There is something very green lurking in my carport! Finally!!!!
Yes, Kermit has finally made home, albeit temporarily. Off to Acme in Pukekohe next week for the necessary pre-compliance work, followed hopefully by a painless compliance & rego exercise at the Petrolhead staffed VTNZ office down there.
Wish me luck - hopefully nothing more required than a change of headlights (so they dip to the left), and a high mount brake light. Add to that fitting of the sexy new bumper covers, which probably won't be needed for compliance, but are going to improve the cosmetics majorly, and we should be all go.
Wish me luck! We passed MAF & Customs with no nasty surprises, so here's hoping the good fortune continues.
Big thanks to Chuck & Judy for all their help, friendship, and the loan of the dealer plate.
If you own a Chev here in UnZud, you need to know these people. Professional, friendly, and passionate about what they do!
Oh, and by the way, Chuck reckons I bought Kermit a good price - he would know better than I. Big cheesies all around. He is going to do the insurance valuation for me post rego, so watch this space. I'm banking on cost plus ten, but at the end of the day its all about the giggle.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Convention in Focus
August 29
Given that attending the 27th National Narrow Gauge Convention was the original reason behind this trip, its way past time for a report on this aspect of my visit to the USA.
I last talked about my time in Maine (see The End of the Line) left me having arrived back in Portland after a few magic days exploring some of the old 2 foot lines to the north.
My plans for Wednesday had a bit of a different flavour, with a visit to Art Fahie and Bar Mills Models in western Portland as the first order of business. I had first come across Art, and his beautifully detailed N scale 'Niagara & Pearl Creek' layout in N Scale magazine in the mid '90s, and had always admired his work - the N&PC would have to be one of the most complete layouts I've seen, with lots of little detail scenes really bringing the whole layout to life.
In more recent years, Art has risen in prominence through his structure company, now located in a wonderful replica the Sandy River station at Strong, holding pride of place in his front garden.
As Charlie Getz satirised in his convention-closing address, the show Art put on for us almost approached the flavour of an evangelical religious revival. This was perhaps only a little bit over the top, but what it was in fact was very well organised, and focussed on giving 900 (?) odd visiting modelers a good look at the whole operation in as streamlined a fashion as possible over 3 days. Full marks to Art for pulling it off in an entertaining and educational way, whilst maintaining a sense of humour, and being a most gracious host.
First up was a look at his new Sn2 Maine 2 foot layout 'Wharf Street'. Like the N&PC, beautifully detailed and lit, with enough going on to keep one busy for an hour or two checking out all the details. Definitely something to aspire to in my own work - I wish!
Next was a look behind the scenes at the manufacturing processes core to the business - centrifugal pewter casting, and laser cutting, as well as the whole distribution process. I was very impressed with how streamlined the whole process is, and the volume and variety of kits coming coming out of a very modest space.
Next we retired to Art's house, and a look at a very nicely done Gn15 mini layout 'Spoof of Narragansett Pier RR', built by Tom Staton, a friend of Art's, and which later placed 2nd in the diorama section of the convention contest. This was followed by a very funny short movie from the '50s about the trials of being a model railroader's wife. We do need to laugh at ourselves from time to time.
After that, it was deeper into the bowels of Art's basement to finally see the Niagara and Pearl Creek in the flesh - yet another highlight for me. I even found a scene I remember from an article in which Art describing how and why he built it, from the first issue of N Scale magazine I had come across way back in 1995.
After a magic 15 minutes looking over the N&PC, we repaired to an outdoor pergola, for a chance to relax, rehydrate, and chat with other visitors and members of the Bar Mills crew. Mike Tylick was giving a rolling, interactive clinic on kit building and weathering techniques, and I also enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with Earl Smallshaw, in amongst a generous handful of Art's crew. New England seems to be home to a well known cohort of fine modelers, and I get the sense that Bar Mills is a bit of social hub for the guys in the area.
This part of the visit also provided us visitors with the chance to add to Bar Mills coffers, and I walked away with three kits earmarked for the K&DR at a very fair price.
By the time I got back to my digs, that was the afternoon done for, so next on the agenda was to find Convention Hotel in Central Portland, pick up my registration pack and get into the thick of things.
A wee bit of an aside - you will see a few of my convention photos here, but if you want more, spend some time checking out Mario Rapinett's site. Mario's work leaves mine for dead - well worth spending some time browsing through. Enjoy!
At the registration desk I had the pleasure of at last meeting Martha Sharp, Convention Registrar, and purveyor of fine jewelry as mentioned in my last post. Duty done, badge attached and paperwork and Convention T-Shirt in order, I turn around and who do I see but Tony Koester, for whom I did a bit of writing for his 2000 MRP magazine, and then later in the year, had the pleasure of meeting, along with wife Judy, when they visited NZ for the National Model Railroad Convention.
Tony & I had a quick chat, and then with the promise of a catch up later, it was off to the hotel lounge bar for a bit of dinner, a Shipyard Ale or two, a chat to fellow barflies, and a study of the convention timetable. The bar was humming with conventioneers, which meant a late arrival of dinner, and sadly missing the start of the first round of clinics.
Plenty of other things to do, with two floors of trade stands and layouts of various descriptions to explore, plus the competition room upstairs, with some outstanding work on display, and still more notable people from within the hobby all over the show.
Whilst checking out the photographic section of the competition room, I got chatting to a very pleasant older gentlemen of obvious railfan photography expertise, from the look of the prints he was hanging. He introduced himself to me as Mal Ferrell , and I realised I was chatting to well known author and photographer, Mallory Hope Ferrell! It felt a bit like you accidentally finding yourself buying a beer for Sir Edmund Hillary at the local pub without twigging to who he was until you were on to the second pint. Nice guy too - Mal, I mean!
Cruising around the trade stalls just made my eyes bulge. I was glad I had set a budgetary limit, and that my interests are closely directed, otherwise I could very easily have gone quite silly. Even the selection of books, new and old, were varied enough to make one salivate, and the array of kits in all scales and gauges (though mostly narrow gauge to be sure), was just amazing.
I had my one big ticket item already reserved, and hopefully waiting for me somewhere amongst all this array of interesting avenues and culs de sac. After a good hour of happy window shopping, I found Matt Sharp at the Train and Trooper stand, and he dug out this for me:
T&T HOn30 SR&RL 2-6-2, #24
Matt & Martha had a run of these commissioned, and I had reserved one a couple of months earlier. Arranging to collect it in Portland did cost me some sales tax, but the savings in postage and GST more than made up for that. On top of that, I also had the pleasure of meeting Matt, who went through the all examples he had on hand to ensure I ended up with an one which had test run particularly well. With that in hand, as well as a couple of books on my 'must get' list, it was back to South Portland for some zzzzzs.
Given that attending the 27th National Narrow Gauge Convention was the original reason behind this trip, its way past time for a report on this aspect of my visit to the USA.
I last talked about my time in Maine (see The End of the Line) left me having arrived back in Portland after a few magic days exploring some of the old 2 foot lines to the north.
My plans for Wednesday had a bit of a different flavour, with a visit to Art Fahie and Bar Mills Models in western Portland as the first order of business. I had first come across Art, and his beautifully detailed N scale 'Niagara & Pearl Creek' layout in N Scale magazine in the mid '90s, and had always admired his work - the N&PC would have to be one of the most complete layouts I've seen, with lots of little detail scenes really bringing the whole layout to life.
In more recent years, Art has risen in prominence through his structure company, now located in a wonderful replica the Sandy River station at Strong, holding pride of place in his front garden.
As Charlie Getz satirised in his convention-closing address, the show Art put on for us almost approached the flavour of an evangelical religious revival. This was perhaps only a little bit over the top, but what it was in fact was very well organised, and focussed on giving 900 (?) odd visiting modelers a good look at the whole operation in as streamlined a fashion as possible over 3 days. Full marks to Art for pulling it off in an entertaining and educational way, whilst maintaining a sense of humour, and being a most gracious host.
First up was a look at his new Sn2 Maine 2 foot layout 'Wharf Street'. Like the N&PC, beautifully detailed and lit, with enough going on to keep one busy for an hour or two checking out all the details. Definitely something to aspire to in my own work - I wish!
Next was a look behind the scenes at the manufacturing processes core to the business - centrifugal pewter casting, and laser cutting, as well as the whole distribution process. I was very impressed with how streamlined the whole process is, and the volume and variety of kits coming coming out of a very modest space.
Next we retired to Art's house, and a look at a very nicely done Gn15 mini layout 'Spoof of Narragansett Pier RR', built by Tom Staton, a friend of Art's, and which later placed 2nd in the diorama section of the convention contest. This was followed by a very funny short movie from the '50s about the trials of being a model railroader's wife. We do need to laugh at ourselves from time to time.
After that, it was deeper into the bowels of Art's basement to finally see the Niagara and Pearl Creek in the flesh - yet another highlight for me. I even found a scene I remember from an article in which Art describing how and why he built it, from the first issue of N Scale magazine I had come across way back in 1995.
After a magic 15 minutes looking over the N&PC, we repaired to an outdoor pergola, for a chance to relax, rehydrate, and chat with other visitors and members of the Bar Mills crew. Mike Tylick was giving a rolling, interactive clinic on kit building and weathering techniques, and I also enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with Earl Smallshaw, in amongst a generous handful of Art's crew. New England seems to be home to a well known cohort of fine modelers, and I get the sense that Bar Mills is a bit of social hub for the guys in the area.
This part of the visit also provided us visitors with the chance to add to Bar Mills coffers, and I walked away with three kits earmarked for the K&DR at a very fair price.
By the time I got back to my digs, that was the afternoon done for, so next on the agenda was to find Convention Hotel in Central Portland, pick up my registration pack and get into the thick of things.
A wee bit of an aside - you will see a few of my convention photos here, but if you want more, spend some time checking out Mario Rapinett's site. Mario's work leaves mine for dead - well worth spending some time browsing through. Enjoy!
At the registration desk I had the pleasure of at last meeting Martha Sharp, Convention Registrar, and purveyor of fine jewelry as mentioned in my last post. Duty done, badge attached and paperwork and Convention T-Shirt in order, I turn around and who do I see but Tony Koester, for whom I did a bit of writing for his 2000 MRP magazine, and then later in the year, had the pleasure of meeting, along with wife Judy, when they visited NZ for the National Model Railroad Convention.
Tony & I had a quick chat, and then with the promise of a catch up later, it was off to the hotel lounge bar for a bit of dinner, a Shipyard Ale or two, a chat to fellow barflies, and a study of the convention timetable. The bar was humming with conventioneers, which meant a late arrival of dinner, and sadly missing the start of the first round of clinics.
Plenty of other things to do, with two floors of trade stands and layouts of various descriptions to explore, plus the competition room upstairs, with some outstanding work on display, and still more notable people from within the hobby all over the show.
Whilst checking out the photographic section of the competition room, I got chatting to a very pleasant older gentlemen of obvious railfan photography expertise, from the look of the prints he was hanging. He introduced himself to me as Mal Ferrell , and I realised I was chatting to well known author and photographer, Mallory Hope Ferrell! It felt a bit like you accidentally finding yourself buying a beer for Sir Edmund Hillary at the local pub without twigging to who he was until you were on to the second pint. Nice guy too - Mal, I mean!
Cruising around the trade stalls just made my eyes bulge. I was glad I had set a budgetary limit, and that my interests are closely directed, otherwise I could very easily have gone quite silly. Even the selection of books, new and old, were varied enough to make one salivate, and the array of kits in all scales and gauges (though mostly narrow gauge to be sure), was just amazing.
I had my one big ticket item already reserved, and hopefully waiting for me somewhere amongst all this array of interesting avenues and culs de sac. After a good hour of happy window shopping, I found Matt Sharp at the Train and Trooper stand, and he dug out this for me:
T&T HOn30 SR&RL 2-6-2, #24Matt & Martha had a run of these commissioned, and I had reserved one a couple of months earlier. Arranging to collect it in Portland did cost me some sales tax, but the savings in postage and GST more than made up for that. On top of that, I also had the pleasure of meeting Matt, who went through the all examples he had on hand to ensure I ended up with an one which had test run particularly well. With that in hand, as well as a couple of books on my 'must get' list, it was back to South Portland for some zzzzzs.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The Wanderer Returns
Well, its been a long haul, but I'm safely back home in Riverhead once again. It has been an absolutely fabulous trip, and ranks right up there in my personal top ten.
I still have a lot of gaps to fill in, to completely document the trip, and I will do that over the next week or two. I have also had a few requests for a hard copy version, so once this blog is complete, I intend to re-edit it into chronological order, and make it available to anyone who feels the need to put themselves through all this a second time. I'll most likely do it in PDF format, and / or printed out for those tree wastrels out there. If you would like a copy, let me know and I'll put you on my Christmas list. Thoughts on alternative electronic formats will also be entertained - I'm not a huge PDF fan, but it does seem to be the closest thing we have to a universally portable file format.
To bring things to a bit of a close for now, it's worth reflecting of the last couple of days. We pick up the story on my final morning in Los Angeles.
It wasn't a brilliant start to the day, as the cumulative effects of the last couple of weeks had definitely caught up on me, and I was feeling decidedly seedy and SOB. My last EconoLodge was also a bit of a disappointment - not only could I not get any Wi-Fi connectivity, but for the first time, I had not managed to secure a ground floor room with parking outside the front door, and for the first time in two weeks, I had to completely unload the car, and repack everything in preparation for the evening's flight - aaarrrrgggghhhhhh. Having said that, it was the biggest, and most nicely appointed room I had experienced at this chain, and also the cheapest - go figure!
Anyway, I had repacked over the course of the previous evening, and come checkout time, swallowed my pride and asked for help getting my bags down to the car. Most obliging they were too, and I happily tipped the petite young lady a fiver, whilst feeling slightly silly that she was able to sling my bags around with such apparent ease.
Then it was off to the nearest Starbucks for a decent coffee, and a bite and more importantly, a decent Wi-Fi connection to allow me to take care of business. Following that, Kermit and I cruised the last couple of miles to our shipping agent John, at Performance Imports in Orange.
I caught up with John no problem, and we had a chat about the logistics of shipping Kermit, my Blue Sky Design Electric Trike kit, and Kermit's new bumper covers back to New Zealand. The only other issue was that of making sure Kermit was in a good enough condition to pass the MAF inspection expected on arrival back home. John suggested a nearby wash'n'detail place close by, so off we went and despite running into a few challenges in translating 'clean the wheel wells' into Spanish when my Spanish is non-existent, I ended up with a hopefully acceptable result.
Then it was back to see John, take care of a bit of paperwork, hand over the keys, and wave good bye to the Green Machine.
I had initially envisaged catching a train from nearby Anaheim station into central LA, then catching a shuttle bus to LAX airport. I had more than ample time to do this, but the way I was feeling, a cab seemed like a sensible, if extravagant option. And so it proved - very sensible, but $113.50 extrvagant. Hell, its only money, right? And it got me there in good shape to deal with the nuttiness that is Transport Security in the 21st Century.
Even though I was some five hours ahead of my expected check-in time, there was no problem in getting checked in with Air New Zealand, and there was no queue to deal with at all. Being plugged into an O2 concentrator makes life interesting in this context, and I had staff on hand eager to help me manhandle my baggage through to the screening area, and the TSA (Transport Security Agency) guys didn't feel the need to open my bags after X-Raying them, so it was then through to the next step in the process.
Being not totally sure as to where to go next, I asked a loitering TSA chap for directions. He kindly escorted me through to the screening area, and deftly inserted me near the front of the priority queue normally reserved for Aircrew and Business Class passengers. Score one more for being 'visibly impaired'! Ha!
The next step involved the removal of one's outer garments, viz: coats & shoes, emptying ones pockets into a bin, and ensuring ones LAGs (liquids, Aerosols and Gels) were properly packaged and on display in the regulation one litre, resealable, clear plastic bag.
All this stuff, and all carry on baggage was then X-Rayed, and the great unwashed went through a metal dectector. I got more of the special treatment though because my O2 concentrator would have sent the metal detector berserk, so I got sidelined for a personal pat-down. It was actually quite a giggle, as the guy doing the job was quite apologetic, and talked through the whole process, including emphasising that he would only use the backs of his hands on any 'sensitive places'. Honestly, I could have had half a pound of Semtex wedged in my butt crack, and he wouldn't have found it, so I have to wonder about the effectiveness of the process. Mind you, he was probably well trained to monitor the disposition of his 'client', and I was totally relaxed about it. He even offered to put a screen up so no-one could see what was going on, but I told him not to bother - it was just one of those things that had to be done, and was no big deal.
He then took a special square of cloth, and went right over the O2 concentrator with it. In response to my query, he told me it would react to the presence of any explosives. No issues there, so it was off to reclaim my bits and pieces, and off into the relative freedom of the departure area.
At this stage I still had a good four and a half hours before my boarding call, so I had plenty of time to grab another cuppa and a late lunch at Starbucks, check my email again, and confirm the arrangements for my eventual collection in Auckland.
Hmmmmmm, still four hours to kill! I had a wander around the Duty Free shops, just browsing, as I had done all the shopping I intended to do, and didn't need any more stuff to lug along with me anyway. The next logical stop then, was the Route 66 cafe, a couple of protracted glasses of vino, some chicken nibbles, and a chance to read some more of the most interesting book on Oregon history presented to me by Bill Bates way back in Eugene.
I also got chatting to some fellow inmates. First up was a couple from Hawkes Bay, who were also heading home on NZ5. They picked up on my accent when I was trying to translate 'Cabernet Sauvignon' into Californian Spanglish. They were just on their way out, so that was a brief encounter, but I later had a really nice time talking to Chris & Kelly, a young couple from Chicago who were en route to Fiji to enjoy their honeymoon. So cute! I managed to scare the crap outa them by telling them about Fiji's coup culture, and was mildly surprised to hear their travel agent hadn't mentioned the latest goings on, and that these had obviously not made the news in the U.S. at all. I did reassure them that as they were going to Nadi, and outlying islands to the west, they would be about as far away from any potential action as they could be, and I do hope I didn't bum them out at all. They were both really nice, and I hope it all goes well for them.
Back on the Route 66 kick, I was having a quiet giggle to myself in the cafe, as I was wearing the Route 66 T shirt I had bought in Barstow, CA the day before. The place was covered in Route 66 memorabilia, including a bunch of maps, and I was quite chuffed that I had pretty much followed it through the westernmost five of the eight states it used to traverse. And in a Corvette! Cliched, maybe,? Fun, absolutely! Want to know more? Go here!
Eventually, it was time to board, and with a sense of Deja Vu, I found myself on what could well have been the same 777 as on the outbound leg, and in the same seat - 64C. I shut down my machine, plugged myself into Air NZ's concentrator and settled down for the next 12 (or was it 31?) hours.
Yes, the flight was scheduled for 12 hours odd, but with the time zone changes I lost the 19 hours gained on the way over, and in retribution for enjoying August 14th twice, I missed out on September 25th completely. Just as well I wasn't hanging out for the release of Halo 3, eh?
Another flight, another movie - this time Oceans 13, which was OK, but really signaled that stopping after 12 would have been a smart move. Supper was a very nice ham and cheese focaccia toastie accompanied by an equally nice Pinot Noir.
The next few hours were spent dozing on and off - in a surreal state of almost suspended animation - before being roused at 04:00 (or was it 09:00 yesterday) for breakfast.
We landed in Auckland quarter of an hour ahead of time, at 06:15 local time, after a very smooth flight. To my chagrin, I found myself pretty much seized up after the flight, and at the virtual insistence of the cabin crew, ended up being decanted into a wheelchair, and whisked through customs and immigration at an indecently fast rate. I had dutifully declared I was way over my duty free limit, but found myself a free man before I even had the chance to register that this hadn't been challenged, and consequently saved myself the $100 GST due on my new brass model of SR&RL locomotive #24. You ladies can keep your gold and diamonds - this is my idea of fine jewelry.
Here are a couple of stock photos, courtesy of Matt & Martha Sharp - half of the convention committee, really nice people - and proprietors of Train and Trooper, purveyors of all good things Maine 2 foot model related.
The model, and...
...the prototype.
I still have a lot of gaps to fill in, to completely document the trip, and I will do that over the next week or two. I have also had a few requests for a hard copy version, so once this blog is complete, I intend to re-edit it into chronological order, and make it available to anyone who feels the need to put themselves through all this a second time. I'll most likely do it in PDF format, and / or printed out for those tree wastrels out there. If you would like a copy, let me know and I'll put you on my Christmas list. Thoughts on alternative electronic formats will also be entertained - I'm not a huge PDF fan, but it does seem to be the closest thing we have to a universally portable file format.
To bring things to a bit of a close for now, it's worth reflecting of the last couple of days. We pick up the story on my final morning in Los Angeles.
It wasn't a brilliant start to the day, as the cumulative effects of the last couple of weeks had definitely caught up on me, and I was feeling decidedly seedy and SOB. My last EconoLodge was also a bit of a disappointment - not only could I not get any Wi-Fi connectivity, but for the first time, I had not managed to secure a ground floor room with parking outside the front door, and for the first time in two weeks, I had to completely unload the car, and repack everything in preparation for the evening's flight - aaarrrrgggghhhhhh. Having said that, it was the biggest, and most nicely appointed room I had experienced at this chain, and also the cheapest - go figure!
Anyway, I had repacked over the course of the previous evening, and come checkout time, swallowed my pride and asked for help getting my bags down to the car. Most obliging they were too, and I happily tipped the petite young lady a fiver, whilst feeling slightly silly that she was able to sling my bags around with such apparent ease.
Then it was off to the nearest Starbucks for a decent coffee, and a bite and more importantly, a decent Wi-Fi connection to allow me to take care of business. Following that, Kermit and I cruised the last couple of miles to our shipping agent John, at Performance Imports in Orange.
I caught up with John no problem, and we had a chat about the logistics of shipping Kermit, my Blue Sky Design Electric Trike kit, and Kermit's new bumper covers back to New Zealand. The only other issue was that of making sure Kermit was in a good enough condition to pass the MAF inspection expected on arrival back home. John suggested a nearby wash'n'detail place close by, so off we went and despite running into a few challenges in translating 'clean the wheel wells' into Spanish when my Spanish is non-existent, I ended up with a hopefully acceptable result.
Then it was back to see John, take care of a bit of paperwork, hand over the keys, and wave good bye to the Green Machine.
I had initially envisaged catching a train from nearby Anaheim station into central LA, then catching a shuttle bus to LAX airport. I had more than ample time to do this, but the way I was feeling, a cab seemed like a sensible, if extravagant option. And so it proved - very sensible, but $113.50 extrvagant. Hell, its only money, right? And it got me there in good shape to deal with the nuttiness that is Transport Security in the 21st Century.
Even though I was some five hours ahead of my expected check-in time, there was no problem in getting checked in with Air New Zealand, and there was no queue to deal with at all. Being plugged into an O2 concentrator makes life interesting in this context, and I had staff on hand eager to help me manhandle my baggage through to the screening area, and the TSA (Transport Security Agency) guys didn't feel the need to open my bags after X-Raying them, so it was then through to the next step in the process.
Being not totally sure as to where to go next, I asked a loitering TSA chap for directions. He kindly escorted me through to the screening area, and deftly inserted me near the front of the priority queue normally reserved for Aircrew and Business Class passengers. Score one more for being 'visibly impaired'! Ha!
The next step involved the removal of one's outer garments, viz: coats & shoes, emptying ones pockets into a bin, and ensuring ones LAGs (liquids, Aerosols and Gels) were properly packaged and on display in the regulation one litre, resealable, clear plastic bag.
All this stuff, and all carry on baggage was then X-Rayed, and the great unwashed went through a metal dectector. I got more of the special treatment though because my O2 concentrator would have sent the metal detector berserk, so I got sidelined for a personal pat-down. It was actually quite a giggle, as the guy doing the job was quite apologetic, and talked through the whole process, including emphasising that he would only use the backs of his hands on any 'sensitive places'. Honestly, I could have had half a pound of Semtex wedged in my butt crack, and he wouldn't have found it, so I have to wonder about the effectiveness of the process. Mind you, he was probably well trained to monitor the disposition of his 'client', and I was totally relaxed about it. He even offered to put a screen up so no-one could see what was going on, but I told him not to bother - it was just one of those things that had to be done, and was no big deal.
He then took a special square of cloth, and went right over the O2 concentrator with it. In response to my query, he told me it would react to the presence of any explosives. No issues there, so it was off to reclaim my bits and pieces, and off into the relative freedom of the departure area.
At this stage I still had a good four and a half hours before my boarding call, so I had plenty of time to grab another cuppa and a late lunch at Starbucks, check my email again, and confirm the arrangements for my eventual collection in Auckland.
Hmmmmmm, still four hours to kill! I had a wander around the Duty Free shops, just browsing, as I had done all the shopping I intended to do, and didn't need any more stuff to lug along with me anyway. The next logical stop then, was the Route 66 cafe, a couple of protracted glasses of vino, some chicken nibbles, and a chance to read some more of the most interesting book on Oregon history presented to me by Bill Bates way back in Eugene.
I also got chatting to some fellow inmates. First up was a couple from Hawkes Bay, who were also heading home on NZ5. They picked up on my accent when I was trying to translate 'Cabernet Sauvignon' into Californian Spanglish. They were just on their way out, so that was a brief encounter, but I later had a really nice time talking to Chris & Kelly, a young couple from Chicago who were en route to Fiji to enjoy their honeymoon. So cute! I managed to scare the crap outa them by telling them about Fiji's coup culture, and was mildly surprised to hear their travel agent hadn't mentioned the latest goings on, and that these had obviously not made the news in the U.S. at all. I did reassure them that as they were going to Nadi, and outlying islands to the west, they would be about as far away from any potential action as they could be, and I do hope I didn't bum them out at all. They were both really nice, and I hope it all goes well for them.
Back on the Route 66 kick, I was having a quiet giggle to myself in the cafe, as I was wearing the Route 66 T shirt I had bought in Barstow, CA the day before. The place was covered in Route 66 memorabilia, including a bunch of maps, and I was quite chuffed that I had pretty much followed it through the westernmost five of the eight states it used to traverse. And in a Corvette! Cliched, maybe,? Fun, absolutely! Want to know more? Go here!
Eventually, it was time to board, and with a sense of Deja Vu, I found myself on what could well have been the same 777 as on the outbound leg, and in the same seat - 64C. I shut down my machine, plugged myself into Air NZ's concentrator and settled down for the next 12 (or was it 31?) hours.
Yes, the flight was scheduled for 12 hours odd, but with the time zone changes I lost the 19 hours gained on the way over, and in retribution for enjoying August 14th twice, I missed out on September 25th completely. Just as well I wasn't hanging out for the release of Halo 3, eh?
Another flight, another movie - this time Oceans 13, which was OK, but really signaled that stopping after 12 would have been a smart move. Supper was a very nice ham and cheese focaccia toastie accompanied by an equally nice Pinot Noir.
The next few hours were spent dozing on and off - in a surreal state of almost suspended animation - before being roused at 04:00 (or was it 09:00 yesterday) for breakfast.
We landed in Auckland quarter of an hour ahead of time, at 06:15 local time, after a very smooth flight. To my chagrin, I found myself pretty much seized up after the flight, and at the virtual insistence of the cabin crew, ended up being decanted into a wheelchair, and whisked through customs and immigration at an indecently fast rate. I had dutifully declared I was way over my duty free limit, but found myself a free man before I even had the chance to register that this hadn't been challenged, and consequently saved myself the $100 GST due on my new brass model of SR&RL locomotive #24. You ladies can keep your gold and diamonds - this is my idea of fine jewelry.
Here are a couple of stock photos, courtesy of Matt & Martha Sharp - half of the convention committee, really nice people - and proprietors of Train and Trooper, purveyors of all good things Maine 2 foot model related.
The model, and...
...the prototype.So anyway, I'm back in Auckalofa, free and clear, and a good hour ahead of schedule. Fortunately, Ted and Jenny (my parents, who had left home at 04:00 to meet me - thank you!) were running ahead of time, and in due course they found me sitting waiting patiently in the arrival hall, reading granny Herald (our local, somewhat conservative daily newspaper).
After a heartfelt catch-up, we headed toward home, and had a good run through to Blossoms, a cafe just a few km from my home, and our rendezvous with Michelle, Dylan & Kieran. It sure was nice to see the rest of my immediate family, and this is also a good point to say a big 'Thank You' to Michelle for helping make this trip possible by supporting me, and being very willing to look after our boys the whole time I was away. Sounds kinda weird, but she would have to be the best ex-wife, yet still very good friend, a bloke could ask for.
We all enjoyed a very convivial brunch, complete with celebratory Lindy-Lou for Michelle and me (old habits die hard :-), and then had the traditional 'opening of the bags', with pressies all round. Everyone seemed pretty happy with my choices, which made me equally happy.
The boys are on holidays at the moment, and will be joining me for a week on Friday afternoon, but in the meantime they headed off with Michelle to give me a couple of days to recover, and Mum, Dad & I headed off to my home just down the road in Riverhead.
After a very quiet afternoon, and Chinese takeways for dinner, it was time for an early night, and the most blissful 12 hours of sleep I've enjoyed in a very long time. Nice to be back in my own bed, for sure.
This morning, we went off grocery shopping to stock up the larder for the coming onslaught, and then after a nice lunch of Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagels accompanied by Corona and Lime (so what if you've never met a Jewish Mexican, they do go well together :-), Mum and Dad went on their merry way back to Whitianga, leaving me to finish unpacking, start to catch up on the laundry, and then ... why of course, continue blogging, accompanied by Pink Floyd and Metallica played loud on my home brew HTPC - as I said awesome trip, but it sure is nice to be home!
Keep tuned in - the trip may be over, but there are plenty more gaps to fill in and stories to tell. If you have enjoyed riding along with me half as much as I've enjoyed telling you about it, well, I've probably enjoyed it twice as much as you!
After a heartfelt catch-up, we headed toward home, and had a good run through to Blossoms, a cafe just a few km from my home, and our rendezvous with Michelle, Dylan & Kieran. It sure was nice to see the rest of my immediate family, and this is also a good point to say a big 'Thank You' to Michelle for helping make this trip possible by supporting me, and being very willing to look after our boys the whole time I was away. Sounds kinda weird, but she would have to be the best ex-wife, yet still very good friend, a bloke could ask for.
We all enjoyed a very convivial brunch, complete with celebratory Lindy-Lou for Michelle and me (old habits die hard :-), and then had the traditional 'opening of the bags', with pressies all round. Everyone seemed pretty happy with my choices, which made me equally happy.
The boys are on holidays at the moment, and will be joining me for a week on Friday afternoon, but in the meantime they headed off with Michelle to give me a couple of days to recover, and Mum, Dad & I headed off to my home just down the road in Riverhead.
After a very quiet afternoon, and Chinese takeways for dinner, it was time for an early night, and the most blissful 12 hours of sleep I've enjoyed in a very long time. Nice to be back in my own bed, for sure.
This morning, we went off grocery shopping to stock up the larder for the coming onslaught, and then after a nice lunch of Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagels accompanied by Corona and Lime (so what if you've never met a Jewish Mexican, they do go well together :-), Mum and Dad went on their merry way back to Whitianga, leaving me to finish unpacking, start to catch up on the laundry, and then ... why of course, continue blogging, accompanied by Pink Floyd and Metallica played loud on my home brew HTPC - as I said awesome trip, but it sure is nice to be home!
Keep tuned in - the trip may be over, but there are plenty more gaps to fill in and stories to tell. If you have enjoyed riding along with me half as much as I've enjoyed telling you about it, well, I've probably enjoyed it twice as much as you!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Gettin' my kicks on Route 66
Well, almost. I picked up the old Route 66 at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, but have been mostly driving Interstate 40, which parallels 66 from that point. Its starting to feel a bit like Groundhog Day here at the moment. Another four days on the road, another five states traversed, a sunburnt left arm, and slightly fried eye balls. Did I mention the heat? It is hot! High 80's (low 30's in Celsius) in the afternoons, and clear skies. Today (Thursday) was a bit of a change from that, moving from New Mexico into Arizona, with blessedly cloudy skies, and much more tolerable temperatures.
I seem to remember saying I might rue my lack of air conditioning in Kermit, and I kind of am a bit. Having said that, I cheerfully rationalise my decision on the basis that only in about 10% of cases of old 'vettes advertised as being fitted with A/C, does it actually work, so I'm better off by virtue of having one less system to go wrong. Or so I keep telling myself :-).
Monday morning saw me leaving Jackson, TN [1] at the usual 11:00, and straight on to I 40. And so it went for the next three days - green, scrubby, flat and hot. It wasn't really until western New Mexico that there was much variation in the scenery. I've been making good progress though, and that is the name of the game at this point, so I can then enjoy the last few days without too much time pressure. I've averaged 330 miles per day over the last four days, and it has worked out pretty well - six hours per day average travel time, with about an hour of rest/gas/food stops mixed in.
Monday night was spent at the Super 8 Motel in Clarksville, Arkansas [2], with dinner at the adjacent Pizza Hut - too tired to be bothered looking for anything more exotic.
Tuesday was Goodbye Arkansas, Hello Oklahoma, with the night spent at yet another Super 8, this time in Clinton, OK [3].
Wednesday saw the end of Oklahoma, and a brief interlude in Texas, including a random stop in Groom, TX for lunch at the Route 66 Steakhouse. As I got out of the car, I was accosted by a couple of very sharp looking Texas State Troopers. I dunno how they manage it - it was 90 degrees, and their uniforms still had razor sharp creases, their hats were perky, and there was not a sweat stain to be seen. They sported matching sunnies and sidearms, and looked very much like you wouldn't want to mess with them! All they were interested in, predictably, was Kermit. Phew! They also confirmed that the Steakhouse was a good spot for lunch, and so it proved.
A slight digression: Since leaving Kentucky, it wasn't until reaching Arizona this afternoon, that I managed to find any sort of eating establishment with a liquor license. Not even for beer! Not altogether a bad thing at lunchtime, but a bit sad that you can't enjoy a beer or glass of wine with dinner. You'll never guess what I've been substituting (thanks to the influence of Judy Koester): Iced Tea, with lemon. Its really nice!!!! And refreshing. And this from a confirmed tea hater of many years standing. Will wonders never cease?
Anyway, back on I40 / Route 66. I continued westward through Texas, skirting Amarillo, and then popped into New Mexico. I had a quick detour off I40 onto Route 66 through Tucumcari, then back onto the interstate for the run through to Santa Rosa [4], ending up at yet another Super 8 for the night. This one not so super, as the advertised WiFi connectivity was not up to par in my room.
I went across the road for dinner, to a restaurant recommended in the motel guide. Well, if you are ever in Santa Rosa, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES patronise the Sun ' n ' Sand Restaurant. Of all the eating experiences I have enjoyed in the States (cheese aside), this was without doubt the worst, both in terms of food and service. The only thing half decent was the salsa, and I bet that was out of a bottle!
The other 'interesting' thing about New Mexico, and also this afternoon in Arizona, has been the altitude. Santa Rosa is at 4616 feet. The continental divide, passed late this afternoon, just before entering Arizona, is at 7275 feet, and a considerable part of the day was spent at elevations over 6000 feet. Tonight's stop, at Holbrook is at 5083 feet, darn near as high as good old Marias Pass in way back in Montana. All I can say is thank goodness for the oxygen concentrator. I would not have coped without it. It certainly vindicated my decision to get it, that's for sure!
Today has been considerably more interesting and pleasant than the previous three. For starters, the scenery in western New Mexico was more varied than I had seen for a while, with rocky red dirt, and flat topped mesas breaking up the landscape. Also, as mentioned, a good cloud cover, coupled with higher elevations dropped the temperatures from too damn hot to very comfortable. Nice!
Today's lunch stop was at another 'Truck Stops of America' or 'TA' service centre. Grant, a good friend of mine from Glenfield, had spend a year in the states driving an 18 wheeler all over the show. Once piece of good advice amongst many he gave me, was to check out at least one of these Truck Stops. Well I've been to a few now, and they are awesome. As well as an opportunity to check out some of the rigs up close, you get restaurants, convenience stores (think of a dairy, a hardware store, a pharmacy and an auto parts store all rolled into one) and restrooms, showers and laundry facilities. Not to mention full truck servicing facilities and a gas station. All you could possibly need to keep you going on your road trip. Good cheap food too. Today was chicken and chips, and two cups of coffee for $8.62 including tax. Plus a $2 tip for the waitress, and she deserved it.
Speaking of tipping, I have to say I initially thought it was going to be a right pain, not to mention a bit of a rort. From what I gather, wait staff don't get paid well in terms of their base wage, and they do rely on tips to make a half decent living. The result of this is that generally (Santa Rosa aside), you do get a much better standard of service than we are used to in NZ. It is as much about attitude as anything, and I've really enjoyed tipping generously when I think it is deserved, which is more often than not. You get to enjoy a friendly manner, prompt service with a smile, and occasionally a good chat. And it actually feels quite genuine in most cases. Not at all what I was expecting, and given the cheapness of the menu prices, no financial hardship at all.
Anyway, onto I40 yet again, and onward into Arizona. Tonight's stop is in Holbrook, AZ [5], another small town in the middle of nowhere much. After settling into the Econolodge, and recharging my, and the O2 machine's batteries, I went off in search of dinner, and found another little treasure: Mr. Maestas - Another Route 66 icon, full of period memorabilia (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Native Amercian Curios), and nice food, and .... red wine! At last, a civilised State! The place was run by a Navajo family, and I got chatting to the head lady. She was a hard case, but really sweet. John would like her, as she is a rabid Ford Fan, but she had to concede my Chev was pretty damn nice too.
One wee challenge I've had on this trip, is finding the right presents to bring home for the whanau. The guys have been no problem, the ladies, a bit more challenging. I think I've cracked it at last though - I hope y'all like turquoise & silver jewelery, 'cos that's some of the nicest Native American stuff I've seen. The trick is finding the right piece for the right person, but my Navajo lady this evening solved another little piece of that puzzle for me... Patience, possums! Only a few more days to go.
Right, It's midnight, and time for some zzzzs. Tomorrow - the Grand Canyon!
P.S. I've just discovered - if you click on the map, it links through to a larger, more legible version - enjoy! I assume the same applies to the photos &c.
I seem to remember saying I might rue my lack of air conditioning in Kermit, and I kind of am a bit. Having said that, I cheerfully rationalise my decision on the basis that only in about 10% of cases of old 'vettes advertised as being fitted with A/C, does it actually work, so I'm better off by virtue of having one less system to go wrong. Or so I keep telling myself :-).
Monday morning saw me leaving Jackson, TN [1] at the usual 11:00, and straight on to I 40. And so it went for the next three days - green, scrubby, flat and hot. It wasn't really until western New Mexico that there was much variation in the scenery. I've been making good progress though, and that is the name of the game at this point, so I can then enjoy the last few days without too much time pressure. I've averaged 330 miles per day over the last four days, and it has worked out pretty well - six hours per day average travel time, with about an hour of rest/gas/food stops mixed in.
Monday night was spent at the Super 8 Motel in Clarksville, Arkansas [2], with dinner at the adjacent Pizza Hut - too tired to be bothered looking for anything more exotic.
Tuesday was Goodbye Arkansas, Hello Oklahoma, with the night spent at yet another Super 8, this time in Clinton, OK [3].
Wednesday saw the end of Oklahoma, and a brief interlude in Texas, including a random stop in Groom, TX for lunch at the Route 66 Steakhouse. As I got out of the car, I was accosted by a couple of very sharp looking Texas State Troopers. I dunno how they manage it - it was 90 degrees, and their uniforms still had razor sharp creases, their hats were perky, and there was not a sweat stain to be seen. They sported matching sunnies and sidearms, and looked very much like you wouldn't want to mess with them! All they were interested in, predictably, was Kermit. Phew! They also confirmed that the Steakhouse was a good spot for lunch, and so it proved.
A slight digression: Since leaving Kentucky, it wasn't until reaching Arizona this afternoon, that I managed to find any sort of eating establishment with a liquor license. Not even for beer! Not altogether a bad thing at lunchtime, but a bit sad that you can't enjoy a beer or glass of wine with dinner. You'll never guess what I've been substituting (thanks to the influence of Judy Koester): Iced Tea, with lemon. Its really nice!!!! And refreshing. And this from a confirmed tea hater of many years standing. Will wonders never cease?
Anyway, back on I40 / Route 66. I continued westward through Texas, skirting Amarillo, and then popped into New Mexico. I had a quick detour off I40 onto Route 66 through Tucumcari, then back onto the interstate for the run through to Santa Rosa [4], ending up at yet another Super 8 for the night. This one not so super, as the advertised WiFi connectivity was not up to par in my room.
I went across the road for dinner, to a restaurant recommended in the motel guide. Well, if you are ever in Santa Rosa, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES patronise the Sun ' n ' Sand Restaurant. Of all the eating experiences I have enjoyed in the States (cheese aside), this was without doubt the worst, both in terms of food and service. The only thing half decent was the salsa, and I bet that was out of a bottle!
The other 'interesting' thing about New Mexico, and also this afternoon in Arizona, has been the altitude. Santa Rosa is at 4616 feet. The continental divide, passed late this afternoon, just before entering Arizona, is at 7275 feet, and a considerable part of the day was spent at elevations over 6000 feet. Tonight's stop, at Holbrook is at 5083 feet, darn near as high as good old Marias Pass in way back in Montana. All I can say is thank goodness for the oxygen concentrator. I would not have coped without it. It certainly vindicated my decision to get it, that's for sure!
Today has been considerably more interesting and pleasant than the previous three. For starters, the scenery in western New Mexico was more varied than I had seen for a while, with rocky red dirt, and flat topped mesas breaking up the landscape. Also, as mentioned, a good cloud cover, coupled with higher elevations dropped the temperatures from too damn hot to very comfortable. Nice!
Today's lunch stop was at another 'Truck Stops of America' or 'TA' service centre. Grant, a good friend of mine from Glenfield, had spend a year in the states driving an 18 wheeler all over the show. Once piece of good advice amongst many he gave me, was to check out at least one of these Truck Stops. Well I've been to a few now, and they are awesome. As well as an opportunity to check out some of the rigs up close, you get restaurants, convenience stores (think of a dairy, a hardware store, a pharmacy and an auto parts store all rolled into one) and restrooms, showers and laundry facilities. Not to mention full truck servicing facilities and a gas station. All you could possibly need to keep you going on your road trip. Good cheap food too. Today was chicken and chips, and two cups of coffee for $8.62 including tax. Plus a $2 tip for the waitress, and she deserved it.
Speaking of tipping, I have to say I initially thought it was going to be a right pain, not to mention a bit of a rort. From what I gather, wait staff don't get paid well in terms of their base wage, and they do rely on tips to make a half decent living. The result of this is that generally (Santa Rosa aside), you do get a much better standard of service than we are used to in NZ. It is as much about attitude as anything, and I've really enjoyed tipping generously when I think it is deserved, which is more often than not. You get to enjoy a friendly manner, prompt service with a smile, and occasionally a good chat. And it actually feels quite genuine in most cases. Not at all what I was expecting, and given the cheapness of the menu prices, no financial hardship at all.
Anyway, onto I40 yet again, and onward into Arizona. Tonight's stop is in Holbrook, AZ [5], another small town in the middle of nowhere much. After settling into the Econolodge, and recharging my, and the O2 machine's batteries, I went off in search of dinner, and found another little treasure: Mr. Maestas - Another Route 66 icon, full of period memorabilia (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Native Amercian Curios), and nice food, and .... red wine! At last, a civilised State! The place was run by a Navajo family, and I got chatting to the head lady. She was a hard case, but really sweet. John would like her, as she is a rabid Ford Fan, but she had to concede my Chev was pretty damn nice too.
One wee challenge I've had on this trip, is finding the right presents to bring home for the whanau. The guys have been no problem, the ladies, a bit more challenging. I think I've cracked it at last though - I hope y'all like turquoise & silver jewelery, 'cos that's some of the nicest Native American stuff I've seen. The trick is finding the right piece for the right person, but my Navajo lady this evening solved another little piece of that puzzle for me... Patience, possums! Only a few more days to go.
Right, It's midnight, and time for some zzzzs. Tomorrow - the Grand Canyon!
P.S. I've just discovered - if you click on the map, it links through to a larger, more legible version - enjoy! I assume the same applies to the photos &c.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Go West Young (?) Man
Saturday indeed dawned another beautiful day. Amazing contrast to the day before, so I did slip back across the border into West Virginia, before continuing on my way westward.
Near the west end of Williamson yard - this goes on for about a couple of kilometres
And here's the other end - Norfolk Southern moves some serious tonnage east to the coast from here
Near the west end of Williamson yard - this goes on for about a couple of kilometres
And here's the other end - Norfolk Southern moves some serious tonnage east to the coast from hereFrom Williamson, I headed back into Kentucky, and on my way westward towards Bowling Green, my destination for the night, and home of the National Corvette Museum. This leg was pretty much Interstate all the way. The Americans do take their roads seriously. When building a four lane highway, there is none of this mucking around following the contours of the hills - just plough straight through, and if the grade gets too steep, just add another slow lane for the trucks. Like so much over here, just the sheer scale of things continues to impress.
The first 150 miles or so was through the western end of the Appalachian Mountains, which run for maybe a thousand miles north to south, and were probably a good 300 + miles wide through West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.
One of the many cuts made to allow the Interstate to blast its way across the Appalachians
The first 150 miles or so was through the western end of the Appalachian Mountains, which run for maybe a thousand miles north to south, and were probably a good 300 + miles wide through West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.
One of the many cuts made to allow the Interstate to blast its way across the AppalachiansAfter a lunch stop at Hazard, I continued on and quite abruptly the mountains ended, and the countryside opened up into lush farmland spread over gently rolling hills. I got off the interstate briefly to visit Nancy (the village, not the girl), as my gas tank was getting low. Kermit sure makes a good talking point, and the gas station owner, Larry, was an old 'vette fan from way back, so we had a good old chat. These southerners do have problems with my Kiwi accent though!
Back on the road again, finally making Bowling Green about 5:30 - then realised I had crossed another time zone, and it was really only 4:30, which gave me time to get Kermit washed (it got really filthy in the rain in WV) in preparation for our visit to the museum on the morrow.
Another night, another Econo Lodge. I was reminded yet again of the old joke about 'Why are Indians no good at Soccer? 'Cos every time the get a penalty corner, they put a dairy on it'. The same could be said of motels over here, as every Super 8 or Econo Lodge seems to be owned by an Indian family. Mostly very nice ('So Mr Simon, Do you know Richard Hadlee?' - I'm not kidding - that was a actual conversation!!!!).
It does give one a somewhat distorted view of American culture though, so its just as well I'm balancing it out with visits to local Bar & Grills, and Restaurants. Saturday night at the Motor City Bar & Grill, conveniently next door to the Motel, was a good case in point. The local NFL team were playing on the TV, and the place was a riot until the game finished. There were some really odd people about too. I hate to reinforce stereotypes, but I reckon some of them might well have had parents whose genes were swimming in the same pool, if you follow my drift.
A good night's sleep was followed by a trip to the Laundromat for a quick drop off, then off to the Corvette Museum. The first cool thing about the museum, is that the best car parks are reserved for Corvettes only, so I took great pleasure in parking next to a very tasty 2006 C6 coupe. The museum itself is pretty neat, with 80 odd 'vettes ranging from one of the original batch of 300 from 1953, right up to a brand new 2008 model, awaiting delivery to its new owner. A lot of the interpretive displays weren't that well lit, which made photography a challenge, but there was one big open area called gasoline alley, where I did get some good photos.
Tasty '64 roadster
2005 coupe, after its return from a Sunday drive through Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
A representative from each Corvette generation - C1 in foreground through to the current C6 - 55 years, and close to 1.5 million cars!
Back on the road again, finally making Bowling Green about 5:30 - then realised I had crossed another time zone, and it was really only 4:30, which gave me time to get Kermit washed (it got really filthy in the rain in WV) in preparation for our visit to the museum on the morrow.
Another night, another Econo Lodge. I was reminded yet again of the old joke about 'Why are Indians no good at Soccer? 'Cos every time the get a penalty corner, they put a dairy on it'. The same could be said of motels over here, as every Super 8 or Econo Lodge seems to be owned by an Indian family. Mostly very nice ('So Mr Simon, Do you know Richard Hadlee?' - I'm not kidding - that was a actual conversation!!!!).
It does give one a somewhat distorted view of American culture though, so its just as well I'm balancing it out with visits to local Bar & Grills, and Restaurants. Saturday night at the Motor City Bar & Grill, conveniently next door to the Motel, was a good case in point. The local NFL team were playing on the TV, and the place was a riot until the game finished. There were some really odd people about too. I hate to reinforce stereotypes, but I reckon some of them might well have had parents whose genes were swimming in the same pool, if you follow my drift.
A good night's sleep was followed by a trip to the Laundromat for a quick drop off, then off to the Corvette Museum. The first cool thing about the museum, is that the best car parks are reserved for Corvettes only, so I took great pleasure in parking next to a very tasty 2006 C6 coupe. The museum itself is pretty neat, with 80 odd 'vettes ranging from one of the original batch of 300 from 1953, right up to a brand new 2008 model, awaiting delivery to its new owner. A lot of the interpretive displays weren't that well lit, which made photography a challenge, but there was one big open area called gasoline alley, where I did get some good photos.
Tasty '64 roadster
2005 coupe, after its return from a Sunday drive through Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
A representative from each Corvette generation - C1 in foreground through to the current C6 - 55 years, and close to 1.5 million cars!After a quick visit to the giftshop, which one has to pass through on the way out - no escaping it - it was time for a quick bite (a damn fine cheeseburger from a local chain called Hardees, and about 5 x nicer food the Mickey D's), it was off to collect the laundry and back onto the interstate for a quick 200 mile sprint to Jackson, Tennessee. I do mean sprint too. The speed limit on the Interstates in western KY, and TN is 70 mph, which means to keep up with the traffic flow, a lot of the time you are either doing close to 80, or getting blasted past by 18 wheelers! I did the 200 miles in 160 minutes, and that included a quick stop for gas. I'll let you do the maths! The interstates sure are an efficient way of getting from A to B, but not much chop for sightseeing. Oh well, my schedule is a bit tighter than is ideal, so I may as well make the most of the opportunities to cover some ground eficiently.
Speaking of which, time for a couple of maps:
My travels over this past weekend, from South Williamson, KY [1] to Bowling Green, KY [2] to Jackson, TN [3]
My proposed route from Jackson, TN [1] to Los Angeles [6] via Clarksville, AR [2] (tonight's stop), Grand Canyon, AZ [3], & Las Vegas, NV [4].
Speaking of which, time for a couple of maps:
My travels over this past weekend, from South Williamson, KY [1] to Bowling Green, KY [2] to Jackson, TN [3]
My proposed route from Jackson, TN [1] to Los Angeles [6] via Clarksville, AR [2] (tonight's stop), Grand Canyon, AZ [3], & Las Vegas, NV [4].I generally only plan my overnight stops a day or so in advance, so the blue moon icons represent where my GPS software thinks I should stay, based on what I've told it about preferred driving times, planned stops and average speeds.
This route is a fair bit further north than I had originally anticipated, but time precludes other options. I had really hoped to get to San Diego, to meet up with Gregg Blundell, whom I had been introduced to through a mutual friend. Oh well, I will hold off making a final decision about that until I get to Nevada. If the next few days go well, I might just be able to pick up a bit of time, but I do need to be careful about not pushing myself (and Kermit) too hard!
Well, time to get packed up and hit the road - Arkansas here we come.
This route is a fair bit further north than I had originally anticipated, but time precludes other options. I had really hoped to get to San Diego, to meet up with Gregg Blundell, whom I had been introduced to through a mutual friend. Oh well, I will hold off making a final decision about that until I get to Nevada. If the next few days go well, I might just be able to pick up a bit of time, but I do need to be careful about not pushing myself (and Kermit) too hard!
Well, time to get packed up and hit the road - Arkansas here we come.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Listen to them Banjos
Yes folks, I'm in Hillbilly Country! South Williamson, Kentucky to be precise. Went out to a Chinese Buffet for dinner at the local mall just before, and sure enough it was the regular Friday night Bluegrass concert, so I'm not kidding about the Banjos.
Yesterday, I did get to Horseshoe Curve - most disappointing, as everything including the funicular which takes you up to where you can actually see the darn thing, was shut (It WAS meant to be open). The idea of climbing 194 steps to get to the top didn't appeal funnily enough.
Then it was off southwestwards, through southern Pennsylvania, Maryland (for about 2 minutes), West Virginia (for about 15 minutes), and then Virginia proper, all the way to Salem, just outside Roanoke. A map will follow!
Today was hard work, as it was cats and dogs all day. Ironic really, as its the first rain here in weeks, and the forecast for tomorrow is fine - aaarrrrggggghhhhhhh.
I did get to go through the places I wanted to see on the old Norfolk & Western Railway, including the area my last layout was based on, but not a good day for sightseeing or photos.
I'll pop back across the border to WV tomorrow, and see if I can get some good shots of Williamson yard. It's a pretty impressive place if you like coal hoppers! Then off in search of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY - another 300 mile day! Hopefully easier going than today.
I feel about as lively as the canonical Dead Parrot at the moment, so its off to beddie byes once again.....
Yesterday, I did get to Horseshoe Curve - most disappointing, as everything including the funicular which takes you up to where you can actually see the darn thing, was shut (It WAS meant to be open). The idea of climbing 194 steps to get to the top didn't appeal funnily enough.
Then it was off southwestwards, through southern Pennsylvania, Maryland (for about 2 minutes), West Virginia (for about 15 minutes), and then Virginia proper, all the way to Salem, just outside Roanoke. A map will follow!
Today was hard work, as it was cats and dogs all day. Ironic really, as its the first rain here in weeks, and the forecast for tomorrow is fine - aaarrrrggggghhhhhhh.
I did get to go through the places I wanted to see on the old Norfolk & Western Railway, including the area my last layout was based on, but not a good day for sightseeing or photos.
I'll pop back across the border to WV tomorrow, and see if I can get some good shots of Williamson yard. It's a pretty impressive place if you like coal hoppers! Then off in search of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY - another 300 mile day! Hopefully easier going than today.
I feel about as lively as the canonical Dead Parrot at the moment, so its off to beddie byes once again.....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Yes, I am still here!
Just a quick update; its been a busy few days, and not too much time (or indeed the creative spark) to keep you all up to date.
A very quick rundown on the last few days:
After the convention, I headed south for Boston, and traded one rental car for another (playing the price game), followed by an overnight stopover in a western Boston suburb. Next day I headed down through Connecticut, with a stop a Mystic Seaport - which merits its own post, checked out a 'vette which was a POS and ended in Stamford CT. for the night.
Next day, headed to Long Island, NY, to check out another couple of 'vettes, which is where Kermit came into the picture. Nothing is straight-forward in New York (especially when it comes to dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles), and it was Tuesday afternoon before I managed to escape.
Went into Manhattan on 9/11. Hated it. Being lost, and caught in a hellacious thunderstorm didn't exactly help.
Caught up with some old friends in New Jersey yesterday afternoon, and enjoyed an all too brief catch up, follwed by an early dinner with them, before being pointed in the direction of eastern Pennsylvania.
Today was a wee detour up to Scranton PA, and the DL&W 'Steamtown' museum, then on to Altoona PA for the night. I'm becoming a big fan of the Econolodge chain - they are getting cheaper the further I get from the Atlantic coast, and have free Wi-Fi on tap.
Tomorrow, after a quick look at PRR's 'Horseshoe Curve' on the way out of town, I'll be heading for Pocohontas / N&W country via Cumberland MD.
Kermit the Green Machine is going really well, and is surprisingly comfortable to drive. I know the yanks think of 'vettes as sports cars, but I'm starting to thing of Kermit more as a Grand Turismo than a 'real' sports car. Not a bad thing with another 3,000 miles to go over the next 12 days!
I have a feeling I won't be finishing this blog until well after I get home. Lots to tell, and the remainder of the trip is going to involve more time on the road than I had originally envisaged, as the whole car buying process took twice as long as I had hoped. I will keep you posted though. I'll just have a bunch of things to expand on, and stories to tell to fill in some of the blanks.
The bottom line is: it's not all been beer and skittles, but no major dramas, and I'm definitely having fun!
A very quick rundown on the last few days:
After the convention, I headed south for Boston, and traded one rental car for another (playing the price game), followed by an overnight stopover in a western Boston suburb. Next day I headed down through Connecticut, with a stop a Mystic Seaport - which merits its own post, checked out a 'vette which was a POS and ended in Stamford CT. for the night.
Next day, headed to Long Island, NY, to check out another couple of 'vettes, which is where Kermit came into the picture. Nothing is straight-forward in New York (especially when it comes to dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles), and it was Tuesday afternoon before I managed to escape.
Went into Manhattan on 9/11. Hated it. Being lost, and caught in a hellacious thunderstorm didn't exactly help.
Caught up with some old friends in New Jersey yesterday afternoon, and enjoyed an all too brief catch up, follwed by an early dinner with them, before being pointed in the direction of eastern Pennsylvania.
Today was a wee detour up to Scranton PA, and the DL&W 'Steamtown' museum, then on to Altoona PA for the night. I'm becoming a big fan of the Econolodge chain - they are getting cheaper the further I get from the Atlantic coast, and have free Wi-Fi on tap.
Tomorrow, after a quick look at PRR's 'Horseshoe Curve' on the way out of town, I'll be heading for Pocohontas / N&W country via Cumberland MD.
Kermit the Green Machine is going really well, and is surprisingly comfortable to drive. I know the yanks think of 'vettes as sports cars, but I'm starting to thing of Kermit more as a Grand Turismo than a 'real' sports car. Not a bad thing with another 3,000 miles to go over the next 12 days!
I have a feeling I won't be finishing this blog until well after I get home. Lots to tell, and the remainder of the trip is going to involve more time on the road than I had originally envisaged, as the whole car buying process took twice as long as I had hoped. I will keep you posted though. I'll just have a bunch of things to expand on, and stories to tell to fill in some of the blanks.
The bottom line is: it's not all been beer and skittles, but no major dramas, and I'm definitely having fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
