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Wolseley Across America

Created: October 16, 2000
The following is a summary of the boring bits from the Wolseley Across
America trip. If you have any questions or comments, I can be reached at
[email protected]

Created: October 16, 2000
The morning of Monday, September 4, 2000, dawned cloudy and damp. It
wasn't raining, but had been and, as Dorothea and I made ready to continue
along the Lewis and Clark Trail, it was easy to envision what the Corps of
Discovery had faced in November 1805. Envision it we did, but that didn't
stop us from having a hot breakfast and setting off from Portland, Oregon, in
a warm and dry car.

Created: October 04, 2000
Portland. This Portland is in Oregon. Oregon is the 18th State of the
trip. It is also the 2nd biggest at 97,073 square miles (rank 10 in the US),
only surpassed by Montana. With a population of 3.2 million (ranking 11th out
of our 18) the population density is only 33 people per square mile.
Created: October 03, 2000
n Kennewick on the evening of August 31st, EG and I are almost a week
ahead of the Corps of Discovery. The Corps camped at the meeting of the
Clearwater and Snake Rivers near present day Lewiston, Idaho, on October
10th. They dined on what they purchased from the Indians: dried roots, salmon
and dog.

Created: September 29, 2000
Wednesday night, August 30, 2000, EG and I spent the night in Missoula,
Montana. September 10, 1805, the Corps of Discovery spent the night in what
is now Lolo, Montana, just south of present day Missoula. The next day we
both headed west.

Created: September 27, 2000
I need to back up a bit. Although I-15 between Great Falls and Helena in
itself is just another freeway, the country through which it passes can hold
one's interest - what could be seen of it because of the smoke. The road
follows the Missouri River and even crosses it several times. It is easy to
use your imagination and see the Corps of Discovery trying to maneuver the
heavy canoes against the river's flow.

Created: September 25, 2000
Monday night the 28th left me in Glen Dive, Montana (having traveled from
Pierre, South Dakota that day) about to poke into EG's dropping gas mileage.
PART 20 also left Lewis and Clark leaving the current-day Pierre area heading
out away from the Teton Sioux.

Created: September 20, 2000
Once dinner the 27th was out of the way it was time to dive into EG to
see why she was running a bit "off," and, while I was at it, it was time to
change the tarp. It had flapped around for 3,900 miles since leaving Miami
and had worn through in a few spots. I was heading for the Northwest. It
might rain.

Created: September 15, 2000
It was Sunday the 27th. I was two days out of St. Louis and had easily
covered over 500 miles. Lewis and Clark took well over two months to cover
the same distance. They spent four days in this area south of present day
Omaha, and continued to marvel at the vast prairie devoid of trees. By July
27/28 they passed through the area now known as Omaha and shortly after
encountered a lone Indian. Through him they arranged their first formal
meeting with Indians for August 3rd at the area that became Fort Atkinson.
Their thoughts on the Omaha area? Clark wrote,

Created: September 14, 2000
Saturday the 26th was to be a short drive, but I still got an early
start. I had to get around Kansas City (and Kansas City, there's one in
Kansas, too) before the Saturday working corporate drones clogged the
freeways. The day's route would take me from Missouri to Kansas (briefly),
back to Missouri to Iowa and finally into Nebraska outside of Omaha. I was
still on the trail of Lewis and Clark following the Missouri River and
heading for a meeting with Mini owner Frank Grover.

Created: September 13, 2000
Something tells me these have
been used for a rallye or two in the past. Eventually, Karl led me to Highway
94 just on the north side of the Missouri River where he let me lead for a
while until he had to turn off and head back. Horn honk, lights flash, and a
wave and EG and I were off to cross Missouri and get to Lees Summit just
outside of Kansas City.

Created: September 12, 2000
The 24th I got an early start. I wanted to get to St. Louis to connect up
with the MADMEN before the afternoon traffic crunch started and all the
corporate drones hit the road. Most of the planned route was on freeways, so,
for the most part, the drive was going to be hot, humid and boring. EG
decided to make it just a bit more exciting for me. More of that later.

Created: September 11, 2000
Knoxville, Tennessee. I arrived the afternoon of the 22nd to the west of
Knoxville near the junction of boring I-75 and equally boring I-140 and
checked into a motel for the night. Before I broke out the computer to makes
some notes about the day's drive, I called Hugh Cannon. Hugh's not only a
Mini owner in the area, but I was to find out that he owns two of my favorite
Minis: Mokes (just don't tell EG!).

Created: September 07, 2000
We left EG and me all but coasting into Asheville just off the Blue Ridge
Parkway desperately looking for a gas station and seeing a sign indicating
Asheville was 5 more miles. I turned the corner, and there was a gas station!
Sort of makes up for driving up Mount Mitchell to see the sights and only
seeing clouds.
Created: September 05, 2000
Sunday the 20th promised to be a great day. That is the day I started
down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Up until a couple of months ago, I'd never heard
of it. It's certainly no secret to anyone who lives within 500 miles of it,
but, hey, I'm a Left Coaster.

Created: September 01, 2000
Every State visited by EG and me has much to offer, more than could be
seen in a short period of time. Virginia certainly fits in that category. The
plan, as you'll recall, was to spend Friday the 18th playing tourist. One
small area around Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg could occupy a week. I
stretched the trip to give it a day. Just a taste, but probably enough to
entice me back someday.

Created: August 31, 2000
Just to put North Carolina in perspective with the other three states
(and you thought I was going to forget about demographics and history, didn't
you?) its population of about 7.5 million puts it just less than double its
neighbor to the south, South Carolina, and about the same as Georgia.

Created: August 28, 2000
I've been asked to comment about how EG has been performing to date, so
this article will put the trip out of Charleston on hold long enough to recap
how the South African Wolseley is performing north of the equator.

Created: August 28, 2000
Wednesday the 16th saw me turning my back on Charleston, with some
regret, and heading north along 17 with the ultimate destination for the day
of somewhere in the Outer Banks. Well planned, as usual, you can see. Highway
17 runs near the Atlantic through a national forest for a while, although
you'd never know it -- the ocean being near, that is. The forest is obvious.

Created: August 24, 2000
Chuck's Travels New Page 1 Chuck's Travels New Page 1 Chuck's Travels click here to see a complete list of Chuck's articles Click on the links below to read Chuck's articles.

Created: August 21, 2000
Before we get back to Florida, I dug up some more detailed information
about this unusual car. Ryno Verster of South Africa (and from whom I bought
the car) has been digging around trying to come up with a history of the
cars.

Created: August 21, 2000
When I last left off I was heading up boring old I-95 towards Satch's. It
was late afternoon when I arrived. Like the other places I've visited,
Satch's was easy to find by the Minis in the driveway.

Created: August 21, 2000
Unlike Sherman, I drifted quietly into Georgia on Sunday the 13th, and
headed up the quickest route towards Savannah. (Sherman wasn't so quiet, but
he, too, headed for Savannah.) Unfortunately, that was I-95, and for the most part this was the worst section. But, I had one stop I wanted to make and I
wanted to make sure I got all the way to Savannah so I could spend time there
the next morning.

Created: August 21, 2000
We are just about out of Florida, but before we go, how about a few more
Florida facts? Tough. You're going to get them anyway!
Created: August 21, 2000
While waiting for the Mini to arrive I took a few drives and played
tourist. Museums, beaches, everglades. All the usual stuff. Do it if you ever
get the chance. Here's a challenge for you though. Every chance you get ask
whomever you are talking to if they are native Floridians. You won't find
many!

Created: August 18, 2000
What can I say about Florida; except, it is everything you've ever seen
or read about it. It is almost a cliche of itself. Think of LA with humidity,
bugs, alligators and the worst drivers in the US. Here's a tip for car
makers. You could save a lot of money on Florida bound cars. Well, not a lot
per car, but by leaving out the turn signal bulbs on each car it would add
up. Nobody uses them anyway. OK, that is not entirely true. Occasionally, I'd
see someone driving down the freeway with the left turn signal on, and on,
and on... I finally figured it out. It is a handy place to hang the cell
phone on those few times when it is not being used.

Created: August 15, 2000
This is about driving a Mini across America. It is about what happens along the way and about the Mini owners I am fortunate enough to meet. Some travel commentary may sneak in now and then, but Minis are the main theme. As long as all the new technology holds up (laptop, digital camera, Internet access) and all the old technology holds up (in the form of one Wolseley 1000...and driver), dialogue and photos will get posted as we make our way across the US.