A stop along the way

Doug and Nan Linden (left) and Dick and Barbara O'Brien, lean against the O'Brien's 1929 Model A Ford "Woody" station wagon before starting the next leg of their journey back to Boston. The morning included stops at the Spencer Public Library, home of Dewey the cat, and a trip to the city's popular art deco historic district.
(Photos by Randy M. Cauthron)

Throughout the summer, Spencer is a destination spot for many, serving as a gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes.

Not so for Doug and Nan Linden and Dick and Barbara O'Brien. The two retired couples spent the night at Spencer's AmericInn -- grabbing a bit of much needed rest on a journey that has taken them from their Boston area homes to Vancouver, British Columbia and back again.

The couples left the East Coast for the extended drive on July 16 -- headed to the International Model A Ford Convention -- aboard two classics of their own. The Linden's driving a 1931 sedan that Doug has owned for 40 years, and the O'Brien's rolling in a 1929 Woody station wagon Dick has had for 30 years.

"We were heading toward Michigan on Highway 18. It's kind of a straight run into Milwaukee and Spencer happened to be on the way," Doug said. "It's a very nice community."

The couples were unaware of the Clay County Fair, Dewey the cat or the great Spencer fire. They weren't in town to view the registered historic or cultural district.

Doug said, "We decided to rest and relax a little bit. Checked out a local restaurant for the evening. Then came back to the hotel room."

They were in a hurry to get back on the road Tuesday morning and continue toward Milwaukee where they could catch the ferry across Lake Michigan, but after learning more about the community where they chose to spend the night -- the foursome decided to do some sightseeing.

Nan, a school teacher, spent the early morning in the hotel gathering information about the world's most famous library cat, and planning a special trip to the library.

Doug was anxious to get downtown and check out the art deco architecture Spencer is known for.

The travelers stopped at all of the major national parks and sightseeing opportunities along the way.

"We've been chronicling the whole trip with pictures," Doug said. "We thought the Badlands were very beautiful, so different than anything we've seen."

He also noted Glacier National Park the wildlife at Yellowstone.

According to Doug, the Lindens and O'Briens have had a great opportunity to enjoy to the scenery and personality of the Midwest.

Moving at a maximum speed of 45 to 50 miles per hour, and covering just 275 to 300 miles each day, the couples have had plenty of time to take it all in. With no air conditioning available, days with high winds and temperatures in the high 90s across Wyoming were tough to battle through, but the group managed to dodge rain the entire trip with the exception of rain the morning they left home.

The journey has allowed them to see parts of the country they never had before. A trip to Kansas City for a Model A Convention once before marked their furthest road trip west prior to this run.

"When you travel the back roads, even the highways here have so little traffic it's a pleasure to drive. We enjoy looking corn and soybeans grown here to feed the world.

"...I hope the folks that live in these areas appreciate what they have."

Speaking specifically of Spencer, "It's a very nice community."

The Lindens and O'Briens expected to be back in Massachusetts by the weekend, ahead of the Sept. 1, date they set for themselves, but they won't soon forget their time on the road or what they enjoyed along the way.

"The thing is the friendliness of the people. We'd stop in for gas or a hotel at night, everyone has a story about an antique car their father had. Its kind of fun to hear those stories."

The sign on the back the 1929 Woody station wagon pretty much tells the story of Boston couples -- Doug and Nan Linden and Dick and Barbara O'Brien -- journey across the country.