From September 1 through 4 this year, I rode my bicycle across Indiana from east to west on US 40. It was a longtime dream realized — I’d wanted to do it for years and years. I’m not athletic in the slightest; I just love to ride my bicycle. And I love historic roads like US 40. Its history stretches back to the 1830s, when the first federally funded interstate highwy, the National Road, reached Indiana. It connected Ohio to Illinois via Richmond, Indianapolis, and Terre Haute.
When the US highway system was founded in 1927, US 40 was routed over the National Road almost wholesale from its beginning in Cumberland, Maryland to its end in Vandalia, Illinois. In the 1930s and 1940s, US 40 was improved all the way across Indiana to be a four-lane highway. Sometimes the lanes are separated by a grassy median; sometimes they’re not. At all times, US 40 is lightly traveled because almost all traffic uses nearby I-70.
What’s very cool is that a few sections of the old two-lane US 40 remain. This one in Putnam County features an open-spandrel concrete arch bridge built in 1923. In those days, the state controlled the National Road and called it State Road 3. They built this bridge when a previous truss bridge proved inadequate for increasing auto traffic. The bridge in the first photo was also built in about 1923, and was simply abandoned when the new four-lane US 40 was built. You’ll find it just west of Plainfield, in Hendricks County.
As I rode, I found several old cars parked. Or trailered, as is the case with this stretched International Travelall ambulance.
I found this in Richmond the evening before I started to ride. It’s easily my favorite find of the trip.
It looks fantastic from a distance, but up close you can see that it’s got some signs of use. I can’t figure out whether this was a gently used ambulance in original condition, or a long-ago restoration that needs some touch up.
Either way, it’s well tricked out with air conditioning and an automatic transmission.
Somewhere in Henry County, I think, I came upon this Flair Bird parked by a barn. It was a good distance off the road; this was as close as my point-and-shoot camera’s zoom lens would bring me.
In Knightstown I found a small building with large plate windows filled with Pontiacs and Chevys from 1957. This Star Chief convertible was the only one I could get a decent photograph of.
57 Ford, E of Stilesville on US 40
In Hendricks County, I came upon this ’57 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop. A shirtless fellow sitting in a lawn chair in his garage saw me photographing his car, and gave me a long, slow wave.
In the lot of what looked like a repair shop in Putnamville, I found three oldsters starting with this ’59 Ford. Ye gods, but are ’59 Fords ugly.
This 1953 Dodge was stripped of nearly all of its brightwork.
Behind it lurked this ’61 Rambler American, my favorite of the trio. I’m sure these were dull to drive but I’m just old enough to remember when these crawled the Earth and I sometimes miss those days.
Finally, near Cloverland in Clay County I spied this ’72-ish Ford truck moldering in someone’s yard.
My goal was to ride to the Illinois line, but it rained on me after lunch on the last day, making my brakes useless. I cut the trip 9 miles short and rode directly to the home of an old friend who lives in Terre Haute.
It was a challenging trip, as I am a middle-aged man in middling shape. Some days the riding was a pleasure, and others not so much. But I made it! I rode 35-45 miles a day, and stopped at a hotel or an Airbnb every night. I packed enough food to get by during the day, but took meals at restaurants in the morning and evening. I feel like I really accomplished something. But now I’m satisfied, and will probably never do anything like this again.
And yes, that’s an old 3 speed — a 1986 Schwinn Collegiate, to be precise. It’s the bike I have, I really like riding it, and I thought I’d give ‘er a go. Turns out a much lighter bicycle would have been a blessing on this trip. Also, a granny gear would really have helped on the hills. But this bike’s springy, padded seat and upright riding position were just right for me.
Sounds like a fun trip! I want that Travelall, that thing is sweet. That ’57 Ford Hardtop incredible too.
Love this approach. Sounds like a great trip. Really enjoyed reading all about it, so thanks for that.
What a great selection. So, would we call the Travelall ambulance a woundbinder? That is my favorite of your finds too, and even growing up in an International Harvester town, I have never seen such a thing.
You win the JPC Car Spotter Merit Award for getting a shot of a 57 Ford Fairlane that is NOT a retractable hardtop! Those regular Fairlane hardtops were good looking cars. And it fits with the red/white theme you have going on.
You did not catch the most attractive of the 59s, with that low-trim “fordor”, I will admit. But if you call the 59 Ford ugly, what on earth do you call the 53 Dodge?!?!?
A woundbinder – perfect.
The Fairlane was so gorgeous! My dad’s first car was a 57 Ford, a more pedestrian four-door sedan, probably the 300 or whatever the entry level was. But 57 Fords always remind me of him.
Great idea, and sounds like a great trip! Question…those old sections with the concrete bridges, those don’t seem like they’re intended to carry regular traffic any longer. Did you find those just off the main road, or did you have to go searching for them?
The “small building” with the old cars in Knightstown…I’ve found those sorts of things all over the country out in the sticks as well as in cities. Often they’re old gas stations, old dealership buildings, or commercial garages (in cities). Obviously they’re just old real estate that’s being repurposed by amateur collectors with more cars than they are allowed to keep at home. But I’ve virtually never seen anyone IN any of those places, so they always seem a bit dusty and lonely to me. I’d love someday to do an extended tour of just those places across the country….
Finally, the old 3-speed is a lovely bike, but it’s (IMO) not really made for what you were using it for. Rather, I think that you could do yourself a huge favor by getting a modern hybrid (cross between a road bike and an off-road bike) with more than 3 speeds and modern brakes…and you may be just comfortable enough to do more trips. Something it sounds like you’d very much enjoy. As would we.
The style certainly worked for the average Englishman back in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Weekend distance rides were quite the rage back in those days with the railroads adding special cars to their trains to take riders out to favorite start/finish points, drop them off and pick them back up later in the weekend.
England, most likely because it’s the home of Sturmei-Archer, never did take to those spindly derailleur things until the mid 60’s. After all, they were a French invention . . . . .
There are three 1920s bridges left on US 40. One’s abandoned and crumbling – you could theoretically get your car onto it but I wouldn’t recommend it. The other two remain open to traffic and I drive over them every chance I get.
Yep, a more modern bike would have made this trip more pleasant. For sure.
Well done!
Locally, government has passed a law that says drivers of vehicles must ensure they leave 1 metre (3.5 feet) to the right of their vehicle when passing a bicycle rider. Do you have something similar in Indiana? It helps to ensure safety of riders, but sometimes on narrow two lane roads, drivers have to borrow from the oncoming lane, and most do so only when there is non oncoming traffic. So cyclists cause slowdowns.
Glad to see you made it safely. The paved shoulder on that roadway in the last photo looks adequate, but not ample for biking.
No such law in Indiana. The light traffic is what made this trip do-able on US 40.
Very cool! I am a cyclist and would love to do something like this someday. Here in Iowa though, the main highways are unsafe for cyclists and secondary roads in the country are gravel. But in IN and IL, they’re chip and tar – more ideal.
Iowa sounds a little like where I live now, plus the roads here are all laid out in a grid pattern, so everything is so straight (boring). Plus the straight roads encourage drivers to go faster, making safety a little sketchy for bike riders. And there is a fair amount traffic on the back roads here too.
I grew up in Northeast Wisconsin in the 1970’s and did lots of bike riding there as a teenager. The back roads there are awesome, with very lightly traveled paved roads that probably started as horse trails. They have lots of twists and curves, and I came across very few gravel roads. I put lots of miles on my 1974 Schwinn Sprint. I still have the bike and occasional ride it. I’m 62.
Gravel biking is the new hotness in cycling, all you need is something with 32C or larger tires ad a bit of give in the frame. Of cycling being what it is there are any number of more or less specialized gravel bikes on the market as well as “gravel specific” shoes, shorts tires etc. Personally I just use an old Cyclocross bike or my mountain bike depending on expected terrain.
An admirable journey. Last year I put 2,200 miles on my 1973 Columbia 3-speed, riding around the Twin Cities metro. They are a great mode of transport for a 64 year old retired guy, especially if you put the largest possible rear sprocket on – makes hills a lot easier to take.
Yes! My mom had a similar vintage Columbia 3 speed, which she bought new. It was brown. What a gorgeous bike it was.
Thank you for sharing your ride, something I would enjoy doing myself! However, the Smart Set, backed by no less than the Comite’ Francais D L’Elegance would like to have a word with you regarding the ’59 Ford….
“Finish so durable you won’t have to wax it – ever!”
LOL this must be why I saw a ’59 Chevy just this mourning but I never seen a 59 Ford.
“Finish so durable you won’t have to wax it – ever!”
I would love to do a deep dive into promotional materials through the decades – I think that claim has been made many times by many manufacturers. I can recall the claim being made about the “metallic glow” paints Ford was offering at extra cost in the mid 70s and I think I remember it in the owners manual for my Grandma’s 69 Catalina.
Lies, all of them. Which is hard to believe, coming from advertising. 🙂
Where did you find that ad, National Lampoon or The Onion? That can’t be real! And I’m pretty sure the correct French would be d’Elegance, not D L’Elegance. Probably an organization based in Dearborn.
Actually, it looks like “Comité Français De l’Elégance” is how it was written on the actual medal, which is below. The medal was apparently awarded by a real French person, supposedly.
There’s a 2 minute video commercial as well.
I always liked the 1959 Fords.
They were clearly a warmed over 1958 model, whereas GM had completely turned the page with a radically new design direction for 1959. ‘The world’s most perfectly proportioned cars’ was perhaps a desperate marketing strategy by Ford, but it was certainly a claim no one could ever have made about the 1959 Chevrolet. 🙂
It is a real ad, a group at the World’s Fair awarded this as far as I know. Sometime years ago I became aware the ’59 Ford was blessed with a design award, I Googled 1959 Ford Design Award, and it pops up on several websites.
Clearcoats weren’t even used then. Also 1959 Fords look better in Galaxie 500 form.
And now I remember why little kid me thought that 1957 Fords were so cool. That one is beautiful.
Nice trip. I have several vintage 3 speeds, mostly English (Raleigh, Rigby, Hercules and Humber), but some American (Western Flyer, Huffy and Hiawatha)
I wish I still had my 1981-ish AMF Nimble. That bike and I were made for each other.
Wow, a very impressive trip indeed! It sounds wonderful and I’m glad you (finally) got to do what you’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
I find it even more impressive that you just did it on the bike you happen to have, i.e. basically zero expenditure. In the end it got you there and that’s what matters. Good job!
Jim could inaugurate the Great Beater Bike Challenge – ride across Indiana on a bike that costs $50 or less, all in. All that was missing was a great theme costume.
🙂
I’d love to. And I’ve got at least six bikes right now to choose between that’d fall under your limitations.
The Schwinn cost $60 so you just disqualified it!
Count me in! My bike here was a freebie that I saved from the trash. Ride it hard and often, and it fits inside an old air cooled VW….
Count me in! My bike here was a freebie that I saved from the trash. Ride it hard and often, and it fits inside an old air cooled VW….
The trip still cost me almost $800 when you factor in hotels, food, and all of the gear I had to buy (rack, pannier, etc.)
Well done Jim, I’m somewhat relived that you didn’t get flattened by a semi on those narrow shoulders.
I really like 59 Fords, they’re one of those gloriously ugly cars like 62 Plymouths.
The 59 Ford’s only redeeming virtue was that the styling was less jarring than the 59 Chevrolet. Which was enough to let it take the sales trophy that year.
My thoughts as well. Measured on its own, I see “beauty-challenged”; compared to a ’59 Chevy, I see “Miss America”.
The only time traffic was an issue was in Knightstown, thanks to construction on I-70 shunting traffic onto the older highway. I just rode on the sidewalks there!
Jim: Admirable ride! My longest this year was 30 miles on a 90 degree day around Cedar Rapids (while on a trip to Wisconsin).
The Collegiate is one of those Japanese imports after US production ended and those are indeed very good bikes.
May I suggest something with a similar frame (but lighter) and seven or eight speeds? These are Shimano internally geared hubs and work in a similar manner to the Sturmey three speed you have. Look for a Globe Daily Three or possibly an Electra Amsterdam. There is also a similar Linus model. The Shimano seven and eight speeds will address the gearing issues you have. The IGH could also be retrofitted to your Schwinn frame.
Keep riding!
It’s a Taiwanese import, ayuchtually. It’s well put together, despite how the Schwinn cognoscenti look down their noses on them for not being built in Chicago.
Yep, I’m looking at 7-speed IGH bikes. I didn’t know about Globe or Electra. I did find Linus and something called Public:
https://publicbikes.com/collections/diamond/products/public-v7i?variant=32280360910911
I’ve also considered retrofitting the Schwinn with a 7-speed hub. But I’d want the whole bike redone if I did that. I’d keep the damned heavy frame, but that thing is so well made compared to the brazed frames of today.
This is just perfect. A man and his three-speed, traversing the great state of Indiana, with camera at the ready. Although a building filled with ’57 GM cars certainly has its charms, I think my favorite of your finds is the Ugly ’59 Ford. My grandfather had a white one for his work car. Since he worked in the seafood industry and used to park it out on the dock, it was not only ugly, but also rusty and very stinky. Indeed, he called it Stinky. Although they really are quite hideous, 1959 Fords always make me smile…
’59 Fords are super color-sensitive and faded black does this one no favors at all. Bright red and white 2-tone was featured in the ads because it’s one of the best and most striking choices. All-white like “Stinky” is acceptable, almost more so as a beater than as a shiny car.
Congratulations–and good of you not to have put off the trip another 10-20 years. I’d have needed twice as many days, for certain.
I’ve driven big chunks of US40 in IN as an alternative to I-70, and recommend it to others who don’t mind “losing” an hour or two as they cross the state.
As to the cars: each one of your photos had a story behind it, and I’d love to hear a few of ’em. I’ll guess that that photo of the ’57 Ford could *almost* have been taken when the house was new, if a devoted (first) owner had really been looking after the car since purchase!
I ain’t getting any younger at 54. It was now or probably never!
Congratulations!! I’m a regular recreational rider; just checked my stats and I’ve ridden about 900 miles and climbed 82,000 feet this year (obviously, I’m not in Indiana). But I can’t imagine doing something like this, let alone on a 3 speed. Hmm, maybe I should broaden my horizons …
Let your imagination fly, try a couple of different styles of bikes and keep increasing your distances. I’ve done 50 mile rides on a Raleigh Twenty (20″ wheel, three-speed folding bike, the only worthwhile folding bike made back then) over the years. Definitely doable, although you learn to appreciate larger diameter wheels.
Excellent! Love that you did it on your old 3-speed. A vintage bike on vintage roads.
Always thought the ’59 Ford was ugly. And that hasn’t changed over the decades.
That was part of the charm. That, and I couldn’t find a new bike that I wanted.
I think it is excellent that you just took the bike you had and did it. Reminds me
of having used my TR-6 (with rollbar) to move furniture way back when.
That ’59 Ford looks like the one the Manson family drove in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.
Thanks for taking us along for the ride. At first I thought this is a Schwinn Racer 3 speed. But the Racer had the drop style handlebars. I had several bikes with the Sturmey -Archer 3 speed hub. Each and everyone had the hub bearings adjusted too tight. I think they came like that out of the factory. Millions of them! Riding puts me in a different state of mind. I ride for relaxation mostly. I did a bunch of cycling tours and typically the 2nd day was the toughest. When I will do another multiday ride the second day will be short.
I hope you won’t be satisfied too long! Hopefully you’ll get the itch again. Past year I went to a number of state parks to ride and I took the bike along vacationing in Nashville TN. The rides made for some of the best memories.
My Collegiate has, horrors, a Shimano hub!
Young PRNDL waxes nostalgic for dad’s ‘57 Ford Fairlane 500 in Coral Sand & Colonial White, but that red & white job sure is fetching! 🙂
Let’s try the photo again…
Third time’s the charm??
Story & pics are here…
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-kids-pre-powerglide-prndl/
Your 1957 in Coral.
This is too cool!! Nothing as extreme or strenuous, but I specifically chose to take US-40 driving east out of Indy this spring to visit my brother in my 1991 Park Avenue. Ok, Central/Eastern Indiana doesn’t offer the most stunning scenery, but compared to blasting through on I-70 it was so much more relaxing and interesting to doddle along and see what all these smaller cities and towns had going on, that I had previously seen just flash by as names on exit ramps. It was a totally different mentality in regard to travel for me, my default approach is to make time as efficiently as possible. Here I was floating along stretched out on the bench seat of my trusty Buick, stopped by an excellent little bakery outside of Cambridge City and snagged the last of their morning’s lemon frosted french crullers (amazing). Originally I wanted to take 40 as far as possible then over to PA Route 22, but I didn’t want to deal with driving around/through Dayton and Columbus so I chickened out so to speak. I want to do 40 again, perhaps on the ’81 Suzuki GS1100E I’ve been working on.
40 in eastern Ohio is just pure tedium. East of Columbus it gets quite fun, though. There are lots of old alignments lurking about, including these:
https://blog.jimgrey.net/2011/07/18/when-someone-tells-me-to-hit-the-bricks-i-take-it-literally/
Woah, I will have to try and find these brick sections (if any remain a decade after you wrote that blog entry)
They all still exist!
A man very much of my own heart, as I’ve got as many three speed roadsters hanging in the bicycle barn as I have vintage 10-speed derailleur road bikes. Never been that much of a Schwinn lover, Raleighs being more my passion.
You do show, wonderfully, that to ride a bicycle you don’t have to have something weighting under twenty pounds made with exotic materials, with strangely shaped handlebars, a narrow hard saddle, and demanding specialized clothing to be both efficient and comfortable on the bike, to do a ride of measurable distance successfully.
That having been said, I guess I’ll finally get around to doing today’s ten mile ride, now that the morning rain has long quit and the roads having dried off. Think today will be my Raleigh Tourist (lovingly called my Downton Abbey bike, all steel with 28″ wheels and rod brakes.)
Your ride was yet another proof of that greatest ever made bit of British engineering technology: The Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub. Uh, you are riding a Sturmey, aren’t you? That shifter looks an awful like a Shimano 333, but I don’t remember Schwinn ever using anything but Sturmey Archer AW’s on their bikes.
I just love 3 speed riding. I’m made for it. I’ve owned other bikes but I keep coming back to 3 speeds.
I would love to own a classic Raleigh one day.
My Collegiate features, horrors, a Shimano hub. I think the Chicago Schwinns all used S-A hubs, but mine’s a Taiwan Schwinn.
Great ride and report!
The quality control during the last years of Schwinn’s Chicago production was not good.
You’re likely better off with a Taiwanese Schwinn frame from that era.
Great to know!
Excellent, we did a bit of long distance riding this summer but the Trail of The Coeur D’Alene is former railway so it’s often away from civilization, offset by being very much in nature and not having much in the way of hills.
That three speed looks like it needs a bit more chain tension, also upgrading would definitely make your ride easier. Nothing fancy is required since old rigid mountain bikes and hybrids are inexpensive and are lighter and have more gears. Even a premium 3 speed would help and might be ugradeable to one of those new fangled 7 speed Shimano hubs
That Flair Bird appears to be a 1965 Special Landau in Emberglo. Great find!
Very nice trip. Looks like a lot of fun. That International Travelall ambulance is a heck of a find.
Great writeup! While I can’t identify with the bicycle riding part, I sure can with the location. I have been over that road many times on both sides of the state and through Indy, Terre Haute, Richmond and all the little towns in between. I recognized that bridge in your initial shot and have passed it many times. I think I recognize the other one, too. I lived just off of US 40 ( Washington Street) in Indy when I was going to college and worked in an office building a couple of days a week before I retired on the corner of Meridian downtown. My two days a week were Tuesday and Thursday. Since I live in SW Indiana I drove up 231 and caught I-70 and on into downtown. However, in the winter months when the weather looked iffy I always used 40 where the pace was slower and if a semi skidded and blocked the Interstate I wouldn’t be trapped for hours.
By the way, I have always loved the ’59 Ford and always thought it was good looking, and ,yes, it did win a design award. To each his own.
Kudos, Jim! Great pictures and assortment of vehicles! Love that Travelall ambulance.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful bicycle trip .
I looked at the #3 photo and wonder why 70 year old concrete roads are so often in better shape than newer concrete roads ~ they knew how to lay down a road bed better maybe ? .
I too love the ’57 Ford hard top, I remember them in green / white, especially one super low mileage one I was paid to scrap out after it suffered heat paint damaged from being parked next to a garage than burned down .
We couldn’t even find anyone who wanted the *perfect* seats .
I wish I could still ride a bicycle or maybe longer than a few hours on a Motocycle, I too love touring on remote back roads just to see what’s there .
-Nate
Great stuff.
Also, Richmond, the home of Gennett Records / Starr Piano, and considered the birthplace of recorded jazz? I’m a bit jealous.
Congrats on the cross-state bike ride! When my wife’s parents were still with us and living in Indianapolis, we’d more often than not take US 40 instead of I-70 once we crossed from Ohio into Indiana (starting out in central VA). It was a nice change of pace from the interstate, and the sparse traffic and 4 lanes made it a real pleasure.
I’m familiar with that building in Knightstown; it had a sign saying it was the “Class of 1957.” Only cars of that model year were housed inside, and they belonged to several members of the Knightstown High School class of ’57, We happened to pass by their 50th reunion at a residence just west of town in 1957, and the cars were in the driveway then.
Photos below were taken in 2009, and the cars include a Ford Skyliner, Pontiac Star Chief, Nash Metropolitan, and Chevy Bel Air.
Oh cool! Thanks for sharing.
Oops, typo in the above post, the reunion was in 2007 (not 1957).
Here’s the inside of the building from the opposite side, so the Metropolitan is now clearly visible.
Congratulations! Bike touring can be magical, especially on quieter roads like that beautiful two lane bridge in the photo.
I got into bike touring just before turning 50, and kept at it pretty regularly for the next 15 years. Over those years my bike of choice morphed from a serious drop handlebar touring bike to something pretty much as upright as yours. I’m slowing down a bit now (an electric bike may be in my future), but there’s still nothing like being out on a quiet road in the sunshine, travelling through beautiful countryside under your own power.
There are a number of two/three hour day rides around town I do on a regular basis, just for the fresh air and endorphins, and some more touring may still happen. I’m convinced cycling is one of the best exercises available to us as we age – very easy on the body ( i.e. don’t stop!). 🙂
Nice, I always liked the 55,56,57 Fords even the 58 ‘Goldflash’ as they were called here but we only had 4 door models, sounds like a long ride by bike well done.
When, in the late 1940’s, the dual lane 40 was extended from Terre Haute to the Illinois border and before it was open to normal traffic, we used it a motorcycle high speed test runs; i.e., plus 100 mph. Had to put spotters at the cross roads to “control” cross traffic. At the Illinois border, 40 went back to a twisty two lane road; i.e., until some years later.
In Illinois, that twisty road was brick, and the old brick road still lies abandoned to almost Martinsville!
In 1973 I spent the summer driving from California to the east coast and up into Quebec and back to California, visiting friends and relatives along the way. I traveled in a well used 1963 Ford Econoline van minimally equipped with a bed and a sink. On my westbound trip I followed parallel US Highway 50 to the South through Indiana and was pleasantly surprised with the scenery and the easy ride on the two-lane Highway. There were frequent old fashioned rest areas and there was interesting topography along the way. I would recommend it to bicyclers (allowing for the hills) or to drivers who are not in a hurry.