By Mark Wing (contributing author/editor: Orlando Ortega, Tour Director)
Click on the links below to see the Friday and Saturday tour activities!
The Tin Lizzies of Albuquerque’s May 2013 tour was organized by club member Orlando Ortega, resident and former mayor of Portales, New Mexico. Orlando named this the Llano Estacado tour – literally meaning Palisaded Plain, but more commonly known as the Staked Plain. The Staked Plain refers to the stakes driven into the ground to aid early settlers to orient themselves in an otherwise flat and uniform landscape. The Llano Estacado encompasses a region in eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas.
This tour included over forty participants and 17 Model Ts from the Tin Lizzies of Albuquerque and two Model Ts, a 1928 Model A pickup, and a 1913 Buick from Amarillo, Texas.
Thursday, May 16th: Everyone assembled at the Holiday Inn Express in Portales in the afternoon – a drive of approximately four hours from Albuquerque. After checking in and unloading our cars, we gathered at 6pm in the hotel’s banquet room for a meet and greet reception and potluck. Orlando welcomed us to his home town, reviewed the tour itinerary, and introduced special guests. We first received a warm greeting from Karl Terry, Executive Director of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce. The second special guest was local resident, Dr. Tony Gennaro, retired ENMU professor, biologist, author, and radio and TV personality who shared with us what we were to expect on Friday’s tour in regards to the “Llano Estacado”. Dr. Gennaro’s engaging presentation, with the assistance of his wife Marjorie, covered the geologic, historical, and cultural history of the area. Dr. Gennaro did a wonderful job explaining why the Portales/Clovis area is so unique and why Texas has all the water!
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26At about 7:30 pm, we drive our Model T’s to the City of Portales “walking trails” park, a short distance from the hotel. There, we experienced an eastern New Mexico sunset. The park is of typical “llano” natural habitat with native grasses and yucca. At 7:49 pm, the horizon to the west offered a wonderful scene of the setting sun.
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23Click on the links below to see the Friday and Saturday tour activities!