Passport Podcast

San Francisco native SK Morton talks about his Lousy Walking Tour and provides a fun perspective on discovering the city on foot.

Have you ever done a walking tour?

Well, San Francisco is one of the most walkable cities in the world and with its rich history, colorful neighborhoods, and quirky cast of characters there's no better way to experience it than with a local who will keep you entertained and informed every step of the way.

Discover the hidden nuggets of walking tour gold with local San Franciscan & walking tour guide extraordinaire - SK Morton, who tells us all about his hometown and provides fun insights you won't find anywhere else.

Learn more and book your tour at SKMorton.com

The Route 66 road trip continues with a stopover in Winslow, Arizona where I visit the roadside attraction inspired by the Eagles tune Take it Easy.

It's funny how one little line in a song can lead people to the tiny northern Arizona town. But it's that whimsical charm and the curiosity of the attraction that causes people to pull over and take a look around.

I first traveled through Winslow on another road trip more than two decades ago, but back then the town had not yet figured out how many people were making a pilgrimage down old Route 66 to stand on one of their downtown corners. It was during a time long before the inventions of smartphones and selfies, so perhaps nobody took notice.

While wondering about the downtown looking for someone to interview, I spotted an honest and friendly shop clerk, and I beelined into her souvenir shop. Sabrina was kind enough to share her experience of growing up in the town, leaving for several years and returning to the quietude of small town living. But she soon discovered that the world was passing by her front door every day.

Travelers from all corners of the world take the journey along the Mother Road and a lot of them happily stop off in Winslow to stretch their legs and snap a photo with a statue in a downtown park created for such occasions.

Listen and enjoy this fun interview to get Sabrina's firsthand account of what it's like to run the Arizona 66 Trading Co. or better known as the Take it Easy gift shop located just across from one of the world's most infamous corners.

Thanks for listening and be sure to enjoy the ride.

In Episode 13, we proceed along Route 66 from Oklahoma to New Mexico where I meet up with two wonderful friends, Deb Haaland and Juan Sanchez.

Listen as Deb and Juan share their heritage and culture along with fascinating historical facts about their beloved Land of Enchantment.

Deb is a member of the Laguna Pueblo with ancestors going back thousands of years. Juan's family first came to New Mexico on a Land Grant from the King of Spain in the early 1700's.

It's a fascinating exploration of rich family histories makes for an unforgettable podcast episode. Deb & Juan provide a passionate look at New Mexico's history and culture interwoven with their impressive personal narratives.

Our conversation spans the spectrum to cover everything from Native American and Spanish relations to current immigration policies along the state's southern border. We cover topics ranging from New Mexico's cuisine and specialty foods to the remnants of Route 66 remaining along Albuquerque's Central Avenue.

A week ago I was passing by the Caffe Triest in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood when I ran into my friend Franny Renoir. You may recall Fanny's insightful interview from Episode 6: The Road to Enlightenment.

Fanny coaxed me to sit with her for a few minutes in the sun and then proceeded to turn my camera and began peppering me with questions about the Passport Podcast as well as m views on life in San Francisco.

Believe it or not, I'm usually more accustomed to asking the questions versus answering them. But in that moment, I chose to let my guard down a little to be fair to Fanny, my other interview guests, the podcast audience and even myself. What you get with this brief interview is me share ing some insight into the philosophy and purpose behind the podcast. Additionally, I share some thoughts and observations on life in San Francisco while living in the colorful and lively North Beach neighborhood.

Have you ever started out down a path towards a goal or an idea, without a real clear understanding as to why? The Passport Podcast has been one of those projects for me. I'll reveal more of the background story as time progresses, but for the moment I'll say it has been a project that continues to take on a life of its own with wonderful guests sharing their incredible stories.

So, I invite you to give this episode a listen to get additional insights on my intentions for the Podcast.

Thanks again to Fanny Renoir for asking thoughtful questions and I again invite you to check out Episode 6 and my fun interview with Fanny.

Cheers - Keith B.

There I am out on Route 66 having just stepped out of the Roger Miller Museum in Erick, Oklahoma. As I went to get into my car, I scanned the main strip in town and surveyed it to see what else this tiny village had to offer. It turned out to be more than I had ever imagined.

A couple of blocks down the street I saw a sign. Then another and another and, well you get the idea. There were lots of signs plastered all over an old brick building. I thought to myself; you better investigate all those funky signs. So, I rolled through the lone stop light in town and threw on the parking brake, got out and started snooping around. I soon learned that I had unwittingly landed at the Sandhills Curiosity Shop, Home of Harley & Annabelle, the Mediocre Music Makers located in The Redneck Capital of the World - It's Insanity at it's finest!

If you reread that last sentence and let it sink in, it will begin to make perfect sense as you listen to this episode of the Passport Podcast. In this show, I cross paths with Harley Russell, one of the true to life characters living along the remnants of America's Main Street.

Enjoy, as you hear Harley share his story of how life's path led him back to his hometown after journeying as a honky-tonk musician.

Harley tells of how fate brought him the love of his life, Annabelle, and together they tried to make a go of it in a town time seemed to forget. When their antiques weren't selling, they sold musical instruments and for a moment even sought to sell health foods to weary travelers without much luck.

Until one day as they practiced playing guitar together a tour group happened by and joined them to create a rollicking party. Those UK tourists had such a fun time; they left a pile of cash tips on the table, and that's when Harley's lightbulb went off!

It's a great story, and Harley adds a lot of fun energy, a generous spirit and warm hospitality to the Mother Road. By welcoming everyone into his inner sanctuary, Harley enthusiastically lets visitors take as many photos as they want, he throws in a few surprises and then performs his music.

The Sandhills Curiosity Shop is a roadside attraction like none other I have ever seen. Apparently, many Americans miss out on Harley's antics, but International travelers have heard all about him as he has been featured all over European media.

I always hope and even expect to meet interesting people on any given road trip, and Harley is now one of my favorites. I think you'll agree and understand why that is after listening to Episode 12: Insanity at its Finest. Enjoy another of my chance encounters with my Route 66 adventures.

It's been quite awhile since I've taken a fun and extended road trip. With gas prices falling to affordable prices, it was time to hit the highway and see who I could meet along the way.

I first flew to Oklahoma City to briefly visit family, including my two sisters. I was picking up a car to drive back to San Francisco and with a little time to kill I decided to head west on Route 66, or what's left of it. Mostly, I drove Interstate 40 which runs parallel to the infamous and mythical Mother Road.

The famous road originally stretched from Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona to cover 2,448 miles before it ends at Santa Monica, California.

On this trip, I take a few detours along the way and meet up with an incredible cast of characters to be featured in upcoming episodes.

In Episode #11 I unwittingly wind my way into the tiny town of Erick, Oklahoma. I spotted a sign promoting the Roger Miller Museum, and I figured what better than an opportunity to pay homage to the creator of one of the greatest driving and travel songs of all time - King of the Road.

I was greeted at the door by a very kind and willing victim to my antics. Marylin was so kind to share her knowledge of Roger Miller's life and career as she escorts me around this small town shrine to its most famous resident.

It's a fun and fascinating look into the life of a man who won 11 Grammy's in his first two years as a professional musician. His singer-songwriter career was legendary, and he entertained American audiences for decades.

Sure, time passed him by much like what happened to old Route 66. But it's also true that parts of the old highway remain and thousands of people drive it annually out of nostalgia and for it authenticity and quirky attractions.

I think the same of Roger Miller and his music. Yeah, he and Route 66 are from another era, but visiting on this road trip was like a portal back to a simpler time and friendlier place.

Join Marylin and me as we discuss Roger Miller and living the simple life in Erick, Oklahoma - a tiny town unassumingly situated along America's Main Street.

Episode 10 makes me think of that well-worn Chinese proverb - The journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.

Pilgrim's Tale features a recent conversation with author, travel writer and Pilgrim Brandon Wilson.

I first met Brandon through his wife, Cheryl. We shared an office during a stint as producers at Paradise Television on Maui. Sometimes during water cooler conversations, Cheryl would share short stories about some of her travels. But there was never enough time to get the whole adventure.

Fast forward several years and Brandon is now the award-winning author of four fantastic books chronicling their journeys as peaceful pilgrims across Tibet, The Alps, from Europe to Jerusalem and across the African continent.

The books are excellent and in Episode 10 we get an insightful look at one pilgrim's perspective on things.

A champion of deliberative travel, Brandon Wilson tells of how his father filled him with a sense of wanderlust during a six-week-long road trip from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles along Route 66 during the early 1960s. As a six-year-old stopping off at wacky roadside attractions while staying in classic Americana motels, Brandon was bitten by the travel bug.

Into adulthood, Brandon spends his college years in the south, followed by a year in NYC and then Seattle. Then he and Cheryl buy around the world plane tickets to begin checking places off their bucket lists.

Listen as Brandon shares their adventures covering everything from the euphoria of swinging a hammer to chisel away during the fall of the Berlin Wall to their Pilgrimage as the first Western couple to cross Tibet.

It's an amazing account from an inspiring adventurer.

Brandon's Books: Yak Butter Blues, Over the Top & Back Again: Hiking X the Alps, Along the Templar Trail: Seven Million Steps for Peace, Dead Men Don't Leave Tips: Adventures X Africa

Visit the website: www.pilgrimstales.com for books, tips, and information on pilgrimage trips.

In episode 9 we talk with San Francisco Artist, Author, and World Traveler Nancy Calef.

Nancy tells us that she's been looking for the "stepping stones" along the way, and it's provided her with a rich life of creating art, globe-trotting adventures along with a healthy perspective about people and our shared planet. As you'll hear, it hasn't always been easy, but following her intuition has guided Nancy from a controlling stage mother in Manhattan to a Northern California Ashram to an exhilarating Mexico sailing adventure to a European holiday and Greece painting retreat that turned her life in a new direction. But we also learn that much of these adventures were rooted in the fact that fears needed to be faced, and personal struggles confronted. A domineering mother led to the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia for much of her teens and early twenties. But facing that void, and emptiness forced Nancy to handle her issues and turn from self-destruction to self-expression, and she learned to take the negative energy and convert it into a positive transformation in the form of her artwork. Nancy's narrative provides valuable insight and inspiration for anyone contemplating life's questions both big and small. Our interview covers steps along Nancy's path to becoming a full-time artist; the global issues embedded on her canvases, world travel and life in North Beach. I hope you enjoy Stepping Stones - from self-destruction to self-expression. Please listen, like, share and feel free to leave a comment.

Most importantly enjoy the trip.

In Episode 8, we meet my free-spirited friend & peaceful warrior Jimmy Young for a conversation about his very personal spiritual journey.

In this show, Jimmie takes us down a path lined with curiosity and connections tying together a personal narrative that takes him from studying transcendental meditation in rural Oklahoma to a Scientology house in Los Angeles to pursuing happiness through Buddhism in the Bay Area.

How does a person develop and piece together a clear & profound understanding of their spiritual journey? For Jimmie Young, it's been a lifelong exploration that began during childhood when he attended a rural Oklahoma church with his grandmother who would be overtaken by the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. There was also that nearby car accident injuring eastern guru Maher Baba not to mention remote viewing in the First Grade, teenage exploration of meditation, experimenting with LSD, 1960 rock & roll along with two decades studying Scientology and an eventual dream leading to a study of Buddhism.

In Episode #7 we venture to the San Francisco Railway Museum to meet up with General Manager Alison Cant for a fascinating discussion about public transportation and the City's historic streetcars. Alison shares how these "museums in motion" have played a crucial role San Francisco's diverse public transportation system since 1912.

Listen to learn about the past, present, and future of this mode of public transportation. Hear the remarkable story about how concerned citizens rose to the occasion to revive and restore the colorful collection of classic streetcars gathered from around the world.

Show #7 provides a colorful history and a fun ride - Enjoy!