Driving California Highway 1

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

Henry,
When that 46 was new you could have driven it to Australia.
Lawrie

So, the continents were connected way back then?

[fortyfords]

What I like the most from your trips is your honesty about car problems and how the car actually drives. I know exactly what you were saying about the Calif. freeways and how the car handled. Like you, I don't mind the speed to much, I do get more nervous around the fast drivers anymore but keeping the car going straight with the old steering, it makes me uneasy just trying to stay in my lane. I guess I've grown to old for the long trips in old cars. My best trip was from Washington state to Missouri in a 40 Ford sedan, that was a great trip, real straight roads pretty much. It took us 3 and a half days to get here, one shock bolt dropped out and a semi slowed down to show me a card that said my shock was dragging the road. I like the trips but I like doing it in an old hot rod these days, they just steer so much easier. Thanks so much for sharing with everyone, your stories are what I enjoy the most on the Ford Barn.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by fortyfords

What I like the most from your trips is your honesty about car problems and how the car actually drives.

Thank you for recognizing my prime directive - "Tell it like it is." I tell every problem and especially my personal mistakes hoping that someone who is having doubts about getting out and having fun on the road with their car will say, "Heck, if that bumpkin in that heap can have all that fun and make it back alive, maybe I can too."

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

Thank you for recognizing my prime directive - "Tell it like it is." I tell every problem and especially my personal mistakes hoping that someone who is having doubts about getting out and having fun on the road with their car will say, "Heck, if that bumpkin in that heap can have all that fun and make it back alive, maybe I can too."

There's another common-sense "prime directive" floatin'-around out there, too. Take a guy like JM35 SEDAN. He most-assuredly has never come-across as a "bumpkin" when it comes to anything he's done with his old stock '35 sedan. Not one aspect of that car that John hasn't righteously addressed and properly taken care of to assure that it's ROADWORTHY. JM's demeanor just won't allow him to "rig" or "hack" things together. No way that any reasonable enthusiast could begin to consider John's car to be a "heap". There's no question that John puts the miles on that rig. I'm sure that John has little in the way of doubts about getting out and having fun, nor that his sedan will be making it back home in RELIABLE fashion. DD

[Old Henry]

After the Italian designer, Massimo Tevarotto, was finished using me and Old Henry in his promotional video at Coit Tower he asked if I'd like to see the movie when it was done. I said yes and gave him my business card to email it or a link to it to me. He gave me his.



Today I checked out his web site and his history in designing women's jewelry and accessories. It was pretty interesting: http://www.eldoge.it/ He certainly had a photogenic model/actress with him.

[Lawrie]

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Henry, Did you get a free bag.
Lawrie

[turnpikecrusier]

A big THANK YOU Sir for sharing your adventures!

[RalphG]

Very fine videos, especially the one on the streets of San Francisco. As the owner of a 39 with non functioning brakes and a weak ignition coil I don't even want to think of driving those streets in mine.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

That will be our anniversary trip next June - from San Francisco up to Newport, Oregon.

my wife and I did that in may, I would have been a better trip in a old Ford!

[Brendan]

Henry, witch way did you go home from S F? did you drive up hwy 80?

[Brendan]

thanks for the posts!

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Brendan

Henry, witch way did you go home from S F? did you drive up hwy 80?

I-80 to Reno then US 50 home.

[Brendan]

how was it on 80? people drive very fast on that hwy

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Brendan

how was it on 80? people drive very fast on that hwy

It was pretty much the same as all freeways. I was in the far right lane between 60 and 65 mph while everyone else sped by at whatever speed. Fortunately it was cold enough to drive with my windows closed so it wasn't quite as noisy as usual with the cars speeding by. That's one of the main things I don't like about freeways and avoid them as much as possible. That's why I left I-80 at Reno and took US 50 home. It's an old two-lane dubbed "The loneliest Road in America". I love it.

[Old Henry]

Here's my route:

Image:



Interactive: https://goo.gl/maps/ueiEVyEhUFB2

[Binx]

Please tell me you hit at least one of the buffets in Vegas! The Rio's was my favorite.

Lonnie

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Binx

Please tell me you hit at least one of the buffets in Vegas! The Rio's was my favorite.

Lonnie

I'm afraid not. I lived in Las Vegas and never even entered a casino except on my business. It's not my kind of entertainment although millions love it. I have eaten in the huge buffets before. They are amazingly good for the fairly low price they charge.

Although I had no interest in driving through Las Vegas on my trip and would have just as soon passed it by, I figured there may be some barners who may never have been there. It is quite a sight to see. So, I drove the whole length of the strip with camera running. I didn't include it in my story because that really wasn't the focus of my trip. But, since someone has inquired, here's a little two minute clip just to give a glimpse of what it's like: https://youtu.be/MUI84C2pnsY

And a snapshot of the first frame of the video:

[Bill]

Well that's Las Vegas off my bucket list! Love the 360 shot at the stop light they all must have thought you had lost it but then it's Las Vegas right. Standing on the running board and shooting at the same time was a true Vegas stunt. Everyone gonna watch the video now!! LOL..Bill

[jacob smith]

great road trip. Hope to be able to do trips like this in my car one day

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Bill

Standing on the running board and shooting at the same time was a true Vegas stunt. Everyone gonna watch the video now!! LOL..Bill

That would be a trick, standing on the running board filming while driving at the same time. Actually, here's what I use to video while driving:

It is a telescoping monopod (that's a one legged tripod) with a small cheap plastic level taped to it.



I screw the camera onto the mount just to where it is on the same plane as the level. Note that the carrying strap for the camera and monopod are tied together so that they don't flap in the wind and fly into the frame of the video when filming behind while driving.



Then I rest the monopod on the window sill braced against the top of the window and hold it with my left hand while driving.



Because the level is on the same plane as the camera I know where the camera is pointing by the level position even though I can't see the camera. And, I can keep the camera level pointing any direction by glancing at the bottom bubble which I can see any direction the camera is pointing. That's how I kept the camera level when the car was climbing the 28% grade on Lombard street.



Inside the car I extend the monopod a bit longer to stand on the floor rested against the dash board.

Just thought someone might like to know.