Longtime readers will know of Jim Hinckley, an author based out of Kingman, Ariz., who wrote “The Route 66 Encyclopedia” and other related books.
This video popped up in my feed over the weekend. Apparently Hinckley is getting into video as well:
The video was uploaded by Norman Fisk of Diamond Valley Productions, which produced “Route 66 Arizona” and other DVDs. The description of the video says:
Diamond Valley Productions upcoming project with noted historian and author Jim Hinckley will start shooting soon. Stay Tuned. The first episode will cover Kingman, Arizona and Mohave county along Route 66. Check www.diamondvalleyproductions.com for updates.
I emailed Hinckley for more details. Here is his response, lightly edited:
Norm Fisk … and I were talking about various projects during the work on the Route 66 video, and over the past few months as he finalized a promotional video for Kingman. Several weeks ago he asked if a video series based on my adventures would be of interest. Even though I have honed a few onscreen skills with various television interviews, this was uncharted territory. Still, as a catalyst for my work is to promote and encourage travel it seemed a logical next step.
So, we initiated work on the first video last week with a drive to Oatman. As this was where I grew up, it allowed me to get a feel for the process in a setting that was familiar. As a bonus, it gave me an opportunity to share memories of Ed of Ed’s Camp, to show segments of the National Old Trails Highway in the Black Mountains, and other locations.
The theme for the first video in this series will be Kingman as an overlooked destination on Route 66. We are looking at a 30-minute format with the inclusion of places like Haulapai Mountain Park, ghost towns such as Cerbat, Hackberry, and Mineral Park, and sites in the historic district. Long term, we are looking at focusing on other segments of Route 66 and a few detours, such as the Johnson Canyon Railroad tunnel near Ash Fork, the Williamson Valley Road from Seligman, and the old road from Williams to Jerome that provides access to White Horse Lake.
It sounds like an exciting project for both Hinckley and the Mother Road in that part of Arizona.
Look forward to Jim’s project. The perfect historian for the project.
Looking forward to it, know Jim will do an excellent job.