KINGMAN NOTES

There are a number of interesting things happening in Kingman that give indication it will be a very busy summer. First there is a new group on Facebook, Destination Kingman, where folks share their Kingman adventure and learn about upcoming events as well as often overlooked attractions
A calendar of events on the home page of Route 66 Info Center will feature coming attractions in Kingman as well as along Route 66. The Share Your Adventure page on this site will allow travelers to be the critic of events and places through the sahring of their stories and photos.
On the 17th of April, beginning about 6:00 PM, the spring season kicks off with Chillin' on Beale Street in the historic district. Live music, good food, cars, and fun are but a few of the highlights.
If you get your kicks on Route 66 on two wheels rather than four there are a number of events in April that you should add to your calendar. And if you simply enjoy anything with wheels as well as the open road there are a number events for you as well.

28th Annual Laughlin River Run (9:00AM)
Thousands of motorcycle riders congregate in Laughlin, Nevada and the surrounding areas including Kingman. Many riders spend the days riding in the area and exploring the scenic countryside.
Laughlin casino parking lots fill with vendors selling a wide variety of motorcycle parts, gear and accessories (some even provide installation).
Bikes are on display by MC dealers & many motorcycle manufactures (major manufacturers and custom builders alike).
The Laughlin River Run will be held on April 21-24, 2010. The River Run Event Pass will include a Pin and Patch, Coupon Book, Poker Run, and Custom Bike Show and the cost is $35. Live Entertainment includes a variety of performances by different Bands, Scenic Poker Run, Bike Show with many Classes, Ms. Laughlin, Host Hotels, RV Parks, Vendors, multiple Charity Events and more going on throughout the week. Get yer motor runnin' and join in on this HUGE event - with so much to do, tons of fun and fellowship - You definately don’t want to miss out!
Contact Info : Dal Con Promotions: 714-694-2800 or 24 hr recorded info at 800-357-8223. Email : sales@laughlinriverrun.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Url: http://www.laughlinriverrun.com/

Kingman HOG Days (10:00AM)
Get your motor runnin' and head to Mother Road Harley Davidson for Kingman HOG Days and Early Bird Poker Run. The poker run will be on Thursday April 22 and will include various stops in the Kingman area. Registration begins at 9 am at Mother Road Harley Davidson. Pizes will be awarded afterwards. April 22 - 24 Mother Road H.D. hosts Kingman HOG Days with live music, beer garden, fun & games, biker vendors and a whole lot more. Rock & roll from 9am - 5pm daily.
Mother Road Harley Davidson 2501 Beverly Ave Kingman Az
Contact Info : Mother Road Harley Davidson Tony Campbell - (928)757-1166 (888)757-1981 Url: http://www.motherroadhd.com/

Wash Me Car Wash & Chiller's First Annual Car Show (2:00PM - 7:00PM)
Wash Me car wash & Chiller's First Annual Car ShowApril 11, Wash Me car wash & Chiller's First Annual Car Show
2pm-7pm 3630 Stockton Hill Rd. Pre-Reg $20. at show $25. Dahs plaques and 6 raffle tickets for 1st 100 vehicles to register. Awards in 6 classes. Proceeds to benefit Sunrise Children's Hospital (Oncology Department), Additional children's toys and or cash donations are appreciated.

River Cruizers Car Show
Come down to the Avi Resort and Casino - 10000 Aha Macav Prkwy Laughlin NV - where you'll see beautiful classic cars, powerful muscle cars and awesome motorcycles. Live entertainment and admission is free. Thursday - Saturday April 15 - 18, 2010 - 9:00am to dusk.
Contact Info : Avi Resort & Casino: (866)463-6284 Url: http://www.avicasino.com

8th Annual Home & Garden Business Expo (10:00AM)
You will find all your home and garden needs at this annual event. Come and see the many displays and demonstrations. Dave "The Garden Guy" will be on hand with tips and how-to's. This year will include performances by Mohave County's own "The Asphalt" band. The show will be held at the Mohave County Fairgrounds - 2600 Fairgrounds Blvd - April 16th, 17th & 18th. Admission: $3.00 - 10yrs and under free - Parking: Free
Friday & Saturday - 10am to 8pm, Sunday - 10am to 4pm
Keep checking the website for updates and schedules
Contact Info : Mohave County Fairgrounds Association: (928)753-2636 Email : info@MCFAfairgrounds.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Url: http://http//mcfafairgrounds.org

2nd Annual Classics & Customs Show & Shine (9:00AM - 2:00PM)
Come on down to the Powerhouse Visitor Center, 120 W. Andy Devine Ave, for the 2nd Annual Classics & Customs Show & Shine. All vehicles are welcome. Entry fee is $10 and prizes will be given for best bike, car, truck, sportscar and custom. All custom and classics are welcome. Registration begins at 9am. Event hours: 9am - 2pm Free for spectators.
Contact Info : Powerhouse Visitor Ctr: (928)753-6106 or (866)427-7866

3rd Annual Biker Extravaganza (All Day)
Kelly's Performance Specialists 3rd Annual Super-Duper Double Wammer-Jammer Bike Extravaganza...Swap Meet - Bike Smash - Burnout Box - Bike Show - Saturday April 24, 2010 - 12 noon until ? This year's event features: Custom Chrome Road Show with Joe Sanchez - Custom Bike Show with a Grand Prize of 2 nights in Las Vegas - Giveaways every half hour - BBQ by Porky's Pit - Beer will be available - Music by 3D - Biker Games By DRR - Fairfield Hand Pinstriping. Camping & RV Parking (No dogs, No Weapons) Vendors & Public enter free.
Directions: Take Route 66 North from Kingman to Mohave Airport Dr. Turn right. At the 3rd street turn right onto Olympic Dr. If coming on I-40 take exit #53 and turn left onto Route 66 (Includes east and west bound exits) 4906 Olympic Dr Kingman Az 86401
Contact Info : Contact: Kelly's Performance Specialists (928)692-6601 (800)651-5755 Url: http://www.kellysperformancespecialists.com

Friday, April 30, 2010
23rd Annual Historic Route 66 Fun Run (11:00AM)
Festivities will start in Seligman on Friday with registration, music, entertainment, and checking out the sights of Seligman. Saturday morning the vehicles will start to line up in preparation for the start of the FUN RUN to Kingman. Since this is not a timed event please feel free to stop along the way to enjoy refreshments, western dance, sample the Hualapai Tribe BBQ and check out the other vehicles as they cruise by.
Upon arrival in Kingman sometime in the afternoon we will be lining up the vehicles (not only cars but busses, vans, cycles and RVs) on Route 66 and at the Powerhouse for viewing and fun judging. Entertainment, activities and vendors all day. Evening activities, downtown Kingman activities and entertainment sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association.
Sunday morning the vehicles will line up for the run to Topock/Golden Shores for the final get-together and awards. Again, not a timed run so there is plenty of time to stop along the way with Oatman being a fun place. We promise to have each and every burro in the neighborhood on the hoof to meet and greet our FUN RUNNERS.
As we get closer to the event more and more activities will be added to make this year's run even more special!
Contact Info : Historic Route 66 Association: 928-753-5001 Email : azrt66@frontiernet.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Url: http://www.azrt66.com

IN THE HOME STRETCH

I spent a great deal of the morning digging deep into the photo archives at the Mohave Museum of History & Arts in Kingman. The goal was to find some never before published photos of Oatman, Goldroad, Truxton, Hackberry, and Valentine for the new book, Ghost Towns of Route 66.
The primary challenge in endeavors such as these is to not get lost on the multitude of fascinating rabbitt trails that are always found buried in the files. Today it was particularly difficult to stay focused as I stumbled into a collection of photos taken by Marion Tenney and Bessie Hood on their epic western adventure in 1925.
Apparently these two adventuresome young ladies ran into trouble on the west side of Sitgreaves Pass above Goldroad when they missed a curve and drove off the road. After the photo of their car (1920 Dodge?), intact and upright but with a broken front axle, in the rocks below the highway were a number of photos showing where they stayed in Goldroad, the garage where it was repaired, and the mechanics posing with the finished product.
For my purposes I selected a great photo showing main street (the National Old Trails Highway) in Hackberry circa 1916, and another of the 1952 ribbon cutting ceremony for the Black Mountain bypass that transformed Route 66 in western Arizona into a four lane highway through Yucca.
However, the most fascinating photo discovered was a promotional shot of a Vellie on the National Old Trails Highway in downtown Oatman circa 1920. Apparently the photo was taken in conjunction with teh cross country promotional drive of this Vellie.
The detail is fascinating. The Vellie is loaded with all manner of ropes, tents, tools, camping gear. It is coated with mud and dust as are the goggled driver and passenger.
Oatman is a narrow canyon of two and three story buildings. In the background is the looming Elephant's Tooth and the head frames for a large mine. On the street are trucks, cars, and horse drawn wagons.
The remainder of the morning was consumed at the office, in running errands for my mother and in discussions with an archives in Oklahoma pertaining to photos of Bridgeport. Counted among the many items to be addressed this afternoon and evening are captions for Arizona photos, work on the launching of a Facebook group, Destination Kingman, and work on photos for a commercial account.
Our initial work for the latter was not accepted. However, our Sunday afternoon photo excursion netted some interesting shots, in spite of near gale force winds, and allowed us to narrow the focus in regards to what the customer is needing.
This photo was taken near Fort Beal just off U.S. 93, northwest of Kingman. I had hoped to capture the snow covered Hualapai Mountains as a backdrop but the winds and resultant dust negated all attempts.

DESTINATION KINGMAN

I just received the calendar of events for Kingman area activities through June and it looks as though the biggest challenge will be in deciding what to miss so we can attend something else. To say the very least there will be something for everyone so here is to hoping that if your travel plans include Kingman they might be expanded to stay a day or two.
Before I provide a few highlights (the entire calendar will be posted on the calendar of events on the home page at Route 66 Info Center) let me share an exciting little tid bit of old fashioned, shameless self promotion.

NEWS FLASH!
Title: Ghost Towns of the Southwest
Author: Jim Hinckley
Photography: Kerrick James
ISBN-13: 978-0-6703-3221-4
Price: $21.99
Pub Date: March 2010
ACTIVITY #1: Library Journal Xpress Reviews – First Look, April 2, 2010
Hinckley (coauthor, with James, Backroads of Arizona) displays clearly his love for the subject. He describes 50 towns with historical detail and obvious interest in the sad tales that ended nearly the same in each area. Photographer James provides beautiful and thought-provoking photographs that highlight the buildings, ruins, and scenery of each town. . .
Verdict This is an excellent book for students of local Arizona and New Mexico history as well as those interested in travel along Route 66…—Sara A. Miller, Atlanta-Fulton P.L. Syst.
Check out the complete review at: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6724864.html

ACTIVITY #2: Reviews are scheduled for May or June issues of the following publications:
AAA Arizona Highways (circulation 450,000)
RV Life (circulation 55,000) – also interested in running an excerpt from the book
Sun Life Magazine (circulation 45,000)
Escapees (circulation 38,000)

Many thanks to Maurrie Salenger, Marketing Manager, Quayside Publishing Group, for a job well done. This couldn't have come at a better time.
After the writing and publication of five books I have learned that for there are several stages in the procecc. The last seems to the be the hardest and the most depressing.
The text for Ghost Towns of Route 66 is finished with the exception of some sidebars, a little polish, and the captions for exisiting photos. Last minute snags pertaining to historic images and that silly nagging sense the book will be poorly received or not fulfill its purpose of encouraging people to travel, to explore, and to see the old highway in a different light hangs over my head.
Enhancing the sense of depression that I now recognize as part of the process are family issues including a younger sister in the hospital with a terminal situation. It is situations like this that put things like worry over photos or how well a book is received in perspective.
Now, lets encourage you to travel, to make memories, and to discover Kingman as your Route 66 destination. Topping the list for roadies has to the be annual Route 66 Fun Run, a three day, 180 mile block party celebrating Route 66 and America's love affair with the automobile scheduled for April 30TH through May 2ND.
Unfortunately I will miss this years event as we will be at the Road Trip Day celebration at Auto Books - Aero Books in Burbank. I believe this will be the first time we have missed the Fun Run in sixteen years.
On April 10TH and 11TH the Murphy Gun Show will  return to the Mohave County Fairgrounds. If you have the slightest interest in guns, the history of guns, or are fascinated with vintage firearms mark your calendar for this one.
Motorcycles dominate the 22ND to 24TH of this month. There are the Kingman Hog Days at Mother Road Harley Davidson, Escape to the Mountain, a motorcycle rally to Hualapai Mountain Resort, and a Biker Extravaganza & Swap Meet at Kelly's Performance Specialists at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park.
On the 25TH there is a cruise east on Route 66 for the Keepers of the Wild Car Show & Tour. For more infoprmation call 928-769-1800 or check out their website, http://www.keepersofthewild.org/
On the 13TH, 14TH, and 15TH of May there is the KABAM (Kingman Area Books Are Magic) festival featuring yours truly as a featured author. There will be a number of venues including poetry on the 13Th at Beale Street Brews in the Kingman Historic District, an authors reception at Mohave Community College, and then the main event at Metcalf Park on Saturday. For more information check out their website - http://www.kingmankabam.org/.
Then we have a half dozen golf related events, a couple of relays, movies under the stars, a Mr. D'z classic car breakfast on Saturday mornings, and a chilli cook off. For more information about any of these, or other scheduled events go to http://www.kingmantourism.org/ or call 866-427-7866.