THE STEERING COLUMN
On our last "Steering Column" post, I want to give those of you have never driven a "brass era" car an idea of what it is like to drive one.
I'll start first with the "sounds" of motoring:
Going down the road at 35 mph, which may seem like 50, you will hear the slight flapping sound of the canvas top. There will be a droning sound of the transaxle that will change pitch at different speeds. From the engine you will hear a little clicking from the valves moving up and down, maybe a little rattling of the timing gears. When accelerating at certain speeds, you will hear a slight "hissing" sound from the carburetor as it sucks in air to be mixed with the fuel. The driver is always tuned in to all mechanical sounds, always listening for any kind of noise that is out of the ordinary. Certain noises can be a sign of trouble and heading off a potential mechanical failure is important. There were countless horns blown all along our travels as people saluted us. It was their way of saying, "I like your car".
The "feel of motoring:
There is often a slight "wandering" of the car caused by uneven roads and cross winds. The tires and wheels are not 100% perfectly round so at times you will feel a slight bumping. You will feel the wind rushing by as the sides are open. Sometimes the wind is cold and raw, sometimes it is soft and cool. It is a smooth ride on smooth roads, slightly bumpy on bumpy roads and when you cross rough railroad tracks everything shakes. You can occasionally feel sunshine on your shoulder or rain on your shoulder.
The "smells" of motoring:
Maybe you never thought about motoring having smells, but there certainly are in an open car. Before hand cranking the engine, the fuel level in the carburetor must be elevated by holding the float down causing the fuel to spill over slightly and drip on the ground. You will get a "whiff" of gasoline. When going down a long mountain hill and brakes are over used, you'll smell a burning smell which is the overheated brake lining. That will be your cue to pull over and let things cool down. And then there are "nature" smells - freshly mown grass, blooming honeysuckle and the tang of a ocean breeze, a dusty road, sagebrush, juniper, BBQ cookouts, and a few unpleasant smells like skunks, feedlots and the spreading of fertilizer.
The "sights" of motoring:
Traveling slowly in an open car, you are much more aware of all things around you. Passing through towns you will see people's smiles and waves and thumbs up. Often kids will motion for you to blow your horn. The world looks friendlier in an open car. It is gentler and more peaceful, people are friendlier. You see the red line of the motormeter (thermometer) rising as you go up a hill. You will notice all the little things along the road that you just never saw notice in a modern car, like brilliant blue of a small flower, the scurry of a chipmunk into the grass, the stuff in people's back yards. We had two police vehicles pass us, turn on their lights and give us a "thumbs up".
Thank You:
So many people have helped us along the way by suggesting car-friendly routes that we should take or helping us with mechanical issues or advising us of places to visit and things to see. We are most grateful to all of you. You have certainly made our trip easier and more fun.
I want to give a special thanks to my wife, for being my biggest fan and greatest supporter and for being a first class navigator. No, we never got tired of each other. Our traveling through life in all forms has simply brought us closer together. There has been also a special person who has been our greatest encourager, supporter and sounding board, advisor, commiserator and friend. When we were 300 miles from home and experiencing engine trouble and things looked uncertain, he said he could have his engine out of his E-M-F in 3 hours and be to us in 7 hours if we needed him. He also said in his gentle and encouraging way, "Dammitt boy, you are going to finish under your own power and I am going to wave the checkered flag when you come in", and he waved the checkered flag as promised with a huge smile on his face and looked so proud. It is truly a blessing to be able to call Clay Green a friend.
This is our last post for this trip.
.......THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.........
We are Joe and Betty Swann.
Goodnight.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
What can I say? We made it home at exactly 2 PM day before yesterday, on time to the minute.
We turned in the drive and it sure looked good.
It was a good feeling to come down the drive and we anxiously awaited seeing the home place.
We were met by good friends, flags around the circle from all the states we had visited and a finish line with a checkered flag!
Flags flying for each state we had visited - some 25 or so.
The finish line and checkered flag. Joe raced across the finish line to applause and hugs and good wishes for a trip well done.
After everyone left, there we were, at home, with no place to go. It really seemed strange as we went inside and sat down in our own little chairs in our own little house and thought, we don't have to look at a map to check our route for tomorrow. It was all a little strange.
The house smelled musty from being closed up for so many months, dust lay heavy on the furniture and there was a pile of mail to be gone through and a room with packages that we had sent home along the way. Joe spent several hours sorting mail. Several friends come over during the afternoon and evening, to welcome us home and to hear about the trip while others called.
Yesterday morning, a crew from WGAL Channel 8 in Lancaster, came over to interview us for the evening newscast. Joe is an old hand at the interview business now and does a great job of it. It still gives me the "willies".
We've been spending the day getting caught up on loose ends, like a little grocery shopping and getting my driver's license renewed. It had expired while we were on the trip. There are a ton of dirty clothes to be washed and just general cleanup to be done.
I'm glad to be home but really do miss being on the road and seeing something new every day. I guess you could say I am experiencing "post-vacation funk". It happens every time we go on a long trip.
We'll still have a few posts yet before we call this trip "over and done".
We turned in the drive and it sure looked good.
It was a good feeling to come down the drive and we anxiously awaited seeing the home place.
We were met by good friends, flags around the circle from all the states we had visited and a finish line with a checkered flag!
Flags flying for each state we had visited - some 25 or so.
The finish line and checkered flag. Joe raced across the finish line to applause and hugs and good wishes for a trip well done.
After everyone left, there we were, at home, with no place to go. It really seemed strange as we went inside and sat down in our own little chairs in our own little house and thought, we don't have to look at a map to check our route for tomorrow. It was all a little strange.
The house smelled musty from being closed up for so many months, dust lay heavy on the furniture and there was a pile of mail to be gone through and a room with packages that we had sent home along the way. Joe spent several hours sorting mail. Several friends come over during the afternoon and evening, to welcome us home and to hear about the trip while others called.
Yesterday morning, a crew from WGAL Channel 8 in Lancaster, came over to interview us for the evening newscast. Joe is an old hand at the interview business now and does a great job of it. It still gives me the "willies".
We've been spending the day getting caught up on loose ends, like a little grocery shopping and getting my driver's license renewed. It had expired while we were on the trip. There are a ton of dirty clothes to be washed and just general cleanup to be done.
I'm glad to be home but really do miss being on the road and seeing something new every day. I guess you could say I am experiencing "post-vacation funk". It happens every time we go on a long trip.
We'll still have a few posts yet before we call this trip "over and done".
Saturday, September 26, 2015
This is our LAST night on the road! We are about 50 miles from home!
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. Traveling in the old car has become a lifestyle. I enjoy meeting new people and seeing new roads and having new adventures. I know it can't go on forever and I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to have this grand adventure. I am anxious to get home and to see friends, see my own little house and sit in my own little chair and sleep in my own little bed. I want to see how my plants look, I want to find a special place for my frogs to sit and I want to just be at peace in my own little world. A few days ago I posed the question, "Will I be sad to see the trip end", and the answer is yes and no.
I posed the question, "Would I do it again"? I have thoroughly enjoyed the trip but we have met the challenge and been successful. We have seen those roads and had those adventures. I think I would like to take a trip in a modern car to see places we were not able to go in the antique car. I will still be ready to tour in the antique car at the drop of a hat, but maybe not 4 months next time.
There are so many special people that we have met along our trip who have helped us and touched our lives in so many ways. To all of them, our many thanks and best wishes always. You will always be a part of this grand adventure.
Touring in the E-M-F with the breeze blowing through the car, feet on the dash, camera in hand to catch that elusive glimpse of an elk or the magnificent rock formation wrought by mother nature has been such a dream come true. It doesn't matter if the road is dirt, mud, gravel, brick, concrete or asphalt, it doesn't matter if the scenery is desert, mountain or great plains, or the Inland Passage to Alaska, it was all special, all immensely exciting to see and all a part of the Majesty that is our great nation. It is our privilege to live in the United States and to have the freedom to travel and experience our great land and it's history, it's diverse cultures and it's many unique natural wonders.
We will be home tomorrow afternoon about 2 PM but the blog will continue for a few days more as we recall those special moments of the trip and those special people without whom the trip would not have been possible.
Stay posted.
Thanks for following us in spirit on this most wonderful of trips.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. Traveling in the old car has become a lifestyle. I enjoy meeting new people and seeing new roads and having new adventures. I know it can't go on forever and I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to have this grand adventure. I am anxious to get home and to see friends, see my own little house and sit in my own little chair and sleep in my own little bed. I want to see how my plants look, I want to find a special place for my frogs to sit and I want to just be at peace in my own little world. A few days ago I posed the question, "Will I be sad to see the trip end", and the answer is yes and no.
I posed the question, "Would I do it again"? I have thoroughly enjoyed the trip but we have met the challenge and been successful. We have seen those roads and had those adventures. I think I would like to take a trip in a modern car to see places we were not able to go in the antique car. I will still be ready to tour in the antique car at the drop of a hat, but maybe not 4 months next time.
There are so many special people that we have met along our trip who have helped us and touched our lives in so many ways. To all of them, our many thanks and best wishes always. You will always be a part of this grand adventure.
Touring in the E-M-F with the breeze blowing through the car, feet on the dash, camera in hand to catch that elusive glimpse of an elk or the magnificent rock formation wrought by mother nature has been such a dream come true. It doesn't matter if the road is dirt, mud, gravel, brick, concrete or asphalt, it doesn't matter if the scenery is desert, mountain or great plains, or the Inland Passage to Alaska, it was all special, all immensely exciting to see and all a part of the Majesty that is our great nation. It is our privilege to live in the United States and to have the freedom to travel and experience our great land and it's history, it's diverse cultures and it's many unique natural wonders.
We will be home tomorrow afternoon about 2 PM but the blog will continue for a few days more as we recall those special moments of the trip and those special people without whom the trip would not have been possible.
Stay posted.
Thanks for following us in spirit on this most wonderful of trips.
Friday, September 25, 2015
THE STEERING COLUMN
The other day I was talking to you about the problems we are having with our engine and it occurred to me that we celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary the same week. Folks, it is not too late to get in on the gift-giving.
For your convenience, I have set up a "Gift Registry". The following are things that we really need:
New pistons
New piston rings
Cylinder sleeves
Bearings
Brake lining
Tires
New hat to replace one that was lost in California.
All new clothes without grease and oil stains.
New shoes that are not soggy from oil.
Eyeglasses with TWO lenses.
Two $75 computer cords to replace those lost on the trip.
Camera that is "waterproof" to replace one dropped in the ocean.
.......AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING........
The other day I was talking to you about the problems we are having with our engine and it occurred to me that we celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary the same week. Folks, it is not too late to get in on the gift-giving.
For your convenience, I have set up a "Gift Registry". The following are things that we really need:
New pistons
New piston rings
Cylinder sleeves
Bearings
Brake lining
Tires
New hat to replace one that was lost in California.
All new clothes without grease and oil stains.
New shoes that are not soggy from oil.
Eyeglasses with TWO lenses.
Two $75 computer cords to replace those lost on the trip.
Camera that is "waterproof" to replace one dropped in the ocean.
.......AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING........
THE STEERING COLUMN
The other day, I stopped in a parking lot under a tree to add more oil. While I am busy working on the car, Betty likes to read a book. Since it was shady, she opted to sit on the curb, unaware that she was also sitting on an anthill. Probably about two pages into her reading, she twitched a little and then stood up abruptly. Now, I don't ever recall "having ANTS IN MY PANTS", but seeing someone else with this condition, I found quite amusing. Ants cause people to exercise in unusual ways with rapid repetitive motions! It also causes them to rapidly survey the area in all directions, not once, but twice, apparently to ascertain whether immediate disrobing is necessary. Apparently it was decided that disrobing wasn't required, but IMMEDIATE removal of the ants was required by reaching in and dragging them out as soon as possible.
Folks, amusement is where you find it!
......AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.......
The other day, I stopped in a parking lot under a tree to add more oil. While I am busy working on the car, Betty likes to read a book. Since it was shady, she opted to sit on the curb, unaware that she was also sitting on an anthill. Probably about two pages into her reading, she twitched a little and then stood up abruptly. Now, I don't ever recall "having ANTS IN MY PANTS", but seeing someone else with this condition, I found quite amusing. Ants cause people to exercise in unusual ways with rapid repetitive motions! It also causes them to rapidly survey the area in all directions, not once, but twice, apparently to ascertain whether immediate disrobing is necessary. Apparently it was decided that disrobing wasn't required, but IMMEDIATE removal of the ants was required by reaching in and dragging them out as soon as possible.
Folks, amusement is where you find it!
......AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.......
It's Friday and we've only got about a day and a half before we arrive back home. Our travels today were in familiar territory in central Virginia where we have taken many back roads on car tours with Billy Melton and our Model T friends in Virginia. Central Virginia is really a pretty area with some significant history.
Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. President designed and began building Monticello, his primary plantation near Charlottsville in his mid-twenties. It is a modest home for such an important man but is unique because Jefferson was an inventor as well as a President and astute businessman and farmer. One of the interesting features to me is that his bed was built into an alcove and opens on both sides - on one side to his study and on the other to his dressing room. He was a man that was organized and innovative and interested in the the exploration of the American continent. He was the President who authorized the explorations of Lewis and Clark into uncharted areas of our country in the Northwest. We didn't take time to go to Monticello on this trip, but it is well worth visiting if you are in the area.
Our day started out chilly and with a slight drizzle. How chilly? I only needed a light jacket and a heavy jacket this morning - a definite improvement over yesterday morning. This is a picture of the fields and low mountains near Waynesboro, VA which is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Don't you love this bridge? It was at the entry to an old estate on the road from Charlottesville to Bremo Bluff where we were to meet good friends for lunch. I wouldn't mind having this bridge. I don't have a creek, so I don't need a bridge. That doesn't mean I can't wish for it. I don't have a village of old buildings either, but I still wish for it,
Into the life of every antique car person comes the time when you have your first flat tire. Today was our day. Joe was been driving antique cars since the mid-1960's and had never had a flat. We were on our way to see Billy and Barbara Melton in Bremo Bluff and were about 30 miles from them when we had our unexpected adventure. The jack was, of course, in the compartment which supports the back seat cushion. The back seat cushion had been removed for the trip so that we would have storage room for everything we needed to take on our trip. To change the tire, you need the jack, so everything had to be unloaded from the back seat of the car. Everything, included our frog friends!
Joe changing the tire. With this type of old car, you exchange the flat tire with the spare. It is a reasonably easy fix and a reasonably speedy one. We were back on the road in about 30 minutes.
Another old gas station on the left for my village. I'll also take the other old buildings. Anyone want to help me move them? We saw these on the way to Bremo Bluff.
On this quiet and relatively traffic-free road we made pretty good time after changing the tire. It was great to see Billy Melton and his sister, Barbara, again. It had been a almost 4 years since we had seen them. I meant to take a picture of them with the old car, but got to talking with them, reminiscing and just catching up on what was happening in their lives and goodbyes are always tough, so I just forgot to get the picture taken. I really regret that.
We are spending the night in Orange, VA and will travel on to Leesburg tomorrow evening. Early Sunday morning, we'll cross the Potomac River into Maryland on a small car ferry at White's Ferry. Then by back roads we'll travel across Maryland and into Pennsylvania, arriving home early Sunday afternoon.
Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. President designed and began building Monticello, his primary plantation near Charlottsville in his mid-twenties. It is a modest home for such an important man but is unique because Jefferson was an inventor as well as a President and astute businessman and farmer. One of the interesting features to me is that his bed was built into an alcove and opens on both sides - on one side to his study and on the other to his dressing room. He was a man that was organized and innovative and interested in the the exploration of the American continent. He was the President who authorized the explorations of Lewis and Clark into uncharted areas of our country in the Northwest. We didn't take time to go to Monticello on this trip, but it is well worth visiting if you are in the area.
Our day started out chilly and with a slight drizzle. How chilly? I only needed a light jacket and a heavy jacket this morning - a definite improvement over yesterday morning. This is a picture of the fields and low mountains near Waynesboro, VA which is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Don't you love this bridge? It was at the entry to an old estate on the road from Charlottesville to Bremo Bluff where we were to meet good friends for lunch. I wouldn't mind having this bridge. I don't have a creek, so I don't need a bridge. That doesn't mean I can't wish for it. I don't have a village of old buildings either, but I still wish for it,
Into the life of every antique car person comes the time when you have your first flat tire. Today was our day. Joe was been driving antique cars since the mid-1960's and had never had a flat. We were on our way to see Billy and Barbara Melton in Bremo Bluff and were about 30 miles from them when we had our unexpected adventure. The jack was, of course, in the compartment which supports the back seat cushion. The back seat cushion had been removed for the trip so that we would have storage room for everything we needed to take on our trip. To change the tire, you need the jack, so everything had to be unloaded from the back seat of the car. Everything, included our frog friends!
Joe changing the tire. With this type of old car, you exchange the flat tire with the spare. It is a reasonably easy fix and a reasonably speedy one. We were back on the road in about 30 minutes.
Another old gas station on the left for my village. I'll also take the other old buildings. Anyone want to help me move them? We saw these on the way to Bremo Bluff.
On this quiet and relatively traffic-free road we made pretty good time after changing the tire. It was great to see Billy Melton and his sister, Barbara, again. It had been a almost 4 years since we had seen them. I meant to take a picture of them with the old car, but got to talking with them, reminiscing and just catching up on what was happening in their lives and goodbyes are always tough, so I just forgot to get the picture taken. I really regret that.
We are spending the night in Orange, VA and will travel on to Leesburg tomorrow evening. Early Sunday morning, we'll cross the Potomac River into Maryland on a small car ferry at White's Ferry. Then by back roads we'll travel across Maryland and into Pennsylvania, arriving home early Sunday afternoon.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Monday, we passed through the western portion of North Carolina and it was simply beautiful with rolling hills, pastures, cows and crops. I am speaking of the the area of North Carolina that is east of the Appalachian Mountains. I guess you would characterize the area as the foothills of the Appalachians. Crops were in various stages depending on the type - corn for fodder was brown and ready for harvest, hay was being cut and baled as we passed along our way and tobacco was beginning to turn yellow.
North Carolina tobacco field. This field was not as yellow or close to harvest as some we saw. Virginia and Pennsylvania are also tobacco producers. The farm we used to live on in southern Virginia was part of a land grant from King George II of England in 1753 and tobacco was it's main crop for most of the time the original family owned it. When we acquired it in 2004 our neighbor still remembered picking tobacco on that farm and said her arthritis was a direct result of tobacco picking. There was still a building on the place that was where the tobacco was packed into barrels for shipment to England. That old building was the oldest on the property and they had planted bamboo around to hide it. We had bamboo 40 feet tall and 6 inches around growing up through the building. I wish we could have saved the building but the termites had done too much damage. It took Joe three years of very patiently and repeatedly treating the whole area with Roundup to kill out all the bamboo. He had two other huge areas of bamboo to eradicate on the farm. I just wonder if the new owners have treated the areas if any new sprouts came up. If not, they are going to be sorry!!
Tuesday we entered the Blue Ridge Parkway and the driving was much easier - the terrain was more consistently flat and traffic was light. Joe didn't have to drive defensively all the time. That is very tiring for the driver. I am simply looking for things to take pictures of and any navigating that needs to be done. That is only stressful where we are doing city driving or on some back roads where there are lots of turns and road signs may be hidden by foliage or sometimes not even there. You just make a "best guess" and hope for confirmation down the road that you took the right turn.
Tuesday afternoon we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 10 miles from our destination when the fog started to settle in. With our blinking lights on the back of the car, we were not concerned about cars behind us, but since there were no headlights on the front, there was some concern that on-coming traffic might drift over the center line and not see us in the fog. Luckily the fog began to dissipate and we arrived with no problem.
We stayed at Fancy Gap Cabins and Campground in Fancy Gap, VA, right on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is such a tranquil and restful place, absolutely beautifully situated on the Parkway. It is owned by Clay and Rene Green's son and daughter-in-law. Dave and Denise were wonderful hosts and made our stay so easy.
Joe was able to work on the car in a quiet setting with no interruptions, no on-lookers with countless questions, and Dave's loan of a few essential tools and his car to go to Hillsville for a few parts and dinner was much appreciated. As we drove to town, Joe was the driver this time in a modern car and I didn't say anything for about five minutes and just waited for him to realize how slow he was going. Remember back to my experience with a modern car after traveling for several months at 35 mph. You get used to judging your speed by how fast the scenery is passing by. I just waited patiently until Joe happened to look down at the speedometer and noticed that he was driving the modern car at exactly the same speed he drives the E-M-F - about 32 miles per hour. It was really funny to see his expression - shocked and a little sheepish. Traveling so long in an old car really does change your perception of speed.
View as we left the motel section of the campground up on hill overlooking the Parkway. We will definitely stay at the campground again and so should you if you ever travel the Blue Ridge Parkway. Fancy Gap Cabins and Campgrounds can be reached for reservations by calling (484) 560-9119.
I saw rabbits and a turtle while on a little hike. Dave said a bobcat was seen by a couple staying where we were a few days before. We left early this morning after staying two days at the campground. It was blustery cold and threatening rain when we left and stayed cold most of the morning. As we headed north toward Lexington, the day cleared up and the cold moderated. There was still a definite chill in the air and the foliage along the parkway was definitely beginning to change color. Fall foliage will probably be at its peak in about a week or two.
Foliage beginning to turn along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We passed several groups of dedicated cyclists on the parkway. In the morning, I was bundled up in a light coat, a heavy coat, Joe's duster and one of those little mink collars with the feet, tails and head that they used to wear way back when. I picked the collar up in a thrift store for Hershey, but it sure came in handy today to keep my neck warm.
Later in the day, the sun was out and the day turned beautiful and all the coats came off except the light jacket. This old log cabin and split rail fence were along the parkway.
We got off the parkway about Natural Bridge, VA to travel Rt ll that parallels the freeway. Joe was having to downshift a lot on the parkway so we decided to do Rt ll since it is at a lower elevation and would eliminate the downshifting. This old historic home was along Route ll.
Route ll also is studded with antique shops. How do I know this? I used to travel Rt ll almost every time I had to go from our home in southern VA back to York, PA where I worked. I was able to work remotely in VA for several years with periodic trips back to PA for 1-3 weeks at a time. You can bet I know where every antique store is located in VA and south-central PA.
Tomorrow is Friday and we will go east to Waynesboro, VA and south to Bremo Bluff to see Billy Melton, who is a good friend and "Mr. Antique Car Man" in Central Virginia. Every year he would put on a day tour for mostly Model T's somewhere in his area. It was likely to include dirt and gravel roads and the most interesting stops. We really miss the tours he put on, the friends we always saw on them and Billy himself. We used to travel to PA from southern VA about every 2 months and would stop to see Billy every chance we got. He has kept in touch on our trip this summer and has been a good sounding board for Joe when there were issues with the car.
If all goes according to plan and the car stays in one piece, we should be home Sunday afternoon.
North Carolina tobacco field. This field was not as yellow or close to harvest as some we saw. Virginia and Pennsylvania are also tobacco producers. The farm we used to live on in southern Virginia was part of a land grant from King George II of England in 1753 and tobacco was it's main crop for most of the time the original family owned it. When we acquired it in 2004 our neighbor still remembered picking tobacco on that farm and said her arthritis was a direct result of tobacco picking. There was still a building on the place that was where the tobacco was packed into barrels for shipment to England. That old building was the oldest on the property and they had planted bamboo around to hide it. We had bamboo 40 feet tall and 6 inches around growing up through the building. I wish we could have saved the building but the termites had done too much damage. It took Joe three years of very patiently and repeatedly treating the whole area with Roundup to kill out all the bamboo. He had two other huge areas of bamboo to eradicate on the farm. I just wonder if the new owners have treated the areas if any new sprouts came up. If not, they are going to be sorry!!
Tuesday we entered the Blue Ridge Parkway and the driving was much easier - the terrain was more consistently flat and traffic was light. Joe didn't have to drive defensively all the time. That is very tiring for the driver. I am simply looking for things to take pictures of and any navigating that needs to be done. That is only stressful where we are doing city driving or on some back roads where there are lots of turns and road signs may be hidden by foliage or sometimes not even there. You just make a "best guess" and hope for confirmation down the road that you took the right turn.
Tuesday afternoon we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 10 miles from our destination when the fog started to settle in. With our blinking lights on the back of the car, we were not concerned about cars behind us, but since there were no headlights on the front, there was some concern that on-coming traffic might drift over the center line and not see us in the fog. Luckily the fog began to dissipate and we arrived with no problem.
We stayed at Fancy Gap Cabins and Campground in Fancy Gap, VA, right on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is such a tranquil and restful place, absolutely beautifully situated on the Parkway. It is owned by Clay and Rene Green's son and daughter-in-law. Dave and Denise were wonderful hosts and made our stay so easy.
Joe was able to work on the car in a quiet setting with no interruptions, no on-lookers with countless questions, and Dave's loan of a few essential tools and his car to go to Hillsville for a few parts and dinner was much appreciated. As we drove to town, Joe was the driver this time in a modern car and I didn't say anything for about five minutes and just waited for him to realize how slow he was going. Remember back to my experience with a modern car after traveling for several months at 35 mph. You get used to judging your speed by how fast the scenery is passing by. I just waited patiently until Joe happened to look down at the speedometer and noticed that he was driving the modern car at exactly the same speed he drives the E-M-F - about 32 miles per hour. It was really funny to see his expression - shocked and a little sheepish. Traveling so long in an old car really does change your perception of speed.
View as we left the motel section of the campground up on hill overlooking the Parkway. We will definitely stay at the campground again and so should you if you ever travel the Blue Ridge Parkway. Fancy Gap Cabins and Campgrounds can be reached for reservations by calling (484) 560-9119.
I saw rabbits and a turtle while on a little hike. Dave said a bobcat was seen by a couple staying where we were a few days before. We left early this morning after staying two days at the campground. It was blustery cold and threatening rain when we left and stayed cold most of the morning. As we headed north toward Lexington, the day cleared up and the cold moderated. There was still a definite chill in the air and the foliage along the parkway was definitely beginning to change color. Fall foliage will probably be at its peak in about a week or two.
Foliage beginning to turn along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We passed several groups of dedicated cyclists on the parkway. In the morning, I was bundled up in a light coat, a heavy coat, Joe's duster and one of those little mink collars with the feet, tails and head that they used to wear way back when. I picked the collar up in a thrift store for Hershey, but it sure came in handy today to keep my neck warm.
Later in the day, the sun was out and the day turned beautiful and all the coats came off except the light jacket. This old log cabin and split rail fence were along the parkway.
We got off the parkway about Natural Bridge, VA to travel Rt ll that parallels the freeway. Joe was having to downshift a lot on the parkway so we decided to do Rt ll since it is at a lower elevation and would eliminate the downshifting. This old historic home was along Route ll.
Route ll also is studded with antique shops. How do I know this? I used to travel Rt ll almost every time I had to go from our home in southern VA back to York, PA where I worked. I was able to work remotely in VA for several years with periodic trips back to PA for 1-3 weeks at a time. You can bet I know where every antique store is located in VA and south-central PA.
Tomorrow is Friday and we will go east to Waynesboro, VA and south to Bremo Bluff to see Billy Melton, who is a good friend and "Mr. Antique Car Man" in Central Virginia. Every year he would put on a day tour for mostly Model T's somewhere in his area. It was likely to include dirt and gravel roads and the most interesting stops. We really miss the tours he put on, the friends we always saw on them and Billy himself. We used to travel to PA from southern VA about every 2 months and would stop to see Billy every chance we got. He has kept in touch on our trip this summer and has been a good sounding board for Joe when there were issues with the car.
If all goes according to plan and the car stays in one piece, we should be home Sunday afternoon.
THE STEERING COLUMN
The car has performed amazingly well for nearly four months, but we have put about 10,400 miles on it up to now and that has caused some wear on it, particularly on the engine. Since my engine rattle has been gradually been getting worse, last Tuesday night I decided to pull both engine pans off and have a look inside. The first thing I noticed in the pans was a generous sprinkling of coarse aluminum filings. In addition, there were small rows/piles of powder-fine babbitt filings. That, of course, is not good news.
I was able to grab hold of each connecting rod and move it in all directions and it revealed that the rod bearings were quite loose, but worse than that, was the fact that the pistons had a great deal of side to side play and up and down play. The pistons appeared to be worn, not only where they contact the cylinders, but also where the wrist pins fit into them. I removed the connecting rod caps and removed all the shims that were in place in order to tighten the bearings. That part of the problem I was able to improve. As far as the loose and sloppy pistons, there just isn't anything I can do for them on the road. There is nothing broken, they are just well worn.
The car is losing compression and, in turn, losing power. I have reduced my speed to keep it under 30 mph and I am having to downshift more often on hills, but we are still going.
Tonight, we have 300 miles to go and my primary concern is that the pistons hold together until I get home. If they were to break or if a connecting rod broke, it would likely do major damage.
Yes, I could call for a trailer and have the car picked up and carried home, but in the spirit of "finishing the race", we are going to push on. We have had over 9,000 hits on this website and I know a lot of people are watching and rooting for us. If all goes well over the next 2 and a half days, we pull into our driveway at 2:00 sharp on Sunday afternoon.
....... AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.........
The car has performed amazingly well for nearly four months, but we have put about 10,400 miles on it up to now and that has caused some wear on it, particularly on the engine. Since my engine rattle has been gradually been getting worse, last Tuesday night I decided to pull both engine pans off and have a look inside. The first thing I noticed in the pans was a generous sprinkling of coarse aluminum filings. In addition, there were small rows/piles of powder-fine babbitt filings. That, of course, is not good news.
I was able to grab hold of each connecting rod and move it in all directions and it revealed that the rod bearings were quite loose, but worse than that, was the fact that the pistons had a great deal of side to side play and up and down play. The pistons appeared to be worn, not only where they contact the cylinders, but also where the wrist pins fit into them. I removed the connecting rod caps and removed all the shims that were in place in order to tighten the bearings. That part of the problem I was able to improve. As far as the loose and sloppy pistons, there just isn't anything I can do for them on the road. There is nothing broken, they are just well worn.
The car is losing compression and, in turn, losing power. I have reduced my speed to keep it under 30 mph and I am having to downshift more often on hills, but we are still going.
Tonight, we have 300 miles to go and my primary concern is that the pistons hold together until I get home. If they were to break or if a connecting rod broke, it would likely do major damage.
Yes, I could call for a trailer and have the car picked up and carried home, but in the spirit of "finishing the race", we are going to push on. We have had over 9,000 hits on this website and I know a lot of people are watching and rooting for us. If all goes well over the next 2 and a half days, we pull into our driveway at 2:00 sharp on Sunday afternoon.
....... AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.........
Monday, September 21, 2015
Today definitely felt like fall. It was windy and overcast all day and we had the jackets out again. I had to stop at Goodwill to get a heavier jacket to go over my lightweight jacket. They are calling for mid-70's tomorrow and 20 per cent chance of rain. I hope the forecast is accurate!
Today was our 19th anniversary! It has been a wonderful adventure with my very special man! I'm pretty sure I am going to keep him. Who else would take me on such a fun adventure as this trip has been?
We spent about an hour and a half antiquing in Statesville, NC today. Founds lots of Hershey items. Good stop. I think I need to come back to this area again either this fall or next spring in a modern vehicle so I can cover more ground and visit with some friends we won't get the opportunity to visit on this trip.
We had hoped to get to Fancy Gap, VA this evening, but decided not to risk it as rain was forecast for late this afternoon and our route would take us through some isolated areas. The rattle in the car is back and Joe just came from investigating under the car. He still can't figure it out. That was another reason to not forge on past Statesville, NC this evening. We'd hate to have a breakdown in an isolated area in the rain with no town in sight to spend the night.
On to Fancy Gap tomorrow where Joe can investigate the rattle issue more closely.
Til then!
Today was our 19th anniversary! It has been a wonderful adventure with my very special man! I'm pretty sure I am going to keep him. Who else would take me on such a fun adventure as this trip has been?
We spent about an hour and a half antiquing in Statesville, NC today. Founds lots of Hershey items. Good stop. I think I need to come back to this area again either this fall or next spring in a modern vehicle so I can cover more ground and visit with some friends we won't get the opportunity to visit on this trip.
We had hoped to get to Fancy Gap, VA this evening, but decided not to risk it as rain was forecast for late this afternoon and our route would take us through some isolated areas. The rattle in the car is back and Joe just came from investigating under the car. He still can't figure it out. That was another reason to not forge on past Statesville, NC this evening. We'd hate to have a breakdown in an isolated area in the rain with no town in sight to spend the night.
On to Fancy Gap tomorrow where Joe can investigate the rattle issue more closely.
Til then!
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Last night we spent the night in Aiken, South Carolina and traveled in South Carolina until about 5:00 this evening when we crossed the North Carolina state line. Folks, we are only two states away from Pennsylvania! The end of our trek is in sight. Are we sad? Are we bored yet? Are we tired of touring? Would we do this kind of crazy trip again? I think I'll just wait a bit before I tell you the answers. Mean, aren't I?
We passed through a lot of cropland today. There were cotton fields showing open cotton bolls but not ready for harvest, lots of peach orchards like the above picture shows. Also, we passed through an area that was growing a lot of peppers. Many of the peppers were red so I don't know if they are just overripe or special pimento peppers. The smell of peppers was strong on the breezes that came through the car.
Another old gas station to add to my village! This one looks like it is from the Model T era. Our E-M-F would have been right at home when this was a new building. That shows you just how old our car is.
Another old gas station, but probably from the 50's. I think I'll take the one in the previous picture for my village.
View down one of our back roads today. The further north we drive the more evidence we see of the changing of the seasons. I was trying to identify those trees and plants that have already begun to change the color of their leaves. I saw the yellow of sycamores, the bright red of sumac, every once in while the red orange of a few leaves on a maple. Some of the leaves of wild grape vines have begun to turn yellow and so have a few leaves on tulip poplars. Leaves on the dogwoods and redbuds have also begun to change. The changes are not widespread, but the consistent deep greens we saw all summer are no longer with us. The greens of the leaves that have not yet begun to turn are more a muddier, tired looking green. All they need is a good cold snap and they will turn in a hurry into the glory that is fall in a hardwood forest.
Tomorrow we'll be traveling through North Carolina and on into the lower reaches of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to Fancy Gap to visit with Clay Green's son and daughter-in-law who operate a campground. We are really looking forward to seeing them and their new home. The next day we'll be visiting in Charlotte County, Virginia where we lived for eight years before moving back to Pennsylvania. So many good friends to see again! I'm really looking forward to seeing them all.
We passed through a lot of cropland today. There were cotton fields showing open cotton bolls but not ready for harvest, lots of peach orchards like the above picture shows. Also, we passed through an area that was growing a lot of peppers. Many of the peppers were red so I don't know if they are just overripe or special pimento peppers. The smell of peppers was strong on the breezes that came through the car.
Another old gas station to add to my village! This one looks like it is from the Model T era. Our E-M-F would have been right at home when this was a new building. That shows you just how old our car is.
Another old gas station, but probably from the 50's. I think I'll take the one in the previous picture for my village.
View down one of our back roads today. The further north we drive the more evidence we see of the changing of the seasons. I was trying to identify those trees and plants that have already begun to change the color of their leaves. I saw the yellow of sycamores, the bright red of sumac, every once in while the red orange of a few leaves on a maple. Some of the leaves of wild grape vines have begun to turn yellow and so have a few leaves on tulip poplars. Leaves on the dogwoods and redbuds have also begun to change. The changes are not widespread, but the consistent deep greens we saw all summer are no longer with us. The greens of the leaves that have not yet begun to turn are more a muddier, tired looking green. All they need is a good cold snap and they will turn in a hurry into the glory that is fall in a hardwood forest.
Tomorrow we'll be traveling through North Carolina and on into the lower reaches of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to Fancy Gap to visit with Clay Green's son and daughter-in-law who operate a campground. We are really looking forward to seeing them and their new home. The next day we'll be visiting in Charlotte County, Virginia where we lived for eight years before moving back to Pennsylvania. So many good friends to see again! I'm really looking forward to seeing them all.
THE STEERING COLUMN
Concerning our mystery noise I spoke about the other day, it seemed like it came from the engine but now I am not so sure. Sometimes it is hard to tell where a noise is coming from. I'm thinking now that it wasn't coming from the engine at all, but rather from the transmission, perhaps a shifting fork misaligned or out of place in some way, dragging on the teeth of a gear. That can make quite a racket. Anyway, it hasn't caused any more trouble.
We'll be at Dave Green's place in Fancy Gap, Virginia tomorrow. When we unload all of our luggage, car stuff and frogs, I'll take the floorboard out and remove the inspection plate on top of the transmission. I'll look inside and see if I see anything out of wack.
We are still going. We have already covered over 10,000 miles, and by golly, we are going to make it home.
.........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING......
Concerning our mystery noise I spoke about the other day, it seemed like it came from the engine but now I am not so sure. Sometimes it is hard to tell where a noise is coming from. I'm thinking now that it wasn't coming from the engine at all, but rather from the transmission, perhaps a shifting fork misaligned or out of place in some way, dragging on the teeth of a gear. That can make quite a racket. Anyway, it hasn't caused any more trouble.
We'll be at Dave Green's place in Fancy Gap, Virginia tomorrow. When we unload all of our luggage, car stuff and frogs, I'll take the floorboard out and remove the inspection plate on top of the transmission. I'll look inside and see if I see anything out of wack.
We are still going. We have already covered over 10,000 miles, and by golly, we are going to make it home.
.........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING......
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Today has been a combination of rural countryside and big city driving, drivers that just poked along and wouldn't pass us so cars backed up behind them. Maybe our blinking lights hypnotized them! We were the ones having to pull over to let a line of cars go. We also had drivers that were in the dangerous and stupid range. We had 3 drivers pass us on the right shoulder. All we could figure out is that they were weird and stupid. Nobody passes on the right shoulder.
We went through many small towns with old historic downtown areas and lovely residential streets.
On one of the sides of a building downtown in a small town, we saw this classic scene from Gone With Wind. It was so appropriate for this area of Georgia.
Just one of the many ante-bellum homes we saw today, most of them in small town residential areas. Many of the splendid old homes were destroyed during the Civil War so those that remain are true treasures. They give you a connection with the Gone With the Wind movie - it's drama, it's majestic way of life and the tragedies of that period in our country's history.
Another couple of old buildings to add to my pipe dream village. This is an old country store and a warehouse.
Kenny Wright, an HCCA member in GA invited Joe and I to attend The Inman Farm Heritage Days event today. It is in it's 19th year and was really an interesting stop. There were many displays of hit and miss engines, tractors and old cars. Craftsmen were making brooms out of broomstraw, the printing presses were putting out flyers, there was a sawmill and cider press and a liquor still and other unique exhibits.
On the grounds of the fair was this "Boiled Peanut" stand. Boiled peanuts are definitely an acquired taste and I have never acquired it! Those older gentlemen were gossiping and eating peanuts. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall and listen to their stories. My granddaddy Hogan was a great story teller and so were some others of his generation among my relatives. I used to sit spellbound listening to them.
Those fellows were eating boiled peanuts but I spied the grapes traditional to the south. I have not had Muscadines and Scupppernoggs in years so I loaded up a bag for our ride. Both varieties are found in the wild in the south but these are improved varieties - primarily in size. The ones on the left are Muscadines and have a smoky flavor. It is a flavor you will never forget and took me right back my childhood in North Louisiana.
Probably my favorite exhibit of the fair was this diverse collection of tire jacks. Look at all the sizes, the colors and the varied mechanical ways they helped change a tire. Everything about early cars was experimental.
After visiting the Heritage Days event, we traveled on across Georgia and over into the western edge of South Carolina to Aiken, South Carolina. I'm not sure where we will end up tomorrow. I am hoping to see some antique malls open tomorrow.
We went through many small towns with old historic downtown areas and lovely residential streets.
Just one of the many ante-bellum homes we saw today, most of them in small town residential areas. Many of the splendid old homes were destroyed during the Civil War so those that remain are true treasures. They give you a connection with the Gone With the Wind movie - it's drama, it's majestic way of life and the tragedies of that period in our country's history.
Another couple of old buildings to add to my pipe dream village. This is an old country store and a warehouse.
Kenny Wright, an HCCA member in GA invited Joe and I to attend The Inman Farm Heritage Days event today. It is in it's 19th year and was really an interesting stop. There were many displays of hit and miss engines, tractors and old cars. Craftsmen were making brooms out of broomstraw, the printing presses were putting out flyers, there was a sawmill and cider press and a liquor still and other unique exhibits.
On the grounds of the fair was this "Boiled Peanut" stand. Boiled peanuts are definitely an acquired taste and I have never acquired it! Those older gentlemen were gossiping and eating peanuts. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall and listen to their stories. My granddaddy Hogan was a great story teller and so were some others of his generation among my relatives. I used to sit spellbound listening to them.
Those fellows were eating boiled peanuts but I spied the grapes traditional to the south. I have not had Muscadines and Scupppernoggs in years so I loaded up a bag for our ride. Both varieties are found in the wild in the south but these are improved varieties - primarily in size. The ones on the left are Muscadines and have a smoky flavor. It is a flavor you will never forget and took me right back my childhood in North Louisiana.
Probably my favorite exhibit of the fair was this diverse collection of tire jacks. Look at all the sizes, the colors and the varied mechanical ways they helped change a tire. Everything about early cars was experimental.
After visiting the Heritage Days event, we traveled on across Georgia and over into the western edge of South Carolina to Aiken, South Carolina. I'm not sure where we will end up tomorrow. I am hoping to see some antique malls open tomorrow.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
THE STEERING COLUMN
O.K., just two more weird questions and then we will move on to something else.
After explaining to a lady that when we are traveling we don't drive at night, she
asked, "If you don't drive at night, where do you sleep"?
The following question was just received this afternoon. A man looking at the
wheels said, " I'm assuming those are solid tires, are those metal spokes just
stuck in the tires"?
Folks, these people are voting for our next President. Enough questions, let's move
on to something else.
I know many of you are interested in any mechanical issues that we have faced along the way. I'll recap what has been going on on the whole trip. We haven't had any breakdowns, however, there have been a few mechanical things we have had to work on.
About 4,000 miles into the trip, the engine started running rough and valves were clicking more than normal. We found that 2 of the valve tappets were way out of adjustment because the soft cushioning compound on the top used to deaden the sound had fallen out. I was at club member, Mike Yeakle's place at the time, who has a machine shop and we elected to eliminate this problem entirely by replacing the tappet adjusting screws with solid ones. While we were at it, we removed the valves and thoroughly lapped them in, replaced them and readjusted them.
In Albuquerque, it was necessary to remove the radiator and resolder the neck, a fairly simple job.
For the past month and a half, I have been plagued with excessive oil leakage/consumption. At first, I thought it was loss of vacuum in the oil reserve tank allowing too much oil to enter the crankcase and causing oil to be pushed out around the tappets, main bearings and breather pipes. I tested this theory by emptying the reserve tank completely and simply not using it for awhile. I kept tabs on the proper oil level in the crankcase with a dip stick. Oil was still being lost. A lot of oil was being blown out the rear breather pipe. To try to curb this, I extended the breather pipe 12 inches and then with a 180 degree bend, returned the pipe down to about a foot off the ground. It hasn't helped. At this point, I have a hunch that pressure is building up in the crankcase, possibly by compression leaking past the piston rings.
Another issue that is not serious, but has been with us for some time is that the timing gears are rattling. It seems to be too much back lash in the gears. Even though they are making a racket, they are not really hurting anything.
Today, the latest issue is a complete mystery. While going down the road, suddenly the engine developed a fairly loud hammering sound. It was loud enough that I was thinking we were finished. I pulled off the road right away and let it idle for about another minute to try to determine where the sound was coming from. After about 30 seconds, the sound stopped as quickly as it started. I shut off the engine, crawled under the car and checked things thoroughly. I couldn't find anything in the drive chain loose or rattling, everything on the engine seemed tight. I restarted it, let it idle for a few minutes. The hammering was gone. It idled smoothly and accelerated like it should. I am confident that the babbits are O.K., otherwise the hammering wouldn't come and go and when I am out on the road and pouring on the coal, hammering does not get worse, so I don't think it is connecting rod issue.
We drove another 50 miles. During that time, the hammering came back twice, just for a few seconds each time. In the meantime, we are going to keep going. My plan is to take the engine apart when I get home and see what is going on.
Tomorrow we will be in Fayettville, GA and will have covered approximately 9,800 miles.
...........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING ............
O.K., just two more weird questions and then we will move on to something else.
After explaining to a lady that when we are traveling we don't drive at night, she
asked, "If you don't drive at night, where do you sleep"?
The following question was just received this afternoon. A man looking at the
wheels said, " I'm assuming those are solid tires, are those metal spokes just
stuck in the tires"?
Folks, these people are voting for our next President. Enough questions, let's move
on to something else.
I know many of you are interested in any mechanical issues that we have faced along the way. I'll recap what has been going on on the whole trip. We haven't had any breakdowns, however, there have been a few mechanical things we have had to work on.
About 4,000 miles into the trip, the engine started running rough and valves were clicking more than normal. We found that 2 of the valve tappets were way out of adjustment because the soft cushioning compound on the top used to deaden the sound had fallen out. I was at club member, Mike Yeakle's place at the time, who has a machine shop and we elected to eliminate this problem entirely by replacing the tappet adjusting screws with solid ones. While we were at it, we removed the valves and thoroughly lapped them in, replaced them and readjusted them.
In Albuquerque, it was necessary to remove the radiator and resolder the neck, a fairly simple job.
For the past month and a half, I have been plagued with excessive oil leakage/consumption. At first, I thought it was loss of vacuum in the oil reserve tank allowing too much oil to enter the crankcase and causing oil to be pushed out around the tappets, main bearings and breather pipes. I tested this theory by emptying the reserve tank completely and simply not using it for awhile. I kept tabs on the proper oil level in the crankcase with a dip stick. Oil was still being lost. A lot of oil was being blown out the rear breather pipe. To try to curb this, I extended the breather pipe 12 inches and then with a 180 degree bend, returned the pipe down to about a foot off the ground. It hasn't helped. At this point, I have a hunch that pressure is building up in the crankcase, possibly by compression leaking past the piston rings.
Another issue that is not serious, but has been with us for some time is that the timing gears are rattling. It seems to be too much back lash in the gears. Even though they are making a racket, they are not really hurting anything.
Today, the latest issue is a complete mystery. While going down the road, suddenly the engine developed a fairly loud hammering sound. It was loud enough that I was thinking we were finished. I pulled off the road right away and let it idle for about another minute to try to determine where the sound was coming from. After about 30 seconds, the sound stopped as quickly as it started. I shut off the engine, crawled under the car and checked things thoroughly. I couldn't find anything in the drive chain loose or rattling, everything on the engine seemed tight. I restarted it, let it idle for a few minutes. The hammering was gone. It idled smoothly and accelerated like it should. I am confident that the babbits are O.K., otherwise the hammering wouldn't come and go and when I am out on the road and pouring on the coal, hammering does not get worse, so I don't think it is connecting rod issue.
We drove another 50 miles. During that time, the hammering came back twice, just for a few seconds each time. In the meantime, we are going to keep going. My plan is to take the engine apart when I get home and see what is going on.
Tomorrow we will be in Fayettville, GA and will have covered approximately 9,800 miles.
...........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING ............
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Yesterday, Joe and I ended up spending the night in the little town of Calera, Alabama instead of Selma. Our routes are always tentative and subject to change. Sometimes the change is intentional and sometimes due to navigational (me) error. Since we were headed to Talladega today, the route toward Calera seemed the better choice of route as the roads were smaller and we hoped, would be more interesting. As it turned out, our choice was correct.
We traveled yesterday through more cotton fields, these not ready for harvest as they were in parts of Arkansas and Mississippi. The cotton plants had begun to set the bolls but the bolls were not open on most of the plants and the foliage was still green.
We also began to see Kudzu, a very invasive vine that originated in Asia and was introduced to the U.S. in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and was introduced in the Southeast as an ornamental plant for use to shade porches and was used as a high-protein content cattle fodder and for use in combating soil erosion. By 1946, over 1,200,000 acres had been planted in kudzu. When cotton crops failed in the middle of the 20th century due to boll weevil infestations, many of these plantings were left unattended as farmers moved from their rural homes to urban areas. It has now spread throughout the southern states and it kills other plants by smothering them. It grows quickly and that allows it to outpace growth of native species.
Kudzu that has taken over in an area, covering native plants including trees. Left unattended, it will continue to spread. Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi are the states most affected by the infestation of kudzu.
This beautiful scenery on a farm in central Alabama was just spectacular. Hope Kudzu doesn't get a foothold here! This was in an area with a lot of cattle ranches.
I am attracted to anything old and historic. This was an early homestead in central Alabama. I would love to live in this old house with it's 2 fieldstone fireplaces and that broad and deep front porch. This type of house was common in the old South. I remember old houses in north Louisiana where my family is from that were like this only the center of the house (where the double doors are in this house) was left open. These were called "dog trot" houses since the dogs could walk or "trot" down through the open center of the house. Later changes to these dog trot houses were to enclose the open center to create a wide hallway. I remember my Mom telling about being at one of these old dog trot houses as a kid when there was a thunderstorm. She said she was in the open area in the center and a lightening bolt fireball came through the open area. She was always uncomfortable in storms after that and I don't blame her! I would have probably died on the spot from fright if a fireball passed over me.
An old country store in central Alabama, no longer in business but covered with old signs. I have always wanted to have a little village on our property with old buildings moved in to preserve them. We've never been able to do that, but the desire to have my own little village of old buildings - old houses, stores, gas stations, etc. will always be a dream of mine.
You know you are in the deep South when you see Piggly Wiggly grocery stores. I remember my grandparents shopping at the Piggly Wiggly store in Ruston, LA back in the 1950's and 60's. In the 1950's I was a young girl of less than 10 years old and remember going to Ruston from Simsboro, a smaller town some 8 miles from Ruston, to be a "big deal". My cousin and I had to dress up with our white anklet socks, black patent shoes and pretty dress and WHITE GLOVES! All this was because we were going to "town". Ruston was considered to be town and you had to present the right look or it was frowned upon. In the 1960's, I remember that we didn't have to dress up and could go to Ruston in pedal pusher pants and our Keds tennis shoes - no white gloves and no black patent shoes and white ankle socks. We felt like we were really free! Going to the A & W Rootbeer place next to Piggly Wiggly for a rootbeer float was a real treat in those days.
Joe had to meet with a customer in Talladega to look at a car that he is to upholster. John Garrett has a very early Cadillac to be reupholstered. When we pulled in to his yard, it created quite a sensation. Neighbors and friends showed up to see this old car that had driven about 9,600 miles this summer and the crazy people (that would be Joe and I) that were riding in it. A reporter and photographer from a town nearby showed up also. John Garrett was so hospitable. He is a great cook too. Lunch was cooked up by him and was delicious - BBQ'ed smoked ham steaks, green beans and homemade mashed potatoes. We loved it.
This afternoon we traveled on some 20 miles or so to the town of Anniston, Alabama where we are spending the night with Evergreen B & B host, Delores Pierce. After a period of getting to know each other, we elected to make it an early night.
Tomorrow we will be making our way toward the Atlanta, Georgia area. I'm not sure where we will be tomorrow night. A lot depends on how many antique and thrift stores we find in the Anniston area. From those with whom we have talked, there seems to be a fair number of stores that will be of interest in this immediate area. We probably won't get out of Anniston until about noon.
Next to riding in the old car, rocks and antique and thrift stores rank a close second. Tomorrow should be a lot of fun!
We traveled yesterday through more cotton fields, these not ready for harvest as they were in parts of Arkansas and Mississippi. The cotton plants had begun to set the bolls but the bolls were not open on most of the plants and the foliage was still green.
We also began to see Kudzu, a very invasive vine that originated in Asia and was introduced to the U.S. in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and was introduced in the Southeast as an ornamental plant for use to shade porches and was used as a high-protein content cattle fodder and for use in combating soil erosion. By 1946, over 1,200,000 acres had been planted in kudzu. When cotton crops failed in the middle of the 20th century due to boll weevil infestations, many of these plantings were left unattended as farmers moved from their rural homes to urban areas. It has now spread throughout the southern states and it kills other plants by smothering them. It grows quickly and that allows it to outpace growth of native species.
Kudzu that has taken over in an area, covering native plants including trees. Left unattended, it will continue to spread. Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi are the states most affected by the infestation of kudzu.
This beautiful scenery on a farm in central Alabama was just spectacular. Hope Kudzu doesn't get a foothold here! This was in an area with a lot of cattle ranches.
I am attracted to anything old and historic. This was an early homestead in central Alabama. I would love to live in this old house with it's 2 fieldstone fireplaces and that broad and deep front porch. This type of house was common in the old South. I remember old houses in north Louisiana where my family is from that were like this only the center of the house (where the double doors are in this house) was left open. These were called "dog trot" houses since the dogs could walk or "trot" down through the open center of the house. Later changes to these dog trot houses were to enclose the open center to create a wide hallway. I remember my Mom telling about being at one of these old dog trot houses as a kid when there was a thunderstorm. She said she was in the open area in the center and a lightening bolt fireball came through the open area. She was always uncomfortable in storms after that and I don't blame her! I would have probably died on the spot from fright if a fireball passed over me.
An old country store in central Alabama, no longer in business but covered with old signs. I have always wanted to have a little village on our property with old buildings moved in to preserve them. We've never been able to do that, but the desire to have my own little village of old buildings - old houses, stores, gas stations, etc. will always be a dream of mine.
You know you are in the deep South when you see Piggly Wiggly grocery stores. I remember my grandparents shopping at the Piggly Wiggly store in Ruston, LA back in the 1950's and 60's. In the 1950's I was a young girl of less than 10 years old and remember going to Ruston from Simsboro, a smaller town some 8 miles from Ruston, to be a "big deal". My cousin and I had to dress up with our white anklet socks, black patent shoes and pretty dress and WHITE GLOVES! All this was because we were going to "town". Ruston was considered to be town and you had to present the right look or it was frowned upon. In the 1960's, I remember that we didn't have to dress up and could go to Ruston in pedal pusher pants and our Keds tennis shoes - no white gloves and no black patent shoes and white ankle socks. We felt like we were really free! Going to the A & W Rootbeer place next to Piggly Wiggly for a rootbeer float was a real treat in those days.
Joe had to meet with a customer in Talladega to look at a car that he is to upholster. John Garrett has a very early Cadillac to be reupholstered. When we pulled in to his yard, it created quite a sensation. Neighbors and friends showed up to see this old car that had driven about 9,600 miles this summer and the crazy people (that would be Joe and I) that were riding in it. A reporter and photographer from a town nearby showed up also. John Garrett was so hospitable. He is a great cook too. Lunch was cooked up by him and was delicious - BBQ'ed smoked ham steaks, green beans and homemade mashed potatoes. We loved it.
This afternoon we traveled on some 20 miles or so to the town of Anniston, Alabama where we are spending the night with Evergreen B & B host, Delores Pierce. After a period of getting to know each other, we elected to make it an early night.
Tomorrow we will be making our way toward the Atlanta, Georgia area. I'm not sure where we will be tomorrow night. A lot depends on how many antique and thrift stores we find in the Anniston area. From those with whom we have talked, there seems to be a fair number of stores that will be of interest in this immediate area. We probably won't get out of Anniston until about noon.
Next to riding in the old car, rocks and antique and thrift stores rank a close second. Tomorrow should be a lot of fun!
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
THE STEERING COLUMN
There are just a few more questions that people have asked us that we forgot to tell you about.
One couple asked, "Where do you rent these"?
After telling a man the E-M-F factory was right across the street from Ford's factory in Detroit, he
Asked, "Is it a British car"?
After telling a couple that we are driving the car around the perimeter of the U.S., they asked,
"Yes, but how did you get it here"?
.........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING..........
There are just a few more questions that people have asked us that we forgot to tell you about.
One couple asked, "Where do you rent these"?
After telling a man the E-M-F factory was right across the street from Ford's factory in Detroit, he
Asked, "Is it a British car"?
After telling a couple that we are driving the car around the perimeter of the U.S., they asked,
"Yes, but how did you get it here"?
.........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING..........
Monday, September 14, 2015
We passed through more cotton fields today ready for harvest east of Yazoo City and then angled southeast to pick up part of the Natchez Trace near Jackson, MS.
The Natchez Trace Parkway is beautifully manicured and the speed limit is 40 mph, just our speed! We were only on the parkway about 15 miles but it was great to get a taste of it. We have driven the southern end of the Trace from Vicksburg to Natchez and south before so having only a 15 mile stretch this time was O.K. We did stop at the Mississippi Craft center just off the Natchez Trace at Ridgeland north of Jackson for about an hour and a half. State Craft Centers are so interesting because they highlight the art from local artists from all over the state.
This spritely ballerina graced their front lawn. I just love her.
Inside the Craft Center we spotted this wonderful pair of copper frogs by artist Jim Pigott from Madison, MS. They are a bit more than life size sitting on a bench. It just so happens that I have a bench, so-o-o-o-h
Joe and I now have new back seat passengers thanks to Jim Pigott who we had the privilege of meeting and the Mississippi Craft Center. I just can't imagine what people must think as they pass our car! We are used to everyone taking pictures of the car as they pass by but now we will probably get our share of strange looks when they spot our passengers.
Joe had mapped out a route that keep us off the freeways and on beautiful back roads like this one. The only problem was that the roads only had a few towns and those were mainly a name on a map and just a couple of houses and maybe a convenience store/gas station. We weren't sure we would find a place to spend the night before dark so we stopped and determined a new route.
Me reading the atlas route Joe had mapped out. Don't you just love my magnifying glass!? It's a frog, too! What is it about frogs??
As the afternoon progressed and it got to be about 5 PM, we began to notice that the air was noticeably cooler. I do believe Fall is coming. We only have 16 more days to get home! We are spending the night in Meridian, MS and will be spending the night tomorrow in Selma, Alabama.
The Natchez Trace Parkway is beautifully manicured and the speed limit is 40 mph, just our speed! We were only on the parkway about 15 miles but it was great to get a taste of it. We have driven the southern end of the Trace from Vicksburg to Natchez and south before so having only a 15 mile stretch this time was O.K. We did stop at the Mississippi Craft center just off the Natchez Trace at Ridgeland north of Jackson for about an hour and a half. State Craft Centers are so interesting because they highlight the art from local artists from all over the state.
This spritely ballerina graced their front lawn. I just love her.
Inside the Craft Center we spotted this wonderful pair of copper frogs by artist Jim Pigott from Madison, MS. They are a bit more than life size sitting on a bench. It just so happens that I have a bench, so-o-o-o-h
Joe and I now have new back seat passengers thanks to Jim Pigott who we had the privilege of meeting and the Mississippi Craft Center. I just can't imagine what people must think as they pass our car! We are used to everyone taking pictures of the car as they pass by but now we will probably get our share of strange looks when they spot our passengers.
Joe had mapped out a route that keep us off the freeways and on beautiful back roads like this one. The only problem was that the roads only had a few towns and those were mainly a name on a map and just a couple of houses and maybe a convenience store/gas station. We weren't sure we would find a place to spend the night before dark so we stopped and determined a new route.
Me reading the atlas route Joe had mapped out. Don't you just love my magnifying glass!? It's a frog, too! What is it about frogs??
As the afternoon progressed and it got to be about 5 PM, we began to notice that the air was noticeably cooler. I do believe Fall is coming. We only have 16 more days to get home! We are spending the night in Meridian, MS and will be spending the night tomorrow in Selma, Alabama.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Joe and I are in Yazoo City, Mississippi this evening after traveling across from El Dorado, Arkansas where we spent the night last night. Last night we pulled into El Dorado about 4:30 PM, went into the motel and decided to just lie down for a short nap before going out for some dinner. Several hours later we woke up, decided it was too late to go to dinner and decided to just go back to sleep for the night. After having taken a long nap, you would think that we couldn't possibly be sleepy, but we slept straight through til about 7:30 this morning.
We were in pine and hardwood forests most of the morning. It was a really pleasant day with temperatures in the mid-seventies. With the breeze through the car, I slipped into a light jacket and put Joe's duster over my legs. I was still dressed for summer in shorts. I think I will have to concede that summer is over now and fall has begun to make itself known. I can hardly believe that our trip is less than 3 weeks from being over! It has truly become a lifestyle!
We were trying to head in a southeasterly direction today and to avoid having to take a major road to the east and then another one that would take us way to the south and then another to take us back east, so we took a county road that cut off a fair number of miles. It was gravel but well graded and shady and a beautiful drive. We didn't meet a single car on the road for some 8 or 9 miles til it connected with the new road we needed.
This afternoon we moved out of the pine/hardwood forest lands into flat, productive farmland that was planted in soybeans and cotton. At first, it took me a while to figure out that I was looking at cotton plants. It seems that the fields had been planted at different times, probably to make harvesting easier so it didn't need to all be harvested at the same time. The first fields I saw had not yet developed cotton bolls. The further south we traveled, the more white you saw in the fields and the closer the fields were to being ready for harvest.
Southern Arkansas cotton field just about ready for harvest. I used to work in a cotton lab at the University of Arizona and have ginned cotton in small quantities and my job was to comb debris out of the cotton fibers and straighten the fibers into small samples for further research. I remember well those sharp little combs that would prick your fingers if you weren't being attentive.
I spoke in a previous blog about seeing pecan groves on my trip down to Louisiana to visit relatives. I had lost those pictures in a technical snafu but was able to take a picture of another grove in western Mississippi this afternoon. The pecans are not ready to harvest yet. I sure wish they were. I plan to plant a few pecan trees at our home in PA. I'll have to plant a hardy variety that will withstand our colder winters, but luckily there are some varieties that will thrive in our area. I will have to wait about 5 years before they produce any nuts, but I can wait. They are such majestic shade trees too.
Just one of many old beautiful homes we saw along our route today.
Tomorrow we will probably enter Alabama. We forgot to bring the map out of the car so I don't know where we will be headed for tomorrow evening.
We were in pine and hardwood forests most of the morning. It was a really pleasant day with temperatures in the mid-seventies. With the breeze through the car, I slipped into a light jacket and put Joe's duster over my legs. I was still dressed for summer in shorts. I think I will have to concede that summer is over now and fall has begun to make itself known. I can hardly believe that our trip is less than 3 weeks from being over! It has truly become a lifestyle!
We were trying to head in a southeasterly direction today and to avoid having to take a major road to the east and then another one that would take us way to the south and then another to take us back east, so we took a county road that cut off a fair number of miles. It was gravel but well graded and shady and a beautiful drive. We didn't meet a single car on the road for some 8 or 9 miles til it connected with the new road we needed.
This afternoon we moved out of the pine/hardwood forest lands into flat, productive farmland that was planted in soybeans and cotton. At first, it took me a while to figure out that I was looking at cotton plants. It seems that the fields had been planted at different times, probably to make harvesting easier so it didn't need to all be harvested at the same time. The first fields I saw had not yet developed cotton bolls. The further south we traveled, the more white you saw in the fields and the closer the fields were to being ready for harvest.
Southern Arkansas cotton field just about ready for harvest. I used to work in a cotton lab at the University of Arizona and have ginned cotton in small quantities and my job was to comb debris out of the cotton fibers and straighten the fibers into small samples for further research. I remember well those sharp little combs that would prick your fingers if you weren't being attentive.
I spoke in a previous blog about seeing pecan groves on my trip down to Louisiana to visit relatives. I had lost those pictures in a technical snafu but was able to take a picture of another grove in western Mississippi this afternoon. The pecans are not ready to harvest yet. I sure wish they were. I plan to plant a few pecan trees at our home in PA. I'll have to plant a hardy variety that will withstand our colder winters, but luckily there are some varieties that will thrive in our area. I will have to wait about 5 years before they produce any nuts, but I can wait. They are such majestic shade trees too.
Just one of many old beautiful homes we saw along our route today.
Tomorrow we will probably enter Alabama. We forgot to bring the map out of the car so I don't know where we will be headed for tomorrow evening.
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