beckyrepp

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, and Road Trip-filled New Year! Becky Repp

Just in time for the holiday: Listen to the latest American Road Trip Talk (podcast)- Foster Braun interviews Sharon Tesch: Super-Sized Santa. The little village of Christmas, Michigan was built on a dream in the 1930's that was almost wiped out by fire. But the spirit of Christmas is alive and well on the shores of Lake Superior and is home to the world's tallest Santa Claus. http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/index.php?app=blog

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Holidays! Our sincerest wishes for a safe, happy, and peaceful holiday season. Becky Repp becky@americanroadmagazine.com

Greetings, Just wanted to toss out one fun stop for food along your route (if you go through Spokane): the Milk Bottle. Best, Becky Repp

Welcome! The American Road staff would like to extend a warm holiday welcome to all new magazine subscribers, e-newsletter readers, American Road Forum members, Facebook Fans, and Twitter Followers. We are thrilled to have you join the growing list of American Road enthusiasts! The Winter 2010 issue recently mailed from the printer. Watch your mailbox! For those our of you that subscribe to our Digital Edition, we are pleased to share with you that we are upgrading to a NEW digital system next week. The new version offers many "bells and whistles"- offering our readers a much more interactive experience. The text is fully search-able, you may bookmark favorite spots within the issue, and you may even post a sticky note reminder! Our expanded Winter issue is packed with road trip ideas, our regular departments, festivals and events, and roadside attractions. It's the perfect tool for planning your 2011 journeys across America's two lane highways. If you subscribed after December 1, your issue will be mailed in our second mailing-after January 15. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many mapmakers and civic planners have made merry with their name games. From Santa Claus, Indiana, to Mistletoe, Kentucky, Tannenbaum, Arkansas, and Silverbell, Arizona, holiday-themed towns and attractions turn winter into a wonderland. In the Winter 2010 issue of American Road, we unwrap that colorful package. Our nod to noël begins with "The Road to North Pole," a 364-mile trip from Valdez to Fairbanks along Alaska's Richardson Highway. Ace photographer Amy C. Elliott captures this icy landscape with an exquisite eye, focusing on the people, horizons, and free-roaming wildlife that cause so many to claim Alaska as one of the world's last unspoiled gifts. Editor Robert Klara and Executive Editor Thomas Repp provide the literary ribbons and bows. When-and how-did the first Santa-inspired roadside attraction come to be? The answer lies in 1915 San Francisco and Jillian Gurney's feature "Toyland: How Santa Arrived on the American Road." That story of Christmas Past serves as prelude to "American Road's Holiday Compendium" - an extensive ensemble piece in which our staff of stocking stuffers showcase twenty-five tinseled attractions across North America-from the California resort used to film Bing Crosby's 1942 musical Holiday Inn to the candy cane mecca that is Ohio's Spangler Store & Museum. You'll find the World's Tallest Santa Claus, the bridge that inspired Frank Capra's classic It's a Wonderful Life, and a Dickensian dark ride built in tribute to Scrooge's "Humbugs." Until your issue arrives, we hope you enjoy our news from the road and the travel planning ideas and tools. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Erika Nelson to be on Conan O'Brien! Erika Nelson, independent artist, educator, and contributing editor for American Road magazine's "World's Largest" department, is heading out to Los Angeles for a taping of Conan O'Brien's new show "CONAN". The air date is set for December 22nd, and will air on TBS (check your local listing for channel) at 11 p.m. (10 p.m. Central). Erika was contacted in early October by a producer for the show, after he did a search on "World's Largest" and found the World's Largest Things website (www.WorldsLargestThings.com). After lengthy phone interviews, Erika and the producer worked up a pitch for Conan, with some of the best stories about World's Largest Things, and accompanying images and video. Read more: http://americanroadmagazine.com/roadnews.html"'>http://americanroadmagazine.com/roadnews.html" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billy Connolly's Route 66 Scottish comedian, Billy Connolly, plans to travel Route 66 in May 2011 to film a new four part documentary series produced by Maverick Television for ITV1. Connolly turns Easy Rider and follows a lifelong dream as he makes the journey from Chicago to Santa Monica. Connolly will also be bringing his banjo along for the ride. With his unrivalled ability to tell a great story, he plans to bring to life both the big and small moments of American history: the world changing events and the comic asides. Connolly says: "Traveling Route 66 has always been a lifelong ambition. It brings together some of my favorite things, my trike, my banjo and America - the ultimate road trip." Anything could happen during the trip... from swapping his Harley saddle for a horse saddle in Texas to riding out with the "CHiPs" (the California Highway Patrol). The working title of the four time, sixty-minute series is Billy Connolly's Route 66. The series is commissioned by Alison Sharman, Director of ITV Factual and Daytime and Jo Clinton-Davis, ITV Controller of Popular Factual. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online with American Road Don't forget to visit http://www.Americanroadmagazine.com regularly for updated road news, trip ideas, and more, including: * The Calendar of Events: http://americanroadmagazine.com/calendar.html - Search events by date, name, city, or state/region from the US and Canada. * NEW American Road Trip Talk (Podcast): http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/index.php?app=blog updated weekly highlighting fun road trip topics featuring Foster Braun. * Picture of the Month: http://americanroadmagazine.com/monthlyphoto.html - download FREE mobile wallpaper, road trip Itinerary and more! * Family Getaways: http://americanroadmagazine.com/getaways.html" - download Getaway guides to plan your exciting adventures for the entire family. * Road Trip Itineraries: http://americanroadmagazine.com/itineraries.html - search by region and download trip itineraries from the US and Canada. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONGRATULATIONS to our Autumn 2010 American Road® Trip Sweepstakes Winners: $100 Gift Card: Tonya Bridges - Bryan, TX $250 Tri-Star Convertible Travel Bag: Mary Depompa - LaFayette, AL Get Your Winter Escape Off to a Great Start! Register to Enter: http://americanroadmagazine.com/sweepstakes.html'>http://americanroadmagazine.com/sweepstakes.html TWO WINNERS WILL BE DRAWN FOR THE FOLLOWING PRIZES: * One $100 Gas Card * One $50 Best Western Travel Card Brought to you from American Road® and these great sponsors: Bear River Heritage Area Chautauqua, New York Jefferson City Greene County Partnership Louisiana's Northshore Illinois Lincoln Highway Natchez Trace Frontier Country Pennsylvania Route 6 Ohio River Scenic Byway Illinois View Contest Rules: http://americanroadmagazine.com/sweepstakes.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yellowstone Association Institute Offers Winter Programs and Opportunity to stay in Classic Tourist Cabins Yellowstone National Park (Mont. & Wyo.) -The people who live in Yellowstone National Park greet snow cheerfully--because more snow means more fun. Participants in the park's educational programs also greet the chilly season enthusiastically. "Winter for us means terrific cross country skiing, a sense of quiet and solitude and truly unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing," said Jeff Brown, director of education for the non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI). "With the exception of the hibernating bears and some migratory bird species, of course, winter in Yellowstone is the best time to view wildlife such as wolves, elk, bison and more in their natural habitat." YAI offers a variety of programs during winter months designed to help people understand and appreciate the fascinating place that is Yellowstone. The Institute offers Field Seminars, Private Tours, and Lodging & Learning programs... Read more: http://americanroadmagazine.com/roadnews.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors Lincoln Hotel--where gourmet breakfast is an option 408 Main Street - Box 222 Lowden, IA 52255 563-941-7563 http://www.lincolnhoteliowa.com The Lincoln Hotel, at the junction of Herbert Hoover and Lincoln Highways offers travelers comfort on the road with 5 spacious suites, private baths and queen size pillow tops. On the NHR the hotel won Iowa's 1996 Best Restoration Award. Stop & stay when you're in the area! Reservations preferred. Serving auto travelers since 1915 ----- Gunflint Trail As you meander the 57 miles from the shores of Lake Superior to Saganaga Lake, the wilderness area washes away the work and worries you've carried with you so long. In appreciation of capturing a bit of the past, contemporary man cherishes the mystique of this natural world in the north, and over the past several decades activity has evolved into recreational appreciation of what the landscape has to offer. Whether it is canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, birding or just exploring the road itself, travelers look to the Gunflint Trail as an opportunity where one can experience a journey through past and present to arrive at a place and experience living more fully in the presence of a natural moment. http://www.gunflint-trail.com 1-800-338-6932 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Give the Gift of American Road Magazine--Best Value: One-Year Print and Digital Subscription ($19.95) Readers tell us that American Road magazine helps fuel their road trip dreams! That's why we call it your "Official Travel Companion to Planning the Ultimate Road Trip". Help your friends and family plan the trip of a lifetime! Each issue contains maps, diners, and roadside attractions in every region of the US. In our upcoming issues, we explore the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Byway, National Lampoon's Vacation, Route 66, the Old Spanish Trail, The Yellowstone Trail and more! Point your browser to the following URL to give the gift of American Road: https://americanroadmagazine.wufoo.com/forms/m7x4a3/ Enjoy the beautiful Winter season and safe travels! American Road® magazine staff

Greetings everyone! Watch for a new American Road Trip Talk podcast this coming weekend. Foster Braun, the host for the show, took a week off for the holidays this week. This means that you have time to listen to some of the shows in the American Road Trip Talk archives! You'll find the podcast archives in the Itunes store. Just search for: American Road Trip Talk podcast Happy Motoring! Becky Repp becky@americanroadmagazine.com

Hello everyone, We hope you enjoyed your holiday! I apologize for not posting yesterday. We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year and I started cleaning and cooking at 5am yesterday - and didn't have a minute to spare before guests started arriving. We had a wonderful day - and hope everyone else did as well. For those of your traveling this holiday - we hope you have a safe and enjoyable journey! Best, Becky Repp becky@americanroadmagazine.com

Hi, Excellent news! Thanks to Denny for helping clarify the issue. Here's to happy and safe road and cyber travels! Becky

Hi Jason, Hi Denny, I'm forwarding the description of this issue to our webmaster. We'll likely have to talk w/ Invision Power Board about this issue to attempt to resolve it. We'll get to work on it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Best, Becky

Hi Denny, Thanks for letting us know about this technical gliche. I think we have it fixed now. We're really thrilled to have Foster back and working on the podcast, too!

Discover the joy of the journey with American Road® magazine. American Road Trip Talk 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® magazine. This week meet Erika Nelson, a regular contributing editor to American Road Magazine's Think Big column. In this interview Erika describes her passion for creating the World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things. Visit Foster Braun's American Road Trip Talk blog at: http://dld.bz/americanroadtriptalk We hope you enjoy the show! Best, Becky Repp becky@americanroadmagazine.com

I took a quick business trip last month to Austin, Texas. The trip was so short that I had absolutely no time for playing tourist. However, I stayed at a beautiful historic hotel: the Driskill. (I figured that I needed to see something of historic interest while I was in Austin!). The Driskill was built in 1886 and is listed as one of the Historic Hotels of America. You may read a bit about the history here: http://www.driskillhotel.com/about-texas-hotel.php. An historic time line may be found at: http://www.driskillhotel.com/historic-hotels-timeline.php The hotel was beautiful and the service was spectacular. The rate for a basic room, after taking advantage of one of their special offers, was comparable to other hotels in the area. There are special price offers at their website: http://www.driskillhotel.com/special-offers.php The only downside of staying at the Driskill was the road construction taking place downtown. The construction made navigating the downtown area a bit challenging. That inconvenience aside, I would recommend an overnight stay at the Driskill.

Be sure to vote daily! http://pep.si/dlsDlO Thank you! Becky

If you travel with your pets, as we do, you would appreciate a resource to identify nearby veterinary services in case of an emergency. I found this great website providing a way to search for accredited veterinarian hospitals on your travel route. http://www.healthypet.com/RelocationAndTravel/TripPlanner.aspx I hope it is helpful!

Glad to see Fat Smitty's is still going strong! Its one of our 'must do' things whenever we travel the Olympic Peninsula. Great photos Rick!

So far this year, my favorite drive was on a stretch of US 6 in Iowa between DesMoines and the Nebraska state line. There wasn't allot of traffic and the interstate wasn't visible for a good stretch.

Hi Russell, Thanks for posting. First, yes, unfortunately, the in-person conference has been postponed until 2012. However, we are going to host five virtual meetings instead - the dates are currently being finalized and we will make an announcement in the next few weeks. The board and the conference committee are going to meet in person in Joliet on the 22nd of this month. The in-person conference was canceled because we received feedback from many people that they could not obtain approval for travel expenses this year given the present budget situation many states are facing. The Foundation would be very interested in discussing your collection and how we might work together. Your timing is perfect, as we are considering projects for the Foundation at the upcoming board meeting. Please contact me at becky@americanroadmagazine.com to discuss this further. Best, Becky

Hope you had a GREAT birthday! May your year be filled with many wonderful and safe road trips! Best, Becky Repp American Road magazine

Great post! That chocolate pie sounds EXCELLENT! We'll look forward to reading more about your travels! See you on the back roads! Becky Repp becky@americanroadmagazine.com

San Bernadino County seeks to replace aging bridges on Old Route 66: http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_nbridges27.302f3c6.html 66 Bowl transitioning to a Grocery Store - assets to be auctioned: http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-route-66-bowl-auction-story,0,6459751.story

Welcome Sam! You've come to the right place. We will look forward to hearing about your travels! Best, Becky Repp American Road magazine

Here's your chance to own a classic motel—near an original brick section of the Lincoln Highway! http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x1869747291/Country-highway-motel-up-for-auction

This year, 2010, is the 100th anniversary of the American Camp Association® (ACA)--promoting summer camp for youth. They document the first summer camp starting in 1861. You'll find an historical time line about summer camp - with some great photos here: http://www.acacamp.org/anniversary/timeline/ Becky

Great pics and posts! I also like the price tag for their car repair! Although, I'm sure that was quite allot of money in those days. Becky

I took a fast, but fun, trip to Northeast Colorado on business almost two weeks ago. I stayed in Greeley. I had a little time to explore--not nearly enough. Greeley has some wonderful attractions: The Centennial Village (you can take a virtual tour here: http://www.greeleygov.com/Museums/centennialvillage.aspx), the Greeley Freight Station Museum (http://www.gfsm.org/), and a fun little drive-in with great food: JB's.