After our evening in Lake Charles Monday morning was the beginning of Day 2 of the Vintage Air Road Tour. Trail boss, Vintage Air's Rick Love conducted the driver's meeting in the hotel parking lot at 7:30 as planned. There were now almost 40 vehicles traveling with us. Monday's route would get us off the interstate and take us through the rural areas of southern Louisiana. Our destination for the morning was Avery Island, the home of world famous Tabasco hot sauce and their family of products.
Avery Island is off the beaten path to say the least. We caravanned down the backgrounds lead by Rick, arriving at the home of Tabasco by about 10AM. The original plant puts out thousands of bottles of hot sauces everyday and we were given a look at the production line and saw a short film about the Tabasco story. A visit to the gift shop gave everyone a chance to get some gifts for home and also taste some of the many Tabasco products. The Tabasco soda pop was very interesting.
From Avery Island we traveled on more back roads to the famous Mulate's Cajun Restaurant in Breaux Bridges for our lunch stop. Know for Cajun food and Cajun music everyone enjoyed some authentic Louisiana cooking. After lunch it was time to get on I-10 and head east to Baton Rouge and then north on famous Highway 61 to our evening destination of Vidalia, Louisiana on the banks of the Mississippi River. It was a fun day two on the Vintage Air Tour.
Tuesday morning found us again enjoying great weather. The days travels would take us on the Natchez Trace. The Natchez Trace is a very unique 444 mile long road that runs from the banks of the Mississippi River to Nashville Tennessee. It is a beautiful drive that is unusual because of its total lack of any commercial growth along the route. There are absolutely no commercial buildings of any type. Just a very beautiful tree lined two lane that was originally a trail used by Indians and early settlers. The 50 mph speed limit is strictly enforced and it gives you a chance to really enjoy the beauty of the forest. Our scheduled lunch stop was at an area called French Camp. Many of us sat outside and enjoyed the scenery and the great food.
After lunch it was back on the Trace for the 90 mile drive to our destination of Tupelo Mississippi. Famous as the birthplace of Elvis Presley Tupelo is also the home of the new Tupelo Auto Museum. Good friend and hot rod icon George Poteet had decided to bring his traveling BBQ and Ice Cream Road Show to the Auto Museum to feed us and many of the local rodders. Museum curator Allen McDaniel was kind enough to open the museum for us to get a look at their collection which includes a wide assortment of vehicles ranging from the cars of the earliest days of auto transportation to modern special interest vehicles. There was even Ed Roth's Wishbone on display. Many thanks to George Poteet and the folks at the Tupelo Auto Museum for providing us with a great evening of food and entertainment.
Wednesday is scheduled to be another jamb packed day on the Vintage Air Tour. In the morning we will visit Elvis' Birthplace and Museum. It is then back on the Natchez Trace as we travel toward Nashville. Check back and get more updates from the AMSOIL/Street Rodder Vintage Air Tour. For info and some other the other Tours we have planned this summer, look on this website and you will fine our schedule and a registration form. We hope you can join in the fun at some point this summer.
Jerry Dixey