Be sure to read Part 1 for a trip overview.

Travel Dates: 5/11/11 – 5/12/11

The Lincoln Highway, the first official dedication to President Abraham Lincoln, was the first road to go from coast to coast. It was conceived in 1911 by wealthy businessman and auto enthusiasts. Today, much of the original route is covered by I-80.

On I-80 is a Lincoln Monument, originally located on US-30 and moved in 2001 to exit 323 near Laramie WY.

Henry Ford was against private investment for America’s roads, believing it should primarily be a government reponsibility. In 2003, Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln division sponsored the 90th anniversary Lincoln Highway Cross Country Tour, contributing several Lincoln vehicles (arguably Lincoln’s best model lineup year in recent history) new and old.

The Lincoln Highway’s alignments span 5869 miles.

Traveling on US-30, learning about the Lincoln Highway.

Several small towns along the way.

US-30 was mostly a two-lane road.

Got on I-80, a well-maintained stretch through Wyoming.

Watered and fed Newton. I rearranged my luggage to give him more room and used the center arm rest to keep him fed.

The snow got very heavy west of Cheyenne, forcing us to stop at a gas station until the storm passed.

Quite heavy. Ian, a Texan, wasn’t comfortable driving in the snow.

Accumulation was heavy and rapid.

After the storm passed we moved forward, running into the storm again. We headed south on I-25 and ran into rain.

Checked into Motel 6 in Fort Collins CO. $40.

Ellis KS, where Walter P Chrysler grew up.

The house, owned by the city of Ellis, serves as a museum. Its closed after 4pm.

Built in 1889

“The Walter P Chrysler Boyhood Home was built in 1889 by Walter’s father Henry, his brother Ed, and Walter himself. Walter lived in the home from 1889 to 1897. During this period, the Kansas Pacific Railway employed Walter as an engine wiper and later as a mechanic. His parents remained in this home until 1913. After decades of neglect, the house fell into disrepair until the early 1950s when the owner of the local Dodge/Plymouth dealership rescued it from its state of decay. The Chrysler Corporation later purchased the home and on 27 August 1955, Walter’s son Jack presented the deed to the city of Ellis, thus establishing it as a museum and opening the home to public tours.
In 1957 the Chrysler Home sustained damage when a devastating flood struck the downtown area of Ellis, depositing several feet of silt and debris. Through the dedication and efforts of many Ellis residents in cleaning and repairing the damage, the home was again opened to the public, keeping Chrysler’s memory alive.
On 23 February 1972, the Walter P Chrysler Boyhood Home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1994 the museum witnessed an expansion with the addition of an exhibit building located behind the house.
This annex houses objects from the Chrysler Historical Collection which presents a chronology of of Walter’s life and his rise to fame as the founder of The Chrysler Corporation.”

The quiet down of Ellis.

The annex behind the house.

Back of the house.

A DeSoto and a Cordoba.

A railroad museum was nearby, but closed.

Newton finds the weirdest sleeping positions. He’s sleeping upright with his head on the armrest.

We drove underneath an aggressive looking funnel cloud in Siebert KS.

We were right in the center of the warning area.

Video: The funnel cloud that we drove under touched down a couple minutes later behind us. As we approached the storm, Ian suggested pulling over. I told him to keep driving, because waiting for a storm to show up wasn’t going to do us any good, and the end of the storm was only a few miles ahead. He sped up to about 115mph, and we cleared it. The storm continued northwest with a tornado touching down over some farmland.

Fast Tube by Casper

On the other side of the storm several miles later.

I dropped Ian off in Wichita and continued driving home.

SWEET RELIEF. I’ve never been so happy to see the sign for Chesterfield.

PART 15: St Louis, Yeungling Brewery, Carlisle PA