The First Tires to Go Coast to Coast
In 1903, few people owned or drove cars in the United States, let alone in Canada. The automobile, still in its infancy, had been around for less than a decade and was often dismissed as a fleeting novelty. Yet, that same year, two men and a dog undertook the first successful cross-country road trip, inspiring a nation and planting the seeds of a car culture that would eventually transcend borders.
This journey, which predated Henry Ford’s revolutionary Model T by five years, was more than just a feat of endurance. It showcased the possibilities of automobiles as a means to connect cities and people across vast distances—an idea that resonates deeply with Canada’s own coast-to-coast aspirations.
An Unlikely Driver
"On May 18th, 1903 at the University Club in San Francisco, Horatio Nelson Jackson accepted a $50 bet that would change the world.
The 31-year-old doctor from Burlington, Vermont was one of few staunch defenders of these new ‘horseless carriages’ that had been showing up in the streets. Something the other men saw as a passing fad—an unreliable gimmick.
After a heated debate, Jackson was offered a $50 wager (nearly $1,500 in today’s dollars) to prove that an automobile could make it from San Francisco to New York in under 90 days.
He didn’t own a car."
Preparation for the Journey
Jackson enlisted Sewall K. Crocker, a skilled bicycle racer and gasoline engine mechanic, to help him prepare for the monumental journey. Crocker recommended a 1903 touring car made by the Winton Motor Carriage Company, a bold choice at a time when the reliability of automobiles was uncertain.
They found a cherry red Winton with nearly 1,000 miles on it, which made it fairly worn by the standards of that day. To top it off, Jackson paid $3,000 for it (roughly equivalent to $88,700 today). His new ride — which he dubbed The Vermont after his home state — offered:
- A two-cylinder, 20-horsepower engine
- Chain drive
- Right-side steering
- No top or windshield
- BFGoodrich pneumatic tires
- A top speed of 33 mph
Jackson and Crocker removed the back seat to make space for sleeping bags, tools, a camera, and a block and tackle with 150 feet of hemp rope—every item they could think of to face the challenges ahead.
The Tires
The cross-country drive would be an extraordinary feat of endurance for the two men, the vehicle, and especially the tires. Of the 2.3 million miles of road in America at the time, fewer than 150 were paved. The rest were dirt paths, suitable for horses and slow-moving wagons. Undertaking this trip, in this amount of time, at this speed, would require much more than rickety wagon wheels.
People just didn’t go that far.
In 1896, BFGoodrich introduced the first US-built pneumatic tires. In the early 1900s, they supplied tires for the Winton Motor Carriage Company.
These automobile tires were made up of an inner tube that contained compressed air and an outer casing that protected the tube and provided traction. The casings were reinforced with multiple plies of rubberized fabric cords, run at 55° angles to the bead.
They held up well for limited city driving, but on this journey they were being put to a historic test. The great-great-great grandfather of the KM3 would climb mountains, cross creeks, and slog through mud, arduously propelling two novice drivers on an impossible journey. Needless to say, with only 150 miles of paved road spread across a few cities, tires weren’t built for the challenges they are today.
In the context of Canada’s own unpaved wilderness of the early 1900s, the durability of BFGoodrich tires would have been equally revolutionary. It set a precedent for rugged, reliable tires designed to handle the harshest environments—something Canadian drivers still appreciate today.
Setting Out From San Francisco
On May 23rd, 1903, — four short days after accepting the bet — their journey began. The unlikely duo took off down San Francisco’s Market Street, embarking on what would become America’s first road trip.
Jackson and Crocker devised a route that would add over 1,000 miles to their journey. Using old, unreliable maps, they carefully plotted to go north through Oregon, then headed east to avoid the Nevadan desert landscapes that had stymied the cross-country trip of an adventurer before them.
Jackson decided to follow railroads as much as possible, using their infrastructure to cross paths a car couldn’t otherwise cross.
Even so, their journey led them into arduous situations:
- The Vermont ascended into the Cascade mountains, taking trails no car had ever taken before. These had to be driven in low gear, with frequent stops to fix the clutch.
- More than once, Jackson and Crocker got stuck in a creek that was too deep, using the block and tackle as a makeshift winch to pull themselves out.
- For miles, they drove through sagebrush to avoid hard-driven wagon roads.
...and that was just Oregon.
They fixed the carburetor, air intake pipe, oil pipes, clutch, and batteries, replaced the worn BFGoodrich tires with a fresh set, and lost plenty of gear. Near the Oregon border, they added a friend named Bud — a pit bull they purchased for $15.
Driving Even Harder Through the Heartland
The journey pressed on through Idaho, where the sight of a “horseless carriage” caused quite the stir. In many small towns, locals were seeing one for the very first time. As Horatio Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker navigated their way through Idaho’s rugged terrain, they traded rides in The Vermont—affectionately dubbed the “Go-Like-Hell Machine” by locals—for home-cooked meals.
Crossing into Wyoming, the drivers zigzagged through the mountains, crossing rivers and bridges, slogging through muddy roads, and navigating nearly uncharted land. They moved boulders and relied heavily on their makeshift winch to pull themselves free when the car became stuck.
Frequent repairs were inevitable, and Jackson and Crocker enlisted the help of local blacksmiths along the way. For expenses, they had money wired from Jackson’s wife, while parts were shipped from The Winton Company, who had become aware of their audacious journey.
As they approached Platte, Nebraska, Jackson and Crocker learned of two rival teams attempting the same cross-country feat. These corporate-backed teams had access to pre-planned routes, luggage shipments, and mechanics who traveled by train to assist them at designated stops.
Despite the advantages afforded to their competitors, Jackson and Crocker were undeterred. If anything, the rivalry only made them drive harder.
Nebraska proved especially grueling. Storm after storm battered their shelterless vehicle, leaving them exposed to the elements. Thick mud clung to The Vermont, sinking it deep into the slop. Over the course of a single day, they used their winch 18 times to pull the car free.
By July 12th, they reached Omaha as unlikely celebrities. News of their journey had spread, and The Winton Company even offered to sponsor the remainder of their trip.
They declined.
They had started this adventure alone, and that’s how they intended to finish it.
The Final Sprint
The remainder of the journey unfolded with relative ease compared to the grueling first half. As Jackson and Crocker passed through Chicago, they were met with an enthusiastic caravan of admirers who escorted them out of the city.
From there, it wasn’t long before they reached Buffalo, and soon after, the final destination: New York City.
On July 26th, 1903, at 4:30 a.m., The Vermont rolled into Manhattan, completing the cross-country journey in 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes—well under the 90-day limit of their wager.
Meanwhile, their corporate-backed competitors, stuck in Nevada’s unforgiving deserts, would eventually finish the journey. But the honor of being the first to traverse the continent in an automobile belonged to Jackson, Crocker, and The Vermont. Two men, a dog, and a vehicle resilient enough to conquer a journey no one thought possible.
The Aftermath of the First Road Trip
By the time the journey was over, Horatio Nelson Jackson had lost 20 pounds and spent $8,000 of his own money (equivalent to over $236,000 today). Along the way, the car guzzled 800 gallons of gasoline—a small fortune in itself.
Jackson never even bothered to collect the $50 bet.
For him, the journey wasn’t about the money; it was about proving that such a feat was possible.
With every mile of unpaved road and every repair made on the fly, the expedition showcased the importance of preparation and resilience. For the barely drivable conditions of the time, Jackson and Crocker chose the best equipment they could, from their tools to their trusty BFGoodrich pneumatic tires.
This monumental road trip didn’t just make history; it set the stage for what was to come. It inspired the infrastructure that would eventually connect a continent, uniting people behind the wheel and paving the way for the modern road trip.