Old Friends, Automotive and Human

Tuesday morning, we got up and finished buttoning up the bottom end of the Model A motor.  Rayburn fashioned a bracket to keep the alternator tight, and we replaced the original points and condenser with a more modern points plate.  New spark plugs replaced the 40+ year old ones I had started the trip with.  I’m beginning to realize that my intent to do this trip in “as found” condition was a little too ambitious.  At any rate, the repairs made on the rear main seem to have done the trick, and the engine is purring smoothly now. Thanks, Rayburn and Debbie for your hospitality of your home – and your shop!

As a side note, we discovered that, of all things, I had forgot to bring the charger for the GPS.  Oh well, maybe it is intended for us to navigate the old fashioned way, with maps!  I did want to keep up with our mileage, and I was using it as a speedometer, since the original one in the Model a is inoperative.
We got on the road about noon and headed the Danville Pike to Decatur.  There we stopped for lunch at what is widely referred to as one of the best, and by some “the best” bar-b-que in the state of Alabama. I’d say they have a right to make the claim.  Big Bob Gibson’s is an Alabama tradition, and I remember eating there with my grandmother when I was a kid.  Beware of the rather thin, watery sauce in the squeeze bottle, it will light you up!

We crossed the Tennessee river at Decatur, the went through Athens and on to meet with Mike and Maria, the couple that had purchased our 1923 Model T a dozen or so years ago.  It had been a big part of our family for a lot of years, and our kids had grown up with it.  We made lots of trips in that old car, one of which Rachel blogged  about recently.  The car looks a lot different now than it did when it left us, and Mike has kept a log of nearly 13,000 miles they have traveled  in it.  They were an anticipated stop and treated us to fresh,  homemade chocolate pie. (unfortunately I had to pass on the pie)

 

We continued on through Athens and arrived at the Lodge at Joe Wheeler State Park around supper time.  We seemed to have the place to ourselves.  There was a nice restaurant in the lodge, and there were three other couples having supper.  Our waitress told us that there  were only four rooms occupied in the entire lodge, and that all of the guests were having supper at the same time.  It is a real shame that the Alabama State Parks are not better appreciated and utilized by the public.  Maybe they need some help with marketing.  On the way out of the restaurant, we noticed the following:
  
Day two:  approximately 85 miles (not sure, GPS battery dead)