Pat and Wanda's 5th Annual Tailgate Party

Photo Album - Trail Rides

Red Route Hill

The above photos were taken on a "Red Route" hill.  The camera does not show how steep the slope is, or how high the rocks that try to eat the differentials are. 

Dianna Bluntzer (top) climbed to the summit where she guided Lloyd (middle left). 

Bruce Stewart's WC-21 (middle right) with 7.00x16 tires left an imprint of the front differential several places.   Here, he drove on the rocks alongside the trail to get clearance.  The old off-roaders' technique of straddling the usual wheel tracks helped but he found that 4.89 differential gears and a single-speed transfer case did not let him ease the truck over the rocks with much finesse. 

Gary Thomas (bottom left) used MagnaWarpDrive to levitate his Area 51 M-37 up the hill with its wheels clearing the earth by three inches.  (Hey! Gary believes it.  Why can't you?)

Dwight Banks (bottom right) tries out a '53 Power Wagon.  (Controlling mosquitoes is just one more task a Power Wagon can accomplish.)

The Short Cut

The trail runs along one side of a deep wash for a while and then comes back along the other side.  Don and Pattie Sawyer's M-37 with Gamma Goat wheels and tires (Top), Lloyd and Dianna Bluntzer's M-37 (bottom left), and Noel and Pricilla Goin's M-35 were among the trucks that took a short cut.

The Wait

Those of us who served in the military grew accustomed to "Hurry up and wait!" as a way of life.  Was it us or was it the OD paint on everything around us.  Here is a "Hurry up and wait" moment on the trail.  A mud monster was trying to consume a truck back down the hill where the trail crossed a newly refreshed stream.  Cecil Cox was heading down - not to help - but to take pictures.  Of course, he knew all the Power Wagons would get through - eventually.

Meanwhile, Back at Camp

It's that OD thing again.  All the military Dodges did a "Dress Right, Dress!" and in the middle was one of those "Route Step" guys.  From left, Pat O'Bryan's WC-56 (under shed), Paul Cook's WC-52, Mark Francis' '67 WM300 (About Face, Mark.) Bruce Stewart's WC-21, Gary Thomas' Area 51 M-37, and Sam Goin's M-37, "Jethro".

Same thing from the other end.

                   Mark McElyea's 1946 WDX                                                            Aaron Arnold's W300 

                     Pat O'Bryan's M-43 and M-42                                              Frank Naugle's 1948 B-1-PW     

Frank Naugle, Brad Zelinski, Wade (I think), Aaron Arnold, and Luis Collie and his '59 W-200

A Rare Find

Here is the first view that matters to anyone who wants a WC-56/57 Command Car.  This intact, uncut tailgate and complete set of top bows would make any aficionado breathe hard and reach for the checkbook.  John Colwell brought this WC-57 and had us all coming over to look at it.  I enjoyed a VIP ride in the back seat over some medium trails and was surprised at the comfort.  John and son, Shane, and Frank Naugle and son Christian, are shown on the ride. 

Special To Me

Seeing Bruce Stewart's fine WC-21 had special memories for me.  My first trip to Pat and Wanda's place at Brownwood was in April 1995 to attend my first Texas Power Wagon Reunion.  I decided I would bring my WC-21 and see what this was all about.  The laminated lever on the fuel pump broke as I was loading the WC and it would not run, but I winched it the rest of the way onto the trailer and brought it along "to meet the other trucks."  I met a group of the nicest folks I have ever known and have enjoyed knowing them ever since.  Pat and Wanda, Brownwood, and a WC-21 - what great memories they bring.