After a fun evening at the car show that we created in Fort Davis it was time to continue on our journey to the LA Roadster's Fathers Day show in Pomona, California. Before we headed out of town we had a brief history lesson at the Fort Davis historical site. It was very interesting as we learned the part hat Fort Davis played in the history of the West. We also came across a real rattle snake on the grounds of the Fort. The Park Rangers quickly located the audibly irritated snake.
From Fort Davis we trekked across the border of Texas and New Mexico and made a lunch stop in Pecos, Texas. From there were traveled along the flat plains of New Mexico toward Roswell, the town made famous in 1947 by the reputed crash of a UFO. We arrived in Roswell about 3:30 and made a stop at the UFO Museum. It was very interesting hour spent at the museum learning about the event that put Roswell on the map with an incident that occurred over 50 years ago.
After our UFO lesson we checked into our hotel. Street Rodder publisher Tim Foss had flown into Albuquerque and made the two hour drive to Roswell to join the Vintage Air Tour. As I waited for Tim to arrive I took a drive outside of town and spent some time checking out a huge auto salvage yard that included cars dating back to the 1940's. The yard was closed but I was able to get a good look at the gems through a cyclone fence. I did notice that the entire fenced in area was guarded by a fairly harmless looking herd of sheep. A brief rainstorm had just rolled through the area and created a rainbow over the Coupe.
Tuesday morning's drive across New Mexico was beautiful as we started to get into the hilly countryside of western New Mexico. Our lunch stop for the day was in Socorro, New Mexico. Guitarist Jimmie Vaughan was traveling with us again this year, this time in a very clean full fendered 1932 5 window coupe. While we were eating lunch Jimmie got a call from his pal car builder Lee Pratt. Lee had a tip for us....make sure you stop at Pie Town for dessert. Not just a restaurant, Pie Town is actually a real town. Situated on the Continental Divide Pie Town is famous for one thing...yup, PIES. The only restaurant in town, the Daily Pie diner had some pretty fantastic pies. We all enjoyed the dessert break and we soon on our way. Apparently we should have paid as much attention to our gas tanks as we had our sweet tooths. About 40 miles down the road, the Publisher of Street Rodder Magazine and yours truly, a veteran of twelve years and 375,000 miles in a street rod ran out of gas!!!!!!!! With Jack and Landis Chisenhall in front of us and Ron Ceridono and Tom Medley behind us we had plenty of help but no gas to put in our tank. With Ron documenting the entire incident for an upcoming issue of Street Rodder, we waiting and laughed about our plight. Then came our knight in shining armor. A carnival repair truck pulled up..really! I do not make this stuff up. We were saved by a carnival repair truck. Two gallons of gas and a few dollars later the two Chrome Plated Carnies from Street Rodder Magazine were back on their way. It was a priceless Road tour moments.
Before we arrived in Winslow, Arizona for the evening some of us took a side trip through the beautiful Petrified Forest and a portion of the Painted Desert. We finally checked into the beautifully restored La Posada Hotel in Winslow about 7PM. It had been a classic day on the Vintage Air Road Tour. The story of Pie Town and the petroleum management problem will be one of the great ones.
Check back as the Vintage Air Tour makes a stop at the Grand Canyon and travel on to Laughlin, Nevada as we make our way to the Fathers Day Roadster Show in Pomona.