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Day 12 – Mar. 31st: Stagecoaches and a Glass Desert

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

<– Day 11 – Mar. 30th: Phoenix’s Mystery Castle | OVERVIEW | Day 13 Apr 1st: From Scottsdale AJs to Seligman Sundries –>

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Chihuly glass sculptures on a boat in a pond at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Even though Ann’s birthday wasn’t until April 1st we decided to celebrate it on March 31st. My present to her was a nice room at the Marriott and for me to abstain from work. Well, she got 1 out 2, as I only abstained from most work.

Our stay at the Marriott (in Scottsdale) was nice due to the beautiful room. However, the room we had was placed among a series of rooms where there were some college/high school aged guys. But, rather than on Spring Break, I got the feeling they were staying there longer term. They weren’t being rowdy, but the hall echoed badly as the room doors opened/shut loudly and often. At one point I had to get the manager to move a set of young men out of the hallway after they became noisy (and after I’d confronted them once). Eventually they settled down and we didn’t have any more problems the rest of our stay.

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We started Monday by driving to visit the Wells Fargo Museum in downtown Phoenix. It was a rather small museum inside a Wells Fargo bank building. The museum turned out to be a little gem. First of all it was free (perhaps funded in part by the questionable mortgage practices to which my ex-wife fell victim in 2008 — she wasn’t totally innocent, but the phone reps flat out lied to her . . . but, I digress). The museum had several neat displays that included the history of the company, a challenge for visitors to put thirteen dolls into/onto a single carriage to demonstrate how crowded they could be, the difficulties of hunting ‘highway men’ and more. There’s even a very nice painting collection. If you have an hour and are downtown, I recommend it (145 W Adams
Phoenix, AZ 85003 – Learn more at Yelp).

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It might not looks like much, but each of these displays is pretty neat.

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Ann’s inside this stagecoach while a narrator takes her on a journey (you can just see his head in the background).

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This coach is designed to carry thirteen people. The goal is to fit all thirteen dolls into the coach. It’s an effective way to show how crowded some coaches could be.

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Wells fargo will print your photo and email you a photo if you want your picture on some money.

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Day 11 – Mar. 30th: Phoenix’s Mystery Castle

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

<– Day 10 – Mar. 29th: Red Lobster or Bust — Day 2 of the FC Roundup | OVERVIEW | Day 12 Mar. 31st: Stagecoaches and a Glass Desert –>

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The Mystery Castle as it appeared in Life Magazine in 1948.

On Sunday we didn’t do a whole lot, which was just fine with us. But, we did have one objective: To visit the Mystery Castle. Located just south of Phoenix, the Mystery Castle was built in the 1930s by Boyce Gulley. While living with his wife and daughter in Seattle, Boyce learned he had tuberculosis and was given six months to live. Without a word to them, he left. After wandering for a year, he discovered he wasn’t going to die. So, he settled down in Phoenix, got some free land south of the city, and built a castle for his daughter. His wife and daughter wouldn’t learn about the castle until after his death in 1945. When they arrived to take possession of the property, they were told that after living there two years, they could open up a mystery door….

On January 1, 1948, Life Magazine was there to cover the opening of the door. You can learn more about what they found by reading the January 26, 1948, issue of Life Magazine.

Here are some photos. You really have to see the place to understand it. If you like rustic and eclectic, this place is a must see:

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Following our tour of the house, we got some food and headed for our motel. Tomorrow we will do a few touristy things around Phoenix.

<– Day 10 – Mar. 29th: Red Lobster or Bust — Day 2 of the FC Roundup | OVERVIEW | Day 12 Mar. 31st: Stagecoaches and a Glass Desert –>

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Day 10 – Mar. 29th: Red Lobster or Bust — Day 2 of the FC Roundup

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

<– Day 9 – Mar. 28th: Charging Futility and FC Roundup Day 1 | OVERVIEW | Day 11 Mar. 30th: Phoenix’s Mystery Castle –>

2014-03-29-fcroundup-groupIt was a busy day at the FC-Roundup. There were more trucks, more people and plenty of visitors. The weather was a little warm, but I know I relished the heat after our cold winter in Pasco.

The morning started for some of us with a 6am breakfast FC convoy, which I did alone as Ann decided she’d enjoy sleeping a little while longer. We all met over at Jesse’s. Thinking Jason’s tour jeep was going to be filled, Craig Brockhaus jumped into the rear. I was thinking the same thing, so I jumped up next to him. It turned out we were the only two in the back two rows. Certain someone would tell our wives that we were seen taking a romantic ride in the back of the tour jeep, Craig made the smart move to shift to the other side.

We made it to breakfast at Fast Eddies without a single jeep breaking down. That could be a record! For the trip back to the event, Jesse offered to give me a ride in his M-667. Well, wouldn’t you know but that two-timing Craig wasted no time inviting Dan Devries into the back of the Tour Jeep for the ride home. I feel so cheap now . . .

After a quick trip back to the hotel to pick up Ann, the two of us met up with Colin Peabody for a wide ranging chat. He had some good suggestions for Route 66 stops, so we’ll be including some of those on the early part of our trip toward California.

Just before we left, Colin showed us his DJ-3A Surrey. It’s a beautiful vehicle that he enjoys immensely.

2014-03-29-fcroundup-colinThe door-prize giveaway started just after lunch. Jason and Greg combined forces to provide several really cool customized signs. We were all drooling. I implored my wife to use all her witchy powers (after all, she is the descendent of John Ketcham). But, no matter what she tried, she could not win me a sign!  I doubt her heart was truly in it, because she didn’t think we’d be able to take it home. But, I had a solution and that solution was to come up with a plan once I won the sign. Alas, that didn’t happen. Here are a few of the signs.

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Day 9 – Mar. 28th: Charging Futility and FC Roundup Day 1

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

<– Day 8 – Mar. 27th: Joe’s Jeeps | OVERVIEW | Day 10 – Mar. 29th: Red Lobster or Bust — Day 2 of the FC Roundup –>

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Wayne’s FC appears to be bowing as if to say “Welcome to the Round Up!”

Prior to the beginning of this trip, I planned to have a new battery in my MacBook Pro laptop (currently three years old) and a backup charger (mine has lots of black tape holding it together). But, my planning went completely wrong. First, I ordered a battery off of ebay, only to receive a broken one. So, I sent that back and ordered a second one, which turned out to be an imitation, unlike what was advertised. Since my current battery still lasts about 2 hours, I figured I’d survive the trip with it.

For a back up charger, I planned to bring Ann’s, along with her old Mac Book Pro laptop. But then, her mom bought her a new Mac Book Pro laptop for her birthday. What I didn’t realize is that Apple changed the charger slightly for the new retina displays, meaning her charger doesn’t work with mine.

Despite these obstacles, I figured I could make the charger survive. Well, I couldn’t. Today, of all days, with us running late to get to the FC Roundup, the charger failed me. So, off to the Apple store I went to buy a new charger, which made us later. You gotta love technology. It never fails to go bad at the worst times . . .

Eventually, we made it to the FC Roundup and had a wonderful afternoon relaxing and talking with folks. There’s a bigger turnout than we’d seen from the last two years were were here. Even more people are arriving tomorrow, so it should be great fun. Here’s some photos from today:

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This is what it is all about. Hanging out and chatting.

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Note the cut down MB grille on the front of the FJ

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This newcomer is a beautiful build.

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FCs show up in all types of condition.

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Rusty’s Removable FC Fan Shroud

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

“Worn Rusty Hubbs” has a removable lower FC Fan shroud to make it easier to work on the engine. He thought folks might like to see some pics. Thanks for taking the time to shoot the photos Rusty!

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Here the shroud is attached.

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This shows one set of tabs used to attach the shroud.

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This shows another set.

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This shows the shroud removed from the jeep.

 

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Old Article from Charles

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This old photo is interesting. I think that’s a newer Hotchkiss in the front with an older jeep (Hotchkiss?) in the rear.

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