Wow, the last chapter of Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors!

The O’Briens finally make it to the Grand Canyon, where they have the final showdown with the Inferno.

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Thank you to everybody who’s listened to the end — it means so much to me.

The podcast is done, but it will still remain online…in its entirety. If you’ve enjoyed Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors, tell your friends they can listen from the start here are roadtripfromhell.com. If you subscribe through iTunes, please consider leaving a starred rating or writing a review.

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I hope you enjoy the last chapter of Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors. Thank you for coming along for the ride.

I can’t believe we’re already at the second-to-last chapter of Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors!

Like a good road trip, once the planning was done, it kept rolling along. We’re almost to the Grand Canyon and the end of the story.

This week, James finds out all he he gave up when he signed the contract to buy The Inferno.

Next week: It’s all over!

Thanks for coming along this far. If you’ve enjoyed the trip, please tell your friends about roadtripfromhell.com. Just because the podcast is done doesn’t mean it’s going away: it will be online — in its entirety — for people to listen to. So please spread the word!

In an old church along Route 666, The O’Briens face off against the sinister force that has possessed Lucky.

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It’s hard to believe Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors is almost done!

Next week, James finds out where he went wrong when signing for the Inferno and the week after that, all hell breaks loose at the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Thanks for listening, everybody; I hope this chapter cracks you up!

This week, the O’Briens begin the day in the Texas Panhandle, at Cadillac Ranch. After a stop in New Mexico to look at rattlesnakes, Lucky’s true nature is revealed.

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It’s hard to believe Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors will be coming to an end on February 20!

If you’ve been enjoying the story, let me know. I’m not sure if I’ll work on another podcast right away, but as I recorded this chapter and realized the end of the trip is near, I’m thinking about what to do next.

It gets crazy from the end of this chapter to the final chapter; thank you all for coming along on the ride.

Mary’s worst fears are realized during a stop at a campground in Texas.

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Sorry this chapter went up late — listen to the commentary if you’re interested why it took a couple extra days.

With only $5 to their name, the O’Briens hit a bingo hall in the hope that Mary can turn $5 into something more.

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Since this is a short chapter, be sure to keep listening after the end credits for a short story called “Gutterball.”

“Gutterball” is a short story about a bulldog with an eating issue. I recorded the story as a test before recording Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors.

I’ve mentioned wanting to release Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors as an e-book. I also used “Gutterball” to test formatting for the Kindle. You can see what kinds of writing I do when I’m not writing humorous coming-of-age stories here.

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Okay, on to this week’s chapter!

A picture of a Stuckey's sign I took near the Missouri/Arkansas border.

Is Lucky alive or dead? What happens when the O’Briens make a stop at Stuckey’s? And more important: what happens after the Stuckey’s stop?

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Giveaway Results!

The results are in!

While my wife and I visited my mom on her birthday today (Elvis’s birthday would have been on January 8, too!), we let my mom go to random.org to select the winners of the giveaway.

The winners:

• A signed copy of Troy Paiva’s book, Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration (affiliate link), goes to Starr Capps!
• The winner of 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die (affiliate link), is Janie Jones!
• And…the winners of Pirato Ketchup’s debut EP are Anita Callender, Diane Donald, and Carolina DeWitt!

I’ll be in touch with the winners in a day or so for shipping information.

I had so much fun with the giveaway, I may do another one before this is all over. (Seven chapters to go!)

Don’t Forget Facebook

Before getting to this week’s chapter, a quick reminder that there’s now a Facebook page for Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors at facebook.com/roadtripfromhell.

It’s a great place to keep up with podcast news and other things I have planned for the story, so please stop by and Like it.

All righty, then — here we go!

The O’Briens visit Clyde McAllister’s Gator Village and Civil War Memorial, where something really bad happens to Lucky.

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Facebook Page

There’s now a Facebook page for Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors at facebook.com/roadtripfromhell.

It’s a great place to keep up with podcast news and other things I have planned for the story.

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Last Week For The Giveaway!

This is the final week you can win a signed copy of Troy Paiva’s awesome book, Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration (affiliate link), 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die (affiliate link), or one of three copies of Pirato Ketchup’s debut EP.

Just leave a comment or send me e-mail, letting me know what you like about Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors — or share a road trip story of your own! You can also swing by facebook.com/roadtripfromhell, “Like” the page, and you’re entered for the drawing.

The five winners will be picked on January 8, and they will be announced on next week’s podcast.

Oh, and don’t worry if you live outside of the United States — I’ll still send things your way if you win.

Okay, on to this week’s chapter!

I stumbled upon Troy Paiva’s Lost America website in 1998 and instantly fell in love with his photography.

Not only was Troy out on the road taking photos…he was taking night photos of all the places time has forgotten; the kinds of places I’ve loved all my life.

Troy gives life to things long dead — the things most people don’t give a second look as they drive by. With an eerie glow, Troy resurrects the past and creates physical dreamscapes.

The Giveaway

I’m giving away a signed copy of Troy’s book, Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration (and a handful of other goodies!).

The book is beautiful — and it’s not all photos. There is a lot of commentary throughout the book as well.

All you have to do to be eligible to win is leave a comment on roadtripfromhell.com letting me know what you like about Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors. You can also send email, or use the contact form on the website. Or…just “Like” the Road Trip From Hell Facebook page.

On January 8 — on what would have been Elvis Presley’s birthday — a winner will be selected and announced on the podcast chapter loaded on January 9, 2011.

Good luck!

Here’s What Troy Does

If you want to see the kind of work Troy does, look no further.

Some of these images are in Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration, and some are from his website.

Some New Work at Lost America

Troy shared a couple links to some recent work worth checking out:

Winfield’s Garage

Lost Highway 58

What Have We Lost

In the current episode of Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors, there’s a section where Michael talks about his fathers feeling about what we’ve lost as a nation when we went from state highways to interstates dotted with corporations.

Fortunately, there are people like Troy who are still roaming the highways finding what we’ve lost…

A Final Photo

I love this photo — a ’58 Rambler (with a Gremlin in the background)!

I love it because James traded a Gremlin in for the Inferno in Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors.

I’ve always seen the Inferno as a cross between a ’58 Rambler and a ’57 Chevy Nomad wagon.

Is it any wonder why I love Troy’s photography so much…

All photos copyright Troy Paiva.

When Michael’s put in charge of caring for Lucky, things go very wrong and Mary becomes very angry! Fortunately, there’s a moment of peace between the morning mayhem and arriving at Clyde McAllister’s Gator Village and Civil War Memorial.

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Giveaway Reminder — LAST WEEK!!!

In honor of the holidays, I’m giving away a signed copy of Troy Paiva’s awesome book, Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration (affiliate link), 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die (affiliate link), and three copies of Pirato Ketchup’s debut EP.

What do you have to do to have a chance at winning something? Leave a comment for Chapter 10, 11, 12, or 13 telling me what you like about Hell Comes With Wood Paneled Doors. Sharing a story about a favorite road trip works, too!

On January 8, 2011 — on what would have been Elvis Presley’s birthday — I’ll assign a number to everybody who replied and randomly select 5 winners.

Oh, and don’t worry if you live outside of the United States — I’ll still send things your way if you win.

Okay, on to this week’s chapter!

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J.J. Abrams’s “Mystery in a Box” TED Talk.

Because nothing says Christmas like Mexican wrestling masks and surf music, here are a few tunes by Los Straitjackets to put you in a festive mood.

Really, what’s not to love about Los Straitjackets?

They have a reputation for being really nice guys, they’re snappy dressers, good musicians, and come on — look at those masks!

Enjoy…

Sleigh Ride

Here Comes Santa Claus

Let It Snow

This one has nothing to do with Christmas, but come on — it’s too cool!

Tailspin

Happy Holidays

I love Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the new year.

Whatever you celebrate this season, I hope it’s peaceful, memorable, fun, and safe!

– Christopher