Coastal Carolina A's Yoder's Amish Restaurant

October 23rd was a fun day for many of our Model A members! Thanks to Randall with the help of a few other members a great day was had. What a great little trip. Started in New Bern over to Bridgeton on the Old Brick Road to Vanceboro. Tour information was narrated by Larry Rucker and continued on to Yoder's Amish Restaurant. Food was exceptionally good and fulfilling. We all had a great time of fellowship and enjoyed a beautiful day riding in the Model A's -- after all that is what its all about! Fellowship and 'A's'

Thanks to all who participated! We need your input for club activities - don't be bashful. Randal put out a suggestion for another small tour to Sneadsferry to gather at the Riverview Café for the 30th. We have decided to postpone this for now. 

Below are a few images of the trip.

Arrival at Yoder's

Larry and Brenda Rucker

Wayne and Vivian Koga

Donald Croom and Michael Morton

Bill and Chris Ferguson, Kaitlyn, Roxanna and Randall Riggs

And the whole gang!

And check out this movie!

Day 13 - "Tour From Hell"

Bob does not do mornings well. It takes him awhile to wake up. The day started off with a cold banana nut muffin and hot coffee.  We could see light snow falling outside our window. Bob always drives first, to ensure everything is working fine and the engine is warmed up. We switch drivers when the gas tank is half full, approximately two hours later in normal conditions. 

Today was not a normal day. Wind gusts 30 to 40 mph at intermittent moments combined with 4" play in the steering wheel and the changing crown of the road made for a steering challenge. The temperature was low and kept dropping. Then a freezing rain/snow started. Bob pulling to the side of the road to go pee and scrap the windshield free of ice with my Harris Teeter card. We do not have a heater in the car and in fact Bob has made an extra effort to keep the heat of the engine from coming inside. We had no gloves, quilts, or winter coats. The hotel here in Kanab said they got 4" of snow and it had only stopped snowing at 10 this morning.

The windshield wiper is a new addition to the car and sure paid for its cost today. Bob installed the switch under the dashboard on the left side of the steering wheel - kept catching the sleeve on his jacket on the window knob (He plans on changing it to the other side of the steering wheel). It took quite awhile before it iced up and did not perform adequately and required cleaning.

We made it. A group of them aborted. Cancelled their room here in Kanab and made their reservations in Kayenta. Planned on waiting out the storm and meet up at our next destination. Temperatures tomorrow are supposed to be a low of 19 and a high of 44. We're supposed to go to Bryce Canyon for exploration, dinner and entertainment. Bob had a good hot soak in the tub tonight but don't know whether he's up to another grueling day like today. After all we want to finish this tour safely. NOTE: I'm glad I wasn't driving. 

Geri

More from Bob & Geri's Great Ole Southwest Adventure

The following pictures I received last night. Some from a previous day, but it looks like they passed over a deep gorge and found some snow this time! Enjoy !

Day 8 of Ole Southwest Tour - Bob & Geri

We managed to make it up and down with 156 sharp turns. I don't think pictures will turn out good because of the haze. Up early tomorrow for another long day. We are off for the Royal Gorge Bridge. The bridge has been closed for a long time to cars but our tour leader has arranged for our model A's to drive across stop on the bridge for pictures and then drive back across. Their are also Gondola cars crossing the gorge for us. Then we have to travel fast because we have to get over the Monarch Pass.  Over 11,000 ft. crossing the continental divide.  Destination:  Montrose, Colorado. We may hit snow on this trip. Now, we are "flatlanders" so some of this is a bit scary because there are very few guard rails and you can look a long, long way down. A truck threw up a large rock today and cracked our windshield. Two other Model A's barely missed being hit by an 18 wheeler as it turned over in front of them going too fast in a curve.  Bob & Geri

Day 7 Ole Southwest Tour - Maitou Springs CO

Tomorrow is the big day.  We travel 9 miles up, +14000 ft on the cog railroad up pikes peak.

Today we saw petrified redwood trees. We thought they were only in CA but according to the signage, redwood occupied the entire middle of the US. Then off to the cliff dwellings and Valley of the Gods with their weird rock outcroppings.

Day 5 & 6 of Ole Southwest Tour - Bob & Geri

Last night was the balloon burn at night. Its quite a spectacle. We have a video but I don't know how to post it. The view today was of alfalfa fields and baked or rolled hay. Lots and lots of it. We got in early so Bob changed oil for the 3rd time. Last night we had a group get together at a brewery. We lost another A to transmission problems. It was trailered back to Kanab. Today I think the big deal is hot springs, only a 100 mile drive.

Day 6;  It was a long gradual climb to Poncho Pass elevation +6000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. It took forever to leave it behind us: down, down, down. Our stay tonight is at a  EST Western with a view of the Rockies!

And the video:

Day 4 of Ole Southwest Tour - Bob & Geri

Up at 4:30 am.  First lift off scheduled for 7:00 AM.  Our tour guide stated to allow 30 minutes driving time and another 30 minutes walking time to ascending area.  Suggested departure time 5:30 am.  Take I40 then I25 to balloon park.  Its still real dark then and our headlights are not that good and we don't like driving at night much less on a busy interstate highway.  We figured out how to go back roads to the site.  Left at 6:25 am.  Had no traffic until we got to the site.  Traffic moved smoothly due to traffic cops directing traffic.

What a sight.  We took hundreds of pics.  We were able to get up close and personal with individual balloons.  People are actually inside the balloon straightening control lines while the Balloon is being inflated.  At first they are only blowing normal fan air.  Then air heated by propane.  I don't see how they keep from setting the Balloon on fire, there is such a shooting flame.  Another person is holding the Balloon top line.  As the balloon is being inflated he's hanging on for dear life to keep the top opening closed.

There are so many balloons being inflated that they are touching each other.  Before they take off they try to move the basket to eliminate touching another balloon.  A referee orchestrates who can take off, clears the take off area of spectators,  and gives the OK to take off.

That was awesome !! Thank you Bob & Geri for sharing. 

Day 3 of Ole Southwest Tour - Bob & Geri

Left Durango, CO this morning for Albuquerque, NM and the Balloon Fiesta.  Have to leave the hotel by 5:30 am to see the first mass accession at 7:00 am.  Stopped in Aztec, NM to see the Aztec Ruins.  Over 400 rooms.  Took over an hour to tour the ruins including going inside and going room to room to room.  It was very dark inside with many blocked entrances that the Indians used.  They were small people and we had to stoop to enter.

Bob & Geri

Day 2 of Ole Southwest Tour (Valley of the Gods) - Bob & Geri

Our drive today was supposed to be 175 miles to Durango, CO.  But, we decided to leave the beaten path and take a 17 mile dirt road thru the Valley of the Gods.  What a fantastic scenic trip.  Well worth the bumpy long scary ride.  It was first and second gear all the way.  It probably took us 2 1/2 to 3 hours to navigate.  A car we met 9 miles from the main road advised us to turn back.  It was doubtful that we had the undercarriage clearance to make it.  What he didn't realize we had already traversed 8 miles of terrible roads and we weren't turning back.  Come to find out we had already traversed the worst of the roads with the exception of one switchback.

There were originally 36 cars to sign up.  The President of the club is from Canada and had to back out because the border is not open.  Two cars from CA broke down in route to Kanab.  Two more cars broke down today.  We do have a tow truck for the tour.  Its keeping him busy.

 Limited to how many pics I can send.

 

Bob and Geri