Coffee With Jim

What is the connection between Route 66 and mead, an ancient drink of the Vikings that filled poets and scholars with inspiration and was the drink of the gods? On this episode of Coffee With Jim, the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley's America, we talk with Matt Young who has found a unique use for a 1940s service station and garage - a meadery!

Matt Young and his wife Shawndy of Hive Five Meadery, also owners of Laughlin Tours, represent a new generation of ambitious young entrepreneurs with vision that are transforming Route 66. They are also writing a new chapter in the history of Kingman, Arizona, and fueling the historic district renaissance.

If you need a bit of inspiration for a road trip, for pursuing a dream, or be part of an historic district renaissance this program is for you!

Coffee With Jim is supported by listeners through Patreon. It is also sponsored by Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Wagon Wheel Motel, RouteTrip USA, Two Lane America, Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Cactus Inn Motel, and Gilligans's Route 66 Tours. 

On today's program it's a wide ranging conversation with Austin Coop of Two Lane America about Fred Harvey, automotive museums and unique museums, Route 66 and the Route 66 centennial, the stories of fascinating people, and the allure of the great American road trip. It's another shared adventure from Jim Hinckley's America and a road trip inspiring episode of Coffee With Jim.

The only thing better than setting out on a great American road trip is taking to the road with a knowledgeable and passionate guide. Whether you want to cruise Route 66 or the shade dappled roads of the deep south, discover the wonders of the southwest, explore New England, or visit some of the best car museums in the midwest, Austin Coop of Two Lane America is that guide. 

What do the London Bridge, Route 66 (the highway and the classic television program), casinos, an historic Harvey House and railroad depot, lively Mojave Desert ghost towns, kayaking the Topock Gorge on the Colorado River, and a town where the mayor is a burro have in common? They are all the focus of the exciting new Tri State Podcast and today's conversation with podcaster Chris Tuttle. 

It's another smile inducing, road trip inspiring shared adventure from Jim Hinckley's America. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and let Jim Hinckley, and today's guest Chris Tuttle, tell you where to go. 

On the next episode of Coffee With Jim - March 30, 2025 - it's another road trip inspiring adventure as we visit with  Austin Coop of Two Lane America. "There's nothing better than hitting the road, and we make it stress-free with our multiple guided tour options."

At Jim Hinckley's America we tell you where to go. Austin Coop shows you where to go. Invite your friends an join the conversation! 

A Texas Panhandle ghost town with a Route 66 connection. A murder mystery. Passionate people with an eye on building a sense of community. Writing a new chapter in Route 66 history. That is just a hint of what to expect from today's inspirational and fascinating conversation with Blair and Blanca Schaffer on Coffee With Jim, the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley's America.

Jericho is more than just an old ghost town. It is a tangible link to Texas and Route 66 history. It is a high plains time capsule with a storied history that is being uncovered, and shared, one layer at a time by Blair and Blanca Schaffer. Together this dynamic husband-and-wife duo are blending entrepreneurship and leadership that builds a network of cooperative partnerships with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that is Schaffer Farms.

Today's program is sponsored in part by Two Lane America. "We make it stress-free with our multiple guided tour options. Whether you want to hit the road in your own car as part of our car caravans or sit back and let us do the driving on one of our motorcoach tours, we have you covered." 

It is also sponsored by Gilligan's Route 66 Tours. "Outstanding 18-day tour from Minneapolis to New Orleans via some ‘roads less travelled’ Like our Route 66 tour, our tour down the Mississippi is a driving tour for the adventuresome, but unlike Route 66 – this tour has more than one common theme."

I have looked forward to this conversation with Ryan Thibeault, the owner of Tebo Barn LLC in Milton, New Hampshire, for a long time and wasn't disappointed. Inspiration to live the dream, inspiration to embrace the adventure that is the great American road trip and inspiration to life life to the fullest. 

Ryan took his driving test in his grandfather’s 1929 Ford Model A Phaeton. In high school and college he repaired and restored antique cars, and his daily driver was often a 1930 Ford Model A Town Sedan. In 2022 Ryan, decided to chase the dream, walked away from the day job, and began transforming his hobby and passion into a business. Then, to inspire a new generation of vintage car owners he began sharing epic adventures such as driving a 1929 Ford across America, covering 8,011 miles in 4 weeks! And to this he is now adding adventures in a Stanley steamer. 

On today's program Ryan and author Jim Hinckley talk about road trips, barn finds, Route 66 adventures, the Route 66 centennial, chasing the dream, and the timeless allure of the Model A and Model T Ford. It's another shared adventure from Jim Hinckley's America. 

Today's program kicks off with tales of Buster Keaton, Charles Lindbergh, Will Rogers, Clark Gable, Edsel Ford and their surprising connection to landmarks in Kingman, Arizona. And in the second half of the program we visit with Sarah Elizabeth of Kingman Main Street to discuss the exciting Hotel Beale facade renovation project, the city's historic district renaissance, and community building initiatives such as Kingman Tours. 

Join us for a thought provoking, inspirational, road trip enticing conversation. And next week, March 9, it's a bit of time travel. 

Our guest will be Ryan Thibeault, the owner of Tebo Barn LLC in Milton, New Hampshire. He took his driving test in his grandfather’s 1929 Ford Model A Phaeton. In high school and college he drove a 1930 Ford Model Town Sedan, and repaired and restored antique cars. And to inspire a new generation of vintage car owners he set out on epic adventures such as driving a 1929 Ford across America, covering 8,011 miles in 4 weeks!

Sharing America's story. Inspiring road trips. It's what we do at Jim Hinckley's America. 

It's a smile inducing episode of epic proportions! What happens when you get two natural born storytellers with an off center sense of humor and an insatiable curiosity about everything on one program?

Today’s guest on Coffee With Jim is Marlo Anderson, a futurist and serial entrepreneur that is dedicated to turning bright ideas into transformative ventures and to bringing people together with banana bread, margaritas and road trips. Anderson is co-host of The Absurdists podcast, produces a daily one-minute tech-and-lifestyle segment for national morning shows and with the official National Day Calendar encourages people to “Celebrate Every Day.” 

On this episode of Coffee With Jim, the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley's America, host and author Jim Hinckley talks with Marlo Anderson about quirky restaurants, National Road Trip Day, the Route 66 centennial, the importance of finding commonalities, fun events and festivals, and discovering humor in the absurdities of life. 

On today’s program we visit the land of the giants. Our special guest is Joel Baker of the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois. He is also the host of the fascinating American Giants YouTube channel where he documents fascinating giant stories, his search for giants, and their resotration.

These larger than life spacemen, cowboys, lumberjacks, and gas station attendants were once found all along the American roadside. They cast long shadows at gas stations, restaurants, tire stores and trading posts. Generically known as Muffler Men they are icons with a fascinating story. And now they are being given a new lease on life all along Route 66.

Join author and host Jim Hinckley of Jim Hinckley's America for another smile inducing, road trip inspiring shared adventure. 

We have something very special (and inspiring) for you with this program. Our special guest is Liz Vincent, Director of Community Enrichment, City of Pontiac in Illinois. Often referred to as the quintessential Route 66 community Pontiac is a vibrant destination for visitors, the land of opportunity for entrepreneurs, and a well spring of inspiration for community organizers.

This is more than another smile inducing, road trip inspiring shared adventure from Jim Hinckley’s America! This is opportunity knocking, and a community changing conversation.

On this thought provoking and road trip inspiring episode, with Gary Sosniecki of the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society as our guide, we journey to Lebanon, Missouri and discover where to find great pie, catfish, and barbecue. And we learn a bit about how a community can be transformed with vision, passionate people, and leadership that can inspire a community, build a network of cooperative partnerships, and embrace new ideas. 

As a bonus Gary shared some fascinating Route 66 history, provided an update about the future of a Route 66 icon, and invited the world to a delightful Route 66 festival. We even squeezed in some talk about the Route 66 centennial, and a book about a murder that hit close to home written by Gary. 

As our theme song by The Road Crew says, come along for the ride!