American Road Trip Talk

This year Route 66 is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and we've invited the executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Casey Claypool, to chat about famous stops, diners and events happening in Illinois to celebrate the Centennial. Website: https://illinoisroute66.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of American Road Trip Talk, we sit down with researcher and former Finding Bigfoot host Cliff Barackman, who is also the curator of the North American Bigfoot Center. In the town of Boring, Oregon, the center distinguishes itself from typical roadside attractions by operating as a serious natural history museum dedicated to the anthropological study of Sasquatch. Travelers passing through the Pacific Northwest are invited to explore a vast curation of evidence—including track casts, historical film analysis, and even a "butt print" from the Blue Mountains—offering a fascinating and educational pit stop for anyone curious about the mystery of North America’s elusive wild ape. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gary Mantz sits down with Sally Fuller to chat about this friendly little competition between Liberal, Kansas, and Olney, England, with women running 415 yards down the streets of each town flipping pancakes. It all started in 1950 from a magazine picture of the Olney women racing each other to the church. Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the Rev. Ronald Collins, Vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in Olney, challenging their women to race against women of Liberal. Like in Olney, the traditional prize of the race is the “Kiss of Peace” from the verger (bellringer). It is still the only race of its kind on the planet. Website(s): https://pancakeday.net / https://visitliberal.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of American Road Trip Talk, we pay another visit to Springfield, Illinois, where Amy Beadle discusses the city's extensive preparations for the 2026 Route 66 Centennial. Beadle outlines a robust calendar of upcoming events, including a unique Centennial 5K race on the historic fairgrounds' dirt mile track, the return of the International Carillon Festival over Memorial Day weekend, and the "History Comes Alive" program featuring world-class Abraham Lincoln reenactors. The conversation also covers essential travel tips, from exploring the city's walkable historic sites to sampling local culinary icons like the "Horseshoe" sandwich and the original Cozy Dog. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week’s edition of American Road Trip Talk, we are diving deep into the Garden State’s most enduring legends. Our special guest, Karl Petry, will serve as our guide through the strange and fascinating history of the region. Among them, the terrifying “New Jersey Devil”, the state’s clown prince of Paterson, Lou Costello, and the luxurious seaside resort town of Cape May. Also, there is the forbidding Sleepy Hollow, made famous by Washington Irving. Buckle up for a journey through folklore and history! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week’s edition of American Road Trip Talk, Sharon Strouse joins us whose has been involved with the National Scenic Byway program since 1997. As Executive Director of NSBF, she leads our member driven nonprofit organization to be the ‘National Voice of Scenic Byways and Roads,’ along with our national partners. Supporting byway leaders to protect and enhance their byway resources has been her aspiration. Through planning, fund-raising and education, she has gained experience at the local, state and national levels working with byways and byway leaders. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Across America, Holiday celebrations are in full swing. Road trip expert Jessica Dunham joins us to talk about notable places where Christmastime is happening spectacularly with unique experiences to offer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leavenworth, Washington captures the seasonal magic of the Cascade Mountains, where snow-dusted, peaked Bavarian roofs and a spectacular lighting festival create a landscape that looks like a hand-painted greeting card. Beyond the world-class Christmas charm and German delicacies, listeners will also receive essential winter travel tips, from navigating snowy mountain passes with the right tires to finding alternate routes during local flooding. Whether you're dreaming of a day trip to see the lights or planning a festive adventure on the alpine roller coaster, this holiday special is your guide to one of the most scenic destinations in North America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While Santa is out enjoying his milk and cookies, Greg Rynearson has another perfect pair… Cops & Doughnuts! Since 1896, a doughnut shop and bakery in Clare, Michigan dubbed “Cops and Doughnuts,” offers a warm fresh doughnut and a steaming cup of cops coffee while you enjoy the police decor and friendly, and very safe, atmosphere. Greg is a former police officer of Clare City and a proud owner of this establishment, and he joins us to share all about the community engagements this holiday season in this week’s edition of American Road Trip Talk! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week’s edition of American Road Trip Talk, we feature a special spotlight of Highway 12 Winery for the first few minutes of the show. Then for the rest of the episode, Jennifer Morrison joins us who is the Director of Vehicle Safety at Mazda North American Operations, overseeing the strategic vision and execution of MNAO’s comprehensive vehicle safety program, aligning industry-leading ratings with the company’s proactive safety philosophy and vision for a zero-fatality society. Before working for Mazda, Morrison spent over 15 years at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigating highway crashes as an Investigator-in-Charge and a safety advocate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of American Road Trip Talk, hosted by Matt Shea, explores historic and cozy Pacific Northwest lodging, focusing on the comforting tradition of finding a "good cozy fire" after Thanksgiving. Matt tours numerous venues in Washington State, highlighting beautiful settings, award-winning dining, and the warmth of well-crafted fireplaces for a perfect cold-weather retreat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Seattle’s free holiday meals, festive events, cruises, and Winterfest fun… to Plymouth’s 404th Thanksgiving, the 101st Macy’s Parade, TWO parades in St. Louis, San Antonio’s #1-ranked celebration, and Fountain Hills’ “Greatest Show” Thanksgiving parade—it’s your guide to holiday magic nationwide. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With a history full or pioneers, early legislators, and adventurers, Saint Charles, Missouri has the distinction of being one of the must-see holiday destinations in the country. For half a century, visitors from around the world have flocked to this quaint river city for a blast of yuletide nostalgia. Listen and learn what all the local excitement is about! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode: New York Times Best Selling author of “Confessions of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated”, Alison Arngrim is best known to viewers world-wide for her portrayal of the incredibly nasty “Nellie Oleson” on the much loved, long running hit television series "Little House On The Prairie," and continues to amuse audiences through her many film, television, stage and multi-media appearances. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A good scare is the goal on this night of nights; the spirits would not have it otherwise! Author (Absent Witness) Karl Petry joins us for a particularly eerie angle on the festivities by way of independent filmmaking. He knows whereof he speaks, having produced and directed several such movies himself. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile scenic drive that runs through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, following a historic travel corridor. It is a designated National Scenic Byway popular for scenic driving, hiking, biking, and camping, with a leisurely 50 mph speed limit. Our guest for this episode is Kim Foster. She is the Executive Director of the Natchez Trace Compact, helping her to understand not only the communications side of projects, but the byway side as well. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the time of year when we are enticed and horrified by the nocturnal frights that beckon us into the mysterious realm. Seattle and Puget Sound are perfect for celebrating Halloween; days are short and nights are long enough for spooky encounters at many venues that compete to see who is the scariest of them all. Ghost host Matt Shea describes a worthy variety of them in this episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, host Gary Mantz is joined with Amy Beadle who is the Marketing Manager at Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau and will bring us up to speed on what's going on in their beautiful city. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on American Road Trip Talk, guest host Matt Shea shares his selections for the PNW's best spots for pumpkin patches, corn mazes and family fall festival fun! FALL HAS ARRIVED!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Travel Nevada, officially the Nevada Division of Tourism, is a state government agency responsible for marketing Nevada as a tourism destination to domestic and international visitors. It promotes the state's varied attractions through its official tourism website, TravelNevada.com and publishes the state's official magazine, Nevada Magazine. Megg Mueller, executive editor, is our guest. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.