Event Coverage *Mr.ModelT and Powerwagonmaniac's epic journey to Bonneville!*

Bonneville or Bust:
Vindication...

As a bookend so to speak on this trip, I am vindicated against the Arlington Sheriff's Dept.

Arlington, OR is 3 hours from me and after a trip like that, there was no way in hell I was ever going to make the trip back for any reason. So as a good citizen, I wrote a check for the full amount ($160), but I wasn't going to let this go without a fight.

My darling Julia is a whiz with words...especially strongly worded and scathingly poignant letters, so I turned her loose crafting just such a letter to be included with my check. After receiving a brief letter from the judge asking for copies of the new registration, I sent him 3 or 4 documents..including a copy of the temp registration (which I received and had dated the the same day just 3 hours after the ticket was issued and the current antique auto reg form.

Yesterday, I received a replay from the Gilliam Co. Court stating "In light of the documentation you have presented, the Court has dismissed the charges and has returned your check".

My $160 was also folded up with the letter, voided.

..Vindication


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Bonneville or Bust:
Vindication...




This is just extra icing on the salt---er cake. We all knew what happened shouldn't have. !
As others said, me too, again thanks for the ride.

 

UPDATE
A few good pictures...

I have been going through all I have from the trip and have captured a few good stills from the only video we have of the "Special" on the road during the trip...just before the breakdown:
















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Thanks Denny I agree, it never should have happened. The fact that they dismissed it in light of the circumstances puts me at ease.

You are quite welcome and free to "ride along" any time

 

Bonneville or Bust:
Movie Time...

Also wanted to share these, some of the videos Andy shot during the trip...


<a href="<iframe width=" 560"="" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ljbx9lubE20?list=UU9bYBMbtsLMaNxiYbhYccqQ&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="">">"><a href="<iframe width=" 560"="" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3zGz2RtAxUo?list=UU9bYBMbtsLMaNxiYbhYccqQ&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3zGz2RtAxUo?list=UU9bYBMbtsLMaNxiYbhYccqQ&hl=en_US" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>
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Bonneville or Bust:
Movie Time...
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0kEbBByG3RA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Like heck was I going to let you go down without a fight!! Strongly worded letters for the win!

 

That is why I love you


I also wanted share with you the link to digital version of Part 1 of Auto Enthusiast Magazine's 4 part feature on the rebuild of my roadster and our journey to Bonneville!

This was featured in the August issue. Parts 2, 3 and 4 will be coming soon!

http://www.amosauto.com/Articles/Classics/Tech/ts-for-two

 

A wonderful story! I saw you on the salt and was hangin in the parking lot at the nugget as well......and as a native Oregonion, I salute you...glad you had a positive experience at The Dalles as it's my home town...born and raised there and I've always had good luck at The Dalles DMV. Those people are the few public employees who truly believe they are really "public servants"...and they are.
Now, if I can just get The Dalles police to find my stolen 30 ford closed-cab pickup they'll even be bigger heros to me.

 

Thank you kindly Rocky! Did you come up and say hi down on the salt or at the Nugget? I met so many people and H.A.M.B.ers down there..I had a hard time keeping it all straight....faces with screen names at least.

The folks in The Dalles DMV were most helpful. There were 3 employees working that afternoon and all 3 stayed well after closing time at 5:00 pm to help me and get me back on the road. One was on the road to the Salem main branch asking for assistance and checking records, one was looking through forms and paper work to find the best way around it and the other went over to the Oregon State Police field office down the hall to clarify the vehicle code.

When they gave me the temp permit and filled out the paperwork they told me "we gave you 45 days on the temp permit..and if any body stops you, tell them you're on an active club function...it will keep you safe".

Best experience I have ever had in a DMV...or will ever have for that matter.

I will be writing them a very nice thank you letter.

Sorry to hear about your stolen Model A...shame

 

Glad to hear that the judge did the right thing. Good for him!

BTW, part II is now up on the website if anyone would like to go check it out! http://www.amosauto.com/Articles/Classics/Features/ts-for-two-1

 

Agreed! In light of what happened and what we were trying to do...and lets not forget Mrs. ModelT's brilliant letter , It really was the right thing to do.

Thanks for the link! I urge all of you to go Visit Amos's website and check out parts 1 and 2 or our 4 part series on the drive to Bonneville!

 

Wow! I just found this thread- what an amazing journey and story!

Kudos-you guys are my new heros!

 

Thank you kindly! We certainly had a blast on this "trip of a lifetime!"

We looked for you and your team in the pits, but only saw the '38 out on the track and really couldn't step over to say Hi.

 

Hello fellow H.A.M.B. ers!

I am proud to announce that ALL 4 PARTS of the Auto Enthusiasts series on our build up and our epic trip to Bonneville are up on line at www.amosauto.com and part 4 is available in print now!

Check them out!

Clayton

 

Bump.....

 

Thanks for the trip! Felt like I was just on one. Nice story nice ending.

 

Thank you kindly! Glad you enjoyed it!

 

COVER CAR! What a nice supprise to see this in the magazine rack! Bob

 

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your trip/story.......Congrats on that as well^

 

Cool cover shot Clayton!

 

Hi Clayton.Congrats on the cool cover pic.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

HA! Awesome! I haven't seen a print copy yet....don't sell them out here I guess. Gonna give the head office a call and order a bunch of 'em...all 4 issues.

It was a 4-part series:

Part 1: Backstory/first build
Part 2:New build phase 1
Part 3: New build phase 2
Part 4: Finish/Road trip

If you guys want, I get give you all the issue numbers for parts 1, 2 and 3 from August, October and November of this year.

Thank you all kindly! It one of the most amazing experiences of my life and was a real honor to have Auto Enthusiast cover it all to share it with everyone.

 

Great story Clayton, well told and documented with your pics!

You're right, The Dalles is a great place (I used to live in Goldendale~armpit of the universe). Your experience with the Arlington cop is pretty typical of the small town mentality that still pervades the area, so don't feel like you were singled out.

I don't know if you've done it or not, but a great little loop trip for you would be to Toutle, over to Cougar, then across the mountain to Trout Lake, then Glenwood. At Glenwood you can either go up the grade and cut across to the Klickitat canyon, or take the Glenwood/BZ Corners cutoff. The cutoff will lead you back to White Salmon/Bingen, then a short jaunt up 14 or across the river on the freeway back home. That cutoff road and the Klickitat canyon are beyond gorgeous in the fall.

Anyways, back on track: thanks for sharing your experience with us, I really enjoyed reading about it.

Enjoy the day,
Rich

 

Thanks kindly Rich!

I don't really feel "singled out"...at least now. Talked to several other people, including a friend that has property in Idaho, that have been pulled over in that same place several times each....mostly by the same officer that nabbed me.

The icing on the cake was Arlington clearing the charges all together and voiding my check.

I have never made that loop, but have a place in Woodland....so I will have to check it out. I always love a good drive in the country in my roadster

 

Very cool! Always good to get some press.

 

Great write-up!

 

Thanks guys! I was really pleased and couldn't be happier with how well the Auto Enthusiast series turned out.

 

Cool beans Clayton, good for you!! Guess I'm going to have to find a book store.

 

Heck yeah man! I'm gonna be ordering plenty of copies! Want this to be their most popular issue...get the word out and get our hobby some new exposure!