Sunday August 13, 2017 was a very busy day, I ran a tour for the Central New Hampshire Model T Club, “the Granite T’ers” to Walpole, New Hampshire. It was over 120 miles round trip. We ended up with 13 cars (9 Model Ts, 3 Model As and 1 modern), a great turnout for our club.
At the last directors meeting we talked about inviting other local Model T & A club members to join our tours and I am very happy to say that we enjoyed 3 Model A cars and their six members on this tour.
I called it the Burdick’s Chocolate & Walpole Creamery Tour, but I should have named it the “Iron Butt”, “See if you can Catch Me Tour”! I did a lot of waiting for everyone to catch up with me, which is normal when lending a large group of vehicles over back, very hilly and dirt roads in a Model T (all newer cars were asked to follow in the back). Thank you, to Karen & Dave Dufault for running in the tail gunners place, with your 4-way flashers on, providing some much-needed safety. I also had the advantage of running these routes several times over the last 2 weeks, so knew when the steep uphill grades were coming and could get up some much-needed speed, before starting up them. Please note: I did tell the group before we got started that “what goes up, must come down”. So, it also could have been called the “Be sure to check your brakes and adjust your bands, before starting on this tour”.
It was a very successful day; the weather was perfect and we all had a wonderful time.
The tour started at Page’s Corner Store in Dunbarton, New Hampshire and went to Walpole via all back roads (as stated many were dirt and all were very hilly) and back to Page’s. Paul LeBlanc said, “I think it holds the record for most miles traveled over dirt roads”. Another member (who shall remain anonymous) when he heard Paul’s statement said, “it’s the first time we ever drove on a AMC club hiking trail, while on tour”. To be honest it was a little narrow, but we did meet another vehicle coming from the opposite direction. So, I maintain that constitutes a road, even if you can’t find it on your map!
Thank you, to all those who helped by participating to make this tour a great success. One of the most enjoyable parts of my day was at the Walpole Creamery, when club members Peter Hubrich and his wife came down from Wilder, VT to visit with me and see Seabiscuit my 1926 Model T coupe, that I had purchased from him in July 2014.
Happy motoring,
Warren
I do someday want to get up to maine/nh area it’s just the most perfect new england driving and so much to see! Thanks for sharing, maybe next year?
