Team Blog

1/11/09 – The Alice Ramsey Centennial committee continues to work toward June 9, 2009 and our launch date from 1930 Broadway Ave. New York City. The Maxwell is finished and exercising it’s legs in the next few months to get miles on it and work out the kinks…..The route is being very ably planned by Bill Ottemann of Fallbrook, CA. with the help of a number of supporters who live along the route and are driving the actual roads and making suggestions for route choices. We will try our best to stick to Alice’s route, but freeways, deep traffic quagmires and private property with no road existing is forcing us to call some choices “close enough”. Both the Horseless Carriage Club of America and the Antique Automobile Club of America are supporting this venture with publicity and in-kind contributions, for which we are very grateful.

We have been working very hard on applying for sponsorship to various corporations, antique automobile insurance companies, museums, and other businesses who profit from the antique and vintage automobile hobby. Thus far our efforts have been unsuccessful. We were hoping to be able to generate enough support to pay our gas, lodging and food bills and maybe be able to rent a van or two for the support crew. To date we have come up short. With the economy the way it is, I’m not surprised that sponsorships are rare or nonexistent.

We have been getting a lot of support from local people, car clubs and regional groups. One AACA regional group in Schoharie, New York is going to provide us lodging in peoples homes or get us a good rate at the motel. They are also hosting a meal when we get to town, providing secure storage for cars, driving along with us for parts of the route and donating $200 into the Maxwell gas tank. Its very exciting to have support such as this from local car people who want to join in and participate in this historic event with us. We really appreciate their help, and hope other groups will join with them to keep us going across the country.

The Pierce Arrow museum in Buffalo is also a big supporter. Jim has done a lot of work making contacts, helping with route information and arranging a big celebration and open house for us when we are in Buffalo, NY. If you are able to come to Buffalo June 11-13 to join us in the celebration and open house, please come. We will be doing some regional touring in the area and welcome any car people interested in joining in to participate.

We are open to any help and support individuals, groups or corporations can offer. We have a non-profit contribution source for donations if you like. We will soon be adding a special area to the web site for donations and welcome anything that will keep us going. We need gas, lodging, food, two staff cars, and frequent flyer miles for our staff to fly to New York. We thank you for any support you can offer, or options for support you can direct us towards…..Anything as easy as filling our gas tank will help……Thanks.