FIRST ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S TOUR of NEW MEXICO

May, 2000

The President's Text Account of the Trip Follows These Pictures.

Click on Pictures for an Enlargement

FIRST ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S TOUR of NEW MEXICO

On May 18th a band of NTAHC members departed Decatur, Texas for a memorable trip to the mountains of North Central New Mexico.

At 7:30 AM two Austin Healeys, one Jensen Healey and a BMW hit the concrete ribbon to the Northwest. The weather was perfect for the drive to Cimarron, New Mexico. The Kit Carson Inn in Cimarron was the motel of choice for the night. The fires in New Mexico brought fire fighters from as far as Washington state to battle the fires 100 miles to the west. Some of these fire fighters stayed at the Kit Carson Inn with the Healey gang, they were very interesting people. After a fine Mexican dinner we retired for the night.

Breakfast at the best Mexican restaurant in town was the order of the day.The Cimarron Canyon was the first great scenic route we were to travel. Up the canyon to an elevation of 9,820 at Bobcat pass the Healeys roared. As we topped the pass Eagle Nest Lake came into view with clouds below us on the shore line. After a picture op. we headed for Red River by the high mountain roads. Before reaching Taos we stopped at the second highest bridge in the USA, which spanned the Rio Grande River North West of Taos. In Taos we checked into the Ramada Inn and had a great Mexican lunch. The adventuresome gang then toured the famous Taos Pueblos. We had dinner with Chiris and Judy Kellner's friend at Joseph's Table, I think this is the only dinner on the tour that did not consist of Mexican food. Judy's mother also joined us for dinner after flying in with Judy.

Saturday the band headed for La Chiripada winery in Dixon. After tasting and stocking up on wine we drove on to Chimayo to view the old mission. On the route we also stopped to do a little shopping and take a break. Then it was on to Santa Fe for a Mexican lunch at a place Bobby Ward recommended. After touring the Plaza we pointed the Healeys South to Tucmcari where we spent the last night of our adventure. When arriving in Tucumcari the Jensen Healey had the only mechanical problem on the trip, stopped pumping gas. After stopping and shaking the fuel filter we drove on the infamous Route 66 to the motel. One bottle of gas treatment and a new filter without water and crude in it solved the gas problem for the rest of the trip. Don't leave home without gas treatment and fuel filters, you really don't know what the gas supply is like in some small towns.

Early Sunday morning we headed out to Amarillo. After passing a cattle feed lot that just about knocked you out, we stopped at the buried Cadillac's. I don't know what the statement of this is, but they sure have a lot of paint on them from "Taggers" putting their own touch on the "Things". From there it was 350 miles of west Texas highway to home.

Stuart Sheperd, Bruce Beich, Bobby & Molly Ward, Chris Kellner and Kay and I have some great memories of this First Annual President's Tour of New Mexico, some 1350 miles worth. Judy Kellner and her mother Minne, joined us in Taos for some of the great fun we had on the trip.

Next time you talk to one of them they can tell you if it was worth the drive.

Remember that Healeys were meant to be driven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S TOUR of NEW MEXICO

On May 18th a band of NTAHC members departed Decatur,
Texas for a memorable trip to the mountains of North Central New Mexico.
At 7:30 AM two Austin Healeys, one Jensen Healey and a BMW hit the concrete ribbon to the Northwest. The weather was perfect for the drive to Cimarron, New Mexico. The Kit Carson Inn in Cimarron was the motel of choice for the night. The fires in New Mexico brought fire fighters from as far as Washington state to battle the fires 100 miles to the west. Some of these fire fighters stayed at the Kit Carson Inn with the Healey gang, they were very interesting people. After a fine Mexican dinner we retired for the night.

Breakfast at the best Mexican restaurant in town was the order of the day.The Cimarron Canyon was the first great scenic route we were to travel. Up the canyon to an elevation of 9,820 at Bobcat pass the Healeys roared. As we topped the pass Eagle Nest Lake came into view with clouds below us on the shore line. After a picture op. we headed for Red River by the high mountain roads. Before reaching Taos we stopped at the second highest bridge in the USA, which spanned the Rio Grande River North West of Taos. In Taos we checked into the Ramada Inn and had a great Mexican lunch. The adventuresome gang then toured the famous Taos Pueblos. We had dinner with Chiris and Judy Kellner's friend at Joseph's Table, I think this is the only dinner on the tour that did not consist of Mexican food. Judy's mother also joined us for dinner after flying in with Judy.

Saturday the band headed for La Chiripada winery in Dixon. After tasting and stocking up on wine we drove on to Chimayo to view the old mission. On the route we also stopped to do a little shopping and take a break. Then it was on to Santa Fe for a Mexican lunch at a place Bobby Ward recommended. After touring the Plaza we pointed the Healeys South to Tucmcari where we spent the last night of our adventure. When arriving in Tucumcari the Jensen Healey had the only mechanical problem on the trip, stopped pumping gas. After stopping and shaking the fuel filter we drove on the infamous Route 66 to the motel. One bottle of gas treatment and a new filter without water and crude in it solved the gas problem for the rest of the trip. Don't leave home without gas treatment and fuel filters, you really don't know what the gas supply is like in some small towns.

Early Sunday morning we headed out to Amarillo. After passing a cattle feed lot that just about knocked you out, we stopped at the buried Cadillac's. I don't know what the statement of this is, but they sure have a lot of paint on them from "Taggers" putting their own touch on the "Things". From there it was 350 miles of west Texas highway to home.

Stuart Sheperd, Bruce Beich, Bobby & Molly Ward, Chris Kellner and Kay and I have some great memories of this First Annual President's Tour of New Mexico, some 1350 miles worth. Judy Kellner and her mother Minne, joined us in Taos for some of the great fun we had on the trip.

Next time you talk to one of them they can tell you if it was worth the drive. Remember that Healeys were meant to be driven!