The Touring Chronicle

The "Great Texas Trail Drive" is coming together in a fashion that will make for an exciting week this October. The routes for each day have been finalized, the cooks are preparing the menus, the motels are filling up quickly, preparations are underway to have the fairgrounds ready and waiting, the band is practicing for the Bluebonnet Opry, and we are working on a few surprises.

You may recall, I have been hinting about a " cowgirl style" parking procedure throughout the week. Starting with registration, you will begin to notice girls on horseback helping with parking and directing folks where to go. The Glidden Wranglerettes consist of approximately a dozen cowgirls who will be introduced in the rodeo arena during opening night activities.

I would like to introduce two of the girls that are very special and will be a true asset to the tour.

Cowgirls Kathy Hayes and Katy Peterson are identical twins. They were born horse crazy and have ridden since they were young girls.

Kathy lives in Alvin, TX and runs a small horse operation with her husband, Kelly. Kathy teaches riding lessons, trains young horses and barrel races with her 10 year old daughter, Lana. Kathy is a captain for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Horse Committee and she is the manager of the Runners and Gunners 4H Club in Brazoria County.

Katy Peterson lives on a remote ranch in Navasota, TX with her husband, Dirk and 11 year old son, Chet. Katy loves to ride her mare Jazzy on the ranch, go trail riding and barrel race. She also enjoys announcing barrel races and cheering for her friends. Her husband Dirk is a professional team roper, western artist and an actor.

The twins love all things equestrian. They embrace the opportunity to learn new horsemanship techniques, skills and sports. Kathy and Katy are honored to be Glidden Wranglerettes and represent the western culture and the sport of barrel racing. They are looking forward to meeting each of you during the "Great Texas Trail Drive".

Katy (on the right) is the head wranglerette and will direct all horse activities during the tour. She will be organizing the parking committee while getting horses and cowgirls in position for the next stop. She has a big job and I hope all of you will appreciate her efforts.

Pat and I are sure looking forward to your visit. Information and applications are available on line at VMCCA.ORG. Remember ----- Bring your boots and Jeans and we'll provide the hat!

Tour Hosts:

Pat and Jamie Crandall

patandjamie@hughes.net

Registrar: Bettye Ames

bames@ktc.com

281 468 6175

The Touring Chronicle in Old Cars Weekly

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Gerald Perschbacher wrote about our recent article on the Peel P50 micro-car in his regular Club Clips feature. It was in the Mar. 29th issue of Old Cars Weekly. Thanks for the write-up Gerald. We need all the exposure we can get.

Teton Valley Rendezvous

by Carl Sturgeon

Old cars can still do their job. Last summer while on the Teton Valley Rendezvous, I was able to put my 1965 Jeep CJ5 to work. While turning around on a narrow blacktop road, Peggy Knodel put their Chev. pickup in a ditch that was hidden by the tall grass. Using a tow strap and low range, my Jeep popped it right out.

It was the high point of my day. My photographer was so interested in the process that I don't have a halfway out picture; just the beginning and the end. An old timer once told me that my old Jeep would climb trees except the bark comes off. Anyway a useful antique.

My Jeep is a Tuxedo Park with a bench seat and column shift. The Eastern Idaho chapter always does a super tour!

Carl Sturgeon's 1965 Jeep CJ-5

Lincoln Highway Centennial

Okay Model T Guys and others. I attended another meeting for the Lincoln Highway Centennial celebration scheduled for June 30-July l, 2013.

Jamie Crandall's 1922 Ford Model T Coupe, Jamie and Sue Holland aboard

The rules have changed some from the last meeting that I attended. They now would like to have you register for the event. Go to: www.visitkearney.org then click on the Lincoln Highway Marker, this will take you to the registration form.

The cost is $10 per person. Each person registered will receive a voucher for one sandwich, chips and drink and one admission to the Merryman Performing Arts Center.

I am going to suggest to those of you that agreed to give rides in your Model T, that the $10 fee not be charged. (I may lose my high paying volunteer job over this).

Lincoln Monument along the Lincoln Highway in Wyoming

Sunday's events will highlight with the tour groups arriving from each coast at about 9 AM. If all the allocated spaces, down Central Ave are not filled with the tour groups, those registered will be able to park in the assigned space and show their cars during the day. The plan is to start the first block with the oldest cars, then go by 10 years newer for each of the next several blocks to the south. The Sunday events will center in the downtown area.

Monday's events will center at the Arch. Monday would be the best time for the Model T group to give short rides in the area of the arch. I understand that there will be a shuttle available to go from the Arch to downtown if you want to leave the T's at the arch. The new exit near the Arch may be open by the celebration date. It appears to get the most fun and enjoyment from this event, you should plan to attend both days.

If you have questions, contact either Ronnie O'Brien at the Arch

robrien@archway.org

or Sara Focke at the Kearney Visitors Bureau

stock@visitkearney.org

Hope to see some of you in 2013

Kermit Wilke

Online Deal

Remember everyone - we have a $19 New Members online special offer that kicks in March 1. You can "invite a friend," or pay for a friend to

join VMCCA Mar 1- Oct 1. I know we have some readers of The Touring Chronicle who are not yet members of VMCCA. Now is a great time to get on board at a very low cost. Check it out at http://www.vmcca.org/Registration/Registration4.htm

Whatsit?

Do you know what it is? See answer below.

53hudson

The VMCCA Page on Facebook!

Facebook has become an extremely popular social networking site, reportedly having more than 500,000,000 users. That is something like one in fifteen people on the planet! There is no doubt that it is a great tool for keeping in touch with people and organizations in a way that was undreamed of and impossible just a few short years ago.

I set up a page for us a few months ago and it is becoming more and more popular. It really is becoming a forum with many active contributors.

So join! Contribute! Make it a forum for all things VMCCA. Click on the "Find us on Facebook" box below. Then click Like!

Think That the Hybrid is a New Concept?

A Special World Premiere: Semper Vivus at the Geneva Motor Show 2011

Easy Engine Removal Demonstrated

FAILS WORLD - World's Fastest Engine Removal

World's Fastest Engine Removal - All these years we have been doing it wrong.

Photo Site - See Link in Quick Links

The Photo Site is one I created originally for my local chapter, although many VMCCA members from other areas now visit it. It covers all the local, regional, and national events that I attend. Obviously, I cannot attend everything but I would like this to become a site for photos from all our regions and chapters.

So, who has photos from any of this years tours? I would love to share them with everyone. Send them to me!

55Imperial Grill - 1955 Chrysler Imperial

Contact your editor with content ideas, feedback, or suggestions at holland@frii.com.

Dennis Holland

4200 Wellington Dr.

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Whatsit answer: 1953 Hudson