Travels With Randy Podcast Route 66 In The Fall of '26 Episode 5 is here!

Randy explained his travel budget system, detailing how he allocates approximately $1,500 monthly for expenses including hotels and gas, with gas costs fluctuating based on state prices. He described how he uses hotel points to reduce costs and plans to pay off his van by next November. Randy shared that while remote work made long-term travel feasible, the scheduling challenges eventually led him to retire, as managing work commitments while traveling became too difficult.

Randy discussed his current Route 66 trip, explaining how it differs from his previous one by allowing him to spend more time exploring museums, taking photos of historical sites like Abraham Lincoln's first business in New Salem, Illinois, and enjoying local ice cream. He mentioned plans for a future Alaska trip in June next year, which would complete his mission of visiting every national park in the United States and its territories. Bubba announced that their podcast catalog is now available on YouTube, with 159 episodes uploaded through an automated process using their RSS feed.

Bubba and Randy discussed the success of their podcast "Travels With Randy," noting significant growth in subscribers and views, as well as strong calendar sales. Randy shared updates on his current Route 66 trip, explaining how staying in one location allows for more exploration and visiting local attractions, such as the Anheuser-Busch brewery and Merrimack Caverns. He observed that while some towns have not changed much, others have improved their Route 66 offerings, likely with grant funding.

Randy and Bubba discussed Randy's road trip through Illinois, where he discovered unique murals, neon signs, and muffler men statues. Bubba explained that bus benches with murals are limited to Chicago due to a single advertising contract. Randy shared his plans to document the giant statues he encountered in portrait format for social media, noting that these statues include various objects beyond just muffler men.

Randy explained the complex history of Route 66 in Illinois, noting that the original 1926 route has been rerouted multiple times due to bridge construction and highway changes, making it challenging to follow the exact historical path. He advised Bubba to explore downtown areas of Route 66-associated towns even if they're not directly on the route, as many interesting sites can be found off the main road. Randy shared his experience of missing Granite City on his initial 1926 route trip and emphasized the importance of visiting downtown areas for better exploration opportunities.

Randy discussed plans to create a master recap post with links to all Illinois travel posts, which will serve as a centralized resource for viewers planning their own trips. Bubba explained that he converts Randy's photo collections into YouTube videos using AI assistance, with one Illinois post already resulting in an 11-minute video and potentially expanding to a 45-minute compilation. The discussion highlighted the growing success of their content, with 1.5 million views on Facebook in the past 30 days, and Randy shared updates about his current travel setup including reliable charging systems and Verizon Wi-Fi connectivity.

Randy discussed Harvest Host, explaining how it provides access to 1,500 properties like wineries and farms across the United States for RVers with annual memberships. He shared his positive experiences staying at various locations, including a seventh-generation farm in Michigan where he enjoyed homemade pickles and had the orchard to himself. Randy mentioned his strategy of arriving early to handle business requirements and then having flexibility to explore the area later, suggesting this could be a potential sponsorship opportunity for their podcast.

Randy shared insights about Route 66 in Illinois, highlighting the state's effective navigation signage and the importance of exploring historical alignment changes. Key attractions discussed included Joliet's Rialto Square Theater and the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, which has helped revitalize the local economy. Randy expressed hope for the passage of the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act, emphasizing its potential to benefit towns along the route, and mentioned an upcoming interview with Tom Perkins from Gardner, Illinois.

Randy and Bubba discussed Randy's recent Route 66 trip through Illinois, where he visited landmarks including Navy Pier and the Basilica of St. Louis, and completed an interview with Tom Perkins of The Shop on Route 66 in Gardener, IL. . They planned future content including interviews in Missouri (particularly at the midpoint between Chicago and Santa Monica) and discussed calendar distribution, noting that the calendar is available at three locations in Illinois: Tom's Place in Gardner, the Standard Station in Odell, and the visitor center in Bloomington-Normal. Bubba mentioned ongoing challenges with YouTube copyright strikes for their custom soundtrack and encouraged stores along Route 66 to contact them about wholesale opportunities.

 

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