| by
David S. Turnbull
Revisit this site occasionally for
updates, please.
David
Pony Drive Schedule
|
The Great American Pony Drive II
An International Tribute to the American Pony Car
In 1989, to commemorate the Mustang's 25th Anniversary, John Manners
organized the first American Pony Drive from his home in Switzerland. Almost
100 Europeans and 37 Mustangs made the trip across the Atlantic to tour the
US for 7 weeks. Now that the Mustang is about to turn 40, there will be
another Pony Drive to tour the US to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of
America's first Pony Car.
The Great American Pony Drive II will start at MCA's 40th Anniversary Show
in Nashville, TN. The group will leave Nashville on Monday morning on
another seven-week tour. The Europeans have been invited to again tour the
country with us and invitations have also been extended to the Mustangers in
Mexico, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, to join in on the fun. The trip
is designed for those who only have one or two-week vacations, and want to
see the country with a large group of Mustangers. The distances between
stops will vary; most being short hops to allow time to see the different
parts of the country they are traveling through. Local clubs and Ford
dealers along the route are being organized to plan lunch and dinner stops,
sightseeing tours, special events, and various activities for the
participants. There is even a "pre-tour' week being planned for the
Europeans to get their cars from South Florida to Nashville. Their cars will
be in Ft. Lauderdale, being prepared for the trip. They will visit Disney
World, Daytona Beach and Speedway, St. Augustine, and be in Nashville
for the Show.
After the Show, the group will travel South to Montgomery, Al.,
Biloxi, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Beaumont, Houston, Dallas, Mustang, Ok.,
Amarillo, Roswell, NM, El Paso, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Sacramento, Reno, Las Vegas, Route 66, the Grand Canyon, Denver,
Kansas City, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dearborn, Canada,
Niagara Falls, Watkins Glen, Albany, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia,
Gettysburg, Washington, DC, Roanoke, Va., Charlottesville, Richmond, and
ending in Virginia Beach. Side trips are being planned for all sorts of
interests, to make this a memorable vacation. Local clubs are already
beginning to organize activities in their areas. Some are even planning
shows for a number of the weekend stops. There will be tours of various
Mustang-oriented facilities like Scott Drake, Edelbrock's Garage, the
Mustang factory, Pony Carburetors, Watkins Glen Raceway, Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, and possibly places like Saleen and Shelby factories. As more are
contacted, they will be added to the list.
Places of interest, like Roswell, Carlsbad Caverns, Juarez, and Tijuana,
Mexico, Monument Valley, 4 Corners, Colorado gold mining areas, the Rockies,
Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, are some unique spots along the way, just to
name a few. Mustang, Ok. is one of those "must see" stops where
the reception by the local club will leave lasting memories. In California,
the group slows to drive the Pacific Coast Highway through places like
Carmel and Monterrey. There is even an Iron Horse Vineyard where we hope to
stop. We will be working with Hampton Inn on their "Restore
America" program at the Pony Express stations in Sacramento and St.
Joseph. The trip through Nevada will cover the Extraterrestrial Highway
along Area 51. After leaving the Grand Canyon, there will be a week
traveling through Southwestern Colorado to take in all the sights.
The New England portion will stop at places like Bennington, Vt., home of
Hemming's Motor News. There will be stops at Mystic Seaport, Tarrytown, NY,
(home of Sleepy Hollow), two days in New York City, and then on to
Philadelphia. Next stop is at the Gettysburg Battlefield and then on to
Washington, DC. After DC, the caravan will travel through the Shenandoah
Valley to Roanoke. Then it's along the Blue Ridge Parkway to Charlottesville
and on to Richmond. The final stop is in Virginia Beach, near Williamsburg,
Yorktown, and Jamestown, some of the oldest towns in the US.
The actual schedule is still in the planning stages, with less than 2 years
to go before the start. Various groups have been contacted and some others
are in the process of being put on the list. Many European groups have been
notified to get the Europeans along as in 1989. Plans are in progress for
shipping the cars here and preparing them for a long trip. Various sponsors
are being sought to assist with many of the costs associated with a venture
this large, not only for the Europeans, but for all participants. Groups
like Mustang's in Motion are sharing their experiences with moving
"herds" of Mustangs. MCA has been very helpful at the early stages
in getting the word out to the various clubs. MCA will be an integral part
of the trip to help us encourage the involvement with Mustangs.
At each of the overnight stops, security will be provided for the cars and
various hotel chains are being contacted for discount packages. As the time
grows nearer, we will be able to get a better idea as to how many are
interested in participating, Many will be along for large portions of the
trip, while others may only be able to stay for a day or two. Those with
limited vacation schedules can pick the areas they want to visit and plan
their time accordingly. Side trips and guides will be available for those
that want to go off the "beaten path".
Many other ideas are being explored, such as rental Mustangs for those
that cannot get their cars to portions of the trip, or for those that may
not have one available, or want one but haven't gotten around to it yet. A
"ride-along" program is being planned, similar to the one John
Manners had. For those who wish to come along but are unable to have a car
available, they will be paired with driver's that could use some company and
to help split some costs. There will be a "mechanic's" van
traveling along for those unplanned breakdowns. Shops along the way will be
notified in case their services are needed. Those who are unable to join for
a long period are welcome at any point of the trip, as well at any
activities or receptions.
Ford is being contacted to keep them informed of the planning progress.
Until more plans are finalized, it's too early for a determination of what
will be asked of Ford. We are also trying to include Ford dealers all across
the country.
For those that experienced the 1989 Pony Drive, the camaraderie is
the most memorable feeling, no matter how short or long they traveled with
the group. Those that are able to experience this Great American Pony Drive
II will come away with the same feeling. John said, "We're all in this
together, but more importantly, we're all in this for the fun." As for
all of you Mustangers, don't miss this "once-in-a-lifetime" event.
This could possibly be the largest Mustang event ever planned.
|