Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/wp-content/u.../2011/07/t.jpg

Nebraska farmer, Elmer J. Sweet, treks to Southern California by Model T to visit his sister and 'wonderful pal' Jane and family, accompanied by L.E. Cruise.

The pictures are nothi... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Ford Barn, click here.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Those are awesome beyond words!

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Wow! Some quick mapquest math shows 1397 miles! Now that is a roadtrip, maybe one of the original roadtrips.

Anyone know if the SanteFe trail as mentioned in the pics became Route 66? All the names are there from the song.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

The Santa Fe trail went from Colombia, Missouri (roughly) to Santa Fe, New Mexico(hence the name). So I'm not quite sure why they are referring to the Santa Fe trail west of Santa Fe.

But, yes some of what they may have travelled between Raton Pass and Santa Fe possibly could've become what we know as route 66.

Also pre-1937 route 66 went through Santa Fe post-1937 it bypassed it altogether. Route 66 was first opened on November 11, 1926.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

When we did the "Sea to Sea in a Model T" trip in 2008 we took the pre 1937 Route through Santa Fe. These pictures are great. Wayno

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Great pictures. My father made the same trip in 1921 for his honeymoon. Drove a 1917 Chalmers. Everyone feared crossing the Great American Desert(roughly Kansas through the Calif.line.) Very few roads outside the towns. You just followed the telegraph lines across the desert.

Les Bliss

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Hey all, thanks for the kind words about my baby blog. Hopefully Elmer is enjoying his fifteen minutes. I've also wondered about his using '$anta Fe Trail' for places farther west, as well as what 'Topek.' means at the Colorado River bridge and how often you could depend on finding gas. Anyway, thanks again, and there will certainly be more Fords in the future.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Very good, actually amazing..

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

any idea how long the trip was (week wise) or months

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Too Damn Much Water!

Great post, I'm envious of the trip.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

What a trip! Those are great photos!

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Love it Love it Must never let these pictures get away from us. The very best they are belong words. Thank you I enjoyed very much.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

amazing adventure, impressed by the Elmers posing Style, a Neb farmer hmmmmm! The guy has Class!! ernie n Tx

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Typical Nebraska farmer ,tough ole boys for sure :cool:.The good old days :)

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Great pics. An adventure for sure. I've been to most of those places on 2 wheels. I'm sure I had it alot easier than Elmer.

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

i wonder how many tire tube repairs he made on that trip?

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

In the late 20's a recent grad of west point name of scot, on his way from Paris to china on a motorcycle recounted he was sitting in the middle of a dirt road in Checkoslovakia (sp) making his 31 st tire repair of the dayand crying like a baby. You may recall him later as General scot of the Army Air Corps, det to clare Chennalt general of the Flying Tigers in China, Col Scot wrote "God is My Copilot" at the later stages of WW2 was still active in his 80's , they were tough old birds Gob bless m all . ernie n tx

Re: Elmer\'s Trip To California
 

Thanks for sharing the pics. Way cool. To Respond to Crossover's post #7, there seems to be a couple of references to "Topek" and "Colorado River" on the net, but they are dead ends. They seem to be linked to Ft. Irwin. Assuming the pictures are in order, and assuming you arre unfamiliar with the area, Peach Springs is on the Hualapai (misspelled on the trading post sign in the pic) Reservation in northern AZ. It's where the new sky deck over the west Grand Canyon is located. You could follow a path from there to Needles along the lower Colorado.

Also, at the turn of the last century there was a Topeka Iron Works that built bridges. If they built it there might have been a name plaque on the bridge in which the letter "a" was missing.