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TRIUMPH TRANS-AMERICAN CHARITY DRIVE – a valediction from John
By John | October 27, 2009
The Triumph Trans-AmeriCan Charity Drive 2009 is now over and I have to apologise to so many of you around the world who followed our progress for the delay in updating this website.
First, the web URL expired at precisely the wrong time and I’ve also had some very pressing personal issues to address within my own family on a health front since returning to the UK. Because of that and with most of each day between 15th October and now (29th Oct) travelling between my home and a distant hospital, spare time availability has been limited in the extreme – and updating this website got briefly left behind in the face of other matters.
So, what happened after the celebrations at San Luis Obispo, California on 30th September? Wait a minute – let’s not go there just yet but address the arrival and that fabulous finish on the day in question.
What a truly wonderful ‘caravan’ it was from Monterey along the Pacific Coast. A fantastic stream of Triumphs – at least thirty in number – that stretched almost as far as the eye could see in the rearview mirror. Some fifteen miles out from the Finish line, we were filtered off the highway, to find another group of at least a dozen Triumphs of all ages and origins, waiting patiently in line astern to escort “uncle jack” to the end of the road.
For most of that final sector, “uj” rightfully and deferentially sat in fourth position behind some very venerable Triumphs – two of which were absolute Triumphs in every sense of the word. I refer, of course, to the 1932 ‘Southern Cross’ owned by Paul and Jane Higley and the 1934 ‘Gloria’ owned by Duncan and Sheila Wood – both cars emanating from Red River Triumphs in Texas!
But there was one more as well. Dave and Cathy Pilcher’s just post-war Triumph Roadster 2000 kept “uncle jack” very definitely in line – and they made up the head of the ‘caravan.’Â Here they all are in other locations – and hopefully photographed to better advantage.
Because the three elderly ladies ‘up front’ needed to take their time, “uncle jack” was reined-in until just before the finish when the leaders moved to one side and let him pass to be the first to arrive at the Embassy Suites Hotel.
These weren’t the only elderly cars to take part along the whole route. At this point, I have to mention the utterly delightful 1938 Rolls Royce Phantom III limousine who escorted us in such majestic (and imperious) grace along the interstate between Richmond, VA and Washington DC. She did this at a very commendable (and steady) 65mph and was the only car in the whole event that actually made the products of Kenworth and Peterbilt get out of the way and let her pass!!!
At the same time, I respectfully take off my hat to Ed Driver from Saskatoon, who did a 1,600 miles round-trip with “uj” in the woolly wilds of Canada. Anyone who can survive Morgan sliding pillar suspension for that distance – AND not get intimidated by long-distance trucks, deserves a national decoration!
And before we pass up on the “long-distancers” I have to also thank Jeff ‘Cosmo’ Kramer for his determination – and his company. Jeff joined up in northern New York state, crossed Ontario, crossed Michigan to Illinois and we finally parted company at Indianapolis. Jeff was planning to join up in Portland, WA and complete the drive in his TR4A to the finish but had to return home. Even so, he still got to San Luis Obispo without his car to be there at the end, so many thanks for that, Jeff. I don’t have a pic of you with your car – so hope you don’t mind the car and Teddy Bear appearing by itself? 
I digress. Back to San Luis Obispo. It was a very moving moment as we coasted up to the building.
In just under seventy days of driving across this huge continent and criss-crossing the border between Canada and the United States, “uncle jack” had got me to the finish. At no time in those 15,422 miles had I ever doubted his ability to get me there. Rather, I was far more concerned at my own abilities in achieving what I’d set out to do – and not ‘bending’ him, or having some other event that would bring the whole trip to an unforeseen and permanent halt!
The cynics (and a number of nay-sayers who popped out of their burrows from time to time) might say “we were lucky.”
Yes, we were lucky – but from a mechanical perspective, the credit goes only and entirely to Joe Pawlak and his team of dedicated ‘busted knucklers’ of ISOA (Illinois Sports Owners Association) for undertaking such a mammoth restoration against an impossible time-schedule and with such horrendous last minute problems when the gearbox ‘blew’ on 24th May.
If any group of people deserved the VTR Sweat/Equity Award, presented as usual by Ted Schumacher – and then go on to see “uncle jack” win First Prize in the Concours for a Stag, it was them!
The TTACD ‘Juggling Award’ goes unquestionably to my North American Event Co-ordinator, Glenn Merrell. Glenn did a truly fantastic job before, during and after the event in keeping all the clubs ‘up to speed’ on my movements, ETA’s and likely departure times. Without him, I would have been truly up the creek without a paddle. Thank you, Glenn – for ALL you did!
Be in no doubt, “uncle jack” was by no means just a ‘pretty face’. He was – and most definitely still is, a superbly rebuilt Triumph Stag who has (a) made north American motoring history and (b) forced more than just a handful of people to gaze in astonishment (and many in some awe) at the fact that a properly maintained Stag is every bit as reliable as any other Triumph – and a damned sight more comfortable for real long-distance driving!
Maybe we ought to think around doing a North America Coast-to-Coast-and-Back one day, and use a Triumph 2500S saloon (the ubiquitous Triumph ‘Big Six’) that so distinguished itself in international rallies in the ’60’s and ’70’s.
I jest 
At least, I think I do.
“She Who Must Be Obeyed” needs to be consulted first- and now is definitely not a good time to pose that particular question!
But problems as a whole?
Sure, we had some in the early stages with a recalcitrant overdrive that eventually seemed to sort itself out by itself – but looking back, thank goodness the Facet fuel pump decided to go ‘bang’ when it did! It could have done this in the remoteness of the mid-West, or anywhere along the Trans-Canada Highway or anywhere else in the remoteness of The Rockies – but it finally decided to throw in the towel just 200 yards down the road after attending the British Columbia Triumph Registry ‘Show ‘n Shine’ in Vancouver, BC.
Thank you Facet for designing a fuel pump that breaks down so conveniently – and so close to a large group of overwhelmingly exhuberant people with extensive toolboxes who, by their actions, were clearly as happy as pigs in the unmentionable in having a justifiable excuse to tear out the boot lining and fit a replacement pump in just half an hour!!!!
And Lucas?
Not a murmur of discontent anywhere at any time – unless you cite the US made ‘Die-Hard’ battery that packed up and the little wire running from the alternator to the main harness that broke – and then blew the alternator, just down the road from where “uj” was rebuilt.
Again, the Gods smiled graciously upon us.
Thus, having arrived in San Luis Obispo, it was time to relax and reflect a little on what had been achieved. As I said in a brief speech at the Gala Dinner on 3rd October – and I know I said it in many other places as well, the Triumph Trans-AmeriCan Charity Drive 2009 was truly and exclusively a Team Effort - and a team which in my view was represented by at least 4,000 people who got involved. Glenn Merrell who was such a magnificent and tireless Event Co-ordinator throughout, has already mentioned some of the statistics in posts to various email lists on the ‘Net but they bear repeating because if it hadn’t been for YOU – all of you, we wouldn’t be reflecting on this now.
The figures still need to be fully ratified – but this is the general picture:
- It was YOU who took me into your own ‘backwoods’ and showed me such wonderful sights that contributed to the ‘plus’ mileage. Yes, we thought the total trip would be about 10,500 miles but it wound up a just under 5000 miles more than we’d planned. This didn’t mean “uncle jack” was late at the Finish. He still got there on the due date and on time! I had a sort of feeling this ‘extra distance’ would happen when I left Florida all those miles and months ago
- We don’t yet know the final figure in terms of the number of cars who ‘caravaned’ with us, but early indications suggest it will be in excess of1, 000 vehicles
- Collectively, those cars put in an additional 100,000 miles in supporting the event
- We’ll never know how much it cost you – collectively, in fuel for that distance, but conservative estimates indicate it was at least US$12,000!
- Then there was the hidden cost of so many people providing me with accommodation in a bewildering and delightful array of private homes, a few hotels and then paying for meals in restaurants – and so much more besides. We feel that consolidated cost is worth another US$12,000 using meals out and accommodation as UNpaid Bed and Breakfast.
- Finally, the many clubs and private individuals who insisted on sending “uncle jack” on his merry way with a complimentary full tank of fuel! Fuel contributions of this type (and fuel sponsors are excluded here) indicate that just over 20% of the fuel that slurped through “uj’s” Strommies, came from Club and privately financed sources. Thank you all, SO much!
So much to remember, so many memories to treasure. And now, the aftermath.
“uncle jack” has to find a new home / custodian and you’ll soon see details on this site of how that’s going to be achieved. But before he went to pastures new, the tacit issue of where to keep him until his new home is uncovered, meant that temporary accommodation had to be secured. This meant driving him a further 1,200 miles from San Luis Obispo to Glenn Merrell’s home on the outskirts of Denver, CO. On Sunday 4th October, Sue and Glenn Merrell set off in their Rover V8 powered Stag, with Lizzie and I hard on their tail in “uncle jack.” The plan had been to go via Bakersfield, CA to overnight somewhere near Grand Canyon.
But it didn’t quite work out like that!
If you’re driving a Stag (or any old car for that matter) it’s always wise to remember that cooling systems are working as they should. Sometime after lunch on that Sunday, with both cars putting up a very respectable pace across the southern fringes of the Mojave Desert, “uj’s” windscreen got speckled with tiny droplets of moisture. I operated the wipers – and everything went very sticky all of a sudden. Moments later, Glenn came on the radio to comment about smelling anti-freeze in his car! We quickly pulled off the road and on raising the bonnet on Glenn’s car, discovered an ‘S’ shaped heater hose in the depths of the engine Vee, had split.
Fortunately, Glenn never goes anywhere without at least three metres of heater hose, a top and bottom end gasket set and a few assorted tools in his hip pocket, so after about two hours, we were on our way again. This incident brought to mind an amusing little sign I’d seen in Sue and Glenn’s home a few weeks earlier, and it seems entirely apt to that particular event in such a remote and hostile area.
This unplanned halt had cost us in terms of getting to Grand Canyon for the night, so we re-planned and settled on Las Vegas as our destination. As neither Liz nor I had previously visited Vegas, it was an opportunity to see this ‘larger than life’ location at first hand. Sadly, there were some overnight issues surrounding our pre-booked hotel which were essentially and wholly fraudulent but those details will appear later in another form – as will a castigation of HSBC bank! Eventually, we settled in at a Holiday Inn which made for sound sleep and much reduced tempers all round.
The next day saw us having to pass up on numerous photo-opportunities as time was critical and we pressed ever onwards through ‘Canyon’ country for the next overnight halt at Palisade, near Grand Junction – arriving eventually in Denver in the early afternoon of the following day.
That trip was the last one I ever did at the wheel of “uncle jack.”
I intentionally didn’t say ‘goodbye’ to him as it had been a very special three months (for me) that we were together and I thought it was best to say a quick ‘Adieu’ the night before we left Denver and to quit while we were both on top. The picture below is the last memory I’ll have of him in Glenn’s garage, awaiting a little fettling to get him in tip-top order before going to his new home.
We did an enormous amount of mileage together and he’ll always have a very special place in my heart. Whoever is his new custodian (I feel the term ‘owner’ is wholly inappropriate in this instance) will possibly take a while to appreciate his many attributes too numerous to mention here – but they’ll soon come to love him for what he is, as I loved him myself. He never really let me down – just gave one or two warnings slaps across the back of my legs that he wasn’t entirely happy – and together, we were able to trace many moments of pleasure with memories of Coventry where he was made – and where I was so lucky to work. All in all, it was a very special time for two people now in middle age
After a tad over 24 hours later with Sue and Glenn, it was time to head east again. I’d celebrated my 65th birthday with some fabulous people at Nebraska Triumphs in Omaha and I already knew my (belated) birthday present awaited me in New York.
It’s about a quarter of a mile long, tips the scales at 148,000 tons – and is called Queen Mary 2. 
This was our final mode of transport home in sumptuous luxury and in surroundings of a truly bygone age.
What a voyage it was!
The stabilisers were extended throughout the crossing and at a steady 26 knots, I understand our fuel consumption equated to a shade more than 6 inches to the gallon! Whether such a gallon is in US or Imperial version is, I would think, probably academic. As “uncle jack” returned an overall consumption of about 25 MILES for the same volume, he has to be the more economica of the twol – but then, he’s not quite so long – or as heavy!
And here we are once more, at home.
England hasn’t changed much in my absence. The streets are still narrow, it stillseems to take most of one day to drive 100 miles (instead of an hour and a half) – everyone still talks with a plummy accent and, as usual, the answers to many questions are now “Well, I’m not so sure about that” or “unfortunately, we can’t meet that request” or just plain “No!” – instead of “Why not?” or “Sure thing” or “Let’s go for it, buddy!” Makes me wonder sometimes how Great Britain ever managed to develop and run the largest Empire the world has ever seen with such an insular and “it’s more than my job’s worth” attitude.
But then I remember the wide open spaces I’ve travelled of recent date that were colonised by people who had to be optimistic with a total ‘can do’ attitude – or they just died where they stood.
But there’s just one more thing left to do over the coming winter months. As the cold gets ever colder and the dark nights ever longer, I’ll be sitting at my keyboard writing up this fantastic adventure that everyone worked so hard to ensure was guaranteed to happen.
The easy bit of that task is already completed – and that’s the cover of the book in question.
Remember, I’ve yet to finish writing it – and then need to find a publisher with the courage of his (or her) convictions to publish it! But if you’d like to reserve a copy – this is always useful to help publishers decide how many buyers really are out there – just drop me an email to let me know. I’ll create a (long?) list of names and maybe someone will say “Okay. Let’s run with it.”
So, in conclusion – and bar the shouting, just two more things.
Before I left home in the UK in mid-June, I left Liz with a large map on the kitchen wall, showing the route and where I planned to be day by day. That map is still in place and whenever I pass it as I move around the house, I often stop to look at it. What a long way I went in a truly wonderful old Triumph – and what a welcome so many of you gave me wherever I went! Let’s overlook the extra 5,000 miles you helped me pile on the odometer – it was worth it, and thank you all SO much!
But wait, there’s just a tad more.
As you know, this Drive had the objective of drawing attention to the thousands of people who desperately need help with their PTSD sufferings. People in the armed services are beginning to get that very special help from still emerging new therapeutic techniques, to take them onwards from the traumas that haunt them.
That said, many thousands of ‘Vets’ still wait (many, very patiently) in the queue for their turn.
But this Drive wasn’t aimed at helping ‘Vets’ in isolation.
In fact, it’s primary objective was to find ways to help civilians with PTSD. There are some 32 million of them in Canada, the UK and the USA alone, who are still enduring this hellish mental illness with such fortitude – and tragically, so often without help or knowing where to go to get that highly specialised help.
This Drive has achieved two objectives.
First, you have helped to raise some money, so the work in PTSD treatment can continue.
Second – and personally I think this is arguably more important, what we have all achieved has started to lift the lid off the social stigma of mental illness and, hopefully, provided those who labour under the burdens of anxiety-related disorders, with the knowledge that
- there ARE people who CARE
- that HELP is available,
- there’s SOMEWHERE to go to
- obtain INFORMATION and
- there are PLACES where this highly-specialised treatment is available.
Simply, our overall objective was to give HOPE – and many people have told me we collectively achieved just that! Because throughout the event, PTSD sufferers and relatives have approached me – and others have sent emails, expressing their profound gratitude for the purpose of The Drive, the money it has raised and the increased awareness about PTSD it has brought in its wake. I’m so very touched by all those messages and kind comments, because it’s clear that what we ALL did, TOGETHER – was a true team effort and it certainly has not gone unnoticed by those who need that support the most.
And that’s what has made the TTACD event so very special. In all our unique ways we’ve somehow managed to touch the lives of those in need and they have responded in such a wonderful way. Thank you, ALL of you – for helping me in whatever way I was able, to help them. It was a truly wonderful privilege and in its own way, helped me to lay to rest the ghosts of my now long dead colleagues who ‘contracted’ their PTSD (as I did) during the Iran/Iraq war where we found ourselves as civilians, in civilian roles, in the wrong place at the wrong time in the killing field of the Middle East.
In fact, we were in the self-same place where a man suffered – and is still suffering. His parents spoke to me during the Drive and both with tears in their eyes said, “Can you tell us if he’s going to be like this for ever? Is it really too much for us to ask ‘if we can please have our son back?’
May God Bless you all.
John Macartney
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