Home Again

I left KC about 8 AM this morning, had a nice drive altho a bit boring, I35, 70 to 75 mph all the way. Drove into a strong headwind most of the day, kinda killed mileage.
I decided I would get gas in Des Moines, just outside of the city, I was in the hammer lane and the car stalled, I headed for the right side of the road to the breakdown lane, must have sloshed some gas to the pickup tube and it came back to life. Whew! I took the next exit, University Ave, I knew there was a station there from the summer trips, made it to the station and filled up with 13.4 gallons! I thought it was a 12 gal tank.
I arrived in St Cloud at 5 PM met Elvis for dinner and was home by 7, feels good.
This weekend we are taking the Deuce Delivery to Rochester area for Minnesota Hot Rod Hardware "last fling" on Saturday and then the Rochester club's fall run on Sunday. Should be a bice weekend and good fun. I think there will be 6 cars going from here.

Sunday

After coffee and visiting in the parkng lot Sunday morning, 7 deuces left to have lunch/breakfast at IHOP. After that it was off to Luckenbach Texas to find "Willie, Waylon and the boys", we found the boys but not Waylon and Willie. Luckenbach is a post office/gift shop with a bar in the back, right outside the bar is a stage for the boys to sing, pick and strum. We had a couple of beers and listened to the music, a great time. From there Charlie and I headed for his place the others headed their own directions. We had a nice drive home, had dinner with two friends in his town. The have a huge victorian house, a beautiful place. They repair and tune pipe organs for a job. Paul also sells old Ford parts. We solved the world problems with them and finally made it home about 10:30. A fun day and a short 280 miles thru the "hills of Texas".

!Monday night

I made it to Kansas City tonight, 560 miles. I stayed off I35 and took highway 69. A much better drive but took longer. I left Charlie's at 8:30 arrived on the north side Kansas City at 8 PM. Lots of 2 lane roads, small towns but so much better than just going 75 on I35!! It was quite warm today, I saw 90 on most of the bank signs, it was down to 70 by the time I got to KC.
I plan to leave about 7 AM and will take I35 for the last day of the drive.
If you want to see some great pictures of the show, go to www.jalopyjournal.com then click on HAMB message board, scroll down to find or use the search button with "deuce reunion" as the keywords. Casey took some great photos and posted there.
I am tired, time for bed. Dale

32 cd Annual Deuce Reunion

A beautiful day, sunny, warm, almost hot in the sun, mid 80's, clear blue sky, 125 deuces.....what a great day. I spent the day in the lot talking to deuce guys, sharing stories, looking at the cars, many really nice cars, no dogs anywhere.

Tonight was the banquet and awards. I won long distance and runner up "best sedan" (missed it by one vote!) Quite an honor, I am very pleased. There was a car from CA that also received a distance award, but his was trailered. I got a really neat homemade trophy, a 32 Texas license plate with a rusty tin roadster bolted to it, a little post with this year's dash plaque on it. It is really cool.I talked to the guy that made it tonight after dinner for quite a while. His son is an asst mgr for Walgreen's in Texas.

I made several new friends. I had a great day. Tomorrow we will head back to Ft Worth to spend the night at Charlies house and then head home Monday AM.

Made it to Kerrville

We left this morning for a short 20 miles drive to a small Texas town of Gainesbury where we had a coffee and met other cars. We left with 9 cars, 7 were Deuces. We took the 2 lane back roads west and south, a beautiful drive.
Had lunch at the famous Texas BarB Que spot called Coopers in Llano. It is a big building with several outdoor cookers, you pick the meat you want from ribs, brisket, pork, sausage, steak, chicken, they cut off a piece the size you want, flop it on a tray, next you take it inside, they weigh it and give you a price, then you add slaw,corn,potatoe salad, what ever you want, they give you a piece of wax paper for a plate, add beans and more BBQ sauce, find a spot to sit, there are many rows of picnic tables. On the tables are jars of peppers, loaves of bread and rolls of paper towels for napkins.............cool place. I told the guys that we had places just like this all over MN!! Awesome tasting food.
We arrived in Kerrville about 3 PM. On the way we drove by "Lady Bird Johnson Park" many beautiful houses and rolling Texas hills. There is not another state that has
" Texas pride" like this state. Texas flags flying, painted on walls, made into iron fences, on most business signs, really a cool state.
There are about 100 Deuces here already tonight, just wait untill Saturday. I have seen so many friends already. Three couples from Colorado that I see each year in CA are here again. Friends from all around Texas, good to see them all again. Many many NICE cars. Tommorow will be fun.Norm (I bought the 42 car from him),Casey,Scotz, Ronnie Smith, Glenn,Paul,all from TX, Jack from AZ...and more,good to see all of them.
More to come Saturday........................Dale

Ft Worth tonight

`I got up this morning, tightened the exhaust bolts, that helped a little. The gasket is gone. I stopped at Advance Auto, picked up 2 new gaskets. While I was there I noticed their tools were all on 65% off sale, they are changing brands. I needed a 3/8 drive swivel for the exhaust bolt so I bought that, a couple of screw drivers and a complete 3/8 drive set in a box, that was only $10, will be good to just leave in the Vicky for the trips. Made in China...but then everything is any way.
I was on the road by 9:15.....540 miles later was at Charlie's house.I arrived at 6:45 PM. He lives west of Ft Worth. It was a good drive, a little boring, straight down I35.
At the last gas stop, north of Ft Worth, a guy was pulling out to leave as I was turning in waved,.... I found out tonight that he will be driving with us in the morning. (He drove his tudor last year with us.) He called Charlie, said " I just saw a red Vicky at the gas station, Charlie says that must be Dale....I can't hide any where!!
I changed the gasket tonight, all better now, I hate that leaky noise!
I packed the back seat with some deuce club stuff that would not fit in Charlie's
3W, so we are set to go in the morning.
We will meet at 8:30 some others and head south to Kerrville. It will be a short and senic 300 miles.
I will post tomorrow when I get to Kerrville. I am tired, ready for bed.

Kansas City

Well I made it to Kansas City, about 2 hours later than planned but I am here. Just after I filled with gas in St Cloud, I noticed the ammeter was pegged at 30 and would not back off. I did some checking, found a loose ground cable, tightened that but did not help. I stopped in Becker, found a little repair shop, had him check the alternator and the battery, all was fine, he said just ignore the gauge. That's hard to do. I left and keep driving,then I discovered the fan oeveride switch was on, the fan was running, I shut it off and the amp gauge returned to 10 like it should. Then in about 30 miles it was back up to 30. The fan was on, would not stop, so I just unhooked the wires! The it went to 10 and stayed there. That whole episode go me behind a about 2 hours.
I called John when I hit KC, got directions to the bar, it was 5 exits before where I am staying...perefect. I drove in to a lot with several hot rods and customs. This is their weekly club meeting night, get together and have dinner and a beer. Saturday they are hosting a "Relibility tun" sort of a shop tour thing with a party at the end. Too bad I will be in Texas.
I developed an exhaust leak, I will check that in the morning, it was too hot tonight and then it go to dark, I am sure it is just a tighten the manifold bolts thing.
I might stop by John's shop in the morning before I leave, he owna an auto repair shop...Audi's only called Volkswerks.
As I drove by the town of Clear Lake, IA, the radio was playing a Buddy Holly song. Buddy died in Clear Lake in a plane crash in 1957.....spooky!
I will be in Ft Worth tomorrow night. Talk to you all then.

Deuces Limited "Deuce Reunion #32"

I will be leaving Wednesday morning about 8 AM for Kansas City, the first day out for the 'Deuce Reunion" in Kerrville, TX. I should be in KC by 5:30 or 6 PM. The weather show sunny and dry the whole way, that will be nice, I would rather not drive in rain even if I am going to be in a closed deuce.
I will blog tomorrow night after I make it there.

Deuces Limited "Deuce Reunion #32"