Citizens turn out for vintage vehicles
Weather only gray spot during AAA reliability run
MOSES LAKE Area residents plunged back in time 100 years with the arrival of vintage cars from the early 1900s Tuesday.
The cars were on display in Civic Park as part of the American Automobile Association's centennial, which the state is marking with a six-day endurance run from Spokane to Seattle.
The cars and their owner-drivers also stopped and were on display in Ritzville for Monday night, and in Quincy Tuesday night.
"Yesterday was pretty miserable, especially when you don't have a windshield, because it was raining," explained Don Poffenroth, who is driving a 1906 Buick Model F. "But the roads have been fine, the traffic's been fine it's just the weather. Today's awesome."
John Reilly, from Delta, British Columbia and driver of a two-cylinder 1908 Model C Northern, and Les Schubert, from Calgary, Alberta and driver of one-cylinder 1906 Cadillac, both said that they were enjoying the hospitality of Moses Lake.
Schubert said a Hutterite farmer waved him over along the way and told him it was nice to see his car.
"He said, 'I'm going to make sure I tell the boys not to run into you when they're driving them big trucks,'" he remembered with a smile. "He said, 'You just have a good day.' I said, 'Thank you very much,' and shook his hand."
Poffenroth said the reaction from onlookers has been incredible.
"There have been all sorts of folks come to watch and meet us at every little town we've come to," he said. "It's been a lot of fun."
And Moses Lake was no exception.
"We've always been enthusiastic about these years of cars," said Bobbie Carras. "I've never seen cars this old. You see the 1920s and the 1930s, but nothing in the early years. I think it's marvelous."
Joanne and Karl Klemm came to see the cars from Kennewick.
"Pretty nice," Karl said.
"I'm surprised at the steering wheel being on the right," Joanne said. "I hadn't realized."
"That's just how they made them in those days," explained David Overstreet, AAA public affairs director out of Spokane. "It reflects how they were made at that time."
Steering wheels were switched to the other side in about 1916, he said.
Greg Hansen said he turned out to see the vehicles because he was curious.
"It's something you don't see every day," he said. "They're all bright and shiny, they look like they're brand new, and it's a real treat to see these old cars."7723OhmlNXF-Reliability run cut mrw 9-15Clydz HD772SORT^Ae2AUDT
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