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Founders Tour 2013 Alabama


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Sunday!

Hello everyone! Gloria and I made it down here yesterday at around 2pm. The weather was....well wet yesterday! We had our opening banquet at the Air & Space Museum. There was a lot to see and do there, but we were on a tight schedule and a little too tuckered to see everything. We will come back to the Museum later in the week and see more. I decided to leave '56 on the trailer until Monday morning. (I hate unstrapping in the rain.)

Monday!

Well, I got up early, darn time change, and found the trailer parking and proceeded to offload my wagon. I waited until today so as to miss the rain. Well, it's still raining, but I got her off the trailer, a really nice parking lot for trailer and camper parking. I've got my cameras and will take pictures. Did I tell you it was raining? Bob Bentley, our Tour Chairman, said you just wait another day and the weather is sure to change.????? Still waiting Bob!??:D

All kidding aside we are reuniting with old friends we haven't seen for a while. I got my early breakfast this morning with friends from North Carolina, Becky and James Woodall. James and I were comparing the junk we had accummulated over the years, junk we should have thrown out years ago. Did you know that I have 2 enclosed car trailers and neither one has a running car inside???:D See, we moved the kids out(they finally found a job), but somehow they left their junk here. I will be having a used clothes, toys, books yard sale in June. Ya'll come on down!:cool:

Anyway, we are going to a Cavern today, yep a big hole in the ground. I will take some pictures of some of our day, if I find a dry spot to pull the lens cap off.:P They are taking car pictures this morning too. I will be the one in the red Chevy wearing the rain gear! :eek:

Later!

Wayne

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I told the important people where I was Tommy!;) We just got in. A little weary, lots of water down here today. One road on our tour book was under water. Of course I missed the updated tour change because the wife could not make the caverns stop. She's having a lot of trouble breathing in this weather.

Anyway, I come barreling around this corner to see a traffic sign in the middle of the road blocking traffic! Traffic? I was the only one on this no center-line road.:confused:

I looked at the wife, "Ummm, you think we may have missed a road turn somewhere. :) Anyway, got turned around and headed the right way.

Will attach pictures tonight, after dinner.

Wayne

Edited by R W Burgess (see edit history)
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This is the 25th Anniversary Founders Tour, and is back where it all started in Huntsville / Madison, Alabama in 1988.

We drove the Pre-Tour to Sally Barnett's farm Saturday, and got to visit the collection. Sam Barnett has been doing a great job of working toward completion of Sally and (late AACA Past-President) Ron's cars. He has come a long, long way in these many years and is to be commended. Food was great, as was the company.

Sunday was the Pre-Tour day of touring the North Alabama countryside. As Wayne related, we were in and out of the rain, but enjoyed the day driving the '54 Caddy convertible.

The opening banquet at the Space Center was well organized and the food was really good too. National Director Hulon McCraw represented National, thanked Bob Bentley, Sally Barnett, and all the committee, and recognized the five families who have attended and driven all twenty-five AACA Founders Tours. Left-to-right, Ray & Judy Fischer (NJ), Mary-Jane & Lou Fritz (MD), Martha & Cliff Phipps (IA), Dale & Marty Roth (LA), Gene & Marilyn Roy (FL).

Monday the rain just got worse and we still haven't been able to drive top-down, but did get to share the ride. Linda and (National Director) Bill Garnder (AL) were our back seat passengers. The Cavern visit was excellent, and we got to tour Unclaimed Baggage. I bought a few junk tools and a large-scale 1937 Cord 812 Model to assemble.

Hopefully the sun will be visible for the next few days of touring...

Tomorrow we drive up to Lynchburg, TN to the Jack Daniels distillery -- located in a dry county !!!

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Edited by Marty Roth (see edit history)
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We started the day old traveling over some sizable hills, and even some more sizable turns in the hills, as this sign can attest to.

The last picture is my '56 parked in front of this old barn up high in the hills somewhere east of Huntsville. Lots of hills. I even smelled my brakes burning at one point on the way down a hill.

It was a fun day for everyone. Tomorrow looks like a sunny day in store for us.

Thanks for your updates, Marty.

Wayne

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Edited by R W Burgess (see edit history)
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A day of sunshine and fun! Lots of stop signs and turns as we travleed the country side. Our first stop was the Falls Mill for our breakfast break. This was a working mill with corn mill for sale in the main store. You wil also notice the old log home with our packed and parked antique cars.

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Glenn Juneau discussing retirement with Walt Jones. Next picture is Victoria Kontor trying to operate a spring water bucket operation. Victoria and dad, Dave have been on more tours than I even know about. As a matter of fact they have set up and hosted tours.

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We had a wonderful lunch among lots of airplanes at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. The biplane was the first Beechcraft. There were lots more to look at. This was a park oot shot, nice.

Here we have Sadie. Now, I generally don't mess with bears, but Glenn Juneau said that his girl Friday riding in the hearse was harmless.

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Edited by R W Burgess (see edit history)
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We visited the Jack Danials Distillery next. Pictured is the Admission Building, then the plant looking from the back lot. This place was huge, 2000 acres.

Then, we had Jackie, our tour guide! Now, to say that Jackie was in character would be an understatement. People say I talk funny, but Jackie was using words I did not understand. Wait! Jackie told us that they get free liquid once a month, ummm???? I took a taste later, and............. ugh, that's all I remember.:cool:

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We visited the Jack Danials Distillery next. Pictured is the Admission Building, then the plant looking from the back lot. This place was huge, 2000 acres.

Then, we had Jackie, our tour guide! Now, to say that Jackie was in character would be an understatement. People say I talk funny, but Jackie was using words I did not understand. Wait! Jackie told us that they get free liquid once a month, ummm???? I took a taste later, and............. ugh, that's all I remember.:cool:

Ahhh, memories from the tour I took last year while attending the Grand National Dual Meet at Shelbyville, TN.

Is the employee free liquor day called Good Friday? I do remember our guide telling us that on the free liquor day NOBODY misses work that day!

Thanks to you and Marty for posting the photos of the tour!

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More of Marty's pictures.

Red Caddy is from Penny & Walt Jones - Sunset, Louisiana

Tour Host Luci Bentley is at Beechcraft Heritage Museum

Beautiful first series Corvette

Magnificent Pierce-Arrow,

The red & white '56 Chevy is the extremely RARE SEDAN DELIVERY (Not a Station Wagon), driven by Wayne & Gloria Burgess , Millers Tavern, VA

Standing in front of wjhite Beechcraft (center) is Ray Fischer (NJ), with Brenda & Steve Rinaldo, Marietta, GA

Photo of a painting at Beechcraft

Edited by Marty Roth (see edit history)
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Long & Short of Beechcraft Tour - Wayne Scites & Connie Wright

Wayne drove the Vulture wagon, ready to rescue any tour vehicle which might have acted inappropriately.

Connie is planning the AACA Southeastern Fall Meet in Cleveland, TN for the Cherokee Valley Region Sept 19 - 21, 2013

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It was a wonderful week in North Alabama and into Tennessee - mostly sunshine with just a touch of rain on Monday and early Friday. The routes were well-planned, and were perfect for enjoying our old cars and long-time friends, as well as many new-found friends who will likely be back for more AACA Touring.

North Alabama Region members were the perfect hosts. The Opening and Closing banquets were in two different parts of the NASA Complex in Huntsville. Wednesday's Ice Cream Social was in a unique home, and we got to visit such differing locations as the Ave Maria grotto and the Jack Daniel's distillery, as well as the Beechcraft Heritage museum for vintage aircraft.

Bob & Luci Bentley, Sally Barnett, and the entire membership of North Alabama Region desreve kudos for a "JOB WELL DONE".

Thank you one and all,

Marty & Dale Roth

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  • 5 years later...

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