful day here in sunny Kingman, Arizona. 39 degrees and sunny. Let’s start with a little bit of music from Joe and Woody and the boys of The Road Crew, always a good way to start a day talking about road trips. Gotta have a little bit of fun. Speaking of road trips, today we’re going to be be talking with a Scott Dahl in Springfield, Illinois. These folks back there in Springfield,
are doing everything but selling a hog on the squeal, I should say selling everything including the squeal on the hog. Hello, Mr Scott Dahl. How are you today, sir?
Scott: Good morning, Jim. Thanks for the invite.
Hey, you bet we’re doing this by phone this morning. So we’ll see how this all works out.

JIm: It was great talking with you at the Miles of Possibility Conference and I gotta tell you, you got me excited about the things you’ve been doing there and your infectious enthusiasm was evident.
Scott: Well, thanks. Appreciate it. Hey, a shameless plug. We’re hosting the MIles of Possibility Conference during the Route 66 centennial (2026). Obviously, we’re excited about that.
Jim: I look forward to that one.I really have a feeling you guys are gonna pull out all the stops.
Scott: We are. Yes. We’ve already started planning and absolutely, we will make it worthy of their 100th anniversary celebration.
Jim: I had to laugh when we were at the miles of possibility conference. You really hit the ground running, and created some waves when you started there in Springfield with your sunrise,
donut sign adventure.
Scott: Yeah. Right. So, you know, two months after being appointed Director of the Springfield Convention Bureau this sign comes up for public auction and you know we had thought it should stay in the city. We needed to jump and there were a lot of bidders. It is obviously iconic in Springfield and we jumped in, and Ace Sign Company helped us out and it did create some waves.A matter of fact,
it almost cost me my job.
Jim: Well, you know that’s what I like. You’ve got the tenacity and you stuck it out.
Scott: I think people saw what you were trying to accomplish.

Jim: well, I’m glad that you didn’t lose your job over this.

Scott: Well, they didn’t see it immediately. Let me tell you that, you know, they they certainly questioned it. They questioned how someone could be on a job for a few months and spend $20,000 on a seven year old neon sign. But, you know we wanted to talk about more than just the sign. The route 66 International Festival. You know,
our annual festival we’ve had for only a few plus years now and we,