HAPPENINGS

Items of interest to OMP members. Send us your news items about your new vehicle, things you did lately, restoration plans. etc.

This convoy is the 90^th Anniversary tribute to the FIRST motor convoy across the US – in 1919 – conducted by the US Army. The original 1919 convoy traveled for 62 days along the Lincoln Highway (www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org ) from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco, CA. In 2009, the MVPA plans to retrace this 3,260 mile route in approximately 20 days with military vehicles of all eras.

Along with 2009 being the 90^th anniversary of this US Army Convoy it is the 200^th Birthday of the Lincoln Highway’s inspiration – President Abraham Lincoln – which will be celebrated on a national level - see: http://www.lincolnbicentennial.gov/index.php

This convoy will travel the width of Ohio, following the route of the 1919 group, US 30, as closely as practical. The origination site will be Washington, D.C., and final stop will be San Francisco's Lincoln Park!

The exact dates of the departure and route stops have not been established as yet. The route will be "fine tuned" as many parts of the original 1919 route were dirt roads, or worse.

The 1919 convoy entered Ohio at East Liverpool, then went through Lisbon. Then Hanoverton, Minerva and a detour (for political reasons) to Alliance. Then off for a stopover at Canton, then Wooster. Mansfield was next, followed by a stop in Bucyrus. Fromt there the convoy lumbered on to Upper Sandusky, through Beaverdam, and stopped in Delphos for the night. Leaving there they passed through Ven Wert and on to the Indiana State Line.

The Ohio Motorpool would like to have a strong representation during the Ohio segment of this endeavor. PLAN NOW TO PARTICIPATE !

The maps below are from the original "Lincoln Highway Association" maps showing the routes across the country. The 1919 convoy kept primarily on US 30 all the way, except for sections not completed, and political or public relations detours. The 2009 convoy will attempt to follow the same routes, avoiding the freeways whenever possible.

Of course you need not "enlist" for the entire trip. If you have a military vehicle OF ANY ERA you are welcome to participate in a segment of the trip. You will have to make contact with the Convoy Commander to obtain permission to join the convoy, the "insertion point" for your entry into the procession, and your departure point.

We believe that the average speed of the 2009 convoy will be about thirty miles per hour, far faster than the average in 1909 which was three miles per hour! There will be "rest days", which may represent the encampments the original Army troops established as the trip progressed. We anticipate there will be lots of local parades through both large and small towns, and stops along the way for "photo ops" and media interviews.

This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Even if you join up for ten or twenty miles, you can cay you participated in one of the MVPA's biggest adventures!

If you do have the time, money and endurance you are welcome to take the whole trip! We are still working out details on the return of vehicle that do end up in San Francisco.

As of this date (January 13, 2008) we do not have a firm "enrollment" list established. We want you to think seriously about this event, and keep checking back both here and the MVPA Convoy Web Pages for updates.

UPDATE: According to the planning committee we will have an average of 41 vehicles daily and some 52 participants for the cross country trip. Remember to check in with the committee if you are interested in participating.

The MVPA web pages have the latest information: www.mvpa.org