August 4th

Mark from BPC Motorworks said he'd call when the car was ready but the call didn't come and by late afternoon we were feeling a bit anxious. In fact, he didn't call until the next afternoon (August 4th) with the bad news that the fuel pump also needed to be replaced but the good news was that the Triumph was ready to go. Russ and I took off for BPC to pick up the car and what a difference in performance! We packed up our gear once again and planned to leave in the wee hours of the morning. We had a leisurely dinner with our lovely ladies, Cindy and Mary, then settled in for a few winks before our departure. We left at 1:30 in the morning on August 5th.

August 5th
Our first stop was Stone Mountain in Georgia, well known not only for its geology but for the enormous bas-relief on its north face. We couldn't miss seeing the three figures of the confederate states of America: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. The TR3A performed great the 282 miles from Hilton Head, SC to Stone Mountain. We continued north another 240+ miles and pulled in for the night in Caryville, TN. No matter where we went, on freeways or back roads, we attracted attention from passersby. People couldn't help but gawk at the two big men in the little red Triumph, waving to us as we passed by. At the motel in Caryville a crowd of curious people congregated around the car, asking questions, admiring the Triumph, wanting their pictures taken next to the car, and wishing us well on our trip ahead. It's a burden, but someone has to do it! (We love every moment)