The Intercity Lines Road Tour...
The Intercity Lines Road Tour kicked off at the headquarters of California Car Cover in Chatsworth. Their new line of Golden Shine products is the official car care product of the entire 2010 AMSOIL/STREET RODDER Road Tour.
The NSRA Street Rod Nationals Plus is the premiere event on the NSRA schedule each summer. Held in Louisville, Kentucky, at the huge Kentucky State Fairgrounds, the Nats draws street rod fans from across the country. Some folks come from as far as Southern California, which happens to be the exact place we decided to start the Intercity Lines Road Tour to the Nats.
Intercity Lines is the official car carrier of the 2010
AMSOIL/STREET RODDER Road Tour and while the Road Tour program is about driving our rods, we realize that there is a need at some point to get vehicles transported. When that time arrives we obviously want the best care available for our vehicles. That is where Intercity Lines comes in. They care about what they carry and it has shown each time we have used them. They have also worked out a special pricing structure for folks who are participating in the Road Tour program. Many rodders may not have the time to drive each way on a tour so Intercity Lines will help get your car home after a long trip.
Our destination for Friday...
Our destination for Friday evening was Flagstaff, AZ. We attended the local Friday night cruise at the '50s-themed Galaxy Diner.
The Intercity Lines Tour to the Nationals was set to be the longest Tour of the 2010 season as we started in Chatsworth, California, at California Car Cover and ended over 2,000 miles later in Louisville. California Car Cover just introduced its new Golden Shine line of car care products and is the official car care company of the Road Tour series. Jim DeFrank Sr. and sons Tony and Jim Jr. and their staff were all on hand Friday morning as we set out on the long road to the Nats. We were all provided with coffee, doughnuts, and some great goodie bags that contained Golden Shine products, which would come in handy on our trip. Traveling with us on the Intercity Lines Tour was STREET RODDER magazine Publisher Tim Foss and his two sons, Jeremy and Ryder, who traveled in last year's Road Tour '52 Chevy. Super Chevy Publisher Ed Zinke was along in his '64 Chevelle convertible. CLASSIC TRUCKS Editor Jim Rizzo was driving his newly completed Model A pickup truck. It was an all-star cast heading east to Louisville.
The members of the Route 66...
The members of the Route 66 Car Club greeted us at the Galaxy Diner. Club President John Fajardo was a big help in putting together our evening. We really appreciate the hospitality that so many people show us.
At 8 a.m. it was time to roll out, with our destination for Friday evening being Flagstaff, Arizona, about 500 miles east. All went well as we crossed the Mojave Desert between Barstow and Needles. It was hot but we were all doing fine. Gassing and going as needed, we cleared Kingman and then things got very wet. In the mountains between Kingman and Flagstaff the rain got so heavy that many folks were forced to pull off the road and wait out the storm. While the rain put us behind schedule, we managed to arrive in Flagstaff wet and weary but in good shape considering the conditions.
We arrived late for our evening get-together with the Route 66 Car Club of Flagstaff at their weekly Friday night cruise at the Galaxy Diner. President John Fajardo and members of the club were out in force despite the downpours of earlier in the day. The Galaxy Diner opened in 1958 and in the '90s it had a face-lift and was redone in true '50s style. It was a fun evening with some great car people.
Saturday morning we were rolling east after our drivers' meeting. Our first stop was the famous Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. These cement teepee-style structures have been seen on postcards and in every Route 66 book ever published. We lined the cars up and took some great pictures. Just 20 miles from Holbrook is Petrified National Forest. It is a 22-mile drive through some beautiful landscape and we got a chance to see some amazing petrified logs.