Trip to Rally V

[timcantwell]

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad you didn't get abducted by aliens. However, travelling with Jeff is kind of like an alien abduction. (Just kidding Jeff!) You guys be safe, we look forward to seeing you soon. Your photos make my single-day drive to the track look like a cake walk (and less fun too.)

 

[RALPHIE]

Day 4

Again, our location was on the western edge of a time zone, so we started a bit later to keep the rising sun out of eyes. Leaving about 8:30 am (Picture 1), we got back on I-70 to traverse the plains (imagine doing it in a covered wagon 150 years ago at 20-30 miles a day). As we moved eastward, cornfields replaced grazing herds, and then we found a new crop - farming electricity (Picture 2). Slight hills were starting to form as we reached the middle of Kansas (Picture 3), and it was a nice warm day as we got to the area near Abilene (Pictures 4 & 5)

 

[RALPHIE]

Day 4 (Continued)

After we passed by Abilene, about 1:00 pm, the northern sky was getting darker and darker, and eventually after some lightning provided the only natural lighting, it began to rain - hard! (Pictures 1 & 2) After a few hours of wetness, we reached Kansas City and it let up for awhile and we crossed into Missouri. Finally, the plains got replaced by some rolling hills with natural vegetation (Picture 3). At one point, I actually got ahead of Jeff, and took a shot of him in the rear view mirror. (Picture 4). Then, on and off, the rains and wind returned (Picture 5) and we forged on ahead to St Louis. Taking the I-270 and I-255 bypasses around town, we left I-70 behind and got on I-64 out to O'Fallon, Illinois, pulled off and checked into the Drury Inn & Suites. Jeff called Dr. Frank as we were coming in to O'Fallon, and Frank met us at the Drury, after which we all went out for a few drinks at a couple of clubs filled with Saturday night revelry. Not sure if I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, but it was a long, interesting day which covered 650 miles.

Day 5 will be a rest day, as we wait for HiloDave and dbtgt to arrive - the journey will continue on Monday morning.

 

[MNJason]

Awesome photos and narrative!

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Ralphie and I arrived at FJP's last nite around 8. We left Colby, Ka around8 a.m. Statistiion and travel writer Ralphie will give give you all of the details w/photo's I'm sure. But for me arriving at Frank's is 2/3 of the way to the RallyV. 2332 miles with another +- 1000 to go. Basically it was 4 days of driving 600 miles per day. And as usual, did'nt see another GT on the road, except Ralphie's.

We "lost" the great weather around lunch time.
And drove east into some pretty heavy rain and it was dark enough that had to run with headlights on all afternoon.


The two Dave's (Hilo & Trumbo) are headed to St Louis for dinner and drinks this evening. Travel safe guys.

See you at the Rally!

 

[AtomicGT]

Ralphie,

be careflul taking these pictures, don't want to see you damaging anything, especially in the rain. BTW my FGT has never been in the rain, hee hee

 

[roketman]

Ralphie
very cool !
great photos .
thank you for sharing .
The hotel is awesome I got here today.

 

[Copenhagen GT]

Ralphie, as said before, when I grow up I want to be like you :biggrin:lol

See you at the hotel tuesday
:cheers
Anders

 

[AtomicGT]

Ralpphie post more images!

 

[skyrex]

That is a man's trip!! Thanks for sharing. :cheers

 

[RALPHIE]

Day 6

Monday, 09/27, we left the St. Louis area after a great BBQ dinner on Sunday night at Dr. Frank's house. Four GT's on the road (PL510*Jeff, fjpikul, HiloDave and myself) and a big Ford diesel pulling Dave (dbtgt) Trumbo's GT in his trailer (Picture 1). We headed east on I-64, however, after about 150 miles, Jeff and I peeled away from the group. They were heading for the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfer Springs, West Virginia, and Jeff and I headed for the Corvette National Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky (Picture 2-5). After leaving the museum, we then headed south on US 231, linked up with I-40 in Tennessee, and drove east to Knoxville where we encountered a huge rainstorm. After a few misguided (by me) turns, we were able to arrive at our destination.

 

[KJRGT]

Ralphie and Jeff, I knew I would be bummed I did not make that trip with the two of you! Glad to see you both had an awesome time and were safe and sound.

 

[RALPHIE]

Day 7

Jeff and I left Knoxville about 8:30 am on Tuesday, 09/28, heading south for US 129 and the "Tail of the Dragon," 318 turns in 11 miles. It basically runs on the ridges along the water route of the Little Tennessee River, which has a number of dams along it creating long lakes and were built to generate hydroelectric power. They were built in the 1930's as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Picture 1, 2 and 3 are of Chilhowee Lake, Picture 4 is Calderwood Lake, and Picture 5 is one of the dams along the river. About 3/4 of the way through the "Tail," we encountered a motorcycle accident where two bikers side-swiped each other from opposing directions. As we were one of the first to arrive, other than the groups riding with them, we stopped and assisted to clear the road of the debris. We then drove down to Deal's Gap to report the incident to the personnel there in order to get assistance for one of the injured parties.

From there, we wound our way through the North Carolina hills and valleys along US 74, working our way back to I-40 and then east for the remaining 250 miles to Raleigh/Durham and Rally V.

While the "Tail of the Dragon" is only an 11 mile stretch, the 20 miles on each end of it are beautiful and scenic curving roads on which we were able to enjoy the handling characteristics of the Ford GT.

 

[robt777]

Wow, what a trip. Great pictures.

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Ralphie and Jeff, I knew I would be bummed I did not make that trip with the two of you! Glad to see you both had an awesome time and were safe and sound.

Kevin - we missed you and "Mr. Clean" for this great road trip to Rally V.

Dr. Frank did the Chris "thing" as we had to stop to close his trunk properly to get rid of the door ajar light. I immediately though of you two as we did the same thing last year leaving Blythe.

Of course my trip was made so much easier by traveling with a superior Travel Guide.. Route Planner..Photographer..Statistician..and all around good guy, Ralphie. All of which made me into an "arrive and drive guy" .And he, like me, is a right lane driver.

It has been a wonderful adventure. Post Rally I have traveled another 1,000 miles, so far, as I went south into S.C. and visited a number of Nascar race track cities. Really enjoyed Darlington and the Nascar Museum. And Yesterday I went to Bristol and did a track tour. What an asume facility. Boy would I love to see a race there! 1/2 mile track with seating for 162,000 fans. And generally sold out years in advance. Kept thinking ....Some Day ...wouldn't that be special.

As you have read on Ralphie's post we have been on some great roads such. And I had the pleasure of doing the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smokey Mountains and a run through the Appalatchan's (sp) and enjoyed driving the GT on some pretty good and very senic roads. Life is good!

Today I'm off from Cumberland, Md to Washington D.C. followed by a visit to Long Island to visit one of the Ultra GT destinations in the USA----The Barn @ villa GTJoey's.

From there to New England for some fall color photo's. Sure glad the dirt doesn't photograph wee