The Glidden Tours
At the start of the Automotive Age, merely driving from, say, Detroit to Kansas City was a challenge and endurance test. Thus the AAA-sponsored Glidden Tours.
Here is a good write-up of the 1909 one.
Comments
That's over 750 miles, and have you seen the roads they had to drive over? I'm not surprised they considered that an achievement, back then.
Posted by Richard Bos on 03/26/17 at 04:38 PM
Per this account: http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1909/07/11/page/23/article/map-showing-route-of-glidden-tour-starting-from-detroit-tomorrow it was 2630.8 miles. How they measured it down to tenths of a mile in those days is beyond me -- I've never found Google Maps with its satellites and GPS-equipped camera cars to be that accurate. And who decided to go from Detroit to St. Louis by way of Minneapolis and Denver? That had to be a committee decision!
They averaged 175 miles a day. Probably 10 hours a day. They were built of sterner stuff than I if they could tolerate going less than 20mph all day, every day.
This is a synchronous serendipity as in a few hours I'll be off to see some family and take care of a bit of long-postponed business. Basically, Nashville to Omaha to SD to Denver. Nearly 40 hours of driving in 4 days. I wonder how long it's going to take me to recover.
They averaged 175 miles a day. Probably 10 hours a day. They were built of sterner stuff than I if they could tolerate going less than 20mph all day, every day.
This is a synchronous serendipity as in a few hours I'll be off to see some family and take care of a bit of long-postponed business. Basically, Nashville to Omaha to SD to Denver. Nearly 40 hours of driving in 4 days. I wonder how long it's going to take me to recover.
Posted by Phideaux on 03/26/17 at 06:39 PM
Well, at least you won't have to wear a duster, Phideaux.
Posted by Virtual on 03/27/17 at 12:01 AM
I guess I failed -- after cutting off one projected leg of the trip, I only drove 2,495.8 miles in 3 days, 1.5 hours.
In case anyone ever asks, you can quote me as an authority that after being on the road nearly eight hours, having to drive through Kansas City during morning rush hour in pouring rain is not, repeat _not_, fun.
In case anyone ever asks, you can quote me as an authority that after being on the road nearly eight hours, having to drive through Kansas City during morning rush hour in pouring rain is not, repeat _not_, fun.
Posted by Phideaux on 03/30/17 at 03:30 PM
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Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions | Twentieth Century | Cars