Road trips, urban exploration and good pie. Fascinating people and smile inducing stories. Route 66 adventures and good books. This is Coffee With Jim, our weekly podcast on the YouTube channel, Podbean, Spotify and other platforms.

Coffee With Jim is about adventures past and present. We have shared the story of Effie Hotchkiss that crossed the country on a motorcycle in 1915. Then we introduced listeners to the gem that is Harold Warp’s Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska. And we joined author Will Grant on the Last Ride of The Pony Express.

It is also inspiration for transforming a community. We shared a conversation with the director of Kingman Main Street and Patrick Tuttle, CVB Director in Joplin, Missouri. And we talked with Rhys Martin, President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.

A review described the program as a virtual diner where folks gather to talk road trips and community development. It is also the portal to the world of shared adventures that is the Jim Hinckley’s America network.

Road trips, urban exploration and good pie

We recently rebuilt our YouTube channel to make it easier for listeners to navigate the vast archives of past programs. It is also now easier for people to join the conversation during our weekly livestream program.

Creating the playlist categories was like a trip down Memory Lane. Over the years so many fascinating guests have joined us for fascinating conversations!

In September, Kiki Fox, a freelance travel writer and Route 66 enthusiast who serves as a volunteer for the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership was our guest. She joined us to talk about her recent Route 66 adventures that included participation in the Great American Road Rally Celebrity Edition cross-country caravan from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.

Vickie Ashcraft, a founding member of the New Mexico Route 66 Alliance and owner of the Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, joined us for a program in October. Vickie’s infectious enthusiasm for road trips in the Land of Enchantment and dedication to the Route 66 community inspired a flurry of requests for information about Route 66 in New Mexico.

Communities Transformed

On September 14, 2025 accalaimed documentary film producer John Paget was our guest. We discussed his amazing and diverse career. And we talked about his new full length Route 66 documentary centennial film, Route 66 The Main Street of America.

We kicked off the year with a conversation about the Route 66 centennial as a catalyst for historic preservation and community development. Our discussion with Mary-Frances O’Dea, a writer, editor, historic preservation consultant, and the founder of Mid-Century Style magazine, was wide ranging and thought provoking.

Acclaimed Missouri based mural artist Ray Harvey of Ray Harvey Art joined us to talk about the power of public art and how murals can transform a community into a destination. We had a fascinating conversation about automotive museums, Route 66 and the allure of the great American road trip with Austin Coop of Two Lane America.

Gastronomical Adventures

The search for a great slice of pie, chile relleno, or a biscuit and gravy breakfast has provided incentive for many of our road trips. Judging by questions received from followers of Coffee With Jim, we are not the only ones to build our road trips around good food.

One of our most popular programs was a conversation with Gary Sosniecki of the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society in Lebanon, Missouri. We discussed great pie, catfish, and barbecue. And wegained insight into how a community can be transformed with leadership, and a network of cooperative partnerships.

And we had a gastronomical adventure with Linda Ly, author of The Route 66 Cookbook, as our guide. She talked about the special recipes that have transformed some Route 66 gems into must stop destinations.

Grand Adventures

Sharing America’s story. Telling people where to go. Encouraging people to discover America with road trips. This is Jim Hinckley’s America.

We are not just another travel channel. Our network is a shared adventure. Join us. Invite your friends.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel and our Substack platform. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Bookmark our website. Listen to inspiring chapters in the American story on Podbean or Spotify.

Let the adventures begin!