Making a Run to the LA Roadster Show and Beyond

[38bill]

"The Pueblo Rocky Mountain Nats are in the books - 2080 something in attendance". Sounds like you had fun Tom. We just had the Minnesota Street Rod Association (MSRA) "Back To The Fifties" here on the 19th-21st. There were 11,943 registered participant vehicles '64 or older. With that many cars there were a lot of flatheads to check out. Seems like more and more every year. Unfortunately, there were a few less vendors this year. I always like to check out H&H but they were a no show. Did they have many vendors at the LA show?

[TomT/Williamsburg]

You bet, Coopman - we will check them every night. I brought my battery powered air gun so it will be a quick one !!! I will install longer studs when I get home though - the studs need to be longer so they pass through the lugnuts, not just be flush

The road less travelled has been great. Rt 50 to 400 into Kansas and now on 283. All 2 lane highway like Rt 66 with some sections of 4+lane divided highway, go through some nice little towns, very, very nostalgic.

As for our adventure continuing, we appreciate all the interest and kind words. It has been one heck of a trip so far!

[zzlegend]

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Small town America and the road less travelled ...

[Mike in AZ]

cool.....great pics....2 lane roads.....love 'em and the small towns.....Mike

[38bill]

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I like the bugs on the windshield....

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Yeah, I love 'em too!!

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Did bits and pieces of Rt 66 in Oklahoma and Missouri. At least as much as time would allow anyway ....

Here are some pics for ya ... this first bunch is in Oklahoma ...

[TomT/Williamsburg]

This next big bunch is from Missouri

.
This place was purchased by a husband and wife team in 07 and restored it via old pictures to what you see here - they got 2.5 acres and what was left of the buildings. If these pics look familiar, I was there in '13 coming home from my Bonneville adventure ....

The next pics of the bridge are just down the block from this diorama ...

The last pic - like the headlight bucket they are using for a spotlight?!

[TomT/Williamsburg]

The steel bridge down the road from the diorama is an original Rt 66 bridge as was the other that was pictures ...

The Sinclair station location is literally across the main highway and I also visited this and met the owner, Gary, and his wife - we stayed for quite some time ....

Gary passed in 2015 and his wife held on to the place until her death. A woman by the name of Barbara now owns it but it remained unattended for about 8 months and some porcelain signs went missing while she made the transition from her home to this place. She has been there for about 4 months now and has the place back up and running which I was very glad for. Many discussions on the HAMB talked if it's demise but I can now tell you first hand, it is alive and well .....

[TomT/Williamsburg]

More pics ... the first 3 are of Gary and his office where we spoke with he and his wife almost 3 years ago. I am very happy that this place did not meet its end and is still an icon on Rt 66 ....

The last 3 pics are my last of our ride on this historic highway. From here, we we to our hotel, the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri. This place had been refurbished and is better now than it was in its heyday. I apologize for the dark pics ... I was losing daylight ....

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Originally Posted by 38bill

"The Pueblo Rocky Mountain Nats are in the books - 2080 something in attendance". Sounds like you had fun Tom. We just had the Minnesota Street Rod Association (MSRA) "Back To The Fifties" here on the 19th-21st. There were 11,943 registered participant vehicles '64 or older. With that many cars there were a lot of flatheads to check out. Seems like more and more every year. Unfortunately, there were a few less vendors this year. I always like to check out H&H but they were a no show. Did they have many vendors at the LA show?

The Pueblo Show is nothing like the Back to the Fifties show - but it is in a really nice old style fairgrounds ....

As far as vendors at the LA Roadster show, most of the west coast guys were either in attendance and/or held an open house to meet and great old and new customers .... H&H was at the LA Roadster show - met those guys in '14 when I toured the shops before the grand national roadster show .... flatheads all over the place and more come in every day. Quite an operation he has there but like any rebuilder there are happy and not-so-happy customers. Just the way it is ....I guess they were not at your show because they were at the super hot LA Roadster show the week before. Too many shows, not enough time ....

[Mike in AZ]

love the pics....thanks for sharing ....Mike

[Talkwrench]

keep on truckin'... ; )

[sidevalve8ba]

Good job, Tumbleweed. Quite an adventure!

[zzlegend]

I can remember being born and raised in Indiana and having seen places and roads that resemble those in your travels Tom. Good memories. Thanks for posting those.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I love taking the back roads - you always see interesting things, meet new people, and just have fun instead of rushing from place to ace ....

[TomT/Williamsburg]

So we are on our way home - went about 650 miles today. So much nicer and more comfortable to drive when the temps are in the 80s .....

We left Cuba, Missouri at 7am, lost an hour, and arrived in Bristol, VA at almost 8pm. 12 hours of driving but you really don't notice it with cooler temps.....

Just a few pics today - we were supposed to go up to St Louis and hop on 64 to home but part of that route is in West Virginia so I thought it best to go back on 40 like we came in. From Cuba we took some back roads again and ended up on I25 to I40 to I81 into VA. Nice ride, uneventful (for once). From Bristol we will take rt 58 to I85 on up to Richmond and then home. Can't believe it will be over tomorrow - 3 weeks will have come and gone! Geesh time flies when you are retired!

Once home I will fill in the pics I could not during the trip and come up with whatever stats I can muster up from all my notes .....

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Day 8 - Shop Tours - NHRA Museum. Newly renovated since I was there in 2014, it has the best representation of "our" hearts desires and the passions that drive us in our hobby/sport ...

[TomT/Williamsburg]

More NHRA Museum pics ...