WORLD MEET TEXAS 08

Texas Tour – Day 1 061408

I rolled out of Sebastopol a little before 5am this overcast Saturday morning, the Rainex useless against the mist. Renee was up to see Dave Uhlig and I off for what proved to be a great day. We met up with Bill Riley and Tom Blagg in Concord and took Marsh Creek to the Byron Inn for breakfast. After a gas stop in Tracy (18.5 mpg), Dave took the wheel of the 29 Roadster and we cruised through Escalon and Oakdale as the morning was warming up. The A’s were running good as we started the slow assent of the Sierra foothills and then the steep Priest grade in to Groveland. We rested at a park and chatted with bikers and a lovely blond from Kiev. Then the 29 wouldn’t start. Everything was dead so I traced it back to a loose battery ground strap. We had some concerns about the gas availability but decided to press on. We arrive at the gate to Yosemite and entered gratis on the senior pass that Judy & I bought at Bryce Canyon 2 years back.

We had an easy ride down to the valley floor, stopping for photo ops along the way. We finally put the top down, and opened the world to our senses. There was a hold up at the Hwy 41 junction because of a fire, but the park was fairly uncontested with tourist. We pulled into a picnic ground by the river and shared a loaf of Village Bake Shop seeded sourdough, Camembert, salami and beer. A perfect lunch in a beautiful setting. Now the hunt was on for gasoline. Dave drove us back along the river and up towards the park entrance. He was looking for the Tioga road and I was looking at the zero which had lost its bounce. Were we about to run out of gas with nowhere to pull off the road? I was seriously worried but we made it. I peered into the tank with my flashlight and could see how clean the bottom was. The pump shut off at $40 and it wasn’t even full (8.11 gallons @ 4.989)! Shortly there after Bill’s 1930 Roadster appeared and we were once again united.

On the Tioga road to Lee Vining deer crossed our path and we saw landscaped meadows, huge granite boulders, water falls, and the far off icons of Yosemite. We were constantly approached by visitors from foreign lands asking to take photos of the cars, and we reciprocated by snapping a few of them. Past Tuolumne Meadows and the East Gate it was a steep descent from Tioga Pass to Lee Vining. Dinner at the Mobil gas station (Whoa Nellie Deli) was fantastic: Lobster Taquitos, deep fried oyster Po Boy, Angus steak Caesar Salad, and baby back ribs were enjoyed by the four of us. What a food and entertainment oasis it was. We had a good night at the Murphey Motel after a great day in our Model A’s.

Unfortunately I left the charger for my camera at home and I’m unable to download all the great photos you’re waiting to see. I’m having a problem getting Dave’s photos to download but SIL may help me with that one.

Steve & Dave on the road

Texas Tour Day 2

We got an early start down Hwy 395 and promptly lost sight of Bill & Tom. Lewis was the passenger and radio man for the first leg of the day’s journey and had forgotten to turn on the CB before leaving. We caught up with Bill & Tom in Bishop after tripling back to Lee Vining in a vain hour long search. They had had problems with the top and stopped to make an emergency repair, and all the while we were on the side of the road several miles ahead waiting for them. After deciding to go back to look for them we were thwarted by the divided road which made it impossible to see south bound traffic. After catching up we had a Continental breakfast at Schacht’s Bakery in Bishop while Bill & Tom made repairs to the top.

Heading south from Bishop the temperature began to rise and after stopping at a rest stop we continued on to Kramer Junction for a gas and lunch stop. Shortly after leaving the gas station the 29 began to run erratically so we pulled over and I added Marvel Mystery Oil to the gas. We made it to the Hotel in Barstow with no more problems, but in the parking lot we drained grit from the sediment filter and cleaned more from the carburetor bowl. There are quite a few A’s here for the trip to Dallas and it should be a glorious ride. Former Sonoma A’s members Joe & Lois Gensley are here with their A400 and Diablo A’s members Alex & Ruth Janke are pulling a Mullins trailer full of camping gear for the non-hotel nights. The group from Model A Times has done a lo! t of work putting this tour together and it should be a wonderful vacation.

We got a recommendation at the hotel desk and went across the highway to “Bun Boy” for dinner. Yummy! This being day 2 and no photos I know you’re disappointed but the best is yet to come.

Steve & Dave on the road

Texas Tour - Days 3 & 4

I’m writing on Day 4 in Williams Arizona. On a rather long and hot Day 3 we arrived here at the Holiday Inn. Along the way we traveled most of Rte 66 and saw the many sights so important to travelers over the years: Bagdad Café, Amboy, Topock Marina, Oatman, Kingman, Peach Springs, and Seligman. Deserted gas stations and café’s, decrepit motels, incredible mountains, lush pastures and junk filled yards were the highlight of our day. The car is running good with an occasional cough and sputter, and we’ve had the carburetor off the last two nights. Today we invited Dave McArthur of Henry’s A’s to drive to the Grand Canyon with us. Dave’s Roadster had arrived on the chase trailer after breaking down near Kingman. Dave Uhlig & I spent most of the day diagnosing and making repairs to his car, finding fault with a loose ignition wire, loose wire to the coil, loose carburetor jet, and double gaskets on the jets. I installed my spare carb, and it ran great until we entered the park, but then it started to backfire from the carb again. Before leaving Grand Canyon NP we replaced the manifold gaskets to resolve a perceived vacuum leak, and then doubled them up to resolve intake and exhaust leaks. The car finally ran great and back at the motel I went through his carb before reinstalling it. Now he’ll be ready to go in the morning. Today I doled out 2 leather gas cap gaskets and a set of copper manifold gaskets, and nut for the coil wire.

Another car came in on the chase trailer. A 31 Vicky owned by Tom Endy of www.fordbarn.com fame. The car had severe overheating problems and he had summoned a trailer to take the car back to LA, and his modern to continue the trip. I offered to pull the head and check for a bad gasket, cracks, and scale in the water jacket, but he declined.

Tonight there was a beer tasting and photo op party, followed by some Zin and Fume Blanc from the rumble seat. We’ll be going to Gallop, NM tomorrow with side trips to the Meteor Crater, Painted Dessert, and Petrified Forest. Bill Riley and Tom Blagg will not be coming and have decided to return home as Bill has been ill.

Some day we’ll have an internet connection and a way to load Dave’s photos. Judy is bring the charger for my camera to Dallas.

Steve & Dave on the road.

Texas Tour - Day 6

Wednesday night in Gallup found many of us at El Sombrero for the stuffed Soppapilla, topped off with red & green spicey peppers & cheese. It was sort of reminescent of a deflated basketball folded over and filled with peppers, veggies & corned beef. No one ate more than half and the remnants were left for the maids the next day (thanks Gunnar).

Hey we had a great ride this morning from the Best Dump in Gallup to the Hwy 6 exit on the I 40 just west of Albuquecue. We were greated by a sheriff's deputy who gave us an escort to Las Lunas. Every corner in this town of 7000 was blocked by city police and we ended up at a park where we were the guests of honor. We had free fajitas & beans for lunch, followed by a 1 hour sales pitch for a condo project. No, I'm just funnin'. The Chamber of Commerce actually sponsered the event and even gave out goody bags with T-shirts. We had a 200 mile ride to Tucumcari after leaving Las Lunas and didn't arrive until after 5pm. We gassed up about an hour out at Santa Rosa where we got wind of a tornado and severe weather warning. We went on anyway and arrived dry and tired.

The car ran good today and we saw another A with modern engine fall by the wayside.

Steve & Dave on the road

Almost There 062108

Good morning from Quanah, Texas. It's threatening rain as we prepare to make the final leg of the trip to the World Meet in Addison. It won't be a cold rain.

Yesterday's trip from Tucumcari was great. We followed a nicely maintained old Rte 66 for a while before it turned to gravel (also maintained). I'm attaching photos of that stretch with the cows, an old motel & gas stations. We also stopped at Cadillac Ranch and drove throught the heart of the towns along the way. We had lunch with the Gra-Neva A's, but were traveling on our own most of the day. When time permits in Dallas I'll recap the trip with more photos. Sorry for the lack of play by play, but this rolling party has been consuming us. What a blast.

Steve & Dave from the road

Up-Date from World Meet 2008 062808

Howdy y'all from a cool, rainy, thunder & lightning after a hot day Snyder Texas. Long time between email and much has happened. Several emails mentioned the photos weren't attached a week ago so I'll see what I can do to include them. We arrived at the World Meet in Addison about mid day last Saturday. On the way from Quanah the float filled with gas causing a major leak, but with the spare carburetor installed we were back on the road. Judy arrived Saturday night, and Cliff & Cindy Peterson and Steve & Sue Mitchell flew in on Sunday evening. Dave & Nancy Shipman and friends Jerry & June also arrived on Sunday having driven their moderns from Arkansas. We all made good use of happy hour, and the hotel bar became a gathering spot; a place to see many old friends from around the country and the world. We also had a couple of "wine tasting" for close friends in our room.

With some free time to peruse the swap meets the first couple of days, we saw a lot of good Model A stuff. Best of all, Doc Kalinka had a booth outside in the hot sun and along with Marco they provided expert help to identify original parts from reproduction. Mitchell Mfg. set up at the inside swap and had a pretty cool time. The hotel public spaces and corridors were generally freezing while our room required almost constant use of the AC. I never heard the final count on people attending, but Model A's were everywhere (maybe 500 or more). Almost all of them showed up at the Texas Motor Speedway on Thursday for a turn at doing laps on the banked oval. I couldn't get the pace car to go over 60 and I wasn't allowed to pass.

Judy judged Era, Reproduction and Era Image Fashions all day Tuesday, while Cindy baked in the hot sun doing safety checks on cars to be judged. Alex and Ruth Janke from the Diablo A's joined the 7 of us for dinner at Truluck's that night. Dave and I traveled part way to the meet with Alex & Ruth, but they camped a few nights, slept in a tee-pee, and zig zagged around seeing all the sights while we were pretty much going point A to B. Judy & I are planning to see those sites on this return trip too.

Wednesday both Cindy & I judged Fine Point (Blue Ribbon) cars inside the hotel. Fortunately she finished 'cooling systems' by noon. Unfortunately I finished 'interiors' as they were rolling the cars out of the hotel a little after 6pm (11 hours later). We both have issues with the judges we worked with and the abuse of the standards we have pledged to abide by. Please attend the July meeting for the rest of the story. Cindy was called upon again on Thursday to judge Touring Class cars that were competing for Blue Ribbons. It's a MARC thing and I don't profess to understand what they are doing although I've been a member since 1994.

There was a large array of raffle prizes including two engines, neither of which are residing in our rumble seat on their way to California (sorry Cliff, sorry Dave). Dave & I witnessed two determined sisters drive their 29 roadster pickup from Auburn, CA to the meet without the benefit of shade. I hope you saw the 'A of the Day' on the MAFCA website with Diana and Pam driving topless ftom California to Dallas. Diana organized the Model A Times magazine tour and did a wonderful job. They were to drive the magazine's roadster (with top) but the engine had a meltdown before take off.

Below are a skimpy 4 photos from the meet include a great work truck (listen up at the July meeting), a Model A Hummer, "Carb Guy", Happy Hour with new friend Judy Carter from Fort Worth (has a Model A Taxi). She was there with a bunch of boys (Jordan, Logan & Ace) who were having a great time. Brent Terry (from Tenn-uh-see) sponsored a buildup for them and other kids. They assembled a chassis, running gear, installed the body and they all got to ride in it.

Hey, I'm stopping here cause I'm sleepy, but we'll be in Carlsbad tomorrow and I'll make every effort to continue unloading on y'all.

Steve

Up-Date on the road from World Meet 2008 063008

We intentionally got a late start this morning in Carlsbad. Finally able to sleep till 6 we shuffled the rumble seat and packed never to be seen again stuff in the second ice chest. Dave & I brought two so the wine could ride in the dark and stay cool, but since the wine is mostly gone so we have extra space available.

Tonight we're in Albuquerque at the BW after a great ride. Strange how a thin line on a map can be transformed into a great scenic ride. Going north on 285 we arrived in not so weird Roswell, passing huge Pecan groves, corn fields, and dairies. The water From the Pecos River must be cheap 'cause their flood irrigating the groves. Going west on 380 we thought it would be miles and miles of desert but shortly we entered a hilly region with green pastures, large trees, cattle & horses in the Picacho Valley. Gassed up in Hondo and got info on Linclon just up the road. That's where in 1881 Sheriff Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid. The gore aside, we had a good hot dog lunch at an old soda fountain, and afterwards a walk around town. We drove on to Capitan where a badly singed bear cub was rescued by firefighters in 1950 during a large forest fire and they named him ! ;Smok ey Bear.

Dead End reared his ugly head as I drove around Los Lunas trying to find a place to spend the night. The streets were torn up with detours and heavy traffic and I couldn't remember how we drove through town a couple of weeks ago following the police escort. I finally gave up, got on I-25 and raced to where we are tonight. It was an 8 hour day, but we stopped a lot and had a great time exploring new sights.

The photos include the cave 's natural entrance, the UFO Museum in Roswell, the road through Picacho Valley, and our lunch stop in Lincoln. Most of the photos inside Carlsbad Cavern were too dark, but being there to see and remember is priceless.

Steve & Judy on the road

Up-Date on the road from World Meet 2008 070108

Day 4 finds us in Santa Fe at the Old Santa Fe Inn. It's pretty nice as motels go and a bit pricey. This town is full of art galleries, rug dealers, T-shirt shops, bars & restaurants. Not much to keep us here even thought we've booked two nights.

This morning we went to Petroglyphs National Monument. We climbed to the top of the mesa at Boca Negra and saw a lot of ancient grafitti including the aliens landing in New Mexico. Then we spent the rest of the morning in old town Albuquerque. After a stop at the Rattlesnake Museum and looking in a few shops, we had an excellent southwest lunch at the Church Street Cafe.

Tenative plans are to head to Farmington and get an early start to Durango the next morning to catch the Durango-Silverton train. After the train returns we may go to Cortez or stay in Durango so we can see the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.

Steve & Judy on the road

Sayonara Santa Fe. It wasn't a great night at the highly rated Old Santa Fe Inn but it might have just been us. We prefer an open window, cool air from the coast, and crickets, to the noisey AC and sounds of a busy street inches from our bed. The plan was to stay two nights but we didn't find anything in the town to interest us so this morning we moved on.

Another gray line on the map turned into a beautiful ride. We went north on 585 to 502 west, and climbed a long way up to Los Alamos, an interesting town with a morbid sense of humor. Street names like Bikini Atoll, Boomer and Oppenheimer Drive reflect on the development of the bombs that nuked Japan. The lab appears to be the major employer as we were caught up in their rush hour.

A quieter stretch of road took us to Bondelier National Monument. The peoples that settled this volcanic valley were cliff dwellers, but also had a settlement on flat ground. I guess it all depended on how much you were willing to pay for lodging. A couple of young Archeologist were restoring the adobe mortar on the settlement, hence the blue tents. We may be wearing out our welcome at the National Parks since we purchased a Golden Age Passport two years age at Bryce Canyon.

From there we continued west on 502/501 and climbed in second gear for quite a while. New Mexico is really stingy with altitude signs but I think we were close to the 10,000' elevation. We entered Valles Caldera, a beautiful high meadow that stretched for miles and miles. Beyond we encountered cattle grazing beside the road, tall Pines, Aspen and wild flowers. A short while after turning on to highway 126 the road became dirt and stayed that way for 18 miles. It was the highlight of our trip. We idled along in high gear at 10 mph at times and imagined how the Model A era roads might have been. We encountered a young family in a VW bus seeing the country on little money and having a great time. We recalled a lady at Bondelier telling us of a time they and several other cars were stuck in mud & snow on that road (in a Hudson) and a Model T went around them all and kept on going. I think the A's probably would too.

Back on pavement we stopped in Cuba for some Mexican food and Gas(oline). At an average 7000' elevation we headed to Bloomfield, and at 3:30 we settled in at the BW in Farmington just ahead of a large thunder storm. The Durango-Silverton train is on tap for tomorrow.

Good - Judy was up about 4:15 this morning to get us on the road from Farmington to Durango. We had an 8:15 reservation for the Durango-Silverton train and it was about a 50 mile drive. When we crossed the border from New Mexico to Colorado the landscape went from high desert to green fields of alfalfa, and the San Juan Mountains loomed in the distance. Before bording the train I checked availability at the General Palmer Hotel and was able to get a room for the night so we canceled the BW reservation. It's a nice Victorian hotel right in the middle of the night life. Too bad we're all in at 9:00.

Bad - We are on a waiting list for another night but it doesn't look encouraging. The 4th has brought a lot of tourists to town and everything is pretty well spoken for. We would have liked to stay here for the parade and fireworks but we'll probably just move on???

The train ride was great. We met a lot of people from around the country and had "rippers" for lunch in Silverton (another T-shirt town).

As of 11:00pm last night it looked like we wouldn't have a room at the General Palmer for Friday the 4th, so we made alternate plans. After a great night's sleep we packed the car and went to check out. They said they had a no show so we could stay another night, watch the parade and fireworks and have another good nights rest. Durango is a fun place to be but we opted to get on the road and head for home.

Bundled up in sweatshirts and coats it was a cool morning, and Hwy160 was a good climb west of town up to the high green valleys and tidy farms. In Cortez we buzzed past the shiney new Denny's Diner and crowded in with the locals at Pippo's for breakfast. It was typical good road food from a mom & pop establishment. As we neared Dove Creek, traffic was slowing for the 4th of July Parade that was lining up on the side roads. We beat the impending traffic jam by ten minutes, and driving through town the street was lined with spectators thinking we were a part of the festivities. The ahooga horn blared as we rolled past the waving throng.

Crossing into Utah we stopped for gas in Monticello and noticed a sharp price increase. We have been paying less than $4 but this last fill up was $4.45 a gallon,. Probably a lot cheaper than at home. The wind was blowing and cool at 10:30 and I considered putting my sweatshirt back on, but an elevation change north of town brought warmer conditions.

It was mid 80's at noon when we stopped at the Market Place in Moab for sandwiches, lemonade, iced tea and water. We drove to the visitor's center at Canyonlands NM for a picnic, and then to several overlooks. We also hiked in to see an arch. This place is every bit as impressive as Grand Canyon but in it's own way. We only took a few photos #2 is the Green River a long way down, and the arch in #4 has nothing under it for about 1/2 a mile down.

Tonight we're in Green River, Utah at the Holiday Inn Express and had a very good pizza delivered, a little Sonoma County Zin, and fudge from Silverton. We'll have an early start in the morning so till tomorrow.

Steve & Judy on the road

It was warm as we left Green River at 6am this morning, but the air cooled as we gained altitude. Driving over 100 miles to Salida we saw less than a dozen trucks and very few cars on the Interstate. Having never driven I-70 before, we were in awe of the forces of nature and the beauty all around us. At Salida a highway sign enticed us to eat at the world famous Mom's Cafe and we discovered the reason for the notariety; her ability to make more coffee from a pound of grounds than any other cafe. I may be a bit harsh since the bacon and eggs were great, but finding a tire going flat in her parking lot really pissed me off.

I removed the wheel and inner tube and found a sharp brad causing the leak. I patched the tube and Judy fed the air compressor mucho quarters at the gas station before we were on out way. We made a mandatory stop at an antique store (unrestored 29 plates $300) in Scipio, and had a conversation with a group from Spain who were touring Southern Utah. Stopping to top off the gas tank and fill the ice chest in Delta before the ride west to Nevada proved a good idea. We entered Nevada 2 hours later and had ice cream and iced tea at the first place we came to. I had to ad 3 - 12 ounce bottles of water, and a few miles down the road I pulled over to clean the windshield fouled with water wetter and anti rust. The gasket in the moto-meter cap wasn't sealing so I replaced the shim below the leather gasket, and since we hadn't driven very far I didn't check the water.

After pulling the first of two long grades in Nevada the Roadster was heating up (half way in the circle) for the first time in 4000 miles. As I put in 1 1/2 gallons of water I'm thinking head gasket, but Judy's convinced we lost a lot of water before I cleaned the windshield and shimmed the gasket. We stopped at Morgans Place and refilled the water bottles and had a cold one. The car ran cool up the second long grade and all the way to Ely. I guess she made the right call.

We checked in to the Bristlecone Motel and barely ate the over-salted food in the casino across the road.

Steve & Judy on the road

Up-Date on the road from World Meet 2008 070608

Sunday morning we were well rested after a stay at the Bristlecone Motel in Ely. Judy had spotted the lawn and flowers as we drove by so I went around the block and we booked a room. It was the cleanest, most comfortable AND least expensive lodging of the entire trip. The internet connection worked with no hassle or added cost, and there were enough plugs to connect all the chargers (computer, phone & camera).

It was a nice clear and cool morning so I put the top down for the trip west. After we gassed the A we headed west, top down with sweatshirts and coats on. A mile out of town it was cold and windy so I put the top back up and closed the back flap. We stopped in Eureka for a good breakfast at the Owl Club. Smoke from California obscured the distant mountains, and the wind was blowing us sideways at times. Sixty some miles later we were in Austin buying more gas and changing drivers. Judy's really done a great job behind the wheel every day and this day I missed about an hour of beautiful desert scenery while napping in the passenger seat. We made a quick stop in Fallon for lunch before ending the ride at the Mill House Motel in Carson City. We've stayed there many times with the club during the years the Sagebrush A's held their annual field meet. It's still a comfortable place but dated and for sale. The electrical outlets aren't grounded and they won'! t hav e internet access until tomorrow (Monday). Highway 395 is about to bypass the town and it's already dead from the high gas prices and lack of tourists.

My flat iron steak for $14.50 at Reds 395 Ribs (how many bottles of beer on the wall?) was the best of the trip. The club has eaten there twice, and once several of us ordered the dinner for two special. The leftovers fed everybody lunch the next day and we shared the rest with the maids. Tomorrow we go home.

Steve & Judy on the road

Monday morning and it must be Carson City. How many times we've gone home from this place but none with more desire than this day.

A check of the radiator and it was right up there. I'm still amazed how the 29 has made repairs to it's self. First it was the morning in Williams Arizona going east when I checked the steering and rearend, 600W and tools in hand. No oil required even though they have always leaked. Must have fixed it's self. Then on Saturday as we were headed west to Ely and we lost a gallon and half of water but never had to add more since. Must have fixed it's self. The darn tire isn't Ford and couldn't fix it's self.

Put the top down, sweatshirts and jackets on and buy more gas. Headed west over Spooner Summit into the Tahoe basin filled with smoke, the lake was colorless and still as our A took us to Incline Village and Stateline. Then Kings beach and over 267 to Truckee for one last breakfast at the Wagon Wheel (back in pricey California). Avoiding I-80 as long as possible we drove along Donner Lake's north side and up old US 40 to the pass, over looking a smokey Donner Lake. A few miles down the road I put the top up, kissed the lovely lady to my right, took a deep breath and jumped back into the old world of bad roads, trucks and tailgaters.

I-80 is a disgrace and a monument to the robber barons in Sacramento. We drove through AZ, NM, TX, CO, UT, NV and all of them had great roads and cheaper gas without a windfall sales tax like CA. They use their road taxes for roads, not social welfare, pensions, perks and fat salaries. Our roadster was brutalized by the rough pavement (if you can call it that), pot holes and cracks. A section near Blue Canyon is being repaved and the low bidder is doing a miserable job and should be hung. The surface is so uneven it's hard to keep a straight line and the ups & downs of the finished parts are just that; UPS & DOWNS. Done ranting.

It's a little before noon and we're home now. A pleasant place with comfortable beds and pillows, no desk clerk, free wireless internet (actually not free). A refridgerator (no ice required), flowers and tomatoes on the vine. Raspberries to pick and a plumb tree with branches hanging to the ground with their load of fruit. Unloading our faithful Model A I look at the red mud on the wheels from Highway 126 in NM. I love it. We loved it. An 18 mile dirt highway smoother than I-80.