29 days, 23 states and 7880 mi

phat rat · October 18, 2006, 10:14:05 PM

Well the trip was fantastic. We (Carol and I) left home on Wed. Sept. 20th and headed for S. Lake Tahoe. While in the Tahoe area we visited, Virginia City, Angles Camp, Donner Pass, Nevada City plus a little gambling. We were in the area for 13 days. On Fri. Oct. 6th we left for the NSRA
show in Sacramento and on Sat Carol flew home as she didn't want to do the Iron Man run to Tampa. I hooked up with Jim Rowlet the NSRA chaplin and a friend of his for the Tampa run. We had a 37 Ford sedan, 37 Chevy sedan and my 41 cpe. We left Sacramento on Sun. .right after the awards and went as far as Barstow that night. In the morning we headed out with Amarillo Tx as the goal. I left them at 9:30 am Mon. for some site seeing of my own, I ran Rt 66 from Kingman to Seligman, then stopped in Winslow for a pic of the cpe in front of the Standing On The Corner wall. I caught back up to them at 5:30 at a gas stop east of Albuquerque. When I was going through Albuquerque it was raining so hard a cop car with lights flashing was leading traffic down I-40 at about 25mph there was also some snow along side the road. Because of the weather we stopped in Santa Rosa NM which was 180 mi short of our goal. The next morning I stopped in Amarillo for a bit to meet EMS Junkie (Vance) sorry I didn't have more time there. Took me three hours to catch back up to the others, again at a gas stop our stop that night was Memphis. The next day going through Alabama I hit what we think was a pallet or packing crate. I was 4th in line of a group in the passing lane. When the other two guys went by it was on the shoulder but the truck between number 2 and me sucked it onto the roadway and I was unable to completely avoid it. I have a somewhat messed up rim but it still holds air. Made it to Tampa early Thurs. afternoon. Had a ball while there. Had a chance to meet Lee (Granddadeo) and Bryn (Ravyn) While there the Iron Man group enjoyed some perks such as a BBQ and a steak dinner plus some other things. I won a door prize, an 18" tall bubble juke box that plays CDs. Left Tampa Mon. am and drove to Garlits museum, he sure has a lot of the old drag cars there. Included was Little Red Wagon, Dandy * Landys early match race car, * Krafts, Bug, Ohio Georges' 34 Ford cpe. And of course a bunch of Swamp Rat cars. From there I ran up through Savannah and headed to Gatlinburg. When I got to Gatlinburg yesterday they had some of the roads closed because of a wind and rain storm they'd had the night before. There were trees down all over in the mountains and the rivers were really running fast. Left there as I didn't want to wait around for the roads to open. Went up through Lexington, Louisville and Indy. Got home about 3:30 this afternoon. Oh and the car again performed flawlessly.

40 · October 18, 2006, 10:59:37 PM

Glad you had a Great Trip! You retired guys have all the fun

Crosley.In.AZ · October 18, 2006, 11:48:20 PM

on the corner in Winslow eh?

thanks for the post on the trip

WZ JUNK · October 19, 2006, 06:53:36 AM

You Michigan guys sure do drive your hot rods. I salute you for it. I really enjoy the time I get to spend on the road. I like the driving as much as the building. The fun is in getting there and back.

John

Dave · October 19, 2006, 06:58:14 AM

Good to see ya back.
Dave

phat rat · October 19, 2006, 09:45:18 AM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"You Michigan guys sure do drive your hot rods. I salute you for it. I really enjoy the time I get to spend on the road. I like the driving as much as the building. The fun is in getting there and back.

John

You're sure right on the fun of driving it John. After it sitting for 2 years when I hit the deer I've been driving the wheels off it. Since getting it back on the road 8/02/04 it has run 29,330 mi. I don't think that's to bad considering it gets put in storage for the winter, that brings it to about 19 months of driving for those miles.

Uncle Bob · October 19, 2006, 10:05:57 AM

Sounds like a heck of a trip. Glad you got to ship me those drums before you left!

purplepickup · October 19, 2006, 10:25:19 AM

Sounds like a fun trip. There's nothing like cruising cross country is there? I liked that section of Route 66 from Kingman to Seligman. There's some interesting things to stop and see along the way....Hackberry general store, stop for some dead chicken and see Juan at the Snow Cap drive-in, get a free Route 66 drivers license at the gift shop in Seligman......

Glad to hear you made it home without any major problems.

phat rat · October 19, 2006, 12:19:14 PM

Uncle Bob, didn't realize it was you I shipped them to. I don't remember your screen name over on the other board.

George, I got pics of the cpe in front of the Hackberry General Store when I went through there last year on my way home from Ca. I didn't stop there this year as a tour bus was just unloading and it was crowded as could be, was a bunch of bikes there also. I did stop in Seligman and take some pics

HotRodLadyCrusr · October 19, 2006, 02:46:55 PM

WOW! TWO great coast to coast trips in a 12 month period! You sure are living right. Trip looked like a blast. I can't wait till I can retire. Glad your home safe and sound bud.

n.c.rodder · October 19, 2006, 03:17:55 PM

Jack my friend...you are the true IRON MAN!

Now if I can just get you to make that "little" trip up north next spring

Mike

phat rat · October 19, 2006, 05:19:02 PM

Denice, I worked 43 years at the place I retired from so I really appreciate having the time to do things now. As my oldest son told a friend of mine who called him when he couldn't get in touch with me "Dads traveling with the hot rod and really enjoying his retirement" Going to do more next year.

Mike, I'll try, remember I was going to come up this spring except that it rained. Besides I didn't want to take long distance away from Kenny. Mapquest says I'm farther away than he is. LOL

EMSjunkie · October 20, 2006, 08:36:59 PM

Sounds like a blast Jack!!

maybe on the next trip, We'll be able to "meet and greet" proper.

how ya feel about a 72 oz steak. :!:

its free..........all ya gotta do is git-er-done in an hour

but if ya can't finish 'er.........get out the wallett.......$85.00 :x

next time Bud, next time

Vance

phat rat · October 20, 2006, 09:40:30 PM

Quote from: "EMSjunkie"Sounds like a blast Jack!!

maybe on the next trip, We'll be able to "meet and greet" proper.

how ya feel about a 72 oz steak. :!:

its free..........all ya gotta do is git-er-done in an hour

but if ya can't finish 'er.........get out the wallett.......$85.00 :x

next time Bud, next time

Vance

Is that the place that has the limos to bring the truckers across the highway? If so BobK and I ate there last year. I don't have any plans on trying to eat a 6 lb staek, I know I can't do it.

EMSjunkie · October 22, 2006, 12:01:43 PM

Thats the place Jack, the Big Texan.

not one of my more favorite places to get a steak.

maybe next time thru we can make an evening of it.

the Coupe is back up and running, may hafta go cruise 6th st.
its part of historic Route 66.

several places for a great steak or burger, and the suds are always cold.

Vance