Rabbit holes and lost highways are where much of my time is spent. The rest of it seems to be consumed by telling people where to go, visiting with friends, fixing things that are broken, and endless hours in the office chair working to tell America’s story.

Rabbit Hole

Today is an excellent example of how my days are often consumed by rabbit hole adventures. And it also provides insight as to how visits with friends are often intertwined with these odysseys’.

Bruce and Debbie, good friends and the owner of the RoadKill Cafe in Seligman, Arizona, had invited me to lunch with a side order of exploration. They had recovered an abandoned box filled with an array of items from the years bracketing Arizona statehood in 1912.

As always, the lunch (mushroom and avacado burger with coffee and sweet potato fries) at Calico’s in Kingman was superb. But it was definitely enhanced with the lively conversation, and digging into the mystery box.

Rabbit holes such as this always leads to adventures on lost highways. Much of the material was mundane minutia. There were obscure ledgers for several mining companies in Oatman, Arizona, and piles of related documents. But there were also stock certificates for companies in Oatman, and for companies with unknown locations. So, it looks like I will be making a trip to Oatman soon.

Rabbit Holes and Lost Highways

This is just one example of how rabbit holes lead to adventures on lost highways. And it also gives insight into how projects often overlap. As I am behind on creating content for the In Search of Lost Highways series on the Jim Hinckley’s America YouTube channel, the trip to Oatman is an opportunity to create the best video in the series. And if if you are curious about what camera I use to create this video series, it is the GoPro HERO11.

So, why will this be the best episode of In Search of Lost Highways? Well, first, I have lots of historic photos to weave into the video. But what will really set this apart from others is that it will be an opportunity to unleash my best storytelling skills.

This is my old stomping grounds. This where I learned to ride a bicycle and to drive a truck. And it is where I first developed a fascination for the eccentric dry roasted nuts that live in the wilds of the desert. This is an opportunity to tell the story of the old folks that became our desert dwelling neighbors because they were tired of wearing clothes.

And I can show the old homestead along Route 66. There is enough material right there for a video or two!

But First

But before I can set out on a lost highways adventure, there are a couple of things requiring my attention first. On the calendar is a visit with Dries Bessels, a dear old friend and a founding member of the Dutch Route 66 Association.

And I have a meeting about creating an historic building index. This will be an integral component in the next phase of the Kingman historic district walking tour.

There is also the scheduling of a few upcoming episodes of Coffee With JIm. The live and interactive podcast is all about telling people where to go. It is road trip inspiration. And it is an opportunity to share America’s story through lively discussions with a diverse arrray of guests.

First, we will visit with Vicki Ashcraft. Vickie is the recently elect4ed president of the Route 66 Association of New Mexico. And she is the owner of the historic Enchanted Trails Trading Post and RV Park in Albuquerque.

That will be followed a by a program with Pamela Mitchell. Pamela is with the tourismoffice in Baxter Springs, Kansas. Also on the calendar, the director of the Tucumcari film commission, and the president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.

And with that said, stay tuned.