Thoughts on a Route 66 passport book

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Permalink Reply by MrZip66 on March 27, 2009 at 6:35pm

I think thats a great idea!

I think I've taken my kids on route 66 more than they care to. To them, its all just boring open spaces, old buildings and restaurants they don't recognize. I think its one of those things that down the road when they get older will look back and and appreciate, but for right now my teenage girls think its a bit boring. They still go with me to get out of the house and hang out with their old man, but If I had a passport book like that it might make it fun for them (and for me too).

I have a full time graphic artist that I employ thats actually pretty good. I'd be glad to donate some time to that if you had someone who'd print em and bind em.

Great idea!

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Permalink Reply by Josh Friedrich on March 28, 2009 at 8:08am

MrZip66,
I also think it would be a great way to get families and kids a little more involved. I think that having a few trivia questions sprinkled in, a la the EZ Guide, couldn't hurt. I am sure with all the authors, archivists, artisans, and merchants someone could come up with a good printer & binder. Thanks for the input and offer. That is what I would like to see, all of the community to get involved and help make this happen in whatever way they can offer assistance.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Loesch on March 28, 2009 at 5:41pm

I started writing a kids book/audiobook about Route 66. It's sort of a mystery, who done it? A great way to use trivia. As this family heads out on a cruise across The Mother Road, the kids become more involved every step of the way. I have about 20 published childrens books. I'm looking for a publisher. I have in the past written books only to have them sit around. I stopped producing products unless I have a buyer first. Three of my Route 66 audiobooks were just licensed to Oasis Audio and released. Search "Crusin' Route 66" at Amazon. I love your ideas Josh and Mr. Zip!

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Permalink Reply by Josh Friedrich on March 28, 2009 at 9:10pm

Joe,
I have never done anything like this before. This is just an idea I've suggested that was inspired by the National Park Service's Passport Program, the motor tour/fun run booklets, and stamp collector's International Philatelic Exposition passport books. The only thing I could think of was to self publish 1 for myself. I've been stewing on this and mentioning it here and there for over a year. Maybe you could tie it in with one of your children books or audio series. Joe could you mention it on your radio program or maybe get Jammin John S. to talk it up with his various contacts and interviewees.

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Permalink Reply by MrZip66 on March 29, 2009 at 12:25am

The best way to do this IMO is to make the passports and give them away for free, and charge a small fee to the stops along the route that are willing to pay for someone to stop into their store. It makes it tougher because most route 66 businesses rely on location and the route itself, and most live hand to mouth. That being said, nearly every business is willing to pay to have a customer come into their store. You could create back pressure by giving them away and printing enough passports to get into the store, and even do a little national advertising within the book to pay for the printing without having alot of out of pocket costs if you had a prototype.

I think you'd want to mix in the major locations that wouldn't be able to stamp the book (blue whale, ghost towns, etc) with businesses that'd pay to get customers in their door on a laid out road trip.

I'd love to work with you on this if you're interested. I've been in marketing and advertising for the last 15 years. It'd be a fun project. the biggest problem is distribution and money. I think you'd have to go big with it, because the last 2 things you'd want is for someone to pull into attraction A and not have think the book is valuable enough to deal with it, and the second is to not have the money to do it right. I think if you do it right those 2 things wouldnt be a problem with the right planning and effort.

I think the key is to get the passport book circulated and used enough that it's a value to the places who would want the attactions. it doesnt all have to be about money and businesses, but someone would need to pay for it out of pocket otherwise.

It'd just be a fun project, and a good excuse to travel route 66 :)

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Permalink Reply by Josh Friedrich on March 29, 2009 at 3:29pm

MrZip66,
Yes it would definitely have to be done right. I think getting the stops to pay for placement/advertisement could be key in funding intitially. Getting it in the hands of the travelers is key and I know that the best spokespeople are the ones living and breathing the mother road every day.
You & Joe Loesch have a lot more experience with how to go about getting something produced & published. If we could get more heavy hitters ie. Michael Wallis, McJerry, Bob Waldmire, Jim Conkle, Shelley Graham, David Wickline, David Clark, Joe Sonderman, etc. that would help considerably in legitamizing the passport program considerably.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Friedrich on March 29, 2009 at 4:09pm

Here are some photos of my inspiration for the passport book. The NPS one has a plastic sleeve inside that has a fold out map of all the locations. It is also color coded by region. If there was one book. each state could have its own color. At the beginning of each state would be that states outline with route 66 running through it and a dot with a # to coorespond with each stop. My mind keeps on racing....

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Permalink Reply by Sean Evans on April 28, 2009 at 5:44pm

I think this is an inspired idea- how can I get a copy?
Sean

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Permalink Reply by Josh Friedrich on April 29, 2009 at 10:14am

Sean,
I would love to get you a copy. However a passport has not been produced and it is still just an idea and pipe dream.

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Permalink Reply by Cort Stevens on May 2, 2009 at 9:20pm

Josh ... sometimes "pipe dreams" and ideas ... are the best combination to get action in motion.... I don't know how I'd be able to help, but I certainly am willing, if you need any help....



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...RT 66 = Sept 5-16, '09
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"You know we'll have a good time then" ... Harry Chapin ... 'Cats In The Cradle'

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