Wake Up With Jim

Charles Nash was an abandoned orpahn. His childhood was lived in abject poverty, abuse, and hard work. And yet he was ambitious and was possessed with an unquenchable thirst for education. He transformed Buick, pulled General Motors from the brink of bankruptcy, developed one of the first factory sponsored racinig teams, and gave Walter Chrysler his start in the auto industry.  Our series about inspirational and independent thinking people continues with the tale of Charles Nash, a forgotten pioneer that transformed the American auto industry.  Today's program is sponsored in part by Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store, your one stop shop for good food, family fun, and a memory making experience.   

Road trip inspiring books, that is our discussion on today's epsiode. Obscure books, new books, old books, tales of adventure and time capsules from an era when a road trip was truly an epic odyssey. Come along for the ride and find some inspiration for a great adventure on the backroads of America.  This mornings program is sponsored in part by delightful, wonderful, magical Tucumcari, New Mexico. At the heart of an adventurers paradise this charming community where Route 66 is the main drag, is more than an overnight stop, it is a destination. 

She was a child prodigy. Her instrumental and vocal skills are without equal. And she is our inspirational profile of the day.  Her stage name is Mean Mary. Her life story is nothing short of amazing. Adventure. Tragedy. Success. And overcoming daunting obstacles. This is her story.  Today's program is sponsored in part by the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri. No mere motel, this is the very essence of the Route 66 experience made manifest. It is a living time capsule that blurs the line between past and present. It is a destination.  

On today's program we talk small town America by visiting a few very special communities along Route 66. Diminutive Atlanta, Illinois is big on ideas and hospitality. This charming historic town is on the fast track to becoming a destination with weekend events, new bsuinesses, an arcade museum and so much more.  Pontiac, Illinois is THE poster child for historic district revitalization. One of the states top destinations, Pontiac has a diverse array of museums and restaurants, and an infectious passion that ensures smile inducing visits.  Also featured on today's program, Cuba, Missouri and Gallup, New Mexico. Charming communities with a rich and diverse culture that exemplify the very essence of small town America.  And, of course, we have another clue in our Route 66 personality contest. Okay, this fellow played in the World Series.  Today's program is sponsored in part by RouteTrip USA, the bespoke holiday specialists for a grand adventure in the US or Canada.   

Our new series on independent thinkers and inspirational people kicks off with the story of Julian Brown. His idea of what an automobile should be manifested in some rather unusual creations. Even though each endeavor ended badly with a tremendous financial loss, his automotive endeavors had a surprising affect on the aircraft industry.  And to kick off the new series, a contest with the grand prize being an autographed copy of my latest book, Here We Are .... On Route 66. Today's program is sponsored in part by Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store. Quirky, fun and memorable, Uranus is a roadside attraction on Route 66 near Lebanon, Missouri that will enahnace any road trip adventure. 

On this mornings episode we travel to dynamic, culturally diverse, vibrant Albuquerque, New Mexico. Join us for a gastronomical adventure through time and discover a destination for you next road trip (or train trip) odyssey.  Today's program is sponsored in part by RouteTrip USA, the bespoke holiday specialists for a memorable adventure in the US or Canada. 

Exactly why the Aluminum Company of America decided to diversify and initiate plans for the development of an automobile is a mystery. The timing is equally curious as in late 1919 the world was gripped by an intense post war economic recession. Another fascinating aspect of the project is the fact that the company retained the services of Laurence H. Pomeroy to oversee development. Today's program is the kick off for a new series on Wake Up With Jim that we are calling the Independent Thinker. Each week we will be introducing listeners to people that transformed the world, and yet are nearly forgotten today.  This mornings program is sponsored in part by the magical Roadrunner Lodge in Tucumcari, New Mexico. 

On August 20, 1923, the gang made the last train robbery in Oklahoma. But this was just a small part of their multistate crime spree. Together they set records for the number of banks robbed and prison escapes, and they left bodies along the way during a crime spree that stretched along Route 66 from Joplin, Missouri to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  This morning on Wake Up With Jim, America's storyteller shares the tale of Jim Clark, Ray Terrill, and in the infamous Kimes brothers, Matthew and George. It's another walk on the dark side of Route 66 in our series of true crime podcasts. Today's program is sponsored in part by the iconic Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri, and the living time capsule that is the Roadrunner Lodge in Tucumcari, New Mexico