American Road Trip Talk

In Part 2 of our series on the Indianapolis Speedway Donald Davidson, the track historian talks about the curious links between the Speedway and Miami Beach and the birth of the National Road. But Don is most excited when he describes his realm, the magnificent Indianapolis Speedway museum. Part 2 of our interview with Donald Davidson is brought to you by the Heritage Tractor Adventure coming June 11 – 15 along the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor. For more information visit Heritagetractortour.com. Illinois ...Mile After Magnificent Mile

Donald Davidson is the track historian for the Indianapolis Speedway. In this first part of our exclusive interview with Donald he tells how he came to be the track historian and how the Indianapolis Speedway grew from the ambitious dream of an early promoter named Carl Fisher.

Behind all the romance of the motor courts that grew up in the early 50’s, there is a story of dedication and hard work on the part of the families that owned them. In this second part of our conversation, Vicki Troyer, talks about how she landed at the Ace Motel in northwest South Dakota. She left home to pursue her own dreams, which took her to the gaming tables of Las Vegas where she became a skilled dealer. I fact Vicki was so good she was chosen to deal cards for the World Championship of Poker. But as they say, there’s no place like home and we pick up the conversation with Vicki Troyer as she talks about returning home to help her parents run the family motel in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

Our spring edition of the American Road Magazine is now on the newsstands. One of our regular columns called Memory Motel features the Ace Motel in Belle Fourche, South Dakota in keeping with our gaming theme. Behind all the romance of the motor courts that grew up in the early 50’s, there is a story of dedication and hard work on the part of the families that owned them. In this first part of our conversation, Vicki Troyer, the current owners of the Ace Motel, talks about Belle Fourche and how her family came to own the motel. It’s all part of the enduring charm of these family run hostels that make you want to get off the highway and go the extra mile to enjoy some real homemade comfort.

During the last 5 years we have interviewed dozens of people behind the articles in our American Road Magazine but this time the subject has to do with one of our regular columns: On the Yellowstone Trail. A delight Wisconsin couple, John and Ann Ridge, specialize in the history of the Yellowstone Trail. Their story was so fascinating that we decided to keep the whole thing but to divide it into three parts to make it easier to listen to. In this first of our three parts series on the Yellowstone Trail, John and Ann take us through the unique history of one of America’s great transcontinental highways that developed in the early 1900’s. It is a fascinating story that began in the middle of the country and worked its way west and then east. The history of the Yellowstone Trail is interwoven with the development of interconnecting roads in the United States spurred on by a marvelous new machine…the personal car.

American Road TripTalk is where you normally meet the people behind the stories and places on American Road Magazine. This show, however, will introduce you to a new companion for your next trip down that road. If you can figure out how to listen to a podcast, there is a good chance that you understand some things about digital devices like iPods, smartphones and the device we’ll about. This special American Road TripTalk podcast is about a new digital way of taking your favorite traveling tunes, audiobooks and radio stations on the road with you. Host Foster Braun interviews Jake Sigal, inventor of Livio Radio, a car kit and free downloadable application that allow you to connect smartphones wirelessly to any car radio. It's a perfect companion for long road trips.

Each issue of American Road Magazine has a regular column called On the Yellowstone Trail dedicated to the people and places along this historic highway. The idea for this northernmost of America’s transcontinental highways actually began 100 years ago in the wheat fields of the Midwest. So it’s fitting that one of the centennial parties for the Yellowstone Trail would take place Spring 2012 in northwest Wisconsin. May 11-13th Hudson, Wisconsin on the beautiful St. Croix River will kick off the 100th birthday party with Yellowstone Trail Heritage Days. Andrea Jorgensen of the Hudson Convention and Visitors Bureau has all the details for our American Road listeners.

Erika Nelson is a traveling artist who has made it her life mission to chronicle and clone the largest landmarks along America’s classic byways. In each issue she has a think big column and the Winter Issue focused on a massive can of fruit cocktail that just happened to be a water tower. Erika will tell us all about that remarkable California landmark.

Today’s TripTalk is all about how a very unique birthday present turned into a famous restaurant’s unique calling card. The location for this strange but charming site is Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. The eatery is located near the tip of the beautiful Door County, which was the subject of a full-length article in our Winter edition of American Road Magazine. Our guest and guide is Lars Johnson son of the restaurant’s founder Al Johnson.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. This is part two of our conversation with Ray Scriber of the Louisiana department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism about that state’s Main-to-Main Street Program. During this second segment Ray talks about some of the unique areas to visit in this richly diverse state. We also get the inside scoop on the different ways that Mardi Gras is celebrated across the Pelican State and learn where to find those Gone With The Wind, moss covered southern mansions.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. What do Fat Tuesday, Fasching and Mardi Gras have in common? They are the same food and fun festival celebrated throughout the great state of Louisiana. But the Pelican state is famous for much more than this one day of the year. In this two-part Trip Talk segment, Ray Scriber of the Louisiana department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism will open your eyes to the wonderful celebrations of Main Street Louisiana from the Cajun Bayous of the Mississippi Delta to the German settlements of northeast Louisiana. It’s a trip you won’t want to miss. This is Part 1 of 2.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Warning dieters. The following podcast may be dangerous for your diet! The White Gull Inn is a beautiful little hotel/bed and breakfast in Fish Creek, Wisconsin on the Door Peninsula. The winter edition of American Road Magazine features a tour of this colorful arm of the Badger state that forms the southern boundary of Lake Michigan’s Green Bay. As you’ll hear, the White Gull Inn is not only famous for its historic genteel setting but also as one of Wisconsin’s culinary traditions: the fish boil. Our host Andy Colson will fill in all the details.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Our Winter 2012 issue of American Road Magazine features a wonderful drive right down the middle of Florida on the Orange Blossom Trail. Just before you get to Lake Okeechobee you want to take time to visit the Toby the Clown Foundation in Lake Placid, the City of Murals. Big Al Pelski is the president of the Foundation and will be our guide during this podcast. If you think clowning is just about funny noses and flowers that squirt water, you’re in for an education.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Two Rivers, Wisconsin is a town in love with history. It has four historical settings that celebrate everything from the birth of one of America’s favorite fountain treats to a labor saving device that everyone who has done laundry appreciates. Carol Schwantes who is one of the guides at the Washington House Museum is our guide to the wealth of history in this Lake Michigan town.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. This is part 2 of our interview with Lt. Mike Kline, Quartermaster for the Berrien County Sherriff’s Dept. who is the keeper of the machine guns used in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. During this concluding interview Lt. Mike reveals how examination of the guns used in the bloodbath became the key to launching what we now call CSI (Crime Scene Investigation.) Our guest also has a fascinating story of an assassin with a heart of gold.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. We wrap up our coverage of the Gangland fall issue of American Road Magazine with The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago. Our guest is Lt. Mike Kline, Quartermaster for the Berrien County Sherriff’s Dept. in southwest Michigan. His office is home to the two Thompson submachine guns used in that bloodbath and in this first of two segments, Lt. Mike will tell us how these brutally efficient killing machines started out as the cowboy’s best friend.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Butte, Montana may sit a mile above sea level but some of the most interesting secrets of this rugged mining town are underneath its current streets. In this podcast Bob McMurray, the owner of Butte Underground Tours is going to tells us all about a level of history that folks were walking all over until it was recently rediscovered. Perhaps the most fascinating find of all, the Rookwood Speakeasy, was hidden behind a mirror. Join us for this modern day, wild west treasure hunt.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Our fall issue of American Road Magazine has featured the theme of Gangsters. There have been some very interesting highlights, but possibly one of the most curious among them is the story of Pretty Boy Floyd’s death mask. Charles Arthur Floyd’s career as Public Enemy #1 ended in a hail of bullets on Oct 22, 1934 near the southeast Ohio town of East Liverpool. His body was transported to the nearest funeral home where we will pick up the story with our guest Susan Anderson. She manages the most recent incarnation of that funeral home, the Sturgis House bed and breakfast.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. Hot Springs, Arkansas has a lot to be proud of including its salutary springs that have been refreshing folks since the beginning of our country and it is also the site of one of America’s first national parks. However, Hot Springs is also noted as the favorite hang out for the country’s most notorious gangsters during the first half of the 20th Century. All that is immortalized in the Gangster Museum of America in the Hot Springs National Park. Director, Robert Raines will guide you through the colorful history of this exotic hole in the wall for America’s most wanted.

Discover the joy of the journey with the AMERICAN ROAD. AMERICAN ROAD with Thomas and Becky Repp, co-hosted by Foster Braun is a talk show that celebrates travel across the two-lane highways of North America. This unique broadcast is an extension of AMERICAN ROAD, an internationally distributed magazine, which celebrates the people and places along America's two-lane jewels. What is the least favorite part of a trip? I bet that no matter where you are headed or how long the trip is, the least pleasant aspect of the journey is driving at night. Signs are harder to read, the fellow coming at you won’t dim his headlights and there’s always the concern that something will dart out in front of you, particularly on winding rural roads. Of course you could decide to drive only in the daytime but for most of us that isn’t a reasonable option. Fortunately my guest, Dr. Cristina Schinder, the Senior Director, Medical Affairs for Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, has great advice that will help you keep trucking throu