Jim Hinckley’s Blog
The Life of A Travel Writer
Anton L. Westgard was in every sense of the word a pioneer. On more than one occasion his was the very first automobile to drive into remote mining or logging towns in the west and southwest. And it could be said that he also helped lay the foundation for Route 66. Trail to Sunset, a road mapped by Westgard to connect Chicago with the wonders of the southwest. That road shared a western terminus with the future Route 66. And sections of his Trail to Sunset were incorporated into the National Old Trails Road, predecessor to Route 66 in New Mexico.
A Shocking Story
That is how episode three of the new Jim Hinckley’s America audio podcast Car Talk From The Main Street of America, scheduled for publication on August 9th begins. It seemed a fitting opening to kick off a program about the long history of electric vehicles, and the equally long history of controversy. And, of course, as with everything that we do at Jim Hinckley’s America, the new program also has a road trip component as I will also be talking about the world’s only EV museum that happens to be located along Route 66.
Telling People Where To Go
Florence Lawrence was a passionate automobilist as well as a very accomplished mechanic. And she was one of the first superstars of the silver screen. Of course, all of this made her a media sensation, especially since she lived in an era when women were not allowed...
A Front Row Seat
For the past few days I have had the distinct pleasure of enjoying a visit with old friends, and an adventure or two reminiscent of the pre apocalypse era. For a brief moment in time I was able to forget monkey pox, COVID related issues, murder hornets, meth gators,...
At The Intersection of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
It is a landmark for Route 66 enthusiasts. It has appeared in advertisement for German based Condor Airlines and on primetime television programs. It is a tangible link to more than seventy years of Route 66 history, and to how immigrants have shaped America. And...
A Pet Peeve, Easy Mark & Grifters
I have been wandering this old world for more than sixty years and can't count the number of times I have heard about a pet peeve. Now, pet dogs and cats have been a part of my life since childhood. We have some friends that had parrots as pets. And I know some folks...
The Life and Times
I spent a lot of the holiday weekend deep in thought. This particular bout of reflection on changing times was inspired by a request from a friend in the publishing industry. After seeing an article about a statue of me being unveiled at Depot Plaza in Kingman,...
Confused, Confusing & Baffling
At any age dealing with a world that has changed dramtically since last Thursday can be confusing as well as a source of anxiety. Still, for us folk that are old enough to remember battles with a sister or two in a station wagon without air conditioning during a...
Blame It On COVID
If it had happened before the before the apocalypse of 2020 there is a very good chance that I could have blamed the decision on temporary insanity or being kicked in the head by a mule or a little to much imbibing with friends. But instead I will lay the blame on my...
Lessons Learned
A three or four day project is now in month six and I am about three or four days away from completion. The latest set back is the ignition switch. It is brand new. I purchased it on Friday. Yesterday morning I installed it. It worked - twice. And now I can't turn off...
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish