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Welcome
to the
Adventures of
Barry Fluth's
1953
Mercury Convertible
Barry and Barb Fluth with their '53 Mercury Convertible 
Barry Fluth's 1953 Mercury Convertible is a classic "street rod" and very much a work in progress.  He has owned it for over 10 years now, each year improving it and restoring it to better-than-new condition.  Since Barry (or "Bear" as friends call him) and his wife, Barb, spend their winters in Gilbert, Arizona, and their summers in Monticello, Minnesota, the '53 Merc is required to take a cross-country road trip twice each year.  This blog serves a record of these bi-annual journeys.  So come along as we chronicle our latest trip --  Spring 2011: The Windmill and Water Tower Tour.

The Adventure Begins . . .



Time and Date:  7:30am, 27 April 2011
Location:  Gilbert, AZ
Odometer:  5118


Early on Wednesday morning, Barry Fluth and Jerry Watkins embark on their journey to Minnesota.  It's rather cool for Arizona this time of year - somewhere in the lower 50s.  But the sun is shining and surely the day will turn out to be a warm one.  ("Don't call me Shirley!")  Jerry hopes so as he is wearing shorts and flip-flops.



We head east on US Highway 60 toward Superior and Globe.  We stop in Globe for a bite of breakfast.  Barry stiffs Jerry for a cinnamon roll, but that's OK because Jerry gets to exchange his shorts for a pair of long pants - much warmer.







As we head on toward Show Low, we cross the Salt River Canyon.  This is definitely one of the more spectacular highway views in Arizona.