Route 66 is the American story made manifest. It is our past, our present, and our future. That was the essence of my answer to questions posed by Chelsea Torres of Fox News. Torres is currently documenting the Route 66 sotry in the highways centennial year as she drives east.

That interview and discussion over fresh carrot cake and coffee at Calico’s restaurant in Kingman wrapped up an interesting day. But, to be honest, when I have an opportunity to share America’s story, tell people where to go, and listen to stories told by a fellow adventurer, its always an interesting day.

That is the essence of Jim Hinckley’s America. So, are weeks that are, to borrow a line from classic literature, the best of times and the worst of times.

Route 66: The American Story Made Manifest

We are not myopic. It is a passion for road trips in general, and for the amazing America story, that, pardon the pun, is the fuel in our tank. But as Route 66 has figured prominently in my life since 1959, it is a center piece for our work.

So, in any given week you can bet the bottom dollar that something I do is Route 66 related. That is beside the fact that I drive on that highway most every day. Hence the interview and discussion with Chelsea Torres.

Our weeks are also often a battle with tech and the linked never ending learning curve. Last week that was made manifest in the loss of internet service for several days. And it was also evident in the inaugural episode of the weekly Coffee With Jim podcast on our YouTube channel. It wasn’t as darkly comedic as I had anticipated. But it lacked the professionalism I prefer.

Coffee With JIm

It often feels as though when I learn the answers, the questions change. It took a bit of time but in early 2025, it looked like I had figured out live stream podcasting on Podbean.

Reach and engagement was growing. Coffee With Jim was designated an official Route 66 centennial program. Best of all, we were booking some great guests that inspired road trips, shared America’s story, and had incredible stories to share.

Coffee With Jim Guests

Notable Past Guests:

• Rhys Martin: Author, photographer, and president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.
• David Schwartz: Photographer for Route magazine and founder of Pics on 66.
• Vickie Ashcraft: Owner of Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park and president of the New Mexico Route 66 Alliance.
• John Paget: Documentary film producer.
• Jonathan Bullington: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
• Austin Coop: Owner of Two Lane America.
• Richard Lentinello: Crankshaft Magazine.
• Wayne Pickerill: Pinke Elephant Antique Mall.
• Wade Bray: LiveIt Experiences / Route 66 Road Fest.
• Peter Dedek: Professor of public history at Texas State University and author.
• Jeffrey Schmidt: Author of Here Today: Oklahoma’s Ghost Towns.
• Anne M. Slanina: Author of the Annie Mouse series.
• Matt & Shawndy Young: Hive Five Meadery / Laughlin Tours.
• Steve: Sidetrack Adventures YouTube channel.
• Scott Dahl: Springfield (Illinois) Convention & Visitors Bureau.
• Gary Daggett & Brady Wilson: Old Route 66 Association of Texas.

Times Change

When Podbean announced it was discontinuing the live stream option in mid May, I began the search for a suitable home for the podcast. Until last week I was dealing with two issues. One was stubborn insistence that the program be live stream. The second was my limited tech skills and an awareness that many of my guests had an even harder time with tech.

As the deadline drew ever closer, the pressure mounted. And small problems became huge issues when the area was subjected to a days long internet outage. That combined with a nasty cold or case or intense allergies finished off any hopes that I had of keeping to a schedule.

I had experimented with various platforms, and set up a Substack account thinking that it might suffice. By Saturday afternoon, time for experimentation was over. So, the somewhat rough episode of Coffee With Jim on our YouTube channel was the result. I am indebted to Anne Slanina for her patience.

What’s next?

Well, we will develop the Substack page as a central hub. We will be updating the Jim Hinckley’s America website, and setting a schedule to ensure regular postings on various platforms. This includes Substack, Instagram the Facebook page, and LinkedIn. And we really need to ensure there are some regular glimpses behind the scenes shared through our Patreon account.

I also need to figure out how to load the audio from Coffee With Jim on YouTube on Podbean. That will keep our landing page active, and streamline ensuring that the program remains available on Apple, IHeart Radio and other platforms as well as through embedded players on select websites such as Mid Century Style Magazine.

I enjoyed last week, and I hated last week. Such is life.

This week is promising to be just as interesting. I have a doctor’s appointment and a scheduled appointment with a new internet provider. I have been able to survive the random outage of an hour or two, but several days is not acceptable.

Hopefully I shake this bug soon as it sucking the energy out of me. I have a full week of interviews, tour group programs, project development meetings, and more opportunities for telling people where to go.

.