Just ahead is another milestone. The big 70 is coming into view at the top of the hill. My 60th birthday is fading from view in the rear view mirror.

I have slowed down a bit. Road trips require a few extra stops along the way. And I still enjoy enchiladas and a cold bottle of beer, but not after 6:00.

But when it comes to sharing America’s diverse and colorful story, and inspiring road trips by telling people where to go I’m more energized than ever. Coffee With Jim, our weekly podcast, recently topped 20,000 downloads. Book number 23, Route 66: 100 Years, a Route 66 centennial anthology was published last month. And the reach and engagement for the Jim Hinckley’s America network is hovering around the 300,000 mark.

Why Turning 70 Feels Like Hitting the On-Ramp

I feel like I’m gaining speed. Perhaps that’s because I am on the down hill side of life and the slope seems to be getting steeper. Or perhaps it’s because our mission to share America’s story and inspire road trips by telling people where to go is evolving in exciting ways.

With more than five decades of travel and experience in honing my storytelling skills under my feet there is a growing sense that the fast approaching new year will be ripe with opportunities for sharing the adventures. In 2026 the world will be celebrating the Route 66 centennial AND the 250th anniversary of this amazings country’s founding. What an incredible opportunity for the sharing of America’s story and for telling people where to go!

For a storyteller like me that is passionate about road trips, these twin celebrations are akin to winning the lottery twice on the same day that I lasso a unicorn and photograph a Sasquatch. And 2026 will also be the kick off for the countdown to the Route 66 bicentennial, more opportunities for a storyteller.

Blogging for Community, History & Heritage

One of the richest parts of my work is writing for partners who share this big open-road vision. Projects such as these add to my excitement about what 2026 promises.

• Kingman Tours / Kingman Main Street: In Kingman, Arizona, I worked with Kingman Main Street and Talisman Magic Marketing to develop a self-guided “Walkabout with Jim Hinckley.” QR-code plaques placed on historic downtown buildings unlock audio narration by me. This brings local history as well as the stories of colorful characters and pioneers to life. And for the Kingman Tours website that includes a Route 66 centennial gift shop, and expansive events calendar, I write regular blog posts.
• Talisman Magic Marketing: Through Talisman Magic Marketing, I write SEO-rich feature stories as blogs for the company’s diverse array of clients. These aren’t mere promotional blurbs. They’re road trp inspiring, educational, and smile inducing essays that happen to promote a business or product.
• Two Lane America: Working with Austin Coop’s team provides me with a unique opportunity to tell people where to go and to share America’s story. First, there are the blog posts that I write. Then there are the presentations about Route 66, Kingman and western Arizona during tour lunch stops at Calico’s restaurant in Kingman, Arizona.
• RouteTrip USA: For this UK-based tour operator, I craft story-driven content that helps travelers imagine magical and memory making road trips in the U.S. and Canada. And as a consultant I tell people where to go, in a good way. Then there are the opportunities for actually meeting with clients that are exploring Route 66 and the American southwest and adding some depth to their holiday adventure.

Coffee With Jim Podcast — Your Virtual Roadside Diner

Every week, “Coffee With Jim” on Podbean becomes our little virtual roadside diner. It has been described as where friends and friends yet made meet to discuss road trips, history, community development, electric vehicles, new books, and most anything that will spark conversation.

The program is livestreamed on Podbean. It is then published on Spotify and most major podcast platforms. And soon it will be available on Dynamic Living Radio.

In 2025, some of my favorite conversations included:

• Tim Webb & Lenore Knudtson: Visionaries who restored a 1930s diner (“Scoops on 66”), a historic roadhouse (“Mudd on 66”), and are creating an innovative project called “Tin Can Alley on 66.”
• Jim Featherstone & Olivia Golaszewski: A deep dive into small business cybersecurity — even road-trip storytellers need to protect their digital assets.
• Wade Bray: The driving force behind the AAA Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa; we talked preservation, community, and keeping the Route 66 spirit alive.
• Bianca Encinias: From Albuquerque’s South Valley, she shared how local markets, public art, and community traditions keep Route 66 culture vibrant.

Best of all? Coffee With Jim is officially a Route 66 Centennial Program, a designation we wear with pride as this storied highway is about to usher in a second century as an American icon.

My New Book: Route 66: 100 Years

I’m thrilled to be promoting Route 66: 100 Years, a centennial anthology that stitches together history, memoir, community voices, and future vision. This book is more than another nostalgia driven narrative. It is America’s story told by me as well as some very good and talented friends who are quite passionate about Route 66 and the road trip.

If you have a passionate road trip enthusiast on your Chistmas shopping list may I suggest …

Between the covers of Route 66: 100 Years you’ll find:

• The origin story of the Main Street of America and the US highway system: how it began, who built it, and why it mattered.
• Stories from people who call Route 66 home in the era of renaissance — motel and diner owners, historians, preservationists, and travelers.
• Reflections on revival: how towns are restoring neon, breathing life into old motels, and restoring economic vitality through heritage and cultural tourism.
• The evolution of Route 66 from highway to icon with an international fan club.
• A forward-looking voice: centennial events, digital storytelling, and how modern travelers can be active participants, not just witnesses.

YouTube & Video — Exploring the Lost Highways

Over on the Jim Hinckley’s America YouTube channel, our video development has been a bit hit and miss. Still, we manage to guide you through ghost towns, old alignments, and forgotten byways.

We also produce shorter “shared adventure” clips — behind-the-scenes moments, walking-tour highlights, speaking-event glimpses, and personal reflections — all to bring the road-trip spirit to life in video.

Instagram Reels — Tiny Journeys, Big Heart

On Instagram (@jimhinckleysamerica), I lean on Reels to tell small but mighty stories:

• Neon-tinged motels, vintage signs, and glowing dusk skies
• Historic sites and then-vs-now comparisons
• Moments from tours, live events, and local gatherings
• Audience interactions — “Where should I go next?” or “Tell me your favorite road memory”

These visual bites inspire road trips for folks who may not be podcast listeners.

Tours, Speaking & Community Engagement

Speaking Engagements in 2025

This year, I’ve had the honor of sharing the stage and ideas at several meaningful events:

• New Mexico Governor’s Tourism & Hospitality Conference: I spoke about how heritage tourism rooted in Route 66 can help small towns preserve their identity and grow economically.
• AAA Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa: Delivered a talk aptly titled “Murder, Mayhem & the Dark Side of Route 66,” exploring the folklore, danger, and mystery that give the road its color.
• Panels and community discussions: I joined conversations on centennial planning, neon preservation, and how storytelling fuels tourism and local pride.

Looking Ahead — Vision for 2026 & Beyond

With 2026 on the horizon, here’s how I’m laying the tracks for the next chapter:

• Route 66 Centennial Celebration: I’m partnering with communities, heritage organizations, and tour companies such as Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours to build events, storytelling projects, and travel programs to honor the Mother Road’s 100-year legacy.
• Expanded Digital Storytelling: More YouTube video, more Instagram Live, more Reels, and more voices — my goal is to keep inviting people into America’s story in ways that make history feel alive, and accessible.

Why This Work Matters — Even as the Years Add Up

The Route 66 centennial year puts me within spittin’ distance of 70. But that won’t be the end of the adventure by any means. I see it as the beginning of a new chapter. The roads I’ve traveled, the stories I’ve gathered, the people that I have met and the network of partnerships I’ve built with are all part of a shared journey. My work isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about preservation, connection, and future-focused storytelling.

Through writing, podcasting, touring, speaking, and video-making, I hope to:

• Preserve our heritage in a way that energizes local communities.
• Build bridges between travelers, history-lovers, and folks passionate about building a sense of community as well as community purpose.
• Inspire journeys that are more than sightseeing. I want to inspire journeys that matter, that teach, that foster awareness of the amazing diversity that is the American story, and that celebrate the open road.

Our Sponsors — True Partners on the Shared Adventure

Here’s a warm, heartfelt thank-you to the folks who make this work possible. These aren’t just sponsors — they’re part of the story.

• Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba, MO): A true classic that’s been welcoming road-trippers for nine decades.
• Cactus Inn Motel: Vintage 1950s roadside hospitality that brings back that golden era of travel.
• Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park (Albuquerque, NM): Owned by Vickie Ashcraft, president of the Route 66 Association of New Mexico, this gem blends a roadside trading-post and modern full service RV park.
• Roadrunner Lodge Motel (Tucumcari, NM): A 1960s time capsule perfect for photographers, road-weary travelers, and folks want to experience the Route 66 magic.
• Two Lane America: Our partner for deeply authentic, small-group story-rich road trips.
• RouteTrip USA: Our partner that shares our passion for bespoke U.S. and Canada road trips with heart and heritage.
• Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours: They run both self-drive and guided caravans, always with history, authenticity, and connection at the center. Even better, Sam is as passionate as we are about the American story and road trips.
• Deana Nelson, State Farm (Kingman, AZ): Our hometown insurance champion — helping us keep the wheels turning.
• You, my Patreon Supporters: Your commitment powers the podcast, the writing, the videos — and the shared vision.

Join the Ride — How You Can Be Part of This Adventure

If your heart is stirring at the thought of open roads, timeless stories, and community — here’s how you can plug in:

1. Subscribe to Coffee With Jim on Podbean, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Apple Podcasts.
2. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
3. Order my latest book Route 66: 100 Years to be part of the centennial celebration.
4. Book a tour or walkabout through Two Lane America, Gilligan’s, or Kingman Tours — come experience the stories in person.
5. Support on Patreon: Your pledge keeps our storytelling engine running.
6. Invite me to speak or consult: I’d be honored to join your community event, tourism conference, local heritage project or add some zest to a convention.

Final Thoughts

Our journey with Jim Hinckley’s America has always been about more than travel. It’s about legacy, connection, and the untold stories that make America more than a place — it’s an experience. Chalking up another year or two won’t change that.

If you’ve ever felt the pull of a two-lane highway, been drawn to a neon lit motel, or a dusty ghost town, I hope you’ll ride along with us. Let’s keep preserving, discovering, and celebrating — together.

See you on the road,
Jim Hinckley