During my bachelor days I was an avid road-tripper, having college buddies in Boston, Washington and all points on the eastern seacoast, and I managed to put an amazing 160k on my 1990 Mustang, all before its 8th birthday. Then came out of town assignments which necessitated more road trips to Boston, Charlotte, and more exotic locales such as Nashville that brought the odometer to over 200k.
But those wandering days came to a bit of halt since my nuptials in 2001. Don’t get me wrong, I have not suddenly become an agoraphobic—it’s just that my gal, like many, prefers the relative speed and (in)convenience of air travel. Since I would be traveling to Tally alone and a car is absolutely necessary down here, I flipped a coin and to make a long story short, I eschewed an opportunity to get reacquainted w/ my old running mate (the Mustang) and decided to take my visually challenged, more economical ’93 Corolla instead. Better for keeping an eye peeled for old cars.
The Corolla came to us in 2010 when, in the midst of a daily 150 mile commute (and getting tired of paying Enterprise $700 for a monthly rental), I started looking for a dependable road warrior. Months earlier, I had turned over our ’04 Honda Accord coupe with 84k over to my sister figuring that the Mustang would still haul me locally—never envisioning a 150 mile daily commute! Luckily, my car guy Ira had this Corolla sitting in one of his bays. Days earlier his 18 yr. Old son had done something 18-year-olds are famous for and had lost his license. The son’s ill fortune was my good fortune; a super clean engine and a low 55k miles made the car a steal at $2.25k.
Having been assigned a long-term consultancy at a Florida State Agency, I quickly jumped on the idea of a road trip. Before setting out I decided to put the first bit of $$ into the car since its August 2010 purchase date. I threw on 4 new shoes, brake pads, determined that the timing belt was NOT original, changed the oil, and addressed a wonky brake light. I also studied the possibility of taking along our bulldog Rocco as a sort of ‘Travels with Charlie.’ He would be wonderful company and it would remove one item off my wife’s plate-however I quickly realized that once in Tallahassee he would be too lonely for my wife and daughter.
Finally, the jump off date: screwing up the courage to part with my 3-year-old daughter Gabriela was difficult and required that I drive her to preschool that one final time, so I didn’t hit the road until 11 am Monday. The route I chose was an alternative to the dependable-but-boring I95. Being a civil war buff, I was looking to check off a few items off my bucket list: the Gettysburg Battlefield and the Shenandoah Valley/Skyline Drive.
It was at the NJ/PA border in Phillipsburg that I realized that Ira had not addressed the simple matter of the speedo–at highway speed it registered 0. Fearing a speed trap, I ducked into the first Target I could locate & purchased (yes, I did it) a GPS, our family’s first!
Accompanied by the music of assorted 1970s Grateful Dead shows, I took Rt. 81 south, essentially taking Lee’s northernmost march in reverse: Hagerstown, Martinsburg, Winchester, Strasburg east on Rt. 66 to Front Royal, then south on county road 340 thru Compton, Big Spring, Springfield, Luray, Shenandoah and Elkton, all the way down to the mythical Skyline Drive.
Once I made my way down to Shenandoah National Park I was faced with the bad news that the Drive was closed for the season- despite the presence of a single snowflake since our fluky autumnal snow/ice storm. But it is on County Road 340 that one gets a full sense of the valley’s beauty and sparse population. The area is beautiful, and the approach to the National Park features exhilaratingly twisty roads (I missed my Mustang’s manual transmission and superior suspension!), lush valleys, gentle rolling hills, and quirky hamlets. The drive reminded me of a similar drive I undertook in Tennessee (Knoxville to Blue Ridge/Smoky Mtns.) back in 1999-2000.
As beautiful as the Shenandoah was, I think the Blue Ridge/Smokys were that much more intense. The valley was wider and flatter, but once the Mountains arrived they were more dramatic. I would love to revisit that NC/Tenn. border so I can share the experience with my wife as I found it difficult not to get emotional at the TN/NC (Ashville) border.
Back to the Shenandoah: The highlight of the drive was a lonely outpost in Elkton, VA.
Red’s Auto Sales is a site to behold for its sundry and eclectic selection of vehicles.
I dared not get out of the car to snap these pictures as the place had a foreboding air.
However, I literally jumped out of my skin thinking how the CC community will love a record of such a place-such is the ‘bug’ that Paul‘s site has inflected on its readers.
To wrap up a long story, the ol’ Corolla with the drab white paint and undistinguished steely tires made it through Virginia, the Carolinas, a pit stop in SW Georgia to kibbutz a few hours w/ my younger sis, and ultimately to Tallahassee in 36 hours. Approximately 1300 miles with a gas bill of $200.00. Didn’t quite make it to Gettysburg thou–I suspect it was a subconscious decision that‘ll force me return to this beautiful and unspoiled region someday.
I love stories like this! Back in my college days I had a couple of these, a stripper ’93 in red, and later a ’95 DX in Silver Taupe. The ’95 took me a lot of places. I made my first solo trip from FL to MI in it, as well as out to PA to look at a college with my best friend.
Road trips like these just gladden my heart. I really want to plan one again someday.
Some very interesting vehicles at Red’s. When I was in the U.S. Army in the early 1970’s, my division used to have manuvers in a God forsaken place called Camp AP Hill, VA. It was located near Fredericksburg and Port Royal, VA. As our Division General used to say, AP Hill was a great place to train for Vietnam. I guess, can’t say. Fortunately, I never got to Vietnam to find out.
The amazing thing was, that area was like going into the past. I remember seeing many cars from the 40’s and 50’s. Most in very nice condition. Like right out of American Graffiti. No road salt and easy winters kept these cars alive.
Used car lots in my area (Pittsburgh) in the late 70’s, used to advertise VA cars. I remember looking at a Chrysler Imperial, a 67 or 68. It had well over 100K miles, doors sagged, and the leather interior in tatters. The exterior (yellow) looked like new. The dealer wanted $ 600 for it. At that price, I’d buy all I could get. Cheers!
The stories those cars could tell…
Excellent story. In addtion to the CC connection, you also captured the experience of the solo road trip.
The picture with the 2 mailboxes reminded me of a trip back in ’91 from Chicago to the east coast.
Western PA just passing the Ohio border on eastbound I-80 with the January sun setting behind me, casting an red/orange glow on the mountains and Billy Joel’s instrumental “Mexican Connection” on the cassette. Best of all, in my ’90 Jetta GLI with the 16v engine and recaro seats. Sweet! (how did we set out alone without a phone??)
Funny how those snapshot moments stay with you.
Now, I can barely stay in a car more than 2 hours at a stretch. Bummer.
Your story brings to mind a solo roadtrip I took about 1988 from Indianapolis to Philadelphia to visit aging grandparents and other family members. The scenery on I-70 in Indiana and the western half of Ohio isn’t much, but this becomes a very scenic drive as you get east of Columbus. The best part was that I made the trip in my then-current daily driver: a 66 Plymouth Fury III. Other than the lack of low back support on that bench seat, it was one of the most pleasant drives I ever took. So, thank you for sharing your trip with us.
As for the cars, that Studebaker Lark was really clean. Funny how tall it looks when sitting next to the 66 Galaxie. My first car was a 67 Galaxie, so that red hardtop hits a chord with me. But I think my favorite of the bunch is the green and white 59 Ford Country Sedan. As long as it has the FE instead of the 292, I could be very happy with that one.
I grew up in the back seat of a 1966 VIP. Hated that car then but would gladly buy one today. sharp wheels yet not too ostentatious.
My folks, brother, sister, brother-in-law and I drove a Volvo XC90 and Jeep Patriot (we drove separately because my brother, sister and her husband were making several stops along the way) from NW Illinois to Tallulah Falls, GA in August of ’09 for a friend’s 60th birthday party. They were our neighbors at Lake Carroll and moved to Georgia in about 2007. It was a great trip, and the scenery past Nashville got better and better. We actually drove through the Nantahala National Forest for a while and got to watch all the people rafting within 50 feet of the car. It was also interesting to see the run-off roads in the mountains for trucks with brake failure. I wouldn’t want to find myself needing to use one of those.
All in all a great trip and I am so glad we didn’t fly!
Saw plenty of those ‘runaway truck ramps’ in Virginia. I’ve been to Tallulah Falls Ga. . My wife’s family has a summer ‘cottage’ in NW Ga. and I can attest to it’s natural beauty.
Run-off lanes are very common in the mountains of British Columbia, Soviet Canuckistan. Over the years, I have seen them used a couple of times. Not as common now as heavy trucks are subject to much more detailed safety inspections that they were in the past. Good thing, too.
When I see stories like this on CC, I realize more and more that barn finds (rust and stripped and all) are endless out there and if not rescued, at least can be appreciated via film recording. I’ve seen some places like this on the east coast but I don’t travel enough to see enough of them. I will always appreciate you guys who find your own little nuggets of auto nostalgia and have the sense enough to always carry a camera to record same. I must begin to join in with photographing these diamonds in the rough. All I need to do is carry a camera.
Thanks, Fastback.
Thanks, Fedup.
I left my digital camera for my wife to document my daughter’s escapades, I simply used my Blackberry’s camera and was surprised how detailed some of the snaps came out. I especially liked the shot w/ the mailboxes and the gently rolling hills. Those rolling hills took me back 150 years ago to JEB Stuart’s and the Army of N. Virgiinia’s heroics.
So, I”m proof that anyone can do it.
Some neat cars at Red’s. That orange truck in the carport looks like it started life as a ’49 Ford, but it’s hard to tell. The whole body may be a custom fiberglass shell.
That ’63 Studebaker Lark is my favorite.
I’m guessing the ’63 Lark is the “Lark Standard”. Nice Brooks Stevens roofline. I like late Studes. Classmate in USCG RM “A” school fm SoCal had a very nice ’63 Daytona – 289 4bbl four-speed with the roll back, canvas sunroof. White with blue pleated seats and door panels. Very nice – quick, too!!
Small world, I did stop at Red’s back in June 2010. I live on the east side of the Blue Ridge, in Albemarle County (Charlottesville), VA. We were heading for Weems Bottom Covered Bridge and passed this place on US Route 211 just west of New Market. It was a very hot Saturday, and Red’s was closed. So I got out and snapped some photos. I see his collection has grown quite a bit, but the ’57 Chevy shell, ’38 or so Buick, ’53 or ’54 customized green and white Plymouth, and ’59 Ford wagon are still there. (The wagon’s been moved; it was right beside the building at the time.)
Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are not closed all winter, but rather only when snow or ice coats the roads (even small amounts). We were up on Skyline Drive today.
Damn….
I Got thru the front entrance of the National Pk & and up the hill about 1/4 mile at the first intersection there was a barricade indicating it was closed. drat. It wasn’t even less than 55 degrees and I thought it odd…. it was nearly 5:30 and somewhat dusk — would that have played a role???
At that point I had little choice but to double back to not lose too much time.
that austin fx4[london taxi cab ]is a long way from home
I did a double take when I saw that familiar shape! Strange place for a London Black Taxi indeed.
The “Goodwill Used Cars” sign indicates that Red’s used to be a Pontiac dealer — unless they just acquired the sign from one and moved it there.
No, MH… that’s misleading.and 210Delray can attest to this: Red’s is independent. The old fashioned Pontiac sign belongs to another, more conventional car saleslot on my trip.
Certainly, located within the general area, but not Red’s.
One of my closest friends got a then 8 year old 1996 Corolla when we were seniors in high school. We lived in the Virginia piedmont, Danville, to be precise — the last capital of the confederacy, in keeping with your civil war theme.
Her father, however, lives about 45 miles away going closer into the mountains. I, personally, always enjoyed driving her little Corolla through the twisty, curvy, hilly roads to her house. Granted, when I got my 97 Integra a few years later, we both agreed that was the most fun.
Still, your pictures take me back to my senior year in high school and early college years riding in/driving the little Corolla out on the scenic country roads to pick up her dad’s truck or go see her horse.
Ahhh, memories….
Wow, what a collection at Red’s! What’s the maroon car beside the Chevy wagon?
It may be a coincidence, but Studebaker Lark (and GT Hawk) always remind me of Mercedes cars, especially that grille. Is there a conscious `inspiration’ here?