Week 194 - Car and Vehicle Photo Collection - 05-02-2010

The Unique Car and Vehicle Collection:

As we sit at home and prepare (and repair) our home for the next renter, we bring you another photo collection: Unique Cars and Vehicles. But, first here are the results of last week's Guess Who, What, When or Where No. 2.

1. This city of just over 3,000 people claims to have the largest swap meet in the world. What city and state is this? Quartzsite, Arizona. They report that 250,000 RVers visit each year!

2. Another claim: The city seen is viewed from the largest chunk of exposed granite in the world. The "granite" chunk rises 825 feet above the surrounding area and extends 9 miles under the ground. On this chunk of granite are carvings of Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. What city are we looking at? Atlanta, Georgia viewed from Stone Mountain.

3. Ellen (and Pete) pose in a car owned by our friend Hank from Ontario, Canada. What car is this? Smart Car.

4. Why is this boat along side the road in Mississippi? Hurricane Katrina. The roads are littered with junk; this was a big piece.

5. What two plants are pictured here? Octotillo (green and red) and Faxon Giant Yucca (white), near Big Bend National Park in Texas.

6. How many windshields, at $1,500.00 each, have we broken? Who said motorhomes are cheap? 3, two from uneven sites, 1 from flying rocks.

7. What vehicle here is not a British sports car? The Suzuki Burgman 650 Scooter.

8. Pictured below are two countries. Where are we? Big Bend National Park, Texas with Mexico across the Rio Grande River.

9. What is this area called? French Quarter, New Orleans, famous for the Mardis Gras.

10. The campground on the left, in 2007, now looks like this, on the right. Where are we? Galveston Island State Park, Texas, courtesy of Hurricane Ike.

Our winner this week and first to respond, is our lovely daughter Emily with 12 points. Close behind is our long time friend Jon, from Atascadero with 11 points. Congratulations to both for your Eagle eyes and great answers.

Now, on to this week's collection. There are many very unique motor vehicles around the USA and we have captured a few of them.

1) This 1955 Chevrolet model 210 is the car the Pete first drove. No, not this one, but the same model. Pete's 210 was a single color, sky blue and totally stock. Pete's dad, Walter, purchased it in 1964 ($500.00) for Donnalee (sister), Mike (brother) and Pete to drive. Pete continued to maintain it and it become his car for 12 years. In 1976 Pete 's next door neighbor wanted to buy it. So Pete set the price really high, $1,000.00, but the neighbor bought it anyway. Oh, yeah the one in the photo would bring $25,000.00 to $35,000.00!

2) The 1955 Buick Super, painted in original colors like the Chevy, was also displayed at the March 2009 classic car show at Palm Creek Golf and RV Park in Casa Grande, Arizona. It probably would not sell for $130,000,00 but that is the amount that Bob, the owner, invested in it.

Another unique vehicle is the 2006 Suzuki Burgman 650. We have only met one other in our travels, but if you want a super bike for your RV, this is it. Harleys are the usual choice for the Baby Boomer RVers, but while in Arkansas, the Harley riders we rode with called our Burgman, "The Harley Killer". It has an automatic transmission, is extremely quiet, has room for 5 plastic bags of groceries under the seat, easily passes semis on the uphill with driver and passenger and reportedly maxes out at 110 mph while getting 50+ miles per gallon. Did we mention that we have carried a week's worth of luggage to the airport three times? And look at our parking spot. Gotta love it.

1) Okay, forget what we have, let's dream a little. Pete fakes getting into a Ferrari at Huntington Beach, California. (He didn't dare touch it). 2) Unlike the Ferrari owner, the Pueblo, Colorado owner of this fabulous Corvette, left a note on his car to "climb in and get photos". How refreshing.

1) Now, we're at Zion National Park in Utah and are looking at something a little older. This 1900+ three seater would be perfect for husband, wife and mother-in-law in the rear seat. 2) The Utah forest service perched this single-wide mobile home over the edge to get a great view (on the road from St. George to Zion National Park).

There is nothing unique about the PT Cruiser we rented in Maui, Hawaii. Except we drove it from sea level to the top of Haleakala dormant volcano at 10,023 feet. And the temperature went from 80 degrees to 40; Pete was wearing shorts. We came for the sunset photos (See Travelogue Week 179). So how do you keep warm for an hour waiting for sunset? You cram yourself in the back of the Cruiser and play cards!

1) At Seven Feathers Casino RV Park we parked next to this Country Coach Prevost (pray-vo). We frequently refer to the Mothership as the "junker model" of Monaco. While our home is awesome it cost less that $200,000.00. The Prevost costs $1,200.000.00. The four awnings that go from front to rear on both sides of this motorhome, cost as much as our 400 HP Cummins engine. 2) This little red RV is slightly shorter than the Prevost and probably would be a little small for full-timing.

Things are big in Texas, but this is Colorado. The truck is nothing unusual but check out those tires!

In the 1950's the Mattson family (Pete's parents and siblings) visited Yellowstone National Park. These buses were the vehicles used by the Yellowstone Park Company. In 2007 these buses were still in the park. However, they are now owned (several of them) by private individuals who bring them back to the park each year with their friends.

This tiny little incline railway car holds almost as many people as the Yellowstone Park Company bus. This rides takes you from the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado down the gorge's river bottom.

1) Nice parking job! This car ended up on Ellen's Aunt Glo's lawn in Amarillo, Texas. 2) These cars were not in a accident and don't require any more paint.

1) The Stanley Marsh Buried Cadillac display encourages or at least does not discourage taggers to put more paint on these cars. 2) We witnessed this accident one day after the one at Glo's house. And a third on the same day. We didn't take any more pictures as we feared the Amarillo police might think we are causing the accidents!

1) This wreck was viewed just when we left the Tempe, Arizona Elks Lodge. 2) And yes, this was a motorhome minutes earlier in Yellowstone National Park.

Another highway disaster captured by Ellen during our travels.

This photo series is not about the Mothership, but the tow truck. This truck lowers its entire bed by moving the rear wheels forward.

Once forward, the bed becomes a ramp and Pete backed the Mothership onto the bed, which is leveled by moving the wheels back.

What an cool vehicle for the 150 mile ride from Alaska's Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage. Note that our 12 foot 10 inch height is now just under 16 feet. Our driver Nick knew all the overpass detours to keep the roof the motorhome intact.

That's it for this week.

Keep on Truckin',

Love, Pete and Ellen

Photos from 2007 to 2009