American Road Trip Talk

Mark Greene of Cars Yeah pays tribute to beloved Car Culture luminaries who departed this world in 2019, leaving behind legacies of their passion and commitment to quality automotive experiences. Time also is spent discussing the future of electric vehicles.

Tour owner and host Ross Allison brings over 30 years of paranormal investigation to his eerie repository in The Emerald City, where curious visitors and veteran ghost hunters alike find a treasure trove of macabre items, each with a hair-raising history.

Kirk McKnight, sports culture chronicler and author of The Voices of Baseball and The Voices of Hockey, describes a variety of dazzling venues for big-league fans in cities as diverse as the Motor City of Detroit and glitzy Las Vegas where he resides.

Detroit’s Hunter House Hamburgers was established in 1952 in Birmingham, Michigan, featuring the original type of slider – a little hamburger with some sweet juicy onions packed into the meat and with the buns steamed. The unassuming white pillbox diner is a family-run mainstay on Woodward Avenue, the first paved road in America.

Author and researcher Nicole Strickland, whose knowledge of the Queen Mary as a legendary luxury ocean liner is nonpareil, shares the rich and poignant history of a ship that occupies a remarkable niche in world history. Docked in Long Beach, California since 1967, the “QM” has bid an elegant (many say haunted) welcome to countless visitors from around the world.

The Reviving America’s Scenic Byways Act of 2019 directs the Secretary of Transportation to start the application process for new byways within 90 days and designate a new round of National Scenic Byways within one year. The implications for road travelers across the nation are far-reaching, heralding a resurgence of support for beautiful places off the beaten path. Mark Falzone, President of Scenic America since April 2017, describes the profound significance of this legislation.

New England is rich in historical significance and cultural influences harkening back to colonial and Revolutionary War days. From Boston, Massachusetts to Acadia National Park in Maine, history blends with some of North America’s most spectacular scenery to entice road trippers from sea to shining sea as Trip Talk host Gary Mantz recently discovered for himself.

David L. Scott and Kay W. Scott have spent over thirty summers touring the United States and Canada, including six summers exclusively devoted to the national park lodges. They are experts in planning affordable enjoyment of the U.S. National Park system and the wide variety of lodging options it offers.

Author Kim Romaner and her retired husband decided over two years ago to sell their home and most of their possessions to embark on a cross-country RV adventure that continues to this day with stays at famous places like National Parks as well as small towns and roadside attractions that can accommodate their big rig. Kim is an inspiration to those who hope to pursue their own dreams someday by hitting the open road.

Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, WA is both a haunted hotspot and a landmark hotel boasting Victorian-era elegance. Several other popular lodgings in the Evergreen State have a ghostly reputation as well, including The Tokeland Hotel in the town of Tokeland. It is the oldest hotel in Washington. Photo credit: manresacastle.com

Jess Winfield, American Road editor, L.A. based author and screenwriter talks about his feature article “Star Trek Original Movie Locations” in the Summer 2019 issue revealing a gorgeous array of natural settings that filmmakers used in developing the franchise.

Paranormal investigator Marie D. Jones researched the tragic history of numerous American roads and bridges for a chapter in her book, Celebrity Ghosts and Notorious Hauntings. From Hwy. 41 on which James Dean met his untimely (though predicted) demise to infamous bridges where apparitions are frequently spotted, the lure of the haunt compels many of us to seek out spectral scenes as revealed in this edition of Trip Talk

Tom Cotter has gained a large and loyal following among classic car enthusiasts with his Barn Find Hunter series on YouTube and by forging a career promoting the collection and restoration of these coveted automobiles. He shares experiences and insights gathered during his many Barn Find road trips in this episode

Trip Talk recently hosted an interview with the amiable and informative Greg Peerbolte, executive director of the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Enjoy this "Best Of" episode again and listen for news of American Road Magazine's 2019 "Picture Perfect" photography contest. You could win $500! Visit americanroadmagazine.com for details and entry instructions.

Hidden away like a palace fashioned of magic and artistic genius, Solomon’s Castle in the lush wet wilds of central Florida is Howard Solomon’s dream of paradise. The creator’s daughter and current keeper of the Castle flame, Alane Solomon articulates the vision her father lovingly constructed from 1972 until his death in 2016.

For over a century, Detroit has been established as a major urban and industrial center. Yet the Motor City has a surprisingly large and impressive array of outdoor adventures for locals who are in on the secret and countless visitors who discover and revel in The D’s striking open-air pursuits. Travel writer Amy S. Eckert shares her firsthand knowledge of a hundred exciting venues in and around Motown.

The nocturnal joys of taking in a movie (or two) at a Drive-In Theatre are still available across North America. We talk with Wes and Brian Neal, owners and operators of The Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas about the enduring appeal and evolution of the Drive-In Theatre experience in the digital era.

This episode sends you to prison in Joliet but luckily in a good way, with a fascinating survey of local crime and punishment legacy courtesy of Greg Peerbolte, executive director of the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Other attractions along the Heritage Corridor in Illinois also are included.

Erika Nelson is an independent artist and educator who explores the fringes of art and culture on the back roads and at offbeat roadside attractions that dot the American landscape. Erika travels the USA in a permanently altered Art Car, exhibiting the World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things. In this episode, Erika offers a survey of quirky Colorado attractions and iconic artwork.

American Road Magazine co-founders Thomas Arthur Repp and Becky Repp deliver a preview of our Summer 2019 Issue including a tribute to numerous Drive-In Theaters that still dot the USA with nostalgic pride, now accentuated by modern amenities. And take in the glories of Detroit’s fabled Woodward Avenue, a magnet of the Motor City celebrated in the Spring issue.