Photo courtesy of Jeff Mahl
The LARC participants assemble the night before departure

Friday, Oct. 17, 2008-From Judi Quan-Rizzuto:

The Rizzutos are in East Rutherford getting ready for tomorrow. The trip east was 12 hours on the road, but we made it without major incident – just a torn Chevy cover, replace by one covering just the ragtop, below freezing temperatures in Wells, NV and Cheyenne, WY, lot’sa of rain from Nebraska east.

Ray’s car has just been picked up. Brian Perry’s will be delayed and will play catch up in a day or two. We will know tonight the actual number leaving Times Square. As of yesterday, it was 13 vehicles, but obvious that has changed with a delay in the 1940 Cadillac.

Leave to Luke – his old Chevy is parked under the hotel veranda with the banner showing loud and clear. There’s also a banner wrapped around one the hotel lobby columns. Tomorrow looks good and we should be on our way to the Briarcliff 100th birthday parade. Target – a very long drive to Utica and the Best Western.

Fri., Oct. 17 - (as relayed to Joan-E by Al Nagle)

A Special Treat
David McDougal and business partner, Mark, hosted a media event at the Premises of Davidoff of Geneva Cigar Emporium on Madison Ave. in NY City, A small group of LARC participants were invited to attend. The group included Luke in his 1918 Chevy, Jeff Mahl, Ray Fowler in his 1930 Chevy Speedster, affectionately dubbed “Sparky”, Patrick McKenna, a friend of Ray’s and his navigator for the first half of the event, Alan Nagle of Dublin, Ireland, Ray’s navigator for the second half of the race, and Judi Quan-Rizzuto, all dressed in period costume. Hosts Mark & David, owners of Montague Luxuries, commissioned a solid silver pen that depicts the 3 cars that participated in the Great Race of 1908…the 1907 Thomas Flyer, the 1907 Italian Züst and the 1907 German-built Protost...the only 3 cars that made it to the finish line in Paris.Cars parked outside on Madison Ave. attracted the attention of passers-by, curious as to what the assemblage was about. The LARC five provided accounts of the orignal race, had their photos taken, creating a jovial atmosphere

That evening, McDougal arranged for a police escort for the 1918 Chevy and Ray's Chevy Speedster from Madison Ave to the opening of the Lincoln tunnel, complete with flashing lights. The sight of such a unique cavalcade passing through their city brought great amusement to shocked onlookers and elicited spontaneous greetings and smiles.

Joan-E Rizzuto (back at home, anxiously awaiting some pictures to post)

Oct. 20-Though the race has begun, it seems that the group has been so well-received throughout the first 3 days of the journey, no one has been able to send the promised on-the-road pictures of their adventure. So far, they've enjoyed police escorts in Times Square, a celebratory breakfast, a parade, and an honorary dinner in Buffalo. Luke assures me that photos will be forthcoming tonight if they have decent internet access.

He reports that he's overwhelmed by how warmly the group has been greeted as they make their way across the state of New York. His 1918 has been having some oil pressure problems, which means his pride and joy has had to be trailered the last couple of days. A call to Fresno to consult with the mechanic was in order. As soon as they get to town tonight, he'll put on his mechanic hat and see what can be done. Luke reports that enthusiasm for his car, running or not, remains high...but we all know how much he'd love to get those skinny tires back on the road.

I'm scrambling to get loose ends tied up here at home with my clients so I can leave with a clear conscience this coming Sat., joining the race-in-progress in Omaha, NE. I'll have my computer with me to keep the web site updated with new pics from the road. As long as there's decent internet service, I should be able to post daily updates.

Hope you all will bear with us while we iron out the wrinkles, and come back for future updates.

Oct. 21-Joan-E Rizzuto-Pictures and stories, at last.
I finally get to speak with Alan Nagle, riding with Luke, who's kept a detailed journal. Thanks, Alan for all the updates. And thanks to the rest of you who sent the photos. Happy Trails.

Oct. 24-Cadillac woes! submitted by Judi Quan-Rizzuto

Picture this: A beautiful 1940 fixer-upper Cadillac bought, sight unseen in a small Michigan community by a California couple, Brian & Melinda. It barely gets out of the starting gate when the rusty brakes freeze. Small communities aren’t necessarily available for service work on the weekends so a rental car is in order to join the group in Peekskill, NY on Day 1. Somehow the Cadillac is delivered to Cleveland, Day 3. The couple now have to deliver their rental car back to Michigan, then rent another car to drive to Indiana. The Caddy is then trailered to Kendallville, IN, Day 4. Somewhere 100 miles east of Kendallville, the hood is lost, nicking the Thomas Flyer secured behind it on the same trailer. The trailered Cadillac continues westward to Aurora, IL, day 5. Meanwhile, Brian & Melinda have returned the rental to South Bend, IN, but their Caddy has moved ahead independently of the core group. They ride on the beds of the camper van sans seat belts to Aurora. A first – both the 1918 V-8 Chevy and the 1940 hoodless Cadillac join the oldies ('30 Chrysler, '67 VW, et al.) for the 55 minute, 15 mile trip to a warm Geneva, IL reception on Day 6. The rains come! After a lunch break in Clinton, IA

the couple find the Caddy unable to start. The rains are still coming. A bright blue tarp is draped over the engine providing a modicum of protection from the rains. More rain. Joe and company push the car away from the more crowded parking area and strap it to the receiver of our camper van. Harry in his bright red jacket stands on the van bumper holding on to the television pole acts as the go-between the Caddy and Joe, who is driving the van around the parking lot. Success-it starts! NOW! Where else would you find a bright blue hooded 1940 black Cadillac towed by a Roadtrek camper van with a guy in a bright red jacket yelling “OKAY, OKAY” going round and round in a Walmart parking lot on a rainy afternoon? What am I doing in all this fray? Catching up on my reading in the Natural History magazine with the “March of the Caterpillars”! p.s. We have hit our target destination since Times Square and that is no easy feat, considering we are moving along at about 35mph. The first night was a bleary 10:30 pm arrival in Utica. Every day since, it has been a little bit better. Wait 'till we hit the Rockies! The Trek is leading the pack.

Oct. 24-Omaha, here I come!-submitted by Joan-E Rizzuto
At the time of this entry, I am not packed and ready to go, but by midnight tonight, I will be. It's been more difficult than anticipated to get an accurate account of all the events remotely, so I'll soon get to report, firsthand, on each day's events, posting new pictures and filling in the blanks. I'll arrive in Omaha and hitch a ride to the motel to meet up with the caravan. Can't wait to greet Luke and all of the folks I've heard so much about. As busy as I've been trying to tie up loose ends at home, I've missed him terribly. It's way too quiet and dull around here without him.

Keep checking back. As long as there's an internet connection, I'll be making regular updates. Stay tuned...

Oct. 25-Omaha, here I am!-submitted by Joan-E Rizzuto
I arrived just about an hour ahead of the caravan, so I sat and read a book until Luke picked me up at the airport in Omaha.

When we arrived at the Suites where everyone was staying that night, I quickly got acquainted with the core group of drivers in the LARC. The party was split between the parking lot where the tools were out and the hoods were up, and the kitchen of Ray, Pat and Alan. Apparently, this had been one tough day on the road...full of breakdowns. You wouldn't know it by the jovial mood. This is considered the norm for a cross-country tour.

Ray made a snap decision to treat the whole gang to a home cooked meal, and since I was one of the few people with no tasks to attend to, was comandeered to accompany Ray and Klaus to the nearest grocery store for a wine, beer, food & ambience run. With fixin's in hand, we pulled together a tasty meal that served about 16 of us. With a fire burning in the fireplace, a slideshow on the computer, and plenty of spirits, no one could have asked for a better welcome.

Alan Nagle (from Dublin) and Joan-E trying to catch up

Nov. 2-Wendover, UT-Getting down to business, finally! submitted by Joan-E Rizzuto
Here we are, at left, about 10 days into the event, with web postings lagging behind. Between having no reports or photos for the first week (now I see, firsthand why) and keeping up with the breakdowns, repairs, side-trips, laundry, happy hour, meals, etc., there seems to be little time to gather the facts and photos and get the web site properly updated. I'd intended to spend a good couple hours each night doing so, but I'm finding that a difficult task. So I'll just do the best I can with the time I have. Eventually the story will unfold and you will all get a better picture of our cross-country adventures.

If all goes as planned, tonight I'll have time in Ely for updates.

Gotta scoot! It's time to leave for Ely in the pouring rain.

(Post-Race) Nov. 11-Reflections on the last leg of the LARC, submitted by Jeff Mahl

San Francisco Here We Come! The next leg….

To get a sense of what it must have been like in this part of the world during the 1908 New York to Paris Race, one only need experience western towns like Tonopah, or Goldfield NV. Many of the original buildings still stand, and certainly the hospitality of the townspeople has remained as warm and genuine as it was 100 years ago. That experience was further reinforced at a place called Twin Springs Ranch, about 70 miles north of Tonopah which was a pivotal moment March 19, 1908. The Thomas Flyer became mired in crossing the creek bed, stripping 6 teeth from the pinion gear becoming helpless and sinking slowly in the quicksand. A fact I can attest to, having sunk to my waist while trying to cross the stream myself.

One hundred years later we were at that very creek bed, searching for the original crossing. Local historian Jeanne Howerton had been in contact with Twin Springs Ranch owner Joe Fallini, who had a sense of where the original crossing may have been. Armed with photos taken that fateful March day, we located the exact spot where the Flyer met with calamity. George Schuster, who was in charge of the Flyer knew of some Thomas autos which had been sold to local residents in Tonopah some 70 miles distant.  He hired a bronco and started to ride in the direction of Town. At about 2 AM he came to a place called Stone Cabin. A century later we came upon the formidable structure still standing, built into a rock outcropping. It was easy to visualize the encounter with the woman resident, who threatened to shoot if Great Gramp attempted to come into the house. Ultimately, the necessary part was located from a willing local doctor’s auto, and once again the Flyer was on its way to Paris.

Tonopah today has the character of the mining town it was in 1908. The residents with a strong sense of history and tradition offered a warm welcome, much as they did the morning of March 20, 1908. The cars were gathered in front of what was the former bank building for a photo in the same style as had been taken when the Thomas Flyer first entered town. Proceeding to Goldfield, we found the hotel which was obviously a grand structure in 1908. The local residents gathered in period dress for a classic photo and we continued south to the ghost town of Rhyolite, NV. As we circled a once magnificent rail station which sat abandon in the trackless desert, it reminded us of the boom town of 10,000 which once surrounded the imposing structure. Then, it was on to Death Valley.

The descent into what is now a National Park was inspiring as well as menacing; with the exact vistas that Great Gramp would have seen. Even today, crossing Death Valley is far from a joy ride. At one point, a historic maker near Ballorat, CA noted the passing of the Thomas Flyer and her crew at 3 AM March 21, 1908. Steep grades and overheating were a problem for our vehicles, both vintage as well as those with a century of advanced technology under their hoods.

Passing the Searls Borax Lake, the log Great Gramp wrote during the Race still matched in many respects what we were seeing on our journey. Finally, the lights of Bakersfield came into view and we knew that day’s passage had come to an end.  From there was the trip to Fresno. While the scenery was likely similar in many respects, the traffic was not. Motorist today have little concept of the capabilities (or lack of as in the case of breaking or speed) vintage cars have.  As a result, impatience took over and one driver thought he would make a point by passing the 1930 speedster, then jamming on his breaks as he cut back in. A potentially lethal situation was avoided, when the disgruntled driver then stepped on his accelerator and disappeared into the distance. 

Bakersfield was a Kodak moment with the clock tower that stood much as it did in 1908. The media made note of that fact, as well as reference to other local structures now long gone. It was apparent that the anticipation of reaching San Francisco was now building in the 2008 participants. The long journey across America had its trials and tribulations, but those faded as the exuberance of what they were about to accomplish became clearer.

It is easy to now see why the 1908 Italian Züst Team found the California landscape so appealing, after weeks of crossing the frozen or muddy North American continent. The lush fields, vineyards and groves which extend for miles were not only beautiful but refreshing after the relatively stark landscape of the territories east of the Rockies. The young Italian lads also found the American women much to their liking, as well as the climate. They found themselves tempted to quit the Race to Paris, and spend the rest of their lives right here in California.

Coming into San Francisco was indeed a “magic moment”, as exhilarating as the departure had been from Times Square nearly three weeks earlier at the start of this adventure. The old Ferry building on the city’s waterfront stood to mark the official end of this crossing, just as it had for the U.S. leg of the 1908 Race.  Looking very much like it did when Great Gramp and the rest of the American Team landed on March 24, 1908 after a record setting US winter crossing of 41 days, 8 hours and 15 minutes from NYC and Times Square.  Our 21 day 2 hour and 20 minute adventure was a respectable showing. Especially, when you consider that some of the vehicles which made the trek under their own power were more than 75 years old.  In several cases, travel was over some of the same dirt trails, rail beds, and creeks the 1908 Racers had encountered.

Many motorists have crossed the US by automobile in the 100 years since that very first winter crossing by the American Thomas Flyer Team in 1908. However this particular event, by retracing that exact historic route was especially significant. The crossing celebrated a turning point in world automotive history. It also gave participants a solid sense of just how demanding and risky that early venture truly was.  Even today, the frailties of our modern mechanical marvels proved it is more often the people rather than the machines which make the difference between success and failure.

In a very real sense, we were making history ourselves in retracing the epic route as the record of the 1908 New York to Paris which still stands unbroken one hundred years later.  Making history has never been easy, then or now. That is what sets the ordinary apart from the extraordinary…
After reflecting on the success of this journey, our thoughts turn to the future.

Next stop, Paris!

Jeff Mahl
Great Grandson of George Schuster Sr.
Driver & Winner of the NY to Paris Automobile Race - 1908
www.TheGreatAutoRace.com

(Post-Race) Nov. 11-It's just TOO quiet around here now! Submitted by Joan-E Rizzuto
The excitement didn't end when we pulled into the parking lot of Sinbads, next to the Ferry Building in SF. Once the luncheon celebration and photo ops were over, there still remained a few days for the out-of-towners to explore and enjoy some of what Northern Calif. has to offer. While Jeff, Ray, Patrick and Alan enjoyed the SF night life, Chris, Jerry, Duane, Robin, Brian and Melinda gathered at Luke and Joan-E's for dinner. After all of that restaurant food, a home-cooked meal seemed just right.

On Sat. morning, we bid Chris and Jerry farewell as they head back to Alberta, Canada in their faithful Dodge. On Sat. evening, Ray donned in authentic tails, along with Patrick, Alan, Jeff, Joan-E & Luke, attended the San Jose Opera's opening night of "Elixir of Love" (thanks to Judi for the tickets). In addition to the performance, the entire group truly appreciated the magnificently restored theatre and Wurlitzer Organ music.

On Sunday, it was time for a leisurely breakfast, after which we all scattered to take care of various business...Luke, Ray and Patrick to retrieve Sparky, who had to remain in San Jose for the night, Alan and Joan-E to make a trip to the camera store, and Jeff, who needed to set things up for his presentation. We all met back at the Loma Prieta School for Jeff's presentation, followed by a wine tasting at Burrell School Winery. Then it was back to Luke and Joan-E's for a farewell dinner and a review of some of Patrick's video footage from the road.

On Monday morning, after a quick breakfast, we bid Jeff and Alan farewell. Jeff will be returning to Florida, and Alan is flying back to Ireland. After a quick tour around the ranch, Ray treats Patrick, Luke and I to a lunch on the way to the airport. They're the last to depart. After so much time spent together, it's difficult to accept that we all must return to life as we knew it before the LARC. One thing is for certain, we have a large group of new friends who we hope can reunite for another road adventure. Happy Trails!

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