Coffee With Jim

If you are a fan of adventures on dusty backroads, the roads less traveled, ghost towns, and desert discoveries this program is for you! Our guest on this episode of Coffee With Jim is Steve of the amazing Sidetrack Adventures YouTube channel. 

Steve has taken his audience on rides along the only road that provides access to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, along Route 66 to Budville with its dark history, and to ghost towns long buried under the waters of Lake Mead. To date Steve has shared more than 315 adventures, the colorful stories of pioneering characters, and tales of trails in the Mojave Desert. 

Next week on Coffee With Jim, we will be visiting with journalist and adventurer Roger Naylor. Roger has a new book, Arizona Route 66 Road Trip, and that alone should make for an interesting and road trip inspiring conversation. 

Today's program is made possible through support of Jim Hinckley's America with Patreon. It is also sponsored by our advertising partners - Roadrunner Lodge Motel, RouteTrip USA, Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Deana Nelson State Farm Insurance, Two Lane America, Wagon Wheel Motel & Connie's Shop, and Gilligan's Route 66 Tours.  

The new season of Coffee With Jim kicked off with a healthy dose of inspiration and conversation about the wonders of Kingman and western, Arizona, the life of an artist, public art, and building a sense of community. Our first guest for the 2026 season was J.C. Amberlyn, an artist, journalist, author, photographer, and animator that is passionate about art, animals, and adventure in the Arizona outback. She was honored by the Arizona Game and Fish Department for her work on wildlife in 2008 with the Outdoor Writer of the Year award. In Kingman, Arizona for her contributions to the arts in her community she was recognized with a Women Making History award.

Next week on Coffee With Jim, our guest will be Steve of the popular Sidetrack Adventures YouTube channel. You can bet that this will be a lively discussion as Steve has spent years seeking out the road less traveled, the stories behind them, and the forgotten towns that were the reason for these backroads. 

You asked and we listened! The official Coffee With Jim mug is now available on the Kingman Main Street Kingman Tours website gift shop. International shipping is available. 

Coffee With Jim is made possible with your support through Patreon. It is also sponsored by Deanna Nelson State Farm Insurance, Gilligan's Route 66 Tours, RouteTrip USA, the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri, Two Lane America, Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Roadrunner Lodge Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

It's an organized hoarders dream shared with the world. And it is a collection of time capsules without equal along US 6, forgotten cousin of Route 66. The amazing Harold Warp's Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska was the focus of today's conversation with Dustin Southworth.

Where else will you find a 1930s Crosley refrigerator with radio built into the door, the world's oldest Buick, an operational mid 19th century carousel, a tea set gifted to Abraham Lincoln, and art work by Charles Russell? This incredible museum complex of 28 buildings on 20 acres is home to more than 50,000 irreplaceable items arranged in groups and in the chronological order of their development including more than a dozen vintage aircraft, antique tractors, 350 antique cars, a real Pony Express station, original Curier & Ives prints, locomotives, toys, cameras, and much, much more! 

Sharing America's story and inspiring road trips. It's what we do at Jim Hinckley's America. Preserving America's story is what they do at Harold Warp's Pioneer Village. Learn more about this amazing museum complex in our recent blog post. 

Today's program is sponsored in part through Patreon. It is also made possible with the support of RouteTrip USA - Deana Nelson State Farm Insurance - Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba, Missouri - Two Lane America - Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gilligan's Route 66 Tours - Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico 

Big things will be happening along Route 66 in the Texas Panhandle next year! Gary Daggett, President, and Brady Wilson of the Old Route 66 Association of Texas joined us on today's program and provided a Texas sized helping of road trip inspiration. In between our conversation about steakhouses, Brenda at the Midpoint Cafe, and Brady's recent trip to South Africa as an ag student, we discussed the Texas Old Route 66 Association Motor Tour scheduled for October 1–3, 2026 that includes a pre-party in Shamrock on Oct 1 with live music from The Road Crew, followed by the tour itself. The Road Crew is the creator of the Jim Hinckley's America theme song.

The Texas Route 66 Festival, June 4–13, 2026, a 10-day celebration in the Texas Panhandle featuring cattle drives, parades, car shows, art walks, and live music, with a finale in Amarillo was also a topic of dicsussion. Enhancing this event will be the Tin Can Can Tourist Route 66 centennial caravan. On the November 16 episode of Coffee With Jim we talked with Dal Smilie, Tin Can Tourists ambassador at large and co host of the Tin Can Tourist Route 66 Centennial Caravan.

You can find more information about these and other Route 66 centennial events in Texas at - Old Route 66 Association of Texas - https://www.rt66oftexas.com/

Today's program is made possible through your support on Patreon. It is also sponsored by RouteTrip USA, Two Lane America, Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Gilligan's Route 66 Tours, Wagon Wheel Motel, and Deana Nelson State Farm Insurance. 

Our guest this morning is Steve Purdy, a master juggler that often has projects in print, broadcasting, photography, public relations and consulting all going at the same time! His new book, Mascots in Motion, is described as ”An art book celebrating 40 years of photographing the details of special cars and of telling their stories.” But it is much more than that as Purdy masterfully captures the details that once transformed mere automobiles into rolling fine art scultpure. Signed copies of Mascots in Motion - https://shunpikerproductions.com

About Shunpiker Productions Shunpiker Productions, LLC is the business entity encompassing the projects of Steve Purdy, mid-Michigan based writer, photographer and producer. Most projects revolve around automobiles including product reviews, travel stories, automobile fine art, interviews, motorist issues and enthusiasm for automobiles old and new.

Next week on Coffee With Jim our guest is Brady Wilson of the Old Route 66 Association of Texas. Archived copies of Coffee With Jim - https://jimhinckley.podbean.com/

Coffee is Jim is made possible thorough listeners support on Patreon. It is also sponsored by Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico, RouteTrip USA, Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba, Missouri, Deana Nelson State Farm Insurance, Gilligan's Route 66 Tours, Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Two Lane America.

The past, present, and the future of Route 66 in Tulsa is our focus on this episode when we are joined by Steve Clem, author of Route 66 in Tulsa from Arcadia Publishing. Clem, a passionate Route 66 enthusiast and a trustee at Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum, co wrote this book with Becky Hatchett is president of the Southwest Tulsa Historical Society and volunteers at the Route 66 Historical Village. To order signed copies of Route 66 in Tulsa ($25.00 plus $5 for shipping) - [email protected]

It's another smile inducing and road trip inspiring shared adventure with author, humorist, and author Jim Hinckley! In today's conversation with Steve Clem we talked about the Route 66 centennial, one of a kind restaurants along Route 66 in Tulsa, upcoming events, historic theaters, neon signs, historic preservation, the amazing Cyrus Avery, and much, much more. Come along for the ride. 

Thanksgiving. A time for reflection. Today's program is a bit different. It's a one sided conversation about holidays, holiday history, holiday traditions, gratitude, and family and friends (like Dries Bessels that I forgot to credit when talking about the latest book). So, what are you grateful for this holiday season? 

Mid century style, retro road trips, and the importance of websites in historic preservation and small business marketing were just a few of the subjects discussed in today's  wide ranging, occasionally smile inducing conversation with Mary-Frances O’Dea. Lustron homes (quirky prefabricated post WWII houses made of steel with porcelain enameled finish), time capsule motels, road trips, neon signs, muffler men, Schitt’s Creek, and the multi-colored kitchens of the 1950s were also woven into the lively and fast paced conversation.

Mary-Frances O’Dea is a Mid-Century enthusiast and accomplished web developer. Her work has been featured in national publications and in more than two decades of blogging. She is well known for bringing a unique blend of creativity and technical expertise to every project. As the founder of the successful website development business Apricity Marketing (www.apricitymarketing.com), she specializes in creating innovative and effective digital solutions that help businesses thrive.

Next week on Coffee With Jim, we delve into the fascinating and complicated stoy of American holiday's from Thanksgiving and Christmas to Labor Day and the family vacation. 

Jim Hinckley's America is sponsored by Two Lane America - Roadrunner Lodge Motel - Gilligan's Route 66 Tours - Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park - Wagon Wheel Motel - RouteTrip USA - Deanna Nelson State Farm Insurance - Cactus Inn Motel. Coffee With Jim is also made possible through support on Patreon.

Our guest on today's episode is Dal Smilie, Tin Can Tourists ambassador at large and co host of Tin Can Tourist Route 66 Centennial Caravan. We talked about the history of Tin Can Tourists, Curtis Wright and Airstream trailers, the Route 66 centennial, Studebaker trucks and the history of Studebaker in this wide ranging, road trip inspiring, smile inducing conversation.

Tin Can Tourists The Original Vintage Trailer and Camper Club - www.tincantourists.com

Tin Can Tourist Route 66 Centennial Caravan June 7, 2026 – June 14, 2026, two caravans that both end up in Texas. This is an official Route 66 Centennial event recognized by the Route 66 Centennial Planning Commission. https://route66centennial.org

Next week on Coffee With Jim, the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley's America, we will be talking about quirky lodging, the planning of retro road trips, mid century style from architecture to neon signs, preservation and historic landscaping when we visit with Mary-Frances O’Dea of Retro Roadtrip. 

Today's program is supported by listeners through Patreon. It is also sponsored by Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, Two Lane America, Cactus Inn Motel (McLean, Texas), Roadrunner Lodge Motel (Tucumcari, New Mexico), Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba, Missouri), Gilligan's Route 66 Tours, RouteTrip USA, and Deana Nelson State Farm Insurance in Kingman, Arizona. 

Needles, California Mayor Janet Jernigan joined us this morning to discuss community revitalization, the Route 66 centennial, cultural and heritage tourism, and the importance of building cooperative partnerships. We also discussed the upcoming Route 66 Info Fair scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026. 

With presentations, authors, a car show, live music, El Garces tours and other programs, this event is an excellent opportunity to discover Needles, and to celebrate the Route 66 centennial as well as the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Route 66 Info Fair is also a tremendous promotional opportunity for Route 66 business owners, and for Route 66 communities. Brochures, visitors guides, and other promotional materials can be sent to: JANET JERNIGAN, 920 W BROADWAY, NEEDLES CA 92363

The materials will be provided at the Route 66 Info Fair. I will be on hand to assist with Route 66 travel planning, and use these visitor guides and brochures. 

Coffee With Jim, and the Jim Hinckley's America, is sponsored by these promotional partners: