Model T Speedster vs Forest Service Road — Photos

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Model T Speedster vs Forest Service Road — Photos
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Bamford, Edmonton AB on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 03:35 am:

My good friend Jerry and I are driving from Edmonton AB to Leavenworth WA for the Northwest Vintage Speedsters' 31st Annual Labour Day 200 mile Endurance Run.

After all, what's the point of going on a 200 mile "endurance" run if you don't drive the better part of 850 miles just to get there?

Yesterday was a highway day and we made the 448 miles from Edmonton to Revelstoke BC — our cruising speed was 48-52 mph and we averaged a tidy 29 mpg (Canadian, which converts to 24 mpg US).

Today was different... although our paper maps indicated no road connection between Needles BC and Grand Forks BC, Google Maps did show a Forest Service Road connecting these two communities.

Never being one to shy away from gravel toads and always keen on the vintage motoring experience — in this case, bad roads, iffy maps and poor signage — we decided to give it a shot.

We left Needles in a thundering rain shower that let up a half hour later, and from then on it was four hours and 65 miles of some of the most challenging roads we have ever driven. Up, down, twisty, rough, wet, wildlife, you name it. We saw no other cars in the centre stretch of 35 or so miles.

What a great day! Our photos hardly do it justice, but here are a few anyway...

There's a reason our wives rarely travel with us:


We stopped counting after finding 130+ trees across the road:


The occasional sunshine was most welcome:


We overheated near the summit of a 2,000ft climb and refilled our water jug at a nearby stream:


Jerry gets the port roast ready for the manifold cooker at the halfway mark. The old Suburban behind is a sort of cooperative ambulance for forestry workers and left parked, unlocked and available, at a remote crossroads:


Most of the felled trees had been partially cleared by forestry workers on their way home from the job:


Can't get over it? Better go under!


Safe and snug for the night in Grand Forks:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 04:07 am:

Oh that looks like so much fun!
Thank you for sharing!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wes Nelson ........Bucyrus, MO on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 07:29 am:

What a great adventure! Thanks for sharing. Wish I had the nerve to do that.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 07:44 am:

I've never had port roast - do you put the port on the meat or in the cook?

Looks like a fun trip!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Val Soupios on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 04:24 pm:

Either way it winds up in the cook. I thought it was a roast from the left side of the cow!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 05:07 pm:

Chris,Thanks for sharing your odyssey with us! Great photo suite!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 05:33 pm:

that sign said: Road Deactivated. Were there any parts completely impassable?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary H. White - Sheridan, MI on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 05:40 pm:

Great adventure. Would have loved to have done such a trip. Don't understand the Canadian vs US MPG. Different gallon sizes, ie Imperial gallon vs US gallon?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 06:47 pm:

Hey Gary, the Imperial gallon has five quarts, go figure? So you should always get 25% better mileage with Canadian gas, unfortunately you tank will hold less, so actual distance per tank fill up is about the same.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary H. White - Sheridan, MI on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 07:39 pm:

Yeah. I remember the 5 quart Imperial gallon. Living next door to Canada have visited often. Used to have to take in the extra quart when figgering MPG. That was easier than converting liters and kilometers. Guess it's better than furlongs per fortnight.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Bamford, Edmonton AB on Friday, August 30, 2013 - 08:28 pm:

Thanks for all the comments — we sure had fun yesterday. And we were quite happy to stay on pavement all day today. We pulled into Leavenworth WA about an hour ago, 856 miles since Wednesday morning.

Royce: Oops

Val: Left side of the pig.

William: Yes and no... there were some areas of the road with fallen trees too big to drive over, but we could venture into the verge far enough to get around them. If we had been a couple hours earlier (before home-bound forestry workers cleared enough of the trees to get their pick-ups through) we would have been stymied in a dozen or more places.

Gary: The Canadian (and British) gallon is 20% larger than the US gallon.

Gustav: The Imperial Gallon is five of your quarts but four of ours — Imperial pints and quarts are 20% larger than the American versions.


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