Thursday, November 15, 2007

"Old Scout" won the Big Prize

The 1902 Olds, affectionately called "Old Scout" won the first transcontinental race for motor-driven vehicles. The Olds crossed the country in 44 days in 1905. It traveled from New York City to Portland, Oregon at a 100-mile-a-day clip. Dwight B. Huss grappled with the tiller as he steered the on-cylinder Olds through wheel-deep mud and water and bounced over rough mountain trails. This journey proved beyond all doubt that the automobile could provide dependable transportation. Huss and Milford Wigle, his mechanic and relief driver, arrived in Portland in triumph to the cheers of approximately 350,000 people. For his record-establishing journey, Huss received a prize of $1,000.

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