Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride: America's First Cross-Country Automobile Trip

Horseless buggies were newfangled things and when Horatio Jackson heard someone bet "fifty dollars that no one" could drive one across country he was ready to hop in one and ride. The deal was that he would make it across America in three months. In 1903 people were used to horse drawn carriages and automobiles weren't even on the radar. Horatio bought a "used 1903 Winton," which he named "Vermont" and was on his way. He assured his wife, Bertha, everything was grand. He would eventually return to Vermont by train. He claimed that "This trusty machine will get us there with no troubles at all!" You think so? Naturally Horatio and Crocker's first let down was only fifteen miles from home when he had a flat tire, but that didn't deter them. On to California and then they began a hairy trip through "three hundred miles of dry parched land" on their way to Oregon. Breakdowns did happen and they picked up an unexpected passenger. Bow, wow! Two guys, one dog named Bud and wearing goggles were really a sight to see. Toot! Toot! Wyoming, Nebraska, Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York City . . . were they really going to make that trip in three months with an intact car? "Honk, Honk!" This zany, madcap and TRUE adventure of Horatio, Crocker and Bud's "cross-country automobile trip" will WOW the reader. This is a true story, but was presented as if it was simply a fun, fictitious adventure because of an off the cuff wager. The artwork was comical and perfect for this type of story. This tale is going to make you laugh and chuckle very early on with sentences like, "About fifteen miles later . . . Bump, bump, bump. Ka-plooee!" In the back of the book is the "real" story and some photographs, including one of Bud sporting his goggles. There are also additional recommended book and website resources. This is a FUN book! Toot! Toot!

In 1903, Dr. Horatio Jackson overhears a stranger say nobody can drive a car across the U.S. He bets the stranger $50 that he can drive cross-country, from San Francisco to New York. He buys a used Winton automobile, hires an auto mechanic named Crocker, and they're off! There is only about 150 miles of paved road in the U.S. at this time, so the journey is very hard. A man on the side of the road in Oregon sold Jackson his dog, Bud, a bulldog. Bud soon becomes their mascot, attracting crowds along the way since it is a strange sight indeed to see a bulldog sitting up front in an automobile wearing goggles to keep the dust out of his eyes! There aren't any gas stations, no real roads, and no road signs. Fuel for stoves and farm equipment can be purchased at general stores, so that's what Jackson does. You will just have to read this fun true story to learn all about the adventures Jackson, Crocker, and Bud have on the very first cross-country trip in the U.S. in an automobile! I give this book a high five for the awesome strong story that Author Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff was able to write around a true story, and the really fun illustrations done by Wes Hargis. I really liked the end of the book where photos of the real Jackson, Crocker, and Bud were used, along with what happened to all of them after the completion of their epic auto journey. This is a great story to tickle the imagination of your child to think about how life was like before roads in this country.

Kids bored with long car trips will be amazed at how two guys and their dog traveled across the U.S. before any of our modern comforts and conveniences. Everyone will be inspired to read how these intrepid heroes endured catastrophe after catastrophe with good humor and a Teddy Roosevelt spirit of adventure. The book's illustrations are utterly delightful, especially those of Bud the dog. It's also great fun to trace the trip using the map on the inside cover. Highly recommended!

Dr. Horatio Jackson, a wealthy man with an appetite for risk and adventure, wagered $50 that he would be able to drive an automobile from California to New York in less than three months. Few people would bat an eyelash at such a trip today, but in 1903 when Jackson made the bet, the automobile was still a novelty, the country had very few paved roads, travelers had no maps or road signs (or global positioning systems) to guide them, and cars ran on fuel that drivers had to purchase from general stores. Accompanied by a mechanic named Crocker and a bulldog named Bud, Jackson encountered more obstacles than he had bargained for as he made the cross-country journey. Would they be able to cross the mountains, get through the dessert, and free the car from the endless mud traps in order to win the bet? This entertaining book, based on a true story that is also the subject of a PBS documentary, provides teachers and parents with a valuable opportunity for discussing with children how economic development has revolutionized travel times and made road trips much more comfortable and efficient than they were in the past.