A Visit to the Glidden Tour...

My old friend Jim Kahrs called a few weeks ago to inform me that this year's Glidden Tour was going to be in Chattanooga.  He thought it would be a good opportunity for him and Sheila and Mary Ann and me to get together to look at a few cars and break bread together.  Today we did just that.  I forgot about the time zone change so even though we were early, we were late!  We had lunch at Sticky Fingers.  Then we went back to the Choo Choo Hotel complex and Jim and I wandered among the cars.  The girls got to relax and talk -- something they never had previously had the opportunity to enjoy.  Can you spot the 1932 Model PB Plymouth roadster?

According to Wikipedia, "The original Glidden Tours were held from 1902 through 1913. They were named after Charles J. Glidden, a financier and automobile enthusiast, who presented the AAA with a trophy first awarded to the winner of the 1905 tour.

At the turn of the century automobile travel was difficult as the road systems around the world were generally not well suited for the horseless carriage.

To bring more awareness and sponsorship to the event, the AAA announced that the tour would be a "reliability and endurance" tour, a type of road rally. This attracted automobile manufacturers who competed to test their vehicles and use the events for advertising.

The tours were grueling events: cars broke down, were damaged by accidents, and encountered nearly impassable roads. Drivers and teams did repairs on the run and helped out other drivers having difficulties."

The tours were revived in 1946 by the Veteran Motor Car Club of America (VMCCA) and have continued since with antique cars traveling pre-marked routes and stopping in local towns to show off their vehicles, with many participants dressed in period costume. The event is now jointly coordinated by the VMCCA, the American Automobile Association (AAA), and the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA).  Vehicles must have been manufactured on or before 1942.

No modified cars or hot rods are accepted, and the vehicles may not display any advertising of a current nature.  The coveted silver Glidden trophy is still presented to the winner of the event although the treacherous travel of the early tours is rarely if ever encountered today.