Account of a post-Great War military and public relations expedition to drive a truck convoy cross-country from the White House to San Francisco. This story of the First Transcontinental Motor Train showed the US public the need for an internal roads system. Interesting enough, a young officer named Dwight D. Eisenhower took part. As President in the 1950's, he instituted the Interstate Highway system. Coincidence? Did the US go to a road-based rather than train-based transportation system simply because of this war game/PR stunt in 1919? ( )

This is a road story telling the history of a 1919 military caravan that made a historic cross-country journey. Eighty-one vehicles set out to follow the not-fully completed Lincoln Highway http://lincolnhighway.jameslin.name/ ; in some locations the highway was little more than a dirt road. This military endeavor was also a promotion to gain local support and funding for completion of the highway. The cast of characters included a young Dwight Eisenhower, the future military commander in WWII and later U.S. president. Not for everyone - - but this book intrigued me with it's descriptions of travel via dusty or muddy traces and numerous mishaps and breakdowns. Ironic that the journey captured the nation's interest and spurred road building across America, but the Lincoln Highway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway was never fully completed. (lj) ( )

Ike Didn’t Like This Pike

American Road by seasoned author Pete Davies is an amazing, and intimate portrait of a piece of America's past. This story is adventure travel at it's best. Peter Davies telescopes backward in time to 1919 as the U.S Army plans a 3000 mile journey across America's heartland as the First Transcontinental Motor Convoy. To promote the building of America's roads, the army devised a scheme to gather up 81 various vehicles such as cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, ambulances, and kitchen messes, to then cross the width of the US starting from Washington D.C on westward to San Francisco. They were to assess what needed to be done to get highways and roads built and to map out which sections of the country were traversable and which were not. At this time, this was still the dawn of the automobile industry and currently cars were still a luxury to be owned only by the wealthy or automobile industry magnates.

Although this was strictly a military operation, of which young Ike Eisenhower is a member, there were many key players of the major automobile and tire companies that added their input and finances to make the trip successful. All parties involved hope to use this journey as a fundraising expedition to pave the roads across America, where at this point in our history, were nothing but dirt paths and previous prairie schooner wagon ruts. America in 1919 was nothing more than a rutted dirt trail through an empty map.

For over 100 eager & determined Army soldiers, this endeavor would prove that only the fittest would survive as these men grunted and strained every single day for over two months, laying down each night under the stars totally believing they would not succeed. As they began their grueling journey and slowly inched west, the easier sections were of course up to the point of Ohio and Nebraska. Small towns and cities first, then the flat prairies where nothing but dirt and plains for all the eye to see eased them into what would soon become a more harrowing trip. Daily, the routine was pull out at 5:30 am, "drive, sink, push, pull, strain, curse, drive on some more" to only fall flat on their faces at midnight when the stars came out and visibility was a hindrance. The clouds of dust, muck as deep as quicksand and as thick as quagmire, rocks and rubble, and steep inclines that threatened to pitch them off the side of mountains to their death, were just some examples of the treacherous terrain from day one to the end. Each day combating the elements, strategizing and puzzling out the best way to battle the dangers ahead took a heavy toll on these fierce yet determined souls. It was a test of "nerve and endurance that proved what the American spirit was capable of". There were torrential rains to make the roads so slick the drivers struggled to take purchase lest they slip off the side of the world. There were dust devils swirling so wide and high they blinded the drivers and clogged up the gear works. Goggles were coated in bugs, dirt and motor oil, and bathing to rid the caked on dirt was for these poor men, a far and few between occurrence. Detailed descriptions of climbing monumental sand dunes during moments of intense desert heat had the soldiers fearing they would roast alive leaving nothing but bones for the buzzards. The vehicles, infants in motor history, broke down each and every day. Parts needed replacing, accidents caused injuries and loss, morale for the men diminished mile by mile as they insanely crept toward their goal always voicing "tell me again, why are we doing this?"

I found this marvelous account riveting, and totally got caught up in the spirit of the adventure. The author writes very well and the story reads as smooth as fiction. Davies not only gives the reader an incredible death defying story, but also reveals fascinating facts about the history of the automobile industry by interjecting interesting tidbits dispersed among the daily convoy events. The one thing that might intrigue a potential buyer of this book is that one of our WWII presidents was along for the ride and performed his duty as resident prankster and practical joker as he took it all in stride to boost the others spirits when impending doom seemed imminent. 28 year old Ike Eisenhower seemed to view the brutality of this pioneering road with a sense of humor as well as his duty.

The journey for the Army Convoy team took 62 back breaking days as they rattled and rolled across the heart of America, and believe me as they drove along hell's backbone, they were not singing Happy Trails to You. But they made it.

I highly recommend this book for any automobile enthusiast, any reader of adventure travel books, and for avid fans of early American history. If the story does one thing for you, it makes you realize 100% how spoiled we are today. Sensational story, two thumbs up! ( )