The American Dream

Every time we turn on the TV these days, there seems to be some kind of new crisis. Wars overseas, soaring gas prices, political turmoil, and more can often make it seem like the world is in chaos, which is why it felt so darn good to pound a little pavement on the '03 Americruise East. There's nothing quite like having the wind in your hair, the sun at your back, and the sight of a few dozen gleaming rods and customs snaking around the bend to remind you how great this country truly is. After touring through six states in five days on some of prettiest backroads and turnpikes this land has to offer, we can safely say that the inaugural Eastern tour was a success.

Since 2003 marked the 10th Anniversary of Americruise, which historically has ended up in a central location like Lincoln, Nebraska, the powers that be here at R&C headquarters decided to double everyone's fun and create a second tour, which would kick off in the Lone Star State in San Antonio and head east, through the Deep South, and end up in beautiful Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Jack Chisenhall and Rick Love of Vintage Air agreed to lead the tour (two out of four R&C editors are directionally challenged), and more than 50 cars were originally signed up for the two-lane chingo. It seems word caught on a little faster than anticipated, however, as a flood of people showed up at the Vintage Air kickoff party on Saturday, August 9th, hoping to sign on at the last minute. Our publisher extraordinaire De Ette Crow (who helped start this crazy event in the first place) got things handled, and by the end of the evening everyone was enjoying the great tunes and cool rods that permeated the party.

The next morning things kicked off early with a pre-trip drivers' meeting, where our faithful leader Rick Love explained the route ahead before hopping in his flamed blue Ford and hitting the highway. If you somehow got the idea that this is some kind of leisurely stroll through the countryside, think again. Speeds averaged over 70 mph, with a few of the participants upping the stakes quite a bit higher. In fact, that first day on our way to the lunch stop at So-Cal Speed Shop Texas, just outside Houston, a certain blown Willys and his orange highboy driving buddy were snagged by the smokies traveling well into the triple digits.

After scoping out some super-sano rods at the newest So-Cal Speed Shop, the group continued east to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where we spent the night at the Isle of Capri hotel, situated next to a giant riverboat loaded with slot machines and gaming tables. Apparently, in Louisiana gambling is only legal on riverboats, which made for an entertaining evening. It should be noted here that yours truly was driving the recently completed Real Hot Rod, which had approximately 20 miles on it before leaving for the tour. Things went smoothly that first day, until we pulled into the hotel parking lot where the shifter came off in my hand. After half an hour of thrashing in the Louisiana heat, things were buttoned back up with the help of Jim Rizzo and famed rod builder Roy Brizio, and your now-humble tech editor learned a valuable lesson about using Loctite on everything.

We awoke on a steaming Monday morning and headed off toward our lunch stop in Baton Rouge, hitting a few serious storm cells along the way. This was the first heavy rain of the trip, but certainly not the last. At one point the route took us over an elevated highway that spanned over 50 miles of bayou marshland, and it was without question a gorgeous and eerie sight. After arriving in Baton Rouge, the entire group took a tour of the USS Kidd, a retired Fletcher class destroyer moored on the Mississippi, that is available for tours. After inspecting the small, dank quarters where many men had to spend their nights during the heat of war, all agreed that the upholstery-lined cockpit of a street rod looks downright luxurious. After scoping out the Kidd and munching down piles of gourmet Southern cookin', the group continued east on its trek toward the night stop in Meridian, Mississippi. Along the way we lost a few participants who had to get back to the realities of work and school but picked up quite a few more at each fuel and food stop. We also noticed dozens of bystanders waiting at freeway overpasses and turnouts to get a glimpse of what has become an incredibly rare sight: a mile-long snake of brightly colored hot rods screaming down the highway in a search for fun and freedom.

The next morning after the drivers' meeting, the majority of the Americruisers headed off toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the folks at Coker Tire were waiting with a full tour of their amazing facilities, box lunches for all, and a quick glimpse at Corky Coker's astounding collection of old iron. The "roadster gang," consisting of Jim Rizzo in the So-Cal Speed Shop roadster, Roy Brizio in the R&C 50th Anniversary Deuce, and Ray Lark in his gorgeous orange '33 roadster agreed to stay behind when the new-car gremlins cropped up once again in the form of a sticky kingpin on this author's '28 Lakes Modified. A quick trip to Wal-Mart for a grease gun and a sweaty 90 minutes later and we were on the road chasing the group and having a great time doing it. Day Three of the tour ended with a party at Lokar in Knoxville, Tennessee, where company owners Skip and Debbie Walls, along with VP Rick Craze, were gracious enough to not only put on a full spread for the Americruisers but open up their shop for quick maintenance and repairs as well.

The following day was one of the shortest driving days of the trip, with the route taking us north as well as east. After leaving Knoxville, the group headed into Virginia, where we were treated to the sight of gorgeous rolling green hills and clear skies, as well as slightly more tolerable weather for the open-air gang. That afternoon the citizens of Harrisonburg, Virginia, welcomed the group into town with a car show at the local mall, hosted by the local car club Valley Cruisers. After a great evening of Southern hospitality and cool cars, everyone hit the sack early in preparation for the final day of driving. Day Five, the home stretch, was also one of the most interesting. A quick jaunt north landed the tour in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, where Ken "Posies" Fenical opened up the doors to his laboratory and let everyone take a gander at the latest doings in his style-conscious rod shop. Many of Posies' wild rides were on display, and after a lengthy tour the group headed over to a '50s-themed diner, called The Soda Jerk, for lunch. The final stop on the tour was just up the road in Hershey, where the Antique Automobile Club of America recently opened an enormous museum dedicated to the preservation of the rolling art form we all know and love. A few participants (myself included) also elected to head across the street to the Hershey Chocolate complex, which houses not only the factory but a complete facilities tour and chocolate-themed amusement park as well. Finally, a scenic two-hour drive north landed us in Danville, which played host to the Americruise participants while the show kicked off up the road in Bloomsburg.

The actual Americruise East show that took place in historic Bloomsburg was a load of fun for all involved, and while the focus of this event was the drive, kicking back at the lush fairgrounds was a great way to unwind after five solid days of hard driving. The people of Bloomsburg welcomed Americruisers into town as if we were celebrities, even coming out for a parade prior to the opening of the show.

All in all, the inaugural Americruise East was considered a fantastic success. Killer cars, wonderful people, and some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country helped make memories and form friendships that will last for years. If any of this sounds good to you, follow our lead and go for a road trip. Enjoy your rod or custom by wringing it out on the blacktop. Better yet, look for upcoming details on 2004's events and join us!