Awake: 6:48am Temp 40 sleep 6+26 sunny overnight @ Helena, Alabama.
Late morning, we motor to downtown Birmingham & visit the Alabama Power Building; they advertise a collection of old radios, console radios, vacuum tubes, test equipment, art deco classic radios, etc. Unfortunately, the late morning sun reflected off the glassed-in display & my picture taking was limited. However, outside, I was able to get a beautiful picture of Miss Electra posing proudly in the nude atop the Alabama Power building. The shapely (16 & ½ ft cast bronze statue, coated with gold leaf, weights 4000 pounds); one city official...who will remain anonymous ....pointed out Miss Electra, calling her "buck naked & anatomically correct."
Next, Kathy makes a phone call & then programs our GPS for an approx (30) min ride east to visit the much talked about: Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum...still located in Birmingham, Alabama. The city of Birmingham apparently has a vast amount of acreage within its boundaries.
1st of all, this private collection began in 1988 & was opened to the public in 1994. By 1999, the museum had outgrown its downtown facility, then a search for a new location brought forth a unique museum, about (25) miles from downtown, with (5) floors & 144,000 sq-ft of exhibit space. The large central atrium allows visitors to glimpse @ hundreds of motorcycles on several different floors. Visitors move from floor to floor using the atrium's (12) ton-capacity glass elevator, or by using the walkway that connects the floor together.
How long does it take (2) seniors, a male & female in decent shape, to look closely @ (750) motorcycles & about (2) dozen race cars & maybe a dozen Formula 1 cars, all from around the world? Well, we started a little before 3:00pm & closed the place down @ 5:00pm. 99% of this equipment has been restored to operating condition with many of the restorations done @ the museum's in-house shops. They even have a 2.38 mile road course adjacent to the museum on which to "test run" the renovated equipment. Also, we were told that there is a school for beginners that also uses this 2.38 mile track.
Besides production street vehicles & specialized racing machines, there are a wide variety of international-make machines; motorcycles, street & race, domestic & international, from early 1900's motor driven cycles to modern vehicles. We did find (2) square fours from England (my buddy Ray has one ready to restore) & quite a few Indians like my other buddy Mark used to ride around on. And of course, a few 1950's Harley's that resemble the Dual Glide 74 my brother & I had. This place is awe....some!
Dinner: BB chicken & hot spinach rice bake.
Evening movie: "Hold Your Man" with Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Stuart Erwin, Elizabeth Patterson, etc. Delightful film that effectively makes the transition from comedy to drama with Harlow falling for jailbound Gable. 1933. Kathy's judgment: it was OK!
Lights out: 12:14am
Leave a comment