| |
|
Sunday, June 14, 2009 |
| Tifton, Georgia |
 We left the hotel about 7:00 this morning, and headed south on the two-laners. The high point of the day was crossing the mountains on the back roads. A couple of the turns we had to negotiate put the Tail Of The Dragon to shame!
About noon, we passed through Atlanta. We bypassed the bypass, and with Cecil on the point, came right though the gut! We never slowed down, and ran the ten miles in way less than ten minutes!
We were making good time, and expected to make it to Valdosta. About 45 miles north of Tifton, there was some construction, and we came to a full stop. That, combined with the heat, caused us to re-think our destination. Packard Bill called Sheryl, and she found us a hotel in Tifton.
We limped into Tifton right at 3:00, checked in, and went right to the pool…and the Jacuzzi. That was followed by the regularly-scheduled Old Guys nap.
Dinner was across the street, at Texas Jack’s. The BBQ buffet was just $10, and worth every penny of it!
As far as this adventure goes, we’re done! There won’t be any more Old Guys Blog for this trip, nor any more photos.
By the time we get home (which everyone except me will do tomorrow), we’ll all have traveled more than 4000 miles. We visited fifteen states…some were more memorable than others!
Will we do the Tour again next year? Probably not. We’re already talking about The Route 66 Festival show for next September, then driving west on Route 66 until half our money is gone, then we’ll find the interstate, and head back to Florida.
Keep tuned…
|
| Aloca, Tennessee |
 This morning, under sunny skies (finally), the Long Hauler awards were presented at Bristol Motor Speedway. Just from looking at the size of the crowd, it doesn’t seem there were any attendance records set!
According to Hot Rod Magazine, there WILL be a Power Tour next year, and it’ll begin the second week of June. They usually announce a few of the cities the Tour will visit, but today, they said that at this point, the route is totally undecided.
This was one of the fastest awards ceremonies ever…after receiving our Long Hauler tin signs, we were out of there at 9:30 AM!
Just before 10:00 AM, we were in the local Cracker Barrel enjoying breakfast. At 10:30, we took to the two-laners, and headed for Alcoa, Tennessee.
For the first couple hours, we drove and drove, only to find we were about ten miles from where we started. Yes, we were lost!
But we got straightened out, and our roundabout route took us through Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, before arriving at the hotel just after 3:00.
A couple hour nap, and we headed off to the Tail Of The Dragon. During the hour ride to get to the starting point, it rained, and at times, it rained so hard that the rain was blowing sideways. Not good for convertibles, or the Packard!
When the skies cleared somewhat, we continued south, then drove the Tail. If you’re not familiar, the Tail Of The Dragon spans Tennessee and North Carolina, goes up and down a mountain, and has 318 turns in the 11-mile stretch!
We picked up T-shirts and other memorabilia, then found out the only way back to the hotel was back through the Tail, so we did it again, and we all agreed that once would have been more than enough!
At 9:00 PM, we were picking up a few dozen burgers at Krystal’s, and heading back to the room. It was an exceptionally long day, and tomorrow, as we begin our journey south, will be just as long!
|
| Bristol, Tennessee |
 Ignition coil. Ignition switch. New radio. Brake booster and master cylinder. Brake line. And today, the granddaddy of them all…an axle bearing!
And that in itself wouldn’t have been a big deal, except that Cecil had to retrieve both the wheel and the axle about a half-mile away!
Here’s what happened. Without warning, the bearing started clunking. We stopped, checked it, and since it was raining (go figure!), decided to drive to somewhere dry for further inspection.
About a mile away, as we traveled south, the wheel and axle passed me going about 60 MPH!
Even though I’ve got recent experience with losing a wheel, it was still a major challenge getting the Cougar stopped!
A friend we met on Route 66 stopped, and since we knew we would never be able to make it to the Speedway, arranged for him to sign us in, and pick up our magnets.
One of the guys that stopped to check on us (Cletus Green) knew the area, and knew there was a hot rod mechanic working at the local Chevrolet dealership. It was towed there.
After Cecil chased all over the metro area for parts, and without going into great detail, I was back on the road about four hours later. You can be sure the mechanic was working by the hour!
We made a quick lunch stop at KFC, and headed for the hotel, with Cecil in the lead…BIG mistake! Twenty miles into the trip, we made a wrong turn! After backtracking almost ten miles, we were on our way again. This time Cecil got banished to the rear, and we relied on all our GPS’s!
It was close to 5:30 when we finally arrived at the hotel. We’re gonna have dinner, and that’s about it for tonight. Tomorrow morning is the Long Hauler awards, and with any luck, we’ll make it to the Speedway without further incident.
You’ve gotta see the pics in the photo album
|
| Somerset, Kentucky |
 Last night, just as it was getting dark, the burn out contest began, right on the main drag in front of all the hotels. We went to bed at about 11:00, and they were still going strong!
We set TWO records today…first, we left Dayton in the middle of the heaviest rain storm in their history! Second, we ALL got to the show without having to stop and fix ANYTHING!
In between, just before we left the hotel, Boss Hog checked at the front desk, found out that check out time was 11:00, and asked for a 10:30 wake up call. That’s the last we saw of him!
Kevin, Jen, and the kids, on the other hand, left right on time, and arrived at their appointment with 20 minutes to spare.
The rain stopped when we were about 40 miles from the show venue, the Center For Rural Development (how appropriate for the town we were in). We stopped, and since the temp was approaching the mid 60’s, we put the tops down.
By the time we got to the show field, it was raining again. The Old Guys are tough…we left the tops down, and braved the rain. In hindsight, it wasn’t a very good idea.
We did our usual thing (signed in, and got our magnets), but due to the rain, didn’t take any pics. There’s only a half-dozen in the photo album from today.
Then went into the expo center. We just HAD to try some Menonite fried pie, and it was well worth the $4.
We found our hotel…33 miles away, and on top of a mountain. We took a nap, went to the local truck stop for meat loaf dinner, and after we finish the blog, we’re probably heading for the indoor pool and hot tub, to heal some of the new scrapes, aches, and bruises we’ve picked up today!
Now that we’ve pretty much ended our day, the sun is out, and the temperature in a whopping 70*!
|
| Dayton, Ohio |
 Last night, as most nights, the party was in MY room. Kevin, being Kevin, got my cell phone, and set both alarms for sometime in the middle of the night.
But from experience, I know Kevin (he did the same thing to me a couple years ago), so as soon as he left the room, I checked my phone, and turned off the alarm.
At 3:00 AM, I got a wake up call on the room phone. I was gonna call him, but was sure he unplugged his phone, so for now, he’s at least one up on me!
With only a couple hundred miles to travel today, we left Warren about 8:00 AM. It looked like rain, but we put the tops down, anyway.
Kevin got us through Detroit with a minimum amount of delays. And about 45 minutes later, the rains came. We put the tops up, and that was a good thing, since it rained for a couple hours.
After a major traffic jam on the interstate, we stopped for lunch, and the rain stopped. The rest of the way to Dayton was smooth sailing.
The Dayton PD did a great job with traffic control…traffic was stopped for us when we exited the interstate, and again when we entered the show field.
We did our usual thing…signed in, got our magnets, and checked out the cars. We took a pic of Kevin and family in front of the Family Truckster…notice the resemblance between Kevin’s gang and the Griswold’s!
We left the venue, found the hotel (less than ten miles away), and Sonny and Cecil went to pick up his new master cylinder. Kevin and Packard Bill took care of the install, and Sonny and I returned to Advance for a new fitting.
Last night, I had to buy a double-flair tool. Sonny spent a half-hour talking about how cheap it was, how poorly it worked, and how much better his flair tool (at home, of course) was.
Well, this afternoon, he had to borrow mine. Sonny quickly changed his tune, especially after I told him he had to buy it from me! He was on bended-knee...begging! We’ve negotiated a deal, and have agreed that the terms cannot be disclosed. Bottom line…the brakes in Sonny’s Cyclone are fixed!
There’s dozens of restaurants within a couple blocks for the hotel. Everyone wanted to go to a different one. We split up, with Packard Bill, Sonny, Boss Hog and I going to Skyline Chili; a rare treat, since they’re only in the Cleveland area.
Kevin and family went to Olive Garden…how exciting!
Cecil has heartburn, from either White Castle’s last night or the Waffle House today, and passed on dinner. Right now, he’s sleeping!
Boss Hog, Kevin, and the family will be heading back home in the AM. We’ll have breakfast at the Cracker Barrel (only a couple hundred feet from our rooms), and head for Somerset, Kentucky.
With the temps warming up, and the skies clearing, we’ll surely have the tops down in the AM, and run as much of the two-laners as we can.
|
| Warren, Michigan |
 One of the Old Guys is negotiating to buy the Studebaker station wagon. The question is, which one is it?
First thing this morning…well, 7:30 AM, we were at Advance picking up my brake booster. It looked like it was the right one. At 8:00, we were at SR 23, taking the engine compartment apart. Long story short, we were back on the road about 11:30, and my brakes worked just fine.
We had some time to make up, so that meant we had to exceed the posted speed limit, but just slightly. We were heading for the hotel first, and along the way, several cars joined in with us, thinking we were heading for the show. When the realized where were heading, they were pissed, and we should probably watch our backs for the next couple days!
About 3:30, we arrived in Warren, met up with Boss Hog, Kevin, and the rest of the Strall extended family, checked into the hotel, and then went to the show.
Held right on the lakeshore, it was a great place to have a show, but not so great trying to get in or out of it. And we’ve decided there is NO Long Hauler parking…we were a longgggg way from the midway!
We did our usual punch our ticket, pick our MSD magnets, and then headed back to the hotel. That’s when I noticed my brake pedal getting softer and softer. Quick diagnosis…they left a bleeder loose when adjusting the brakes this morning.
Back at the hotel, I found out I was wrong. One of the rear brake lines was broken. And Sonny’s brake pedal was also soft. Bottom line, it cost us a couple Crave Cases to con Kevin into taking care of it for us.
Bottom, bottom line…after Kevin custom-made a brake line with unequal-sized fittings, he installed it, and bled the brakes. Now I’m good to go. Sonny, on the other hand, needs a master cylinder. A quick call to Eric at Advance in South Bend, and there will be a master cylinder waiting for us tomorrow in Dayton.
Oh yeah, and at the end of the evening, there were only a few burgers left in the Crave Cases!
This is an exceptionally long day for the Old Guys, as well as a late night for us. I doubt we’ll be on the road very early tomorrow!
|
| South Bend, Indiana |
 The thunderstorms began in the middle of the night, and continued as we left Racine. We were on the road at 5:30 AM, and that’s local time, and not Jax time! To whomever commented about getting a Kringle in Racine, THANK YOU! A Kringle is an authentic Danish pastry, more than a foot in diameter, light as air, and filled with your choice of many different fruit toppings. You can visit them on the internet at the OH Danish Bakery, and they will ship them anywhere. And they've got cakes, pies,and other high octane stuff, too! How good are they, you ask? Well, we’ve already gone through TWO of them!
We planned to take the Chicago bypass, which takes longer, but has less traffic, and that’s a good thing with the condition of my brakes.
As soon as we exited for the bypass, there was an accident, and traffic was backed up for a couple miles. It took us about an hour to get past it!
We arrived in South Bend, went to Advance Auto Parts, and picked up Sonny’s new air shocks. Our plan was to do Sonny’s shocks this afternoon after the show, and my brake booster tomorrow morning. And none of us looked forward to that!
The cars needed a bath (except Packard Bill‘s, of course), and we headed for the coin operated wash. We missed the turn, and would have to drive several blocks to turn around, when Cecil did what he does best…made a totally illegal U-turn, drove down a one-way street, and entered the car wash. You should have seen the semi driver’s eyes as we approached him going the wrong way!
We went to the show, and had the same parking problem as yesterday…there was NO Long Hauler parking!
But there WAS some good food, including beef tip sandwiches, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Eric, the Advance parts guy, met us on the show field, and brought along a couple of his buddies. While we were talking to them, they realized just how old we really are, and offered to do our repairs for us.
What did they want in return? Just our assurance that if they ever came to Florida, we would do the same for them!
A couple phone calls later, and we were at the 23 Garage, where Frick and Frack took over, and had Sonny’s shocks installed in no time!
Tomorrow morning, I’ll pick up the booster at Advance at 7:30, be at the garage at 8:00, start stripping off some parts, and at 8:30, Frick and Frack will get there, and finish off the job. And ALL the Old Guys appreciate that!
|
| Racine, Wisconsin |
 The road to Racine was paved with a couple problems…Sonny’s air shocks took a dump, and my brake booster is failing (rapidly). More about that later.
We had plenty of time to drive the 100+ mile trip to Racine, so we stayed on the two-laner’s all the way. And along the way, a couple of the towns offered food and beverage. We stopped, but didn’t eat, since we planned on lunch at Gus’s Drive In.
We got to Gus’s before they opened, so we spent some time on Main Street, watching the cars pass by.
When Gus opened, we were ready, and we were fed well! The half-pound burgers were the best we’ve ever had, and the fries were just as good. Three of us had Ford Burgers, and one had the Heavy Chevy Burger…guess who? We took some pics, including one of Gus next to the Packard, got some T-shirts and hats, and headed towards Racine.
When we arrived at the venue, which is right on the shore of Lake Michigan, the parking was a disaster! Although there was plenty of Long Hauler parking on the waterfront, we were directed downtown, about a half-mile away.
We signed in, walked around for a little while, and headed back to the hotel, where Sonny made arrangements to have his shocks delivered to South Bend tomorrow morning, and my booster (loaded, of course) will be there Tuesday morning.
Tuesday will be a garage day (morning) for the Old Guys, as we do a pair of shocks, a brake booster and a master cylinder. And we’ll still have time to make it to the venue…I hope!
No, the Cougar’s not for sale. This fix is a mere $100, which is a whole lot less than the last fix, which was the radio.
This has been the Tour with the most mechanical problems, and we’re only two days into it!
|
| Madison Show |
 It was bound to happen, as it does on EVERY Power Tour, and it did this morning, just as we arrived at the Alliant Energy Center…it began raining. Not a storm, or even rain by Florida standards, but a drizzle; just enough to be annoying. Add that to the already-very-cold temperatures, and it felt like it was gonna snow!
We were amongst the first to enter the show field, and the traffic behind us never slowed, quickly filling a couple thousand parking spaces. Hot Rod mentioned that there were more pre-registered vehicles this year than any year in the past.
A little rain doesn’t dampen the Old Guys’ spirits, especially since we were looking forward to collecting all the freebies the vendors would be handing out.
There were hats from Edlebrock and 104 Octane Boost, T-shirts from the Chrome Insurance Company (honest Carol, I DIDN’T buy it!), magnets from MSD, goody bags from Toyo Tires, and pens, key chains, and other semi-useless trinkets from everyone else!
We watched the autocross competition that’s part of the Tour. It’s a coned off area with lots of turns, and the best ET will receive something from Peak Antifreeze, plus braggin‘ rights. Even though that’s not much to brag about, there were still dozens of entrants!
We tried to get Packard Bill to enter, but he’s holding out for the drag strip that we’ll be visiting in a couple days.
Even though the show continues to sometime past six this evening, by noon we’d had enough excitement for one day, and headed for lunch. After lunch, we came back to the hotel, and each of us made two piles from all the stuff we collected…junk and trash.
We’re keeping the junk, and giving the trash to the hotel’s garbage system. Anyone want a couple Danica Patrick posters? How ’bout a few dozen decals?
The Old Guys try not to miss our daily nap, so we got one in this afternoon. And tonight, while Sonny and Cecil head out for some schnitzel, Packard Bill and I will probably be dining in, and working on tomorrow’s route to Racine.
All the Old Guys say hi, and be sure to check out the show photos in the album.
|
| Madison Pre-registration |
 With little to do today, and lots of time to do it, we still got a whole lot accomplished. Early this morning, we had the Rodeway Inn’s version of breakfast, then went to the local do-it-yourself car wash, and did some well-needed cleaning. Even Packard Bill did his version of car detailing…he actually cleaned his windshield!
Then it was off to O’Reilly’s, where I got a starter button to replace my (take your choice) ignition switch or neutral-safety switch. It was a relatively quick parking lot fix.
At lunchtime, while a few of us went to the fast food joint down the street, Packard Bill continued to eat left-overs from Interstate BBQ.
We still had some time to kill before the 2:00 PM pre-registration at the Alliant Energy Center, so Sonny and Ceil did the laundry. Cecil is a first-class laundry folder!
We’re only a couple miles from the show, so we drove over, registered, bought some T-shirts (sorry, Carol and Sheryl) saw a few people we knew from years’ past, made a couple new friends, and then came back to the hotel.
Tomorrow morning, we’ll be on the show field at 9:00 AM. In typical Old Guys fashion, we’ll do the required check in, get all the freebies, and I’m sure we’ll be back at the hotel by noon, writing the Blog! And WITH a page of photos! |
| Madison, Wisconsin |
 We got an early, brisk (it was about 50*) start this morning, heading north on I-55 into Illinois. About 50 miles south of Springfield, we headed off the interstate, and traveled a portion of Route 66. We were looking for the Route 66 Diner, when Packard Bill saw Toni's Restaurant, and made a quick left turn into the parking lot. We parked along with four other classic cars...a Corvair, a Shelby kit car, A Buick GN, and a Camaro. Breakfast was great, and we learned that two of the four classic guys there were also going on the Power Tour. We'll find them at the show on Saturday. We stopped at the Coliseum Dance Hall (supposed to have been a gambling and prostitution place back in the 40's and 50's), took a picture (see above), then headed back to the interstate. Cecil took the lead, and a few miles up the road, he saw a classic car junk yard. Even though it was right on the highway, it was a half-hour drive to get there...single lane, and the last quarter-mile was almost impossible to navigate. This place was nothing but junk...rusted bodies, partial interiors, most with no engines, but at frame-off restoration prices! We didn't stay there very long. We arrived at the hotel, only to find that there's no internet in the rooms. So the hotel gave us a meeting room with internet access, and here we are. Tomorrow is the Power Tour pre-registration. We're just a few miles from the show field. It's gonna be an easy day...clean the cars (except Packard Bill, of course), then register. And then there will be plenty of time left to party! |
| Arnold, Missouri |
 It doesn't matter what time we say we're leaving the hotel, because we all seem to gravitate to our cars just before first light anyway.
I won't even bother to tell you what time we left, because it had nothing to do with either Florida OR local time! We made a stop in Carbon Hill (that's in Alabama), and while Packard Bill paid his respects up on the hill, the rest of us had egg and cheese biscuits at the Carbon Hill Cafe. Then we stopped at the local NAPA, and got a new O-ring for Cecil's leaking PS pump. The NAPA guy had to go through a couple thousand rings before he found the right one. It was a quick fix. We motored through the rest of Alabama, cut across Mississippi, and stopped for lunch at Interstate BBQ in Memphis, Tennessee (see the pic above). Interstate claims they're the #2 BBQ place in the country, but we've been to the alleged #1 in North Carolina, and it ain't half as good as Interstate! Good food is an understatement. It's so good that Sonny ordered a pound of baked beans as a side dish, and Packard Bill and Cecil got another order of ribs to go. After lunch, we traveled through the rest of Tennessee, then Arkansas, and finally landed in Arnold, Missouri...about 30 miles south of St. Louis. Our dinner plan is a Crave Case, and if you don't know what it is, ask anyone who has a love affair with White Castle's. Mileage so far...Sonny has logged more than 1500 miles already. The rest of us have to do some cyphering to figure out how far we've gone, and we'll do that tomorrow afternoon. Gas prices...until this afternoon, all regular fuel ,once we left Florida, has been about $2.35. Up here in Arnold, it's about $2.50. It'll be another early night for us. We're outa here at first light (Florida time, okay!), for the final travel day before the start of the Hot Rod Power Tour. |
| Birmingham |
We left Lake City, drove I-75 to Valdosta, had breakfast at Cracker Barrel, then drove the two-laner's for a couple hundred miles, then I-65 to Birmingham. Not very exciting, huh?
So lets turn it up a notch. I spent most of the day messing with the radio in the Cougar, and it just wouldn't work.
So when we got to Birmingham, I went to Best Buy, and bought a new one. Then, while Packard Bill and Sonny replaced my negative battery terminal, Cecil and I installed the radio. Aside from a shorted wire (still don't know where it's supposed to be), the install was flawless, and the new radio DOES play. Now all I have to do is learn how to work it!
It was pizza for dinner (delivered to the room, of course), and here we are. We'll be up VERY early tomorrow...it's Interstate BBQ day, so we'll be in Memphis for lunch. Then it's off to Arnold, Missouri for the night.
No pics today. We saw plenty of great photo op's, but at 70-80 MPH, we just blew by them! I can promise some pics from Interstate, but we probably won't take any more until Friday or Saturday.
We've still got some map research to do, but we've also gotta be on the road at 5:30 AM, and we've got over 500 miles to drive.
We seem to be having a problem with the time change. Are we using Florida time, or the correct time, which is an hour earlier. To me in's a no brainer...we're in Brimingham, so we use Birmingham time.
But it's not that simple. One of us maintains that since we just left Florida, he's still on Florida time! It took us an hour, and tons of side-splitting laughter, for all of us to get on the same page! I only wish we had recorded that conversation!
Now, there's no telling what time we're meeting at the cars, what time we're leaving, and I've got a feeling we'll arrive at Interstate BBQ about an hour before they open!
Oh yeah, and the Club Drunk is feeling pretty good, and I'm talkin' about his ribs, and not his alcohol state.
Much more tomorrow. |
| Lake City |
 Trouble always seems to come in three's...yesterday it was Cecil and Packard Bill, and today it was my turn!
It started for me about 20 miles up the Turnpike, when the safety catch on my hood unlatched. That was a quickie fix.
But then, about halfway between Yeehaw and Kissimmee, on that desolate stretch of the Turnpike, my engine died.
I coasted off the road, and Sonny, Cecil and I determined that it was the coil.
Packard Bill, who was just ahead of us, made the trip to Kissimmee, picked up a replacement, and came back. Cecil jogged across the Turnpike, got nailed by a bunch of fire ants, and picked it up as Bill was southbound. Fortunately, there was a police turnaround that Bill made use of. Otherwise, he would have had to drive all the way back to Yeehaw, and make a U-turn.
Regarless, we lost two hours there, but once we resumed cruisin' north, we made up for some of that lost time.
Lunch was at Steak 'N Shake in Ocala, and we made a stop at NPD...I got a new coil (high voltage), and Cecil got a wheel center cap.
We left NPD, and my radio took a dump. There's a slight chance I'll be able to fix it, and if not, you can be sure I'll have a new one soon!
The hour-and-a-half ride to Lake City was during the hottest part of the day. By the time we got to the hotel, there was only ONE option...the pool! And not long after we got in, they kicked us out, to add some chemicals.
We cleaned the love bugs off the cars at the pressure-washing place, and while Sonny, Cecil and I picked up some stuff at Walmart, Packard Bill picked up a supply of Krystal Burgers for our dinner.
We'll be calling it a night very soon. We're headed for Birmingham in the morning, and we've gotta be on the road by 7:00.
And there's no pics to add to the photo album today. Think about it. What IS there in Lake City that you would even take the time to take a picture of? |
|
|
The Route 66 Cruise
Packard Bill Weekend
Cars of Dreams Museum Benefit Car Show
WinterFest 2010
2010 River Ranch Rod Run
NPD's All-Ford Show
Daytona Turkey Run
Daytona Beach Dream Cruise
Show and Concert In The Park
Tifton, Georgia
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
August 2008
September 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
May 2009
June 2009
October 2009
November 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
|
|