April 12, 2024
Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 12)
By Simon J. Lau
This morning we visited the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. It includes a diverse collection of vintage cars, motorcycles, and other classic vehicles spanning several decades. Visitors can explore exhibits featuring rare automobiles, some famous models (some not), and unique prototypes. One section even showcases a variety of Batmobiles! They were also dog-friendly, so Bruno got to enjoy this museum with me.
My favorite vehicle in this collection was the Corvair, a compact car produced by Chevrolet from 1960 to 1969, notable for its unconventional rear-engine layout. It was designed to compete with European imports like the Volkswagen Beetle and offered various body styles including sedans, coupes, convertibles, and station wagons. Despite its initial popularity, safety concerns arose, particularly regarding its handling, which were highlighted in Ralph Nader’s book Unsafe at Any Speed.
I learned of the Corvair when I stumbled upon a 1961 GM promotional film, Daring the Darien, where they took three Corvairs from Chicago, through the Daríen Gap, and into Colombia. For the uninitiated, the Daríen Gap is a dense and virtually impassable jungle region spanning the border between Panama and Colombia. It is characterized by rugged terrain, dense rainforests, swamps, and rivers, making it one of the most challenging and dangerous areas to traverse in the world. The lack of roads or infrastructure means there are no official border crossings, making it a notorious gap on the Pan-American Highway.
The trip included twelve men, three Chevy Corvairs, and three support vehicles (including a fuel truck). They managed to get across the jungle but lost all but two Corvairs. In fairness, the third Corvair was less than 1-mile from the finish line and ran out of fuel. Similar to the Corvair left in the jungle, the other two Corvairs that made it were left in Colombia and were never to be found again. I thought that this was a fantastic story and wonderful marketing material. Since then, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the Chevy Corvair.
My second favorite vehicle, however, wasn’t an automobile, but this three-wheeled Harley motorcycle. Produced from 1932 to 1973, this Harley-Davidson Servi-Car was originally designed for commercial use, commonly employed by businesses for tasks like delivery and maintenance. Its distinctive design featured a large cargo box mounted between the two rear wheels, providing ample space for transporting goods. Its durability, versatility, and iconic appearance have made it a beloved classic among motorcycle enthusiasts and collectors. Bruno, however, didn’t seem like much of a fan.
Besides automobiles, the museum also housed historic Steinway pianos, classic speedboat motors, and some very unusual taxidermy, among other hodgepodge items. There’s was a little bit of everything for everyone at the Tallahassee Auto Museum! Kidding aside, this was a wonderful car museum.
Speaking of automobiles, I had to tackle my first maintenance task of the trip: a routine oil change. It turned out to be quite an ordeal. The first shop struggled to remove my drain plug, which was an aftermarket Allen screw bolt that had been stripped. They gave up. Thankfully, the crew at the second shop had the ingenuity to use a vise grip to extract the old screw and replace it with a new one. They were also a lively bunch, particularly amused by Bruno. One of them jokingly referred to Bruno as a “killer,” unaware of his gentle nature. If only the mechanic knew, he might have dubbed Bruno the “derpy one.” Here’s Bruno goofing around, poking his head out from the driver-side window.
We arrived in St. Augustine in the afternoon. I’ll provide a more detailed review of it tomorrow, but I must say, I’m already loving this town! It’s much grander than I had imagined and the weather so far has been excellent.
First on my bucket list was dinner. We opted for The Floridian, known for their seafood, where I enjoyed a tuna bowl and drinks. The couple seated next to us, Chi and Neal, took a particular liking to Bruno. They, too, had a mastiff/pit mix at home named Daisy. After chatting and exchanging dog photos, Chi kindly offered Bruno their leftover pork belly and pulled pork. Bruno, of course, was delighted!
As for lodging, we’re staying at another Red Roof PLUS+ (I’m still tickled by the PLUS+, I can’t tell if it’s meant to be read as “Red Roof Plus” or “Red Roof Plus Plus”). That said, this specific category of Red Roof Inns has been fantastic! I’ve never stayed at Red Roof in the past, but I’m really impressed by these PLUS+ options. They’ve all been exceptionally clean and offer great value. (For example, notice how each pillow in the background has a defined firmness. I prefer firm and Bruno prefers soft.) I should note, Red Roof doesn’t sponsor us, but that’s not to say Bruno and I wouldn’t be open to a sponsorship. 😅
Finally, our route from Tallahassee to St. Augustine (205 miles or 330 km).
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