Same campfire. New Microphone. Coffee With Jim is at a crossroads, and we are working on figuring out which is the right road. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee, and let’s talk.

If you’ve been riding along with us for any length of time, you know that Coffee With Jim isn’t just a podcast. It’s a weekly gathering of storytellers, dreamers, historians, and road trip enthusiasts who believe America’s story is best told one mile, one memory, and one conversation at a time.

For years, our livestream on Podbean has been the digital equivalent of a front porch visit complete with lively discussion, fascinating guests, and the occasional detour into the unexpected. And after each broadcast, those conversations find a permanent home as podcast episodes for folks traveling the backroads, looking for historic preservation inspiration, or planning their next great adventure.

That part of the journey isn’t changing. Coffee With Jim will remain the cornerstone for the Jim Hinckley’s America network.

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A Little Bump in the Road (and a New Opportunity)

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Podbean has announced that in mid May it will be discontinuing its livestream feature. And that means we have encountered a detour.

So, Coffee With Jim will be the same campfire but a different microphone. Our sponsors are making the transition with us. If that sounds a bit confusing… well, that’s because it is!

But as any seasoned traveler knows, a detour doesn’t mean the trip is over. It just means that you might discover something even better along the way. A detour can add zest to a road trip, if you have a spirit of adventure.

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The Heart of Coffee With Jim

Let’s be clear about one thing:

The platform may be changing.

The format is not.
The focus is not.
And the passion sure isn’t.

Coffee With Jim remains a cornerstone of the Jim Hinckley’s America network that is built on a passion for sharing America’s rich, colorful, inspirational (and occasionally controversial) story, and inspiring road trips by telling people where to go.

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of sitting down with an extraordinary lineup of guests:

• Route 66 advocates and preservationists such as Rhys Martin, President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, and acclaimed documentary film producer John Paget.
• Tourism leaders and community builders such as Scott Dahl, CVB Director in Springfield, Illinois
• Entrepreneurs breathing new life into historic towns such as David Brenner of the Roadrunner Lodge Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico
• Storytellers such as Will Grant, author of The Last Ride of The Pony Express: My 2,000 Mile Horseback Journey Into The Old West remind us why the journey matters as much as the destination

From conversations about cybersecurity for small businesses to deep dives into Route 66’s centennial and grassroots tourism development, every episode is crafted to inform, inspire, and occasionally make you chuckle as you enjoy that Sunday morning coffee cup.

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Where We’re Headed: Lights, Camera… Road Trip!

Now here’s where things get downright exciting.

We’re leaning toward bringing the livestream experience to our YouTube channel. That would allow us to add a visual dimension with a peek inside the studio and maybe even the occasional behind-the-scenes moment.

Why? With a kick to the backside Podbean is providing the incentive to take Coffee With Jim to the next level.

But video podcasts have become a major force, with platforms like YouTube driving massive growth and audience engagement. As we have an established YouTube channel (did you know that?) this seems like a logical option for keeping the podcast moving forward.

This means that:

• You can watch the conversation unfold
• Still engage with the show in real time
• And still enjoy the audio version later on Podbean, Spotify or other platforms

Yes, the plan is to continue publishing audio episodes on Podbean, keeping that familiar embedded player alive and well on partner websites like Mid Century Modern Magazine, Kingman Tours, and The Bee.

And of course, we’ll continue distributing episodes to platforms like Spotify, because a good road trip deserves a good soundtrack.

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Same Spirit, Expanded Horizons

In many ways, this isn’t a disruption. It’s an expansion.

We are thinking of it like choosing between having a road trip breakfast at Denny’s or at Shelly’s in Cuba, Missouri. A breakfast at Denny’s can be hearty and maybe even healthy. But a breakfast at Shelly’s starts a day of road trip adventure with infectiouos enthusiasm. But both offer great coffee.

We’re on another learning curve, no doubt about it. But then again, every worthwhile journey includes a few wrong turns and a detour or two that make the story worth telling at the end of the day.

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Join the Conversation

Here’s where you come in.

If you’ve enjoyed Coffee With Jim, now is the perfect time to:

• Subscribe on Podbean
• Follow the Jim Hinckley’s America YouTube channel
• Connect with us on social media
• Share episodes with fellow road trip dreamers

And if you’ve got ideas, suggestions, or a better way to wire this whole contraption together—we’re all ears.

Because this isn’t just a podcast. It’s a community.

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One More Thing…

For now, in April, you can still join us for the livestream on Podbean. So don’t be late. The coffee’s hot, the stories are waiting, and the road ahead is calling.

And if all this sounds just a little bit complicated… Well, friend—that just means we’re doing something worth figuring out.

See you down the road.