Findlay's Road - How One Man Rode Through 1916 to 2016

[Shoganai]

The story of a young man on a 1400-mile solo ride struck a special place in my heart years ago. Now, 100 years later I’m working to recreate his journey, which has become an ambitious adventure of my own.

I have been able to build 90% of this ride on ONLY roads he could have ridden in 1916!
This story will speak to everyone who has ever swung a leg over any type of motorcycle and I hope will inspire all riders!

On a cold summer’s morning in 1916, Charles K. Findlay unknowingly began a journey through time. Charles was just 16 years old the morning he fired up his 1916 Indian Power Plus and headed north. He had planned the ride to the minute and raced over macadam, dirt, mud, mountains, streams and rivers to meet his goals. What he didn’t plan on was that his expedition would capture my heart and whisper to my motorcyclist-soul to tell his story to the world. As a record holding Iron Butt Rider, I relate to a well-planned and executed timed ride. Also as a rider that doesn’t hesitate to take street bikes down a muddy forest roads or to the Arctic Circle or across creeks, I feel a kindred spirit in him. His youthful swagger and humor are charming and his exuberance is contagious.



Image (R) copyrighted

Excerpt from the diary of Charles K. Findlay:

“The story of the trip from Montgomery, Ala -to-Abington,Va. -via- Atlanta ,Ga Spartanburg, SC Charlotte, NC Winston-Salem, NC Roanoke, Va 859 miles in 43hr.35 min On a 1916 Indian motorcycle By Chas K. Findlay.
Thur. June 8th 1916 After looking over the motor, filling the tanks and strapping on the baggage the nite before.
Baggage consisted of raincoat and gal. of oil I was ready to go as soon as i was dressed. I put on my riding suit was already dirty and greasy so you can imagin what I will look like at the end of the 859 miles. I cranked off at 5:20am I was leaving Montgomery behind me. 5:45”



Image (R) copyrighted

For the past few years I’ve been working with two of his distant relatives, a genealogist/historian, 1915, 1916 and 1919 Automobile Blue Books, countless historic topographic maps, historic soil maps, rail road maps, libraries, universities, historical societies and museums to recreate his journey on roads that he could have ridden. By connecting the places and using the descriptions he offers in his 1916 diary with roads, ferries, bridges and towns that existed in 1916 or before, I’ve created a route that will very closely mimic his. Of course there is no way of knowing the exact roads he rode, but I believe I have done all due diligence with regards to research. I’ll capture the spirit of his journey and do honor to his memory.

In 2016, I’m buying a 2016 Indian Scout and on June 8th, 2016 I’ll recreate his ride 100 years to the day on a bike 100 years newer and write his story from the saddle. It will also include recreating the ferry ride across the Savannah River via pontoon boat because his crossing is now under Lake Hartwell.

I have even found what might be the very LAST copy of the movie he watched in Chattanooga called “The Captive God” with John Hart. http://www.wikiwand.com/en/William_S._Hart at the George Eastman Museum. I’m currently working with Ashley McCue, Executive Director of the Tivoli Foundation to see if we can show it in Chattanooga, TN 100 years to the day.



Steve, my husband, and I have been carrying the financial burden of this passion to re-create the 1916 Indian ride for years. I cannot tell you how difficult it’s been at times.

https://www.gofundme.com/FindlaysRoad

No matter what, please come follow us at Findlay’s Road –

https://www.facebook.com/FindlaysRoad/

And I bet you know someone out there that might like to follow us. Pass it on.




Ride with joy,
Gwen “Shogs” Phillips

Personal Email - shoganaik11rs@gmail.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/findlay_road

Twitter - https://twitter.com/FindlaysRoad

Website - https://FindlaysRoad.com (as of this post it’s not live yet, lack of funds)
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[Shoganai]

EVERY mile of EVERY road selected or not selected is linked to a source confirming the date that mile existed. (on or before 1916)

Also EVERY street of EVERY town and city also linked and verified.

Also EVERY church, school and every waypoint linked and verified.





I just completed a 3007 mile recon trip. I assessed road conditions, road access, met with private land owners to request permission to ride the old road beds. I found new road closures, bridges that were closed permanently, road that went through that I didn't know about, lost RR crossings and one VERY old and still ridable bridge in Alabama.


Dale at Wheels Through Time called me on Jan. 5th,and we met in Maggie Valley on th 6th to talk about this project.


He gave me a personal tour of his museum and we talked for about 2 hours but he only has a 1915 Indian Power Plus. He offered to advise me on all matters about the 1916 including going through all the pics of Charles on his many bikes to identify them all.


I met Ashley, the Exe. V.P. of the Tivoli Foundation, and have begun working on getting the Eastman Museum in N.Y. to loan Tivoli the only know copy of the 100 year old silent film "Captive God" with John Hart. I want to show the exact film that Charles saw in the same City 100 years to the day.


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[Shoganai]

I researched several state archives and dozens to libraries to fill in the missing map/route sections because not every thing is digitized or online.





Blue is a RR I can document in 1916.
Yellow is roadbed dating to 1914.
Red was same road that although still present I can't use because the RR cross over is gone.
Green is roadbed that didn't exist in 1916.


Here's where the recent recon has helped. The purple line was 1914 roadbed that was available in 2014 but has since been converted to a bike trail.

I hope that made sense.

[Shoganai]

In this screen shot, all the yellow lines are roads I can 100% verify existed on or before 1916 [img]and that fall with the diary route and his descriptions.





In 1916, this was THE major highway. (going under the RR trestle)





In 1900, this bridge was part of the most traveled between to nearby towns.





As part of the recent recon trip, I spent a LOT of time digging trough old maps that have never been digitized.



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[Shoganai]

I have spent many hundreds of hours studying with one screen looking like this.





And the other like this.





These are samples of some of the map types I've been using.














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[Shoganai]

I am DESPERATELY seeking an owner of a 1916 Indian Power Plus to ride some or all of this with me.


This might normally not be too difficult, but 2016 is the Cannonball Run in which many 1916 Indian Power Plus bike are entered.


BUT I still need to find a 1916 Indian Power Plus bike and rider willing to ride with me. Steverino has agreed to bring the toy hauler / mobile bike shop to support us, so the older bike will be well cared for as well as giving the rider a free place to sleep every night.


Please, please spread the word about this, I need ALL the help I can get.


And again, please consider supporting this ONCE IN A LIFETIME ride with your financial support.

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[Shoganai]

Here is some information about Charles. (text is (R) copyrighted)


Probably there never was a man more destined and groomed for success than Charles Klieber Findlay.


He was born into a prominent family in Abingdon, Virginia on August 3, 1899, the son of Alexander Findlay and his wife Ella Klieber Findlay. Charles was not yet 5 years old when his mother, who was born, raised, and educated in Germany, died at the age of 24. His father afterwards raised him in such a manner as to encourage his natural talents and abilities.


Charles’ brilliance was apparent early as he had mastered the violin and cello by age ten. His musical talent was inherited from both parents as his father, Alexander, was also a master violinist who had studied under great teachers in Germany. While in Germany he met and courted Ella Kleiber, his future wife and mother of Charles. Ella was a talented, highly respected pianist.


Young Charles also became fascinated by all type of machines and anything mechanical. This drew him into the world of early motorcycles, where he also greatly excelled. He could and would disassemble and reassemble bicycles and motorcycles as if he was born doing it.


At the age of fifteen, he persuaded his father to take an extended round trip on a 1915 Indian Motorcycle to Springfield, Massachusetts via New York to visit the Indian Motorcycle Company. His father was very apprehensive about Charles’ love of riding motorcycles; for fear that an injury to his son’s hands would endanger his ability to play musical instruments.


This New York trip in 1915 seemed to have planted the seed for the long solo ride Charles took on a 1916 model Indian motorcycle from Montgomery, Alabama (where his father had just remarried) to Abingdon, Virginia (his father and grandfather’s ancestral home) and back to Montgomery using a different route. Charles documented this ride in his now famous day by day and mile by mile diary.


As if being a master musician and an adventurous motorcycle rider and mechanic where not enough to contain Charles seemingly endless energy, talents, and ability and just a few months after his father died, he joined the army during WWI. He was naturally drawn towards and tackled learning how to fly airplanes.


He excelled at this also and began building airplanes and flying experimental versions. This lead to an interest in aerial photography and photography in general, another talent taught to him by his father who took and develop many amazing photographs.


At the age of thirty three Charles finally settled down somewhat and married Madaline Tussing of Alliance, Ohio. They were married for 30 years. Charles passed away at the age of sixty three having lived a full and adventurous life. He left no children but did leave his great legacy plus much documentation of his grant life for his extended Findlay family to enjoy and be proud of to this day. His many life accomplishments are too numerous to list in this short sketch.


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[pisten-bully]

Hi there Shogenai. From what I'm reading (and there's a lot to read) I think you're hoping to duplicate a ride made by a Charles Findlay...and you're hoping to find someone with a '16 Powerplus to do it with you? (Am I close?)

Great plan, but why not postpone until you get your own 1916 Powerplus, restore it, then do the ride yourself? Then you'd have something!

Welcome!

[Shoganai]

Thank you but to be clear, I'm not hoping to recreate Charles's ride, I will be recreating his ride. I've invested over $7000 of my own money into this project, and I need another $15,000 ($8000 min.). If I need to take out a personal loan to fill in the remaining amount, I will.


I've also invested 10's of 1000's hours in research, given up watching TV for the past 3 years, physical recon of 1000's of miles of roads, meetings with land owners to get permission to ride on original road bed that now crosses their land, meetings with archivists and historians, and buying maps and data.


I've paid for copies of books written between 1910 and 1919 covering road and bridge building as well as books about what roads should be taken between cities in 1915, 1916 and 1919.


I also will lose my job.


See, there's no 'take a month off to make a historic once in a life time ride' provision. I my last day of work is June 1st. So not only will I be spending a huge amount to money while actually making the ride, I'll not have an income. Oh, and I'll be buying a brand new motorcycle.


The foundation of this is to create a 100 year prospective. His route and the roads of that time as seen from the back of an Indian 100 years newer.
Postpone? Well, one hundred years to the day, mile for mile, town for town will never happen again in my life time.


Yes, I would like to have someone with a 1916 Power Plus to ride this with me, but if not, it will not change my plans. Well, I wouldn't bring the toy hauler, because I won't need it. That was just in case a 1916 Indian was coming along.


Thank you for the welcome dear.

Hi there Shogenai. From what I'm reading (and there's a lot to read) I think you're hoping to duplicate a ride made by a Charles Findlay...and you're hoping to find someone with a '16 Powerplus to do it with you? (Am I close?)

Great plan, but why not postpone until you get your own 1916 Powerplus, restore it, then do the ride yourself? Then you'd have something!

Welcome!

[Shoganai]

Here's a bit of history. Typed as written from the 1916 Automobile Blue Book. I love the population numbers and historical references.



Route 293 Winston -Salem to Charlotte, N.C. – 98.7 m.
Route map, page 348
Reverse Route, No. 307

Via Statesville and Mooresville. All good improved sand-clay road with 15 miles of macadam. This connects at Statesville with Route 253 to Hickory and Asheville.

Descriptive Outline – Leaving the “Dual City” of Winston-Salem, we shortly pass through the mill-town of Hanes and continue southwest to the village of Clemmonsville. At points along the way, the Pilot and Saura Town Mountains are in plain view. Clemmonsville is an old settlement of about 100 people, located in a very fertile section. In the old days, it’s Inn or Tavern was noted as a stopping-place for the stage-coaches passing through to the west. Here is located a modern and up-to-date Farm Life School, well endowed by one of its former citizens, Benton Clemmons. Leaving Clemmonsville, we cross the splendid steel bridge over the North Yadkin River. This bridge cost the counties of Forsyth and Davie $36,000. The lands along the river are very fertile and the scenery at the bridge is very picturesque and pleasing. Leaving the river, we traverse some of the finest timber lands of Davie County to the village of Farmington, located in one of the finest sections in North Carolina. The soil hereabouts is red and of a ginger-cake color, quite similar to the land around Huntsville, Ala. Farmington was settled by thrifty and prosperous farmers, and the village lies on the road which was surveyed and cut out by Daniel Boone and three others from Shallow Ford on the Yadkin to Salisbury in Rowan County. The village has a population of about 100, and possesses a flour mill, several stores, a number of churches, and a public school. After leaving Farmington, the highway follows practically the road surveyed and cut out by Boone as far as Mocksville. Over this road the army of Lord Cornwallis passed, crossing the Yadkin River at Shallow Ford on its way to Guilford Court House. There are Modern steel bridges over Cedar, Dutchman, and other creeks in the county, over which this highway passes. The valleys along these creeks and the rolling lands between them are as fine as can be found anywhere. Mocksville, formally known as “Mock’s Old field” is the seat of Davie County. The county is about 20 miles square and was named for General William R. Davie. This section was original known as “The Forks of the Yadkin” and the county was cut out of Rowan in 1837. Mocksville is a town of 1500 inhabitants, and has a new $35,000 Court House, two flour mills, a good hotel, two chair factories, a large furniture factory and modern cotton gins. The soil in this vicinity is very rich and the timber land is plentiful. Leaving Mocksville, we traverse a fine section of country, and about two miles of town, pass through the farm on which Squire Boone, the father of Danial Boone, once lived and in sight of the graveyard in which his remains and those of his wife now rest. A modest stone marks their burial place. Continuing, we cross Bear Creek and Hunting Creek, passing through a section of fertile farming country, dotted with thrifty farm homes, and shortly come to Statesville, the most important intermediate point in our route. At mileage point 39.3 one may connect for Hickory, a progressive manufacturing town of some 5000 people. Statesville is a thriving town of 8000 inhabitants, and is a manufacturing and commercial center of no mean importance. An important factor in the progress of the city – “Attractive Statesville” as it is often called – has been an energetic work car-system, and is the home of the Statesville Female College. The city has a number of splendid public buildings, wide, well-paved streets, and all the modern conveniences that make it desirable for residential, as well as business purposes. Here is located the largest Herbarium in the world and also the largest flour mill in this section. Leaving Statesville, the road to Charlotte traverses a more thickly settled section of the State. Following the general line of the Southern Railway, we soon come to Barium Springs, where is located the Barium Orphans Home of the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina. A mile beyond is the thriving village of Troutmans, and about ten miles further is Mooresville, a junction point of the Southern Railway, with its population on 3000. We now come to the hamlet of Mount Mourne, which derives its name from the skirmish between the British of Cornwallis’ Army and the Americans at Torrence’s Tavern in the days of the Revolution. Many British were killed; hence mourning, and “Mount Mourne.” Just across the Iredell County Line, in Mecklenburg County, is the college town of Davidson. The college (Presbyterian), which we pass on our left, was founded early in the last century and was named in honor of the Davidson family, who contributed to its founding. Continuing south along the Southern Railway through Huntsville and Croft, we reach Charlotte, which is described in the Charlotte Section.



This is an example of a route in the 1919 Automobile Blue Book.



I've been using these books, 1915, 1916 & 1919, to help select the roads used for the re-building of Charles's ride because they were the major roads of that time.

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[Grumpa]

Welcome Gwen!

I think I can speak for many of us who either remember what times were like when our rides were new, or at least wonder about it. Thank you for highlighting a dimension that is easy to forget about. That being even when we consciously avoid the freeways/expressways and take the back roads, things are very different now.

I think I know why my Grandfather broke his leg on an Indian back then, trying to get away from all the bears. Looks like they were all over; bear right, bear left...

Anyway I don't know what your next job is going to be but I suspect something to do with freelance writing.

[Shoganai]

Thank Grampa.

The sole purpose of this ride is to write the book about Charles's life.

The epilogue will be about his life up to the ride and the meat of it will be about the ride it's self as seen 100 years apart. The epilogue will cover his life after the ride to his death on Dec. 17th 1962....the day before I was born.

The book will include the actual diary and a SD card of Charles's voice and recordings of him playing the cell.

[Shoganai]

I just finished completing Day 2 of the 1916 route from Winder. GA to Charlotte, NC.

I am STUNNED how well all my hard work is turning out.

CKF, “a total of 241 miles”
Statement – My actual route mileage is 240.73

(91.79%) 220.99 Miles on roads that existed on or before 1916
(8.21%) 19.74 Miles on new roads

I cannot begin to explain how difficult it has been to arrive at these numbers. I’ve had to use MANY old map, his diary descriptions, 1916 Automobile Blue Books and several other sources like census maps, RFD maps and railroad maps.


These are the numbers for Day 1 Montgomery, AL to Winder, GA.

CKF, “The end of the first day's run. 250 miles”
Statement – My actual route mileage is 243.86

(91.5%) 223.43 Miles on roads that existed on or before 1916
(8.5%) 20.73 Miles on new roads


That’s 490 miles TOTALLY completed!
Just 990 miles remaining!

[Shoganai]

Not to put too fine a point on it but I'm really hurting for funding.
Please help me if you can.


https://www.gofundme.com/FindlaysRoad

Thank you.

[Shoganai]

Small update on the Findlay's Road project, I found the 90 year old son of the man that owned the Indian store in Roanoke. I'm currently arranging to meet him as soon as we can.