Coffee With Jim

Coffee With Jim, June 29 2025

Love them or hate them the electric vehicle is here to stay. And they have a history that is rather surprising. Did you know that the first pedestrian killed by an automobile in the US was struck by an electric taxi cab - in 1899? Did you know that the first car built by Ferdinand Porsche was electric? And that was in 1898! Did you know that in 1916 a company manufactured a gasoline/electric hybrid? 
But today's program is not just about the past. It's about the future of the EV and related infrastructure, and everything in between. Our guest on this episode was Tosha O'Neill of the Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation - www.hevf.org - that is developing the world's first EV museum and education center in Kingman, Arizona. 
With plans to showcase the first exhibits in 2026, just in time for the Route 66 centennial, the museum will provide a glimpse of the future on this storied old highway. 
Put aside pre-conceived thoughts and ideas, take a listen, and be prepared for a surprise or two! 
Today's program is sponsored in part by supporters through Patreon. It is also sponsored by RouteTrip USA, the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel, a Route 66 treasure in Cuba, Missouri, Two Lane America, Cactus Inn Motel in McLean, Texas, Roadrunner Lodge Motel in Tucumcari, the Enchanted Trails Trading Post and RV Park in Albuquerque, and Gilligan's Route 66 Tours. 
It's another shared adventure from Jim Hinckley's America! 
 

Coffee With Jim, June 22, 2025

As I am attending the AAA Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa, Oklahoma our virtual cohosts are filling in with a very special program about the prehistory of Route 66, and an exciting new Route 66 anthology. As a bonus we have some fascinating EV trivia, and a sneak peek at next weeks episode of Coffee With Jim. 

Coffee With Jim, June 15, 2025

It made quite a stir when introduced in October 2014. Soon the musical road near Tijeras, New Mexico, a Route 66 community, that played a portion of "America The Beautiful" when driven over at a certain speed became quite an attraction.
But did you know that the idea of creating a musical highway is linked to the creative genius of Walt Disney? Surprisingly the concept is even older as the polyphon, a popular type of 19th-century disc-playing music box, used the same concept. 
On today's episode we visit with Chris Hill and Pete Thompson, the visionaries behind the Route 66 musical road. And they have big plans for celebrating the Route 66 centennial.
Officially recognized as a centennial project by the Route 66 Centennial Commission, the ”Musical Road” project will add a new dimension to the Route 66 celebration and create an attraction that will enhance the Route 66 adventure for years to come. Curious? Join us for a lively and fascinating conversation that is sure to inspire a road trip or two.
Today's program is sponsored by the bespoke road trip holiday specialists for an adventure in the US or Canada, RouteTrip USA. It is also made possible with listener support through Patreon, and by Roadrunner Lodge Motel, a 1960s gem, the Cactus Inn Motel in McLean, Texas, Two Lane America - We're making the great American road trip easier than ever, the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel, the legendary Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, and Gilligan's Route 66 Tours - if Route 66 is on your bucket list. you've come to the right place. 

Coffee With Jim, June 8, 2025

If you are old enough to remember Route 66 before the interstate highway you probably have fond memories of S & H Green Stamps. And if you use an app or Google instead of paper maps, chances are that you will soon be making your own memories with this American classic that was launched in 1896. Did you know that S & H Green Stamps is making a comeback, but with a modern twist?
On today’s program we talked with Carl Norloff who is on a quest to make this community building, memory making classic relevant for a new generation. Carl joined the S & H company in 2000, helped launch S&H greenpoints, and rode out the bankruptcy of the company, and is now working to revive the iconic brand.
This program is a healthy dose of inspiration for entrepreneurs and community organizers, and a smile inducing stroll down Memory Lane for those us still remember Saturday mornings spent licking stamps.