Cross-country to the National...in a Hudson!
Here's one fearless pair of Hudsonites on their way to Spokane in their '51! It's Ted and Susan Steinmetz of New Jersey. Ted's an Eastern Region Director and a long-time Hudson enthusiast. They sent this photo from Juliet, Illinois on the 26th and by tonight (the 27th) hoped to have reached Omaha. Any of you Nebraska H-E-T'ers around Omaha who see Ted and Susan, cheer 'em on!
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Just what our Hudsons are meant to do- take us there and bring us home.
A Hudson was my everyday transport until 1990.0 -
They may give Walt and Margaret a run for the money this year in the long distance award!0
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Charlie Woodruff is driving his 51 Hornet from Schenectady, NY.0
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This just in--
The Steinmetzes reached Avoca, in western Iowa, this evening, just 46 miles short of the Nebraska border. They hope to be almost to Wyoming by tomorrow night.0 -
Ted and Susan write:
"Today [Wednesday] the '51 Hudson Commodore 6 easily passed through eternal farmland, cow pastures, corn fields, and the "wide open spaces" of the old Lincoln Highway (US route 30) and Interstate 80. We are now near the Nebraska - Wyoming border."0 -
At the rate that you are moving, you will most likely beat us there. Our group is starting in Park City, Utah with a dinner on Friday night. We will leave on Saturday Morning and drive to Missoula Montana for the evening. We plan to join up with a few other Hudson Nutz in Missoula and start out on Sunday morning driving into Spokane. Anyone out there that wants to join up with us are welcome..... There are about eight or ten of us depending on how you count?0
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Google Maps: Juliet > 401 miles > Avoca> 440 miles > Sidney
;):p
Jon B wrote:Ted and Susan write:
"Today [Wednesday] the '51 Hudson Commodore 6 easily passed through eternal farmland, cow pastures, corn fields, and the "wide open spaces" of the old Lincoln Highway (US route 30) and Interstate 80. We are now near the Nebraska - Wyoming border."0 -
VicTor Z wrote:Google Maps: Juliet > 401 miles > Avoca> 440 miles > Sidney;):p
Vic, turn around. Your going the wrong way!!! Spokane is north not south/west.
Sorry Vic, I couldn't resist. Have a good time. Lee0 -
Jon B wrote:Here's one fearless pair of Hudsonites on their way to Spokane in their '51! It's Ted and Susan Steinmetz of New Jersey. Ted's an Eastern Region Director and a long-time Hudson enthusiast. They sent this photo from Juliet, Illinois on the 26th and by tonight (the 27th) hoped to have reached Omaha. Any of you Nebraska H-E-T'ers around Omaha who see Ted and Susan, cheer 'em on!
About time some one else is driving their Hudson around the USA. Let's let someone else
Get to long distance trophy. I have trophies coming out my ears after 11years of driving coast to coast, so have to slow down, this trip is only 900 miles for me, then into Canada and maybe cross into the US in New York and start home from there. At 89 going on to 90, I think it's time to slow down, maybe. Walt.0 -
wow..... Walt, my hats off to you. I can only hope to be as fit and able as you at your age. I just turned 60 and can feel it....0
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Walt , Your an inspiration to us all... keep on keep'n on......0
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Ted and Susan had reached Wyoming by Thursday night. They wrote:
"Day number 5 and still alive! Today Susan and I drove the Hudson from western Nebraska to western Wyoming. We are in a town called Rock Springs for the night. It's sure the stereotypical wild wild west. The scenery changed almost suddenly from the farms of Nebraska to the rugged, otherworldly, spectacularly scenic Rocky Mountains. We lost track of time and went for five hours mesmerized by the view. We are constantly going between 60 and 65 MPH and didn't need air conditioning in the mountains today, especially after a 30 minute typhoon-like rain and windstorm on majestic Interstate 80.
I-80 follows for 1000 miles the route of the Lincoln Highway (Route US 30) and the old Oregon Trail of the pioneers long ago. We won't die of boredom."
Can you find the Hudson below....?0 -
By Friday night the Steinmetzes had reached Park City, Utah:
"Today was very scenic as we moved from Wyoming to Park City, Utah. Tonight we're staying at a luxurious ski area condo. The car is running fine and tonight we had a rendezvous with a large group of Hudsonites who are also Spokane bound. We met at the beautiful estate of Mike Cherry, Hudson Club national president, and enjoyed a barbeque and gab fest. Tomorrow, around 20 of us will be leaving at 7 AM for a 550 mile Hudson caravan to Missoula Montana. I'm delighted that there are several extremely competent mechanics on board and tons of spare Hudson parts. Two days to go before landing in Spokane for the week long national meet of us benign eccentric Hudson drivers.0 -
I see the front wing and rear windows are set to air conditioning mode.
BTW Walt, thanks for your great car prep article in the WTN.0 -
Jon B wrote:Ted and Susan had reached Wyoming by Thursday night. They wrote:
Can you find the Hudson below....?
Amazing how the Hudson stands out, even half-hidden behind the van.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
That looks like a great trip! Please keep the pictures coming.0
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Saturday's adventure: Ted writes:
This was the most grueling day of the adventure. We got up at 5:15 AM (even though I was awake since 3:30 with anticipation) in Park City, Utah. The only breakfast place open was 7 miles away, a McDonald's restaurant. ...We were able to dine, and then hook up with the 6 car Hudson caravan at Mike Cherry's (Hudson Club President and nice guy) house for the 7 AM departure. We arrived in Missoula Montana at 8 PM after a 550 mile trip through "separate but equal" National Geographic photo award scenery. Occasional stops for fuel, lunch, and "wee – weee" were therapeutic to the spinal muscles and discs. The weather was delightful, with windows closed and a morning start out temperature of 54 degrees. By noon it was 80 with low humidity. 30 miles from our destination, Missoula, Montana, our lead Hudson, Mike Cherry's, started to buck and slow down. We coasted into a lucky nearby parking area on Interstate 90 and our ace mechanic, Dr. Doug Wildrick, quickly fixed the fuel line problem and we were on our way. After an 11 hour sleep, Susan and I are enthused for the last leg, a short 200 mile final jaunt to Spokane, Washington for our week's stay at the national car club convention. Despite being on the board of directors, I'm still planning on copious diversional fun and pranks with friends, autos, and audio visual equipment. Thanks for the comments and there's more to come……I hope.
TOP PHOTO: Temporary slow-down
BOTTOM PHOTO: Nearing the Idaho Border0 -
That is some beautiful scenery out thru there. That's the route Cloyd Steiner and i took from Miles City, MT, to Spokane in 2001 for the National out there. Going thru Idaho there were a lot of burned over areas from recent forest fires, but it was still beautiful.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Ted writes:
"Greetings, internet fans of Susan and Ted. We made it! We've been comfortably entrenched in the Red Lion Hotel here in Spokane since Sunday at 1:45 PM. Our five-car caravan of Hudsons left Missoula Montana by midday Sunday and crossed the still spectacular scenic trail across the upper finger of Idaho and into Washington State. Charlie Nau joined us on Interstate 90 with his 1957 Hash and his wife pulling a trailer of 3 MORE 1957 and 1956 Hudsons. After a short while, his son and girlfriend in a "brand x" joined us and then shortly had a flat tire on Interstate 90. She had the emergency flashers on for a long time until we caught up to her and then after changing the tire, her battery was dead. Ted to the rescue. I'm the only one in the caravan with jumper cables! We got started and chugged into Spokane and our nice premium room. Since then, we've been having a great time meeting old friends and seeing vintage iron from the great Northwest. There are already around 70 Hudsons here, great weather, and a great underground air conditioned spacious flea market. My car is the dirtiest in the show, with genuine Jersey dirt as an epidermis. We've got a phenomenal hotel and an unforgettable adjacent environment of parks and attractions within walking distance. Others from the east in attendance are: Joe and Michiko Borgia, Charlie Woodruff from New York, Carmen LaFlamme, John Sherlock (by rumor), and a few others who
"chickened out" and flew in. Lots of stuff to do now: director's meetings, auctions, trips, (Susan went on a casino trip today and only lost $30!), and other things too boring to mention now. Bringing our Hudson home next week brings Apollo 13 to mind, I can't understand why."
Top photo: artsy shot of a moving truck hubcap
Middle photo: convoy pauses at rest stop
Bottom 2 photos: Hudson lineups at Spokane0 -
It is said getting there is half the fun. In this case it must mean getting back to New Joisey is going to be the other half of the fun!!! LOL
Love that "artsy" reflection picture. I caught one of those of the 1986 Monte Carlo I was driving reflected in a big plate glass store window in Cambridge, Ohio one time.
Safe trip home after the fun in Spokane.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0 -
Susan and Ted,
Glad your trip was both fun and trouble free. Maybe some day I'll be drivin' my Hudson next to ya across the country.0 -
Top photo: artsy shot of a moving truck hubcap
This Photo should/must be submited for the H E T Photo Contest, Great Photo!0 -
This has been great following this trip out west. Sure wish i was at the National this year but i will make the next two Nationals Lord willing. And you had to tease me with the pictures of the meet. Chuck G0
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Some of you might not remember, but Ted drove his Hudson to the 2008 National in MA. He got as far as Hartford, CT and broke down. Glad to hear that he made it all the way to Spokane.0
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Writes Ted (finally at rest in Spokane):
Hello friends and family. Today is Wednesday, August 4 and we're having fun here in the great northwest. The weather has been mostly sunny with low humidity and temperatures in the 50s (night) to 80s (day). I've been to several group formal meetings, some nice local restaurants, a great ice cream social last evening at the carousel area of the 1974 world's fair site, (there goes my "lose a pound per week" diet), and thoroughly enjoying the stunning vast acreage of beautiful parks and exhibits for all ages. There are about 100 Hudsons here and 450 club members too. It's great to reconnect with dozens of friends that we see only once a year or less.
Susan is at a quilting meeting with the HET club ladies right now and tonight there's a very entertaining parts auction in the hotel ballroom, of all places. Our meet has been covered on local TV and was a front page article in the Spokane newspaper today, the "Spokesman Review". Our car is still the dirtiest in the display but people are agog at the NJ license plate and are shocked that we drove it here, and didn't pull it on a trailer instead. I also picked up a water pump which I forgot to include in the emergency spare parts crate in the trunk. Now I need a fan belt too. I can probably get one at a local parts store since modern day tractors still use these size belts. There's more to come, a formal banquet on Friday, and the huge general membership meeting tomorrow. We'll be back on the road and headed east on Saturday morning. I'll resume the updates then.
Photos below:
Top: World's Largest Radio Flyer
Middle: Note protection against Hudson incontinence
Bottom: Proof of Hudson diversity at the National!0 -
BTW, Charlie Woodruff took the scenic route to pick up a few remaining states. His 51 Hornet has now been in all the lower 48. Quite impressive I'd say.0
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Ted and Susan are now headed back to New Jersey in their '51. Join us now as we hear of their adventures eastward in a 59-year-old car....
New Jersey or Bust!
The spectacular week long Hudson Essex Terraplane (HET) club 2010 National Meet ended on Friday with a great general membership meeting with the national officers and board of directors' panel. I played a minor role, being a "junior director from the East". The evening banquet was highly enjoyable and attracted well over 200 people.
Susan and I packed the car and left in a small caravan on Saturday morning at 6 AM. We followed former president Mike Cherry and his '49 Hudson Super Six and Don Plowman with his '47 Hudson pickup truck. This eye catching Hudson trio sailed eastward on I-90 and then at a breakfast stop, I started to hear a strange noise from our engine. It was a somewhat muted "machine gun flatulent robot" noise which Don and I thought was coming from the exhaust manifold. As we drove the next 100 miles, it got steadily louder and the car had lost some pep and could only "pop pop" up the steepest Rockies at 38 MPH in second gear. After Mike and Don headed south on I-15, Susan and I continued for 50 miles or so across Idaho's "upper finger" and then into Montana. I then stopped for gasoline and raised the hood. OH NO! One of the spark plugs (which embarrassingly, I hadn't changed since 1971), through advanced rust, had broken loose and was almost sideways in the engine block. The robotic noise was deafening and the compression was shooting out the hole. We had climbed those mountains on 5 cylinders! By PURE LUCK, a personable A++ HET club member, Doug Wildrick and his Dad, Jim, were only 5 miles behind us with their modern pickup truck loaded with Hudson parts and tools. They were on their way to Indiana from the show. "Thank Zeus" we left before them and the cell phone has been invented. Doug came to the rescue and found Susan and I at the truck stop rather dejected and nervous. We had to phone a professional welder for assistance since the spark plug's base was rusted into the engine block. After a 5 ½ hour ordeal of waiting for the welder and the patient wrenching skill of Mr. Wildrick, the problem was nearly solved. When the new plug was installed, there was a series of loud hammering from the engine. Metal fragments from the plug had dropped into the cylinder. Since I didn't have a head gasket with me, Doug's only recourse was a 45 minute tedious probing with a handmade metal device to try and catch the offending piece from around the intake and exhaust valves. We then had the welder supply us with an industrial strength blower hose to dislodge the metal fragments and have them land in some non-offensive area of the engine block. It was a success. We took off in a quiet running, more powerful Hudson for Bozeman, Montana and made it there just before sunset. Susan is convinced that we're in for another breakdown but I'm quite confident that we'll be back in New Jersey this Friday. Doug Wildrick was one of the most talented mechanics I've ever met and our hero of the trip. He's even called me a few times to see if things are OK. His website, for car hobbyists, is wildrickrestoration.com. Stay tuned for more of our summer adventure.
PHOTOS:
Top: "Oh NO! Indeed it is Apollo 13-ish!"
Middle: "Dr. Doug" arrives on the scene and opens his medical kit...
Bottom: This is what happens when you don't change a spark plug for 39 years....0 -
The Steinmetzes continue their adventure back to New Jersey....
"On Sunday, August 8, we spent a great day in the rejuvenated Hudson, crossing most of Montana. We covered a relatively short 285 miles from Bozeman to Miles City. Bozeman was having the busiest weekend of the year with rodeos, craft fairs, parades, and other big events. The motel was full. As we crossed the heart of the Rockies, we were taken by the majesty, ruggedness, beauty, variety, and sometimes "otherworldliness" of the terrain. Some spots could easily have been used as the set for the movie "Planet of the Apes". In the valleys and plains were constant "hay rolls" and grazing Black Angus and other cattle. National Geographic Magazine strikes again. Amazingly, there was even a trace of leftover snow here and there on ski trails and mountain tops. Our temperature was in the low 70s with low humidity until around 2 PM and the predicted overnight lows that week for Bozeman were in the UPPER 30s for two of the days. We rolled into Miles City around 3:30 PM. At that time, as we were unloading into the "Norman Bates" type of budget motel, I heard "HEY, TED!" There, in front of our car was Ken Poynter and Margarit from the HET club. They had taken the I-90 business loop and saw our Hudson. These cars are so rare that it's impossible to do anything sneaky while using them. They were taking the long way home in their modern Lincoln.
I was able to take a three mile walk but by then, it was 92 degrees and I decided to turn in for the evening and relax. It is noteworthy that another coincidence occurred during my walk. I discovered NINE junk Hudsons on a lot next to the motel. The owner's name and address was not in the membership roster, so now there's another crop of vintage iron for club members to investigate. I love to 'shake the grates", heh-heh!
Susan was asleep as usual and I (the night owl) was up reading, webbing, watching TV, and bathing until 12:30 or so. Susan was up early as usual and had everything organized for the day. I hibernated until 8:30 or so."
Photos --
Above: Bates Motel: Ken Poynter, Margarit and Susan
Below: Junk Hudsons0 -
yeah to Dr. Doug...... This Club is the Best..... Go Ted and Susan.... Hurray....0
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I wonder if those Hudsons are part of Cody Steiner's stash. He's the late Cloyd Steiners nephew and lives in Miles City - where Cloyd came from before he moved to Mississippi a few years back.
Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN0
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