I am in Asheville and eagar to ride home, but first I have to get a new rear tire mounted. It was slick in Wichita and now it is really slick. The Vespa dealer is not open until tomorrow and I have a 9 AM appointment. Today I met Paddy Lynch (her grandfather took out Cornelia Vanderbilt's appendix) at Vicki Bennett's house and she told me her husband Sandy had 7 model T's and would love to show them to me.
So, I saddled up Big Red and road off the mountain to Sandy's farm. Riding up the gravel road to Sandy's house I came up on Sandy and his brother Bill working on the road. They both welcomed me on the property and Sandy said he had to shovel a little more but for me to ride up on to the house.
He, his brother and his cousin live on a farm that has been in his family for 4 generations. Sandy lives in his 96 year old fathers home who moved out to live with his girlfriend. Yesterday his father was glad to see Sandy show up because "I am only good for 3 pulls" on his push mower. 96 and still cutting grass with a push mower.
I expected Sandy to show me his cars and we would stand around talk about them. Instead he rolled one out of the barn and said "lets go" and off we went on a 3 hour adventure. Climbed up and over the mountain to Chimney Rock. Along the way he gave me great history on the area, his family plantation, and the history of the Model A & T Ford's. He found two in a old barn that was falling down. Just like you read about. The owner gave them to him.
We talked about how similar cross country rides on a T-model and a Vespa are a lot the same. You can never be in a hurry and just take the ride as it comes. He says if you get the T-Model set up it will run forever if you leave it alone. He says some T-Model drivers, just like some Vespa drivers, worry to much about what might go wrong and never go any further than the local ice cream stands. He has been on long distance trips and told me of people he knows who have gone all the way across America and done nothing more than change a tire.
Tomorrow we go roaring down the highway again!!!!!!!!!
So, I saddled up Big Red and road off the mountain to Sandy's farm. Riding up the gravel road to Sandy's house I came up on Sandy and his brother Bill working on the road. They both welcomed me on the property and Sandy said he had to shovel a little more but for me to ride up on to the house.
He, his brother and his cousin live on a farm that has been in his family for 4 generations. Sandy lives in his 96 year old fathers home who moved out to live with his girlfriend. Yesterday his father was glad to see Sandy show up because "I am only good for 3 pulls" on his push mower. 96 and still cutting grass with a push mower.
I expected Sandy to show me his cars and we would stand around talk about them. Instead he rolled one out of the barn and said "lets go" and off we went on a 3 hour adventure. Climbed up and over the mountain to Chimney Rock. Along the way he gave me great history on the area, his family plantation, and the history of the Model A & T Ford's. He found two in a old barn that was falling down. Just like you read about. The owner gave them to him.
We talked about how similar cross country rides on a T-model and a Vespa are a lot the same. You can never be in a hurry and just take the ride as it comes. He says if you get the T-Model set up it will run forever if you leave it alone. He says some T-Model drivers, just like some Vespa drivers, worry to much about what might go wrong and never go any further than the local ice cream stands. He has been on long distance trips and told me of people he knows who have gone all the way across America and done nothing more than change a tire.
the collection
in the cockpit are 4 coils, one for each cylinder
a road stop
You get attention riding a Vespa, but nothing like a Model-T. Everyone waved, honked and smiled when passed. Any time we stopped people came up to inspect and talk about the car. It is a real door opener as you travel around.
Bill and a admirer
Tomorrow we go roaring down the highway again!!!!!!!!!
