Alex Burr - hester_nec

I'm hoping to catch her while she's in - depends on the traffic, tho one should be able to get a good look off of Front Street. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

You all know I am a strong advocate of the "old" vs the "new" - but in the case of the DELTA QUEEN I have to say I, in a sense, agree with the powers-that-be in closing down of this great treasure. I base this on my 17 years in the Coast Guard and the training I recieved. I have assisted in inspections on more than a few vessels and I have seen, and learned, a lot. Lets start with the fact that the QUEEN has a wooden superstructure. I don't beleive that has been replaced so we are dealing with old wood and probably tons of paint. Like the house I live in currently she's a floating time bomb, really. They can have all the fire supression systems in the world on board the old girl; bottom line is if she starts to burn, she's going to burn in a hurry. Example: During WWII at many military bases, particularly here in the south, wooden barracks were constructed of good old southern pine. I was witness to a demonstration of the burning of one of these old barracks - this one happened to be somewhere around 30 years old. We are talking about a wooden building some 50 feet long, 30 feet or so wide and two stories high. The fire was set, internally near the middle. Within an unbelievable 8-10 minutes the building was completely enveloped and collapsed within 12 min. I have also seen some of the old triple decker tenemant buildings in the New England area catch fire and burn - took a little longer than the demonstration barracks building, but to fast for the fire departments to save them. The point has been made the QUEEN is never out of sight of land - the other side of that coin is you have to get to that land. And while you are doing it you have to convince the passengers that they are not going to be drowned or burned to death. Humans being humans you are going to have panic - and panic kills more people than the actual event. I invite you to read about the SULTANA @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultana_Disaster - there are other links to other disasters on-line. It is sad to see a piece of the past leave us - I'd like to see her parked somewhere and set up as a museum. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

I had an '83 Eagle for a while back when. My take is those things were frustrated road race cars on steroids. I've never had a production family car that would stick to curves at speed like that '83. It stuck to the road like velcro in heat. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

........100 pounds too large made me chuckle. It brought back the memory of my daughter, who does (as do I) pet transports. A couple years back she transported a Saint Bernard from Memphis down to his new home in middle Mississippi in her Honda CRV mini-SUV. She came back with tales of people staring at her car as they drove by - not believeing the small "pony" she had in the back - he was almost as big as the SUV. And the fellow at the post office in a very small town near where she was going who wouldn't come near the car when she stopped to ask directions. When she got home, first she had to take a shower. Then she and her husband spent about 3 hours cleaning the Honda - from the inside out!!!! She told me later she knew Saints drooled - but she got the king of them all!!!! LOL She said even the cup holders between the front seats were full of drool. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

I have several U S 40 post cards, somewhere around here that I bought off ebay. Just can't remember where I put the album they are in. I remember one shows the road thru the gap in Maryland, another of the Y bridge in Ohio and still another shows Berthoud Pass west of Denver. I'll have to dig that one out sometime. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

I did submit info, back somewhere near the end of 2007, on the 2008 Hudson car club National meet in Massachusetts last July - sent it to the Calandar address. Somehow it never made it in. I just hadn't gotten around to submitting it for the 2009 National meet. Thanks for the nudge. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Great pics - love old bridges. Occasionally I do pet (mostly dogs) transport between Memphis and Brinkley, AR, taking the dogs on the next leg of their trip from a (usually) kill shelter somewhere to a new home somewhere else. If I'm coming back to Memphis empty I use old U S 70. Always love coming down out of the hills east of Forrest City and Madison and seeing the old truss bridge over the St. Francis River. Pictures bring up something - how does one go about posting pics on these posts. I've looked all over the site and can't seem to find anything telling me how to do it - Please to remember I'm a computer "fumbler", not an expert. Safe travels everybody Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

A very nice drive, in southern Maine, when the foliage starts to turn, is to drive State Route 109 from Wells, Maine over into NH thru Sanbornville into Wolfeboro and on west into Center Sandwich where, as I recall it ends. Another classic drive is Route 16 from Portsmouth, NH, north to Conway where you have a choice of continuing north on 16 or turning west on the Kancamangus Highway thru the White Mountain National forest over to North Woodstock. (The "K" highway is a drive in itself!!) Actually there are so many great roads for foliage tours up there in Northern New England I could make a book out of it, which has probably already been done. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Speaking of the Ford Model T's 100th birthday - we're having a birthday bash in Pontiac, Michigan, next year to celebrate not only the 100th anniversary of the Hudson Automobile (first car off the line was July 3, 1909) but also, to sweeten the pie a bit, the 50th anniversary of the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club. All this is going to be held July 13th thru 17th (Mon-Fri) 2009 at the Centerpoint Marriott Hotel, 3600 Centerpoint Parkway, Pontiiac, Michigan. Visitors are more than welcome so if you find yourself in the area stop on by and enjoy one of the cars that made Americans two lane highways - Hudson officials pushed for better highways back in the teens and a couple were, I think, on the Lincoln Highway Committee. I know it's a long way off but I'll be sure to post a reminder here on the forum next June. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

From what I can see you two were rich beyond words having a mattress and a clock radio - only other thing you needed was a micro-wave and a can opener!!!! LOL I've been aboard since Issue 1 - and just want to thank everybody at American Road for one hell of a great trip over the past few years!!!! Looking fwd to more and better trips ahead. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Beautiful photography - it does really illustrate that there is still a hell of a lot of empty space up there. My expreriences with Alaska are, somewhat, limited to flying Coast Guard fisheries patrols from Hawaii (figure that one out!!!) over Alaskan waters. Ok, ok, I'll let you off the hook - back in the 60's the Coast Guard HC-130's flew from Hawaii to Alaska and then flew fisheries patrols from various fields. One of our missions, while I was up there was to fly a spare engine and some spare part to a Navy P3 Orion stranded in Nome!!!! The air strip they had landed on wasn't long enough for them to get off with only 3 engines. They were stuck there for about a month. So I did get to see some beautiful and wild country between Fairbanks and Nome. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Recently recieved word on the Hudson Forum of the passing of John A. Conde. Mr. Conde was employed by American Motors for over 30 years as director of public relations. John was a noted automotive historian recognized for his broad interest in the in the development of the automobile industry. He was the curator of transportation at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn and also devoted 32 years as the public relations director at American Motors creating one of the most complete corporate archives in the industry. From 1951 to 1976 he compiled and edited nine different 'Family Albums', which recorded the graphic story with original factory photographs of the development of American Motors and its many predecessor companies. John was a founding member and a director of the Society of Automotive Historians, a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library and an active member of many of the car hobby clubs in the United States. His carefully researched articles on auto history have appeared in many automobile magazines, and he has given his popular color slide presentations on automobile subjects to numerous clubs and organizations across the country. His library of original automotive literature and photographs comprises one of the most extensive private collections in existence. John's first book 'The Cars that Hudson Built' was the culmination of over 25 years of research and planning when he was involved in the negotiations that led to the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company to form American Motors. John was also a member of several car hobby clubs throughout the United States. Mr. Conde was one of the last of a vanishing breed - a true gentleman. I was fortunate to have met him at several Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club National meets. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Jim, You CAN drive a bridge that becomes a tunnel then becomes a bridge again - It's the Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel on U S 13 between Capeville (Cape Charles) and Norfolk, Virginia. I've driven it a few times - it's quite awesome. As for some of those "awesome" roads you posted - definitely not what you want to look at BEFORE you have breakfast!!!!! LOL (or lunch either for that matter.) Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Today I celebrated #71!!! Getting to far up there. My daughter refused to put candles on my birthday cake - she said she refused to be responsible for setting off every fire alarm and smoke detector in 3 adjacent counties and eastern Arkansas!!! The point of this msg is that I rcvd several Happy Birthday greetings from forum members, and the forum itself - I just wish to thank eveyone for their well wishes. I plan to be around, agitating everybody, for a long time to come. Thank you one and all for you greetings and best wishes. Alex Burr Memphis, TN

And still another great road trip report by Mr. Gibson!!! Sort of stirs the instinct to start moving around these parts. But I just may wait another month. Loved those covered bridges - there are a lot of them in the New England area. I noticed the "kiddies" have expressed their artistic (??) talents along the sides on at least one bridge. Greatest boon to kiddie art has to be the spray paint can. But, at least they havn't burnt the things down - yet. Several historic covered bridges in New England were destroyed in that manner - by kids deciding to have a hot dog roast under the shelter of the bridge roof. Weird idea of having fun!!! Also found the brick over limestone (??) facade of the courthouse very nice - also the art deco style of the Monroe. I tend to think you find more of this style in the mid-west - cities tend to have the urge to build modern stuff, so the art deco beauty goes out the window. Safe travels, Denny. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

It is exciting to have a film being made in your town - sometimes it gets to be a bit much, with all the gawkers trying to see the stars, but after it's over it's worth it, I think. There was a film that was partly shot in Kennebunkport, Maine, next door to where I used to live, a few years back - I don't even remember the name of it now. All I remember was it was a pain the patoot trying to get thru the (small) business district with my truck (1988 Dodge) and lawn care equipment trailer. Somebody told me, after the movie came out, that the truck and trailer had been included in a cameo of sorts. Guess some cameraman filmed everything going thru the town square and some things were tacked into the movie. Ta Da - my (less than) five seconds of fame !!!!!!!!! LOL Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Great pictures - as I looked at them I began to wonder if this was one of the routes that the Hudson drivers took when they made the record breaking trans-continental run from Frisco to New York City and back in 1916. I have one picture that shows the car crossing the Sierra Madre mountains headed west for Frisco - but that would be west of where you went. It's interesting to note that the 1916 Hudson trans-con's were done, in both directions, in around 5½ days each way!!!! The average driver today, on the interstates, would be hard pressed to do it in that time. Even giving the great (if somewhat illegal) Cannonball racers their due - the record across the U S, set during the 1979 Cannonball race, currently stands at 32:51 set by Dave Heinz and Dave Yarborough in a XJS Jaguar, if I read the chart correctly. But another point to think about - in 1921, I think it was, the Hudson Motor Car Company turned 4 Essex touring cars loose - 2 headed east from Frisco and 2 headed west from NYC. The idea was to set a transcontinental record, which they did, doing it between 4 and 5 days. These runs are the more impressive when you look at Dale's pictures and realize the road wasn't much better in 1915!!! Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Your photo's are getting me fired up for doing something - like writting up the Memphis-Blytheville day trip (more like a couple hours trip) about 2 months back. I was following the 1926 route from downtown Memphis to downtown Blytheville (around here it's pronounced "Bly-ville"!!) Most of the trip was U S 61, the Great River Road - some of it was "what was 61", but has been by-passed, but it still in great shape and used. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN