Trails, Tales and T’s

MTFCI 53^rd National Tour

Johnson City, TN

July 20-24, 2009

 

We have been lifetime members of the MTFCI for a few years, however this was our first tour with the club.

It won’t be our last!  We had a great time and met lots of new friends!

The scenery of upper Eastern Tennessee is spectacular and the friendliness of the people heartwarming.  The tour started on Sunday, June 19^th in Johnson City, TN, about 1,000 miles from our home in Bryan/College Station, TX.  We checked into the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, checked in for the tour, got our registration packet and headed to the parking lot, of course.

 

Monday, June 20^th

Blountville / Bluff City / Bristol / Rocky Mount State Park

The tour started out a little damp, but coming from Texas the change in weather and the green landscape was a welcome sight.  We drove through the lush hills of eastern Tennessee to our morning break at Countryside Vineyards & Winery.  As always it is nice to see the cars all together.  After a short stop we continued on to the beautiful Steele Creek Park which overlooked the Tennessee River Valley where we had a Bar-B-Q Picnic lunch.  Then on to Bristol Motor Speedway and drag strip for some fun on the track.

 

Luke Cordes ready to go touring with his speedster!  ~  Me, Jennifer Lilleker and my dog, Jazz, enjoying the fresh TN air.

At Countryside Vineyards and Winery.  ~  The grapes growing and the T’s going.

There were many lovely Brass era cars.  ~  Ross and the dogs at Steel Creek Park.

                The T’s entering Bristol Motor Speedway.  ~  Lined up at the finish line at Bristol Motor Speedway.

       

All the T’s on the race track.  ~  Brent Terry and family running a lap at Bristol. 

Trying to exit the track was pretty hard.  The gradient was 30-35%!

 

Tuesday, June 21^st

Watauga / Piney Flats / Boone Lake

Today started out with a short jaunt over to the Johnson City Mall where all of the cars lined up by class and year for a little car show.  Those cars that wanted to, participated in a judging event and the rest of us enjoyed looking at all the cars and socializing.  After lunch we took off to the Rocky Mount historical site and the Cobb-Massengill House.  The visitor’s center opened to the public in 1962 and includes a museum, movie and gift shop as well several restored log cabins around the farmstead.  The living history part included live demonstrations by characters dressed in era fashion of the late 1700’s.  They demonstrated crafts, farming and gardening as well as the general lifestyle of the late 1700’s.   After ice cream and drinks we had a short drive back to the hotel for the Hill Billy Hoedown.

 

The Brass car line up at the car show at the mall.  ~  Ross, was asked to help judge the ’09-11 chassis frames.

        Some people displayed era tool kits with their cars.  ~ My favorite car, a 1911 Tourpedo                         

One of the cabins at Rocky Mount historical site.          ~  The cars at Rocky Mount.                       

Back at the hotel socializing in the parking lot.  ~  Jeff Cordes and Mike McDonald at the trouble tent.     ~  Ross and Luke repairing a cylinder head gasket leak.

             

The hoedown in the parking lot was great fun for all.  They all kind of activities for the kids like donut-on-a-string eating competition and toilet seat toss (around a rear axle casing).

 

 

Wednesday, June 22^nd

Jonesborough, TN / Davy Crockett’s Birthplace / Awards Banquet & Fashion Show and Youth Auction

Brent Terry and his family did a wonderful job organizing this tour and we could tell by how exhausted we were that they had packed everything in that they could.  Wednesday began with a short drive to Jonesborough, Tennessee’s first town, founded in 1779.  We were treated to a story telling session and some time to explore the downtown’s many shops and cafes.  Then off to Davy Crockett’s Birthplace and lunch.  After lunch was my favorite stop, the Walnut Ridge Llama Farm.  I was so enthusiastic about the llamas, that I forgot to take pictures.  I’ll just say there were really cute and I need one on my farm.  Ross, drug me away from there to get back to the hotel in time for the fashion show and youth auction.  Tour participants dressed up in their finest vintage repro and original clothes for the rest of us to enjoy.  Then items that were generously donated were auctioned off in a live auction to benefit the youth scholarship fund.  Ross and I ended up with a few items and the whole event seemed very successful.

       

Downtown Jonesborough.  ~  Our story teller.                                    

Davie Crockett’s birthplace cabin.  ~  Our dogs were “dog tired”!

The snack truck was always there to provide drinks and goodies.

                                      

Models of all ages, shapes and sizes donned their vintage clothes for all to enjoy.

 

 

Thursday, June 23^rd

Sycamore Shoals State Park / Roan Mountain State Park / Watauga Dam Lookout / Snap-on Tools’ Factory

Thursday we traveled to Sycamore Shoals State Park for our morning break.  Tennessee’s natural beauty is unsurpassed and really breath-taking.  We were lucky to have great weather and temperatures the whole week so that we could enjoy the views.  We then stopped at Snap On Tools for a factory tour and a look at their restored 1923 Delivery Truck.  After lunch at Roan Mountain we traveled through the farm lands where every once in a while we would pass a century farm, a farm that was still operating in the same family for over 100 years.  Then we were on to Wilbur Dam, where we stretched our legs on a small walk to the look-out.  We were back in at the hotel a bit earlier so that we all could rest and tinker on cars.

       

Our group from Texas at the Dam look out and walk.  1^st picture from the left: Jeff, Bob, Ross, Luke, Jennifer, Rachel, Michael and the dogs.

       

Some of the T’s lined up at the Dam look-out.             The Snap-on 1923 Sales Truck

A factory worker at Snap-on.  ~  Molds/Dies for a Snap-on Wrench.  ~  Rough wrenches ready to be finished.

      

The biggest wrench I’ve ever seen!

                       

Friday, June 24^th

Erwin / Embreeville / Cherokee National Forest

Our last day on tour began after a short ride with a stop to Mountain View Bulk Foods Store an Amish/Mennonite run store that offers many home-made crafts and foods.  After loading up on goodies we traveled on to Erwin for lunch.  The route had a lot of miles to cover and a lot of turns and instructions in those miles, so we were glad for a break by lunch.  The highlight of the day was the Hutchin’s farm which is home to the East Tennessee Antique Engine Associations Crank-up Show.  This club has many prized engines from small to a very large engine.  They had most of them going for our enjoyment.  Needless to say it was loud and steamy.  We finished up the tour with a wonderful banquet where they awareded the Stynoski award for the year.  We said goodbye to our newly made friends and those others we won’t see for a while and loaded our cars for home.  The whole week was excellent and we can’t wait to join this group in Rapid City, SD next year.

Hanging out at the Amish store.  ~  The grounds of the steam engine show.

A small engine at work.  ~   The biggest engine at work.

Our cars from Texas lined up before we load to go home.  ~  Our hosts, the Terry’s: Brent, BreAnna, Penny and Blake

        

Bob Miller and I at the banquet.  ~   Ross and I all dressed up