American Road Trip Talk

Celebrating the lives, careers, and legacies of the “First Couple of Comedy,” and their incredible impact on the world, the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum has welcomed thousands of visitors from across the globe for over 25 years. I Love Lucy premiered 70 years ago. Gary Hahn of The National Comedy Center guests.

The Hollywood Museum, official museum of Hollywood, has the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. It features 35,000 square feet, 4 floors of breathtaking exhibits and is the home of more than 10,000 authentic Showbiz Treasures. Founder Donelle Dadigan is our guest.

Chances are, that orange beauty you turned into a delicious pie or impressive jack-o’-lantern came from one of three Pumpkin Capitals of America, located in Floydada, Texas, Morton, Illinois or Half Moon Bay, California. Eric Spitznagel joins us to celebrate the most famous of pumpkin patches.

Where would you go for a stunning ride into the fiery brilliance of Autumn in America? Jamie Jensen, author of Road Trip USA, has some ideas. He is a troubadour of two-lane highways and his stories will inspire you to go mobile and experience the season like never before.

Every make of automobile has its aficionados. For lovers of style and performance, ask any fan of the Pontiac lineage about the now-defunct GM make and you will see stars (and maybe a tear) in their eyes. Passion for Pontiac is our topic as we speak with enthusiasts Karl Petry and Ken Ulrich.

The September 11th National Memorial Trail, 1,300 miles long, stretches through 6 states and DC, connecting three 9/11 Memorial sites through DC, VA, PA, NJ, NY, MD, and Delaware. To remember, discover and connect is essential. In Part 2, David Brickley, founder of the trail alliance and advisory board member Mike Dannemiller guest.

The September 11th National Memorial Trail is 1,300 miles long, stretching through 6 states and DC, connecting the three 9/11 Memorial sites through DC, VA, PA, NJ, NY, MD, and Delaware. It’s a multi-use trail that you can hike, bike or motor through. To remember and be inspired is essential to the experience. Debby Borza and Tim Brown, instrumental in the development of this active memorial, share their perspectives.

In Lucille Ball’s hometown, celebrate the comedic arts with a visit to The National Comedy Center. This is not quite so much a Hall of Fame as it is an innovative gathering place for professional and amateur comedians, aficionados and every person who ever laughed at a well-told joke. Gary Hahn, VP of Marketing and Communications, is our guest.

On the highway to Hollywood, funny and films travel well together in rollicking tales of the human predicament. Geoffrey Mark, a go-to sage of screens large and small, joins us with his nuanced appreciation of life and laughter on the open road.

Escape Rooms, combining elements of mystery, adventure and intricate teamwork, have become very popular destinations across America. Joey and Tonya Madia are aficionados of these eerie attractions and Joey is currently in high demand as a designer of them!

Jamie Jensen, growing up in Southern California when car culture was then standing up to ride the wave of the future, became permanently enchanted with the open road early on; especially the lure of two-lane highways. With the publication of a ninth edition of Road Trip USA, Jensen has been elevated to the status of motoring maven.

“Heyyyyy, Mrs. C!” Marion Ross aka Mrs. Cunningham from the iconic "Happy Days" sitcom, hails from Albert Lea, MN. The town is so proud of their famous TV mom that they have named a theatre after her and a street also bears her name. Now, the community has dedicated a bronze statue of their favorite citizen, unveiled on July 2nd. We are fortunate to speak with her about her life and career.

We all want our road trips to go just right. Much of the success (and joy) comes from smart preparation done when there is still adequate time. Vinnie Richichi of DRIVETIME With New York Vinnie shares his Do’s and a few of the Don’ts derived from his numerous highway adventures.

Erika Nelson, professional artist and Curator of The World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things, visits us again; this time with the story behind her mural in celebration of Women’s Suffrage and her recommendations of outstanding murals in the Midwest.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is organized into Mission Zones where attractions and tours are grouped by chronological era. From the dawn of space exploration to current and ongoing missions, you can get an up-close, hands-on feel for the story of humans in space. Rebecca Shireman, Manager of Communications and Public Relations at the Complex, is our guest.

The cities of Blaine, Lynden and Sumas in Washington state are gateways to Canada, fortified by mutual friendship along an undefended border that separates the USA from our neighbors to the north. Each has its own appeal and all welcome travelers with a warmth that belies the cool PNW. Matt Shea surveys the scenery for us.

Mark Greene of Cars Yeah fame is back to survey an elegant array of automobile museums located in New England and also share a story about one of the world’s most famous car aficionados who once took a drive in Rhode Island and ended up buying a dream house.

The Long Beach City Council recently approved $2.5 million for the Queen Mary to facilitate plans for urgent repair work as the city contemplates the venerable vessel’s future. It is not the first time the “Ship of Woods” (or “the Grey Ghost” during WWII) has faced daunting challenges to its survival. Nicole Strickland joins us to share the saga. Thanks to Kelly Puente of the Long Beach Post.

As pandemic restrictions ease their grip on the traveling public, there is an RV craze underway. The Who, What, When, Where and Why of vacationing with your home on wheels is the topic for this episode. Guest Brian Demo is a retired U.S. Marine helicopter mechanic who has transitioned to a mobile Master RV technician. When COVID hit, he joined JustAnswer as an online way to answer hundreds of questions a week from RV owners and renters around the world.

The Mob Museum, officially the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is a history museum located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Opened on February 14, 2012, the Mob Museum features the artifacts, stories, and history of organized crime in the United States, as well as the dedicated efforts by law enforcement to prevent such crimes. Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, is our guest.