Some 70 historic U.S. military vehicles will be on display from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Sly Park Recreation Area's main dock, south of Highway 50 near Pollock Pines.
The vehicles are part of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association's 90th Anniversary Convoy. The trek from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco traces the original Lincoln Highway route of the first motor transport convoy to cross the United States.
The anniversary convoy left Washington, D.C., June 13 for the 26-day trip to San Francisco. It is traveling from Fallon, Nev., to Sly Park today. The convoy will be at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for a welcoming ceremony before traveling through Sacramento en route to Stockton.
The 1919 convoy was made up of 81 Army vehicles. It was staffed by 258 enlisted men and 37 officers, including then Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The original trip was undertaken to study how varying road conditions affected each branch of the service and its equipment, and to demonstrate the need for good roads.
At the time, the Lincoln Highway was a series of roads, ranging from poured concrete to tracks across quicksand and alkali mud, and bridges that gave way under the weight of the vehicles, according to the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Web site.
The 1919 convoy left Washington, D.C., on July 7 and arrived in San Francisco Sept. 6. It averaged 59 miles per day, traveling about 6 miles per hour.
Jody Franklin, tourism director with the El Dorado County Visitors Authority, said the agency worked with the preservation association over the past year on logistics for bringing the historic vehicles over the Sierra. Even on today's paved roads, "they are slow moving," she said.
The 90th Anniversary Convoy includes military vehicles of all eras, from World War I to the present.
For more information, see the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Web site at www.mvpa.org.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 608-7451
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