Our small party of Model A’s is traveling is traveling at different speeds and
alone on the backroads of PA. Jack and Don have made it to Reading, PA to see family and give the car some TLC on a hoist. Last heard from John and Judy, they were circling Scranton, PA looking for a place to land for the night. All others are continuing in the general direction of Mansfield with a stop somewhere in PA Saturday night. Bill R. has parked his A in Chicago and headed back to CA. Pat and I are still at cousin Marlayna’s farm in western PA enjoying a family reunion with lots of good food and a chance to sleep in the same bed for 3 nights. Pat is having lots of quality time with the newest member of the family, Noah, who is only 3 weeks old. We miss our traveling buddies but will catch up soon.
Paid some attention to the little black coupe. The problem with the headlights
was interesting. Yesterday, I had tightened the fan belt by moving the alternator and didn’t notice that I had used up all the slack in the wire to the light box at the bottom of the steering column. Coming down route 250 in Ohio, every seam in the road had oozed filler, and gave us a heck of a jolt, just bang, bang, bang. Net result, the wire parted inside the insulation. I had to stick pins in the wire to find the spot with my ohmmeter, finally found the spot and put a new connector there.
Decided to change the oil, so went to a local express lube, at first they said
they couldn’t do it, but did in the end. Good thing I went in, the transmission was dry, and how it can pump all the lube out is a mystery to me. I now know that when it quits dripping, it is out of oil. Found a car wash being conducted by a local high school group of young ladies, so the A had about a dozen young girls giving it the works. Looks much better now, unfortunately, I did not have my camera.
News from CA is that one air conditioner is being installed in Bob and Shirley’s car with Ray and Linda’s A waiting anxiously. They will be meeting us at Mt. Rushmore on the way back. Still hot and humid here, but that is normal. Sunday (today), cousin Marlayna is having a “tapas” party for the Spanish side of the family while I am heading for Hopedale, OH to meet with high school buddies from a few years back.
9 comments:
Sounds like the little black coupe is all ready to go. Hi Patti anne hope you are enjoying your visit with your kinfolk. Well we leave 1 week from today, and we have AIR.YEAH Looking forward to seeing you all.
SO happy to hear that you are able to relax and enjoy family for a few days! How special that you are able to see the new baby, too! :) Glad the light problem is fixed, good job, Bob. "Hi" to everyone. Sharon P.
No Internet in the Pocono's
Day 10 (surprise, surprise)July 15, 2006,
Only two Model A’s in the departure this morning from Weirton W.V. As we approached Pittsburg, we were glad it was early Saturday morning…no commute traffic. But (surprise) the rain began gently at first, then aggressively proceeded to pelt us as we sailed along Hwy 22 out of the city. Another surprise came when the Highway became a two lane, 55 mph suicide route. Cars hurdling at you over a foggy rise at the speed of lightning. Pretty country…deadly road.
Then, (surprise) as we headed out of Altoona, and made a quick stop to visit the U of Penn at State College, we somehow lost our bearings, the sophisticated navigational system once again crashed, and we found ourselves headed south to Antarctica by way of Lewistown. When you bang on the sophisticated navigation system, it clears right up and we diverted to Hwy 522 (another killer) on to Selinsgrove, up through Lewistown along the Susquehanna River to Hwy 80, and on to Scranton.
Since we had only lost ten hours of driving time, we foolishly thought that if we drove on today, we would have less driving to do on our last day tomorrow. But (surprise) what we didn’t realize was that we were in the Pocono’s, now. Where the room rates start at a thousand dollars a night, and go up from there. Ok, not that much, but more than we were willing to pay for a room for eight hours.
So we drove on to Milford…still in the Pocono’s…and found a (surprise) rustic 10 room motel for only $70. The mosquitoes are thick and mean up here. No internet. Barely a cell signal. And we’re damn lucky we found it. We could have found ourselves driving into New York State until midnight. One of my headlights is out (surprise) again.
It rained nearly all day…really hard around Wilkes-Barre. We drove a few miles shy of 400. Checked into the Shady Final Rest Motel at 6:30PM. Tomorrow is our last day on the road for awhile, and we can’t send this tonight, so will send it tomorrow. Judy is a trooper, driving half the time and smiling all the time…no surprise at all.
John & Judy and Will in his A
Milford, Pennsylvania
hi all,
Finally in Mansfield at the comfort inn and guess what.... I can log on an add comments. I am well and relaxing. the day seemed long onlw 240 miles, but I got sleepy along the way. Boy the new england drivers are crazy. Just cut you off and dont know how to merge. See you all soon. comfort inn is close and very nice.
Will
Wow! You guys are awesome! You have survived driving across country in a Model A. You would have probably been the same group to cross in a covered wagon in the "old" days. Congratulations, you made it and you get to do it all over again in a week. Have fun at the meet.
Janet
Hi all--There are two more Model a`s heading to Boston--Joe and Lois Gensley (Gra Neva A`s) and Steve and Judy Lewis (Sonoma A`s)--contact their web to follow their jurney--www.sonomamodela.com--they departed June 24 and are due to return mid August--Take care bill rose
Larry and I didn't get on the full airplane in SFO tonight. We will try Monday Morning. If we make it we won't make it to Mansfield till about 5 PM............. Darn says Darryl
Hi guys, great update! Say hi to everyone in PA for me, and give my new cousin a hug. Oh, and please send me a picture of him. Take care.
Bob, I am impressed about your excellent web-site and I enjoy reading your story along the trip.
I am a friend of Jack C. and would like to catch up with him when you guys are around the Boston area.
Do you know when and where you might be there?
Thanks!
Joerg (Newburyport, MA)
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