Join Thomas and Becky Repp as they team up with Gary Mantz to bring you a new road trip adventure each week. American Road Trip Talk is your chance to discover the backroads that embody true Americana. As the owners and producers of award-winning American Road magazine, Thomas and Becky want your future road trip to be both interesting and exciting. By teaming up with veteran radio broadcaster, Gary Mantz, they offer up valuable road trip planning information.
This edition features Fred Carlisle, author of The Lake Effect, a memoir grounded in his personal experiences yet one that wades into wider considerations including aesthetic, emotional, historic, economic, and social aspects of Lake Michigan. The book captures the lake’s mesmerizing beauty in summer and winter. (Encore presentation)
In honor of those countless Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in wartime, this episode offers places to visit where selfless valor is memorialized in beautiful ways. Our correspondent Matt Shea has researched a number of them and shares his discoveries.
Jarrod Lyman returns with news of The Mt. Hood Territory Wine Trail, a FREE mobile passport that guides you through the idyllic family-owned wineries of Clackamas County. Check in as you go to earn fantastic prizes, plus discover exclusive discounts, all while supporting local wine makers. In-pass mapping makes it easy to find a winery near you.
In this episode, Tracie Barnthouse of Travel Nevada has lots to say about road tripping through the Silver State. There are 10 branded road trips that cross the state in every direction, each with their own personality. We focus on two – the Lake Tahoe Loop (communities surrounding Reno and Lake Tahoe) and Neon to Nature (in and around Las Vegas).
Harriet Baskas is back with more entries from her book, 111 Places In Seattle That You Must Not Miss. Seattle is a natural wonder unto itself with lots of beautiful places to visit whenever the Sun makes a welcome return to the region. A veteran journalist and blogger, Harriet promotes the Seattle outdoors vibe with her detailed knowledge of Emerald City venues.
Mark Greene of CarsYeah fame resolved to part with his beloved “Orange Crush” and in the process, discovered little-known insights into today’s hot automotive market. He has lots to share about buying and selling cars in the midst of lingering inflation and strong demand. (Encore presentation from June 10, 2022)
The gentle rolling hills of Virginia are a beacon for Country Music fans and musicians alike. The Blue Ridge and Appalachian region beckons all who seek out the roots and branches of a distinctly American culture; one to which all are welcome. Fred Carlisle joins us to share his love affair with the endless charms of the Commonwealth.
Bodie, California was booming in 1876 after discovery of an impressive vein of gold. The town however went into decline in subsequent decades and was known as a ghost town by 1915. Today, thanks to its designation as a National and California historical landmark, Bodie is widely regarded as the most popular ghost town in America, with about 200,000 visitors yearly. Jamie Jensen guests with travel tips for those looking to visit a well-preserved vestige of the golden West.
We visit once again with our friend Erika Nelson, creator and curator of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction Museum, headquartered in Lucas, Kansas. Erika has toured much of America with her artistic wonders on rolling display. This time, we ask her about her personal favorites. So many pieces from which to choose!
Our annual episode saluting The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival celebrates the 40th anniversary of a springtime festival that draws eager crowds from around the world. The event shows off Western Washington at its most floridly spectacular. Matt Shea joins us with a survey of the displays and other local delights that make the trek to Skagit a special experience every year.