4th Hockley Valley Hill Climb Revival

Forty classic cars, mostly British, converged on 3rd Line in glorious sunshine on July 2nd for this fun event. There were 13 MGs, 10 Triumphs, 5 Morgans, 4 Jaguars, 2 Lotus, and one each of Porsche, Daimler, Mini, TVR, Mercedes and Allard. Oh, and our smart car Trudi plus various other spectator vehicles.
In attendance were several drivers who raced at Hockley back in the 50s and 60s including: Al Sands, Don  Albertson, Frank Mount and Don Haddow, the course record holder.  Many organizations including the Headwaters British Car Club, Georgian Bay British Car Club, and the British Saloon Car Club of Canada were represented.
Special thanks to organizer RLT, S. Morris for stepping into the role of official starter; photographers L. Hill, D.Woods; R. Jordan, P. Pontsa, and many others who made the day memorable.

Chuggabug Tour Day 10: Auburn, IN to Toronto, ON

Always hard to tackle, a long last day home via Detroit. From Auburn we cut across to the Ohio Turnpike and splurge $4 on the toll which rushes us to Toledo, Ohio. A pitstop for gas then stock up on Goldenberg's peanut chews from Rite Aid.
We have no delay at the border and within 20 minutes are back in Windsor, ON. We stop at the Dutton ONroute for coffee and diesel. We can't help questioning why our provincial government is in the food court business. The amount of travel information provided is minimal and there are no staff to answer questions.

Chuggabug Tour Day 9: Springfield, IL to Auburn, IN

We overnighted at the Drury Inn in Springfield, IL, a chain that provides a hot breakfast and a 17:30 Kick-back, consisting of light supper and drinks (including alcohol). Great view of the adjacent smokestacks.
Next morning we leave Route 66 behind, heading across endless farm country. We pass an Alcoa plant and a Subaru factory before stopping at Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville, IN. This cavernous bookstore has a questionable business model. I purchase "Nothin' but Blue Skies: The Heyday, Hard Times, and Hopes of America's Industrial Heartland" by Edward McClelland. The book discusses the concepts of ruin-porn (photographing derelict buildings) and rust-belt-chic.
First rain of the tour so we stop at J D's Riverside Café, in Whitley, IN, in a downpour. Salsa and tortilla chips.
We press on to Auburn, IN, in time to tour the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Automobile Museum at 1800 South Wayne. (The change from Central to Eastern time means we have lost an hour in the day.) This is rust-belt-chic at its finest - an exquisite art deco building, where the cars were once made, celebrating the largely defunct Indiana motor industry, which contains a wonderful collection of the three marques, plus a smattering of other vehicles including an Indiana-made Crosley Hotshot once owned by Frank Lloyd Wright.
To the Quality Inn, walking to Wal-Mart for bagel take-out supper. RLT.

Chuggabug Tour Day 8: Springfield, MO to Springfield, IL

We normally try to avoid chain restaurants but a US road trip just wouldn't be complete without a breakfast at the Waffle House. We stopped at one in St. Robert, Missouri and it didn't disappoint. A friendly Viet Nam vet helped us map a route over the Mississippi while avoiding the bulk of traffic through St. Louis. Route 30 was a great choice and we made good time. We diverged off the Interstate Highways driving along various alignments of Route 66 in both Missouri and Illinois. Nothing matches the bump-thump of Portland Concrete and the brick road near Auburn, Illinois really channels the ghosts of Route 66.

Chuggabug Tour Day 7: Fort Smith, AR to Springfield, MO

We drive north through the Ozarks and are impressed with the trim town square in Bentonville, AR, home of Wal-Mart. A museum housed in the first Walton's 5 & 10 cent store tells the story of Sam Walton's rise from humble beginnings to the owner of 1,960 Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Supercentres that employed 380,000 people at the time of his death in 1992. Parking and museum: no charge.
Eureka Springs is a resort community strung out on winding roads in the hills. $5 parking and nothing entices us to stop. After lunch at a poorly-operated restaurant in Branson, MO, we agree it's not the place for us.
We check into the Best Western Rail Haven Motel on Route 66 in Springfield, MO, featuring at-the-door parking, where two Ford cars from the mid-fifties and vintage gas pumps greet you as you drive in. After downtown tour to Steak-N-Shake for supper, 1158 E St Louis, for burger, veggie melt, strawberry/banana shake and coffee, $20 incl tip.

Chuggabug Tour Day 6: Joplin, MO to Fort Smith, AR

From Joplin, MO, we drive to Darryl Starbird's National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame just outside Afton, OK. A superb collection of "one of a kind" cars from the 50s to the 80s. Excellent displays about the Hall of Fame members and their cars are richly illustrated with photos and magazine clippings.  En route we revisit Galena, KS, and stop to admire the elegant facade of the Coleman Theater in Miami, OK. Pitstop at Wal-Mart for grits to take home and "Cars" DVD.
Lunch at Nana's Cafe, Jay, OK. Down home cooking including deep fried okra.
At Fort Smith, AR, we are disappointed that, contrary to advertisements, the trolleys are not running. Staff at the Comfort Inn cheer us up with kind offers and the best laundry experience we've ever had at a hotel.

Chuggabug Tour Day 5: Kansas City, KS to Joplin, MO

Heading south of Kansas City, KS, we find small towns in various stages of dereliction. At Fort Scott we briefly tour the historic site that gives the town its name. Established in 1842, the fort has successively served many roles in early settlement, the Civil War and railroad development.We sit at the counter of the Nu Grille where short order cooks are going full out to cater to the Sunday brunch crowd. One guy looks up and quips: "You guys are still sharing pie? I haven't done that since High School."  I suggested he find someone to share pie with;  he might enjoy it. Our waitress adds: "We tell him that all the time."  Back on the "Mother Road" at Galena, KS, we have lunch at "Cars on Route 66" in the converted Kan-O-Tex service station. Trudi has her photo taken with Tow Mater and friend, stars of the movie "Cars."

Chuggabug Tour Day 4: Kansas City, KS & Kansas City, MO

Very interesting day sightseeing in Kansas City, Missouri. I took this photo of the city with Union Station in the foreground from the World War I Liberty Monument. Inside the station, we visited the "National Geographic Real Pirates" exhibit which highlights artifacts from the wreck of  the Whydah, a former slave and pirate ship. Next we toured the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art which was one of the reasons for this trip. We drive back through Country Club Plaza, a 15 block district of high end shops and restaurants in stunning Spanish architecture.

Chuggabug Tour Day 3: St Charles, MO to Kansas City, KS

Driving westward on Highway 94, which follows the Missouri River to the north, we stop to fill up at McKittrick, MO, where the diesel at BP is just $3.599 per gallon. At Jefferson City, the Missouri State Capitol (seen here) we enjoy "Three Story Coffee" sitting outside the Via Roma Cafe. A guy in the most beat up jallopy we've seen in a long while asks, "Did you get that car out of a cereal box?"
At the Drury Hotel we get spruced up and take a taxi to the New Theatre Restaurant where we're treated to Director's Box seats by the star of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Zachary Stevenson.  The service, food and especially the show are stellar, never to be forgotten.

Chuggabug Tour Day 2: Indianapolis, IN to St Charles, MO

We visit Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, in Clermont, IN, home of the NHRA Nationals, before the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame which has a very impressive car collection. Driving southwest out of Indianapolis, through endless fields of corn and soy beans we feel the call of the "Mother Road" and connect with Route 66 at Litchfield, IL. After enjoying cherry turnovers and coffee at Jubelt's Bakery, established 1922, we stop for a photo op at Soulsby's Service station at Mount Olive, IL. We check into the Country Inn at St Charles, MO, and walk through the charming historic downtown for dinner at the Little Hills Winery and Restaurant where the action on the street provides entertainment.

Chuggabug Tour Day 1: Toronto to Indianapolis, IN

Leaving home at 5:40 am payed off as we blast out of the GTA and breakfast at the TA truckstop just outside Woodstock, ON, about 7:15 am. We cross the Ambassador Bridge, paying the $4.75 toll, and waste no time getting away from Detroit, travelling south to Toledo, OH.  The region has become known as the rust belt but Ford Mustangs, La-Z-Boy furniture and Jeeps are still made locally. The weather is on our side and we opt to take state highways rather than the interstate from Fort Wayne, IN, to Indianapolis, IN, stopping at the farmer's market in Huntington, IN, (pictured here) to pick up some fresh fruit and home-made goodies. Sandwich at Starbucks on arrival.

Two Bromptons and a smart

 

Two Brompton folding bikes stow easily in the back of our smart car. We took them for a test drive on the Caledon Trailway and cycled 12 miles (20 km) from Caledon East to Inglewood and back. Glorious weather, interesting scenery and stress free riding - what's not to like? Only thing we had to watch out for were horse droppings as equestrians use the trail too. 

DST Day 14, 23 July 2012: Franklin, TN to Lexington, KY

We couldn't drive through Tennessee without a return visit to the Lane Motor Museum in South Nashville. They have a splendid collection of vintage vehicles, including microcars, which they strive to keep in full running order. I love their barrier-free exhibits. Makes taking photos and closer looks at details and interiors easy. I'm dangerously close to doing my "happy dance" in public as I get to have my photo snapped in this Citroen 2CV.

Before heading north-east into Kentucky will fill up on diesel which at $3.41 per US gallon is the cheapest this tour.

Smart claims World Record

On Friday 4 July, 2008, Rupert Lloyd Thomas, with navigator Annette Lloyd Thomas, drove his 2005 smart fortwo diesel over "The Top of the World" to an altitude of 10,974 feet (3,345 m) through the Beartooth Pass, along the Montana-Wyoming border, in the United States.

This is the highest known altitude for a smart car on public roads. If anybody can better this please let us know.
See previous.

North Carolina Road Trip

I have been researching the Fuller Family of Sussex for many years and recently have attempted to find the surviving cannons made at their Heathfield Forge, Sussex, England between 1693 - 1793. When I located one at a museum in Beaufort, North Carolina my hubby said, "I'll take you there if you want to go see it". How could I say no?
I've been re-reading Jan Karon's Mitford Series (see my Sabbatical Books blog) which she wrote while living in Blowing Rock, North Carolina so we'll be stopping there too.
Hubby has friends in Kannapolis and Kill Devil Hills, NC and I'm looking forward to meeting them.
We hit the road yesterday and had no problems getting out of metro Toronto and across the border at Niagara Falls. When we stopped for coffee at Tim Horton's, Grimsby, a very polite young man from Virginia asked if he could take pictures of our smart car Trudi. We wish him, and his family, a safe journey home.
Stayed last night at the Hampton Inn, Dubois (say doo-boys), Pennsylvania - amazing value for money. Heading south through Maryland into West Virginia today.

Miss Trudi meets Mr Lincoln

We went to the Street Classics Cruise a couple of weeks ago and saw some very cool vehicles. When we got back to our smart car, Trudi, a Lincoln Continental (circa 1974) was parked next to her. Check out the 59 De Soto Firedome in the background and its tail light below.

Trudi goes to New York (state)

Photo: Adirondack Scenic Railroad station in Lake Placid, New York
To read about our visit see my sabbatical blog here.

"New" Tour Day 7: Sussex, NB

Drove into Saint John, NB via provincial capital Frederickton. Took smart car Trudi in for her 24 000 km service and they took us downtown by taxi. Bite of lunch at the Old Market then an excellent tour of the Loyalist House. " One of the few surviving buildings of the Great Fire of 1877, the Loyalist House serves as a proud reminder of Saint John's British Loyalist heritage. Built in 1817, the Georgian features of this National Historic Site has remained structurally unaltered."
They have done a great job of making the downtown pedestrian friendly and attractive - due largely to the recent influx of cruise ships. Next we visited Barbour's General Store - "Over 2,000 artifacts are found within the store including china, farm tools and kitchen utensils. A combination barbershop dental office is located at the back of the store just as it would have been in the early days."
We phoned the dealership and found out that the smart was ready and they sent a B Class Mercedes to pick us up. No problems with the car so we were quickly on our way.
Fascinating tour of the Carleton Martello Tower, pictured above. It commands spectacular views of the city and harbour.
Stayed the night at the All Seasons Inn in Sussex, NB - named for the Duke of Sussex Prince Augustus Frederick (1773-1843), sixth son of King George III.
Early start this morning. Stopped for breakfast at Cora's in Moncton and blogging at the beautiful, new public library.

smart service B

Trudi was due for her second or "B" service so we booked an early morning appointment on January 6th. We've had no problems with the car other than what may seem a trivial matter. When Rupert drove her back from Chicago, a rattling sound eminating from the rear of the car nearly drove him bonkers. It's one of those tinny, irregular sounds that you irritatingly find yourself listening for like the drip of a faucet. It makes a nine month old car sound like a jalopy.
We took every thing out of the car, made sure that the engine compartment hatch was secured and made a test drive. Still there. We examined the windshield wipers, the door latches and the window latch. Still there. After much head scratching we realized that it was the cheap plastic license plate holder that vibrated as you drove over a bump. Oh well, we said when we take her in for her service we'll mention it and the highly trained Mercedes mechanics will know just what to do.
We described the problem to the service reception clerk who made a note on the form. When the car was ready we were assured that the problem had been fixed. Smiling we waved good bye and headed out of the parking lot...to the tune of the now very familiar tinny rattle. Needless to say, we were not impressed.
Plan "B" is to remove the cheap, dollar store plate holder our dealer installed on the car.

Trudi's Christmas Presents

Trudi recieved this parking sign from Auntie Helen in the UK.

Our smart dealer sent this package of goodies that arrived after Christmas.

We couldn't figure out what this package was.

Turns out to be an "I'm with smart" T-shirt.