Kingman

25  March 2024

Other than getting your kicks on Route 66, this highway has limited cultural significance to most European visitors. There is a ‘Historic’ section of it through the towns of Seligman, Peace Springs and Hackberry ending in Kingman, so I divert to take a look. There’s not much to see: miles and miles of dead-straight, two-lane highway accompanied by nondescript scenery.

Dwight Eisenhower had witnessed the strategic advantages of the German Autobahn during World War II and supported a law to construct a new system of high-speed, limited-access, four-lane divided highways that form today’s interstates. And that kind-of did it for Route 66, but Kingman has appointed itself the curator of its legacy and the famous shield is everywhere.

It’s a quiet town but considerable effort is being made to turn it into a destination with the central district undergoing complete redevelopment. On a Monday night, dining options are limited. The Rickety Cricket Brewing Company looks hopeful and my optimism is repaid with a quite brilliant pizza.

While I’m waiting for it, my phone pings and a WhatsApp message from my son-in-law informs me I’m a grandfather for the second time. Attached is a picture of a perfect but bewildered granddaughter.

I tell the waitress who agrees this calls for a shot of tequila. As I’m dithering, Endi, a fellow diner offers to assist in my selection as he knows his agave. I buy him one also and we toast the arrival. I learn he’s a Senior Engineer with Tesla and visiting the town as they have a secret testing facility nearby. After two minutes of chatting, it’s clear his is a formidable intellect, albeit one worn lightly.

He explains how the production process of the ‘Lalo’ tequila we are drinking follows his design philosophy of keeping things as simple as possible. Winningly, his passion is still petrol, despite working on EVs, and he shows me a picture of his $350,000 Lamborghini.

Aged just thirty-five, he’s clearly at the top of his game, and emblematic of the tech industry I will leave for good in the next few years. Thirty-five years ago, a reasonable education, a personal network and knowing your way around a wine list was sufficient to eke out a living in this sector.

Now, the educational levels required to get hired by the tech giants are off the scale and they expect all the ‘soft-skills’ as a given.