UPDATE! We continue to receive requests for updates on Rachel and Chariot. After you watch our original story, Romancing the Road, be sure to check out all the related links below and keep up on the adventures on this feisty and fabulous car buff!
This is an unusual love story involving an 89-year-old woman and her beloved Chariot. The two have been together for decades and traveled more than 540,000 miles across this nation's highways and side streets.
Rachel Updates:
-- Life's Odometer: Smiles Per Gallon
-- Gun Totin', Flag Wavin' Sparkplug
-- Rachel Joins the GB.com Community
-- The Growing Bolder TV Show: Riding With Rachel
-- The Today Show Rolls With Rachel
-- Rachel Veitch: International Celebrity
--The Ride of her Life
-- Rachel's Demands for Jay Leno
-- Rachel Appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
We've started a new gallery. Show us your first car or your favorite car.
It's easy. Upload the photo here.
We've started a new gallery. Show us your first car or your favorite car.
It's easy. Upload the photo here.
Rachel's stories have inspired a lot of comments. Join the conversations!
-- What's In Your Garage
-- Frugal Living: Share Your Secrets
-- Age Limits on Gun Ownership?
If you like this story, you'll love:
--Folk Musician Faces His Mortality
--Oleda Baker: A Model for Lifelong Learning
--Bill Booth: Exclusive Access
--Who Ya Gonna Call? Dan Aykroyd!
--Rowdy Gaines Gets Lucky
--Think Pink Lemonade Stand
--At 104, Artist Loving Life
--Bull Brothers
--Banana Battles Back
--Living Legends of Racing
--Women Steer Racing in Right Direction
--Soaring to New Heights
--The Fastest '57 Chevy in the World
--Hot Chicks, Cool Cars
--"Like an Oldsmobile Sucking a Lemon"
And be sure to visit these great channels:
--Vehicles
--Unforgettable Characters
--Travel
Total Length: 03:48 Views: 11,353,627 Comments: 425 Favorited: 113 Rating: 5 Votes: 155
Channels
Technology - Vehicles
Travel
GB Topics - Passions
GB Topics - Unforgettable Characters
Tags
collection - senior citizen - friends - 540000 miles - vehicle - travel - automobiles - caliente - mercury - family - hobbies - ford - chariot - car - love story - 89 years old
Technology - Vehicles, Travel, GB Topics - Passions, GB Topics - Unforgettable Characters
ford - family - friends - caliente - 89 years old - chariot - car - automobiles - travel - vehicle - hobbies - senior citizen - collection - love story - 540000 miles - mercury
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forrest
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Posted 4:41pm June 25th, 2010God Bless you Rachall and you Chariot, heres hoping you have another 500,000 miles of hapiness before you.
chris
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Posted 3:35am May 18th, 2010I wish I could have made my car last that long. The only problem is, when a car company does not give a crap about longevity of their craft, the whole thing goes south. I learned this the hard way with my 98 Ford Escort ZX2. For starters, the transmission was not designed to handle much more than what engine could deliver. Consequently, that was the weakest link in the chain of events that lead to the death of my car of only a mere 200,000 miles as opposed to the collossal 540,000 that could have been if only Ford did it right.
The clencher was the use of a timing BELT instead of a timing CHAIN. That plus the fact that most repair shops botch up this replacement job because it is so complex, made my car die only after 10 years worth of use. Car companies nowadays don't give a crap. Period.Consider yourself very lucky. I maintained my car well and still got the shaft. There is much more to this than that these days. Consider the maker of the vehicle and their integrity as well as the maintenence that you are willing to put forth. That has much more weight on whether or not your car will last like yours. Stay away form Ford.Katydid
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Posted 6:13pm May 11th, 2010Hi Rachel,
I received an email with your story attached. What a delight you are! I am 70, at present, and you are an inspiration. I've joined gb and look forward to learning of other interesting people. I am a proud American, too, and admire your dedication to her. I am 100% behind you on that. God bless, and I pray we are blessed with your presence for many more years.
A fan.
John
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Posted 3:26pm March 25th, 2010Rachel Veitch,
The surname is the same as the descendants of James Veitch the Sheriff the first Veitch in America. Is Rachel from that same clan? James was the sheriff of St.Marys County,Maryland from 1650 to 1653. At that time St.Marys County went from its' current location on the Chesapeake Bay to the area now called Washington,DC.
John Veach
doudah
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Posted 12:21pm March 25th, 2010What a fantastic lady!! If only we could all be so 'with it' at her age!!
I'm hoping that keeping interested in life (as she obviously is), staying active, not becoming
fearful of life and maintaining your curiosity will keep one on the positive side of life.
I hope Rachel is doing well and would be interested in seeing periodic updates on her adventure.
RMann
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Posted 6:14pm March 23rd, 2010She is a very sweet lady. Love the story & the car. Hope Rachel is doing well.
Gldnldy
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Posted 3:22pm March 22nd, 2010My Dad would be so proud he had a similar Comet swore it was one of the best cars he ever owned, he died in 96 and still had it , I remember him having it in the 60's.
Awwshucks3
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Posted 10:58pm March 15th, 2010Such an amazing and inspiring woman! I love how she instructs the mechanics how to lube her car! I wish they made cars like this again!
MimiSmith
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Posted 12:22pm March 14th, 2010I want to be Rachel when I'm her age! What an inspiration. If you need somebody to carry your luggage I volunteer!
cindy
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Posted 11:41am March 13th, 2010Keep on trucking Rachael! YOY ARE AN INSPIRATION!!
Marge
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Posted 11:04am March 12th, 2010God Bless You....Rachel!!
Growing Bolder
Growing Bolder
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Posted 11:34am February 25th, 2010Hi Rachel fans! Many of you have asked for an update on Rachel and her beloved Chariot, so here it is! http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/rachel-veitch-international-575909.html For starters, she's a little nervous to have Growing Bolder CEO Marc Middleton behind the wheel of her beloved Chariot.
pilotlance
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Posted 11:22am February 25th, 2010Racheal, keep on trucking! hope you are well and still on the road.
Enjoy,
Pilotlance
Doc
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Posted 2:36pm February 23rd, 2010BUILT WITH USA PRIDE --- BUILT AT THE FORMER OHIO LORAIN ASSEMBLY PLANT IN LORAIN OHIO.
AND SOME AMERICANS SAY AMERICAN AUTO WORKERS DO NOT BUILD QUALITY , WELL I GUESS THIS PROVES WE CAN AND DO . FORD MOTOR COMPANY ONE OF THE BIG THREE AMERICAN OWNED COMPANYS KEEP OUR MONEY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND DO NOT SEND IT BACK TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY . FOR ALL THOSE OUT THEIR WHO OWN A FOREIGN CAR TAKE A LOOK AT THE MILES RUN ON THIS VEHICLE !!!! BUILD WITH AMERICAN PRIDE IN OHIO ASSEMBLY FORD PLANT .. WAY TO GO GIRL , KEEP GETTING THOSE MILES !
wiseguy
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Posted 10:41am February 23rd, 2010I guess they still don't make them like they used to. Nice story. God bless you Betsy and I'm glad to see you are a good representative of the 2nd amendment.
Betsy
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Posted 1:50pm February 22nd, 2010Way to go Cousin Rachel. Nice to see all the articles. Hope you are doing well. Betsy ( Fran's daughter)
JasonCam
GB Staff
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Posted 4:55pm February 17th, 2010Hey, 1OldFordMan, have you checked out the GBTV Show that Marc and Bill (and Katy) hosted from inside Rachel's car as she drove them around Orlando? It was a fun challenge to shoot. If you click on the "Details" tab on this page, you'll find all the videos we've done with Rachel.
1OldFordMan
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Posted 3:33pm February 17th, 2010Marc, thanks for the update. Tell her I'll be praying for her & the surgery. Glad to hear Chariot has been nursed back to health. Any comment on the current mileage or just wait for the update? Any idea when it'll be? I definitely want to see it.
Marc Middleton
GB Staff
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Posted 7:26pm February 15th, 2010Hey 1OldFordMan, Great question! I spoke with Rachel a couple of days ago and Chariot is running better than ever. In fact, a major car show is flying Rachel and transporting Chariot to the show this spring. The bad news is Rachel is having shoulder surgery soon and will have to stop driving for several weeks. We'll shoot an update with Rachel very soon. Stay tuned!
1OldFordMan
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Posted 5:09pm February 14th, 2010Is there anything new? Last video Chariot was sick. Just wondered if Rachel had gotten her healed & was back on the road again.
JimInNorthwest
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Posted 8:47pm February 11th, 2010Wow. Talk about inspiring!!!!! This was totally awesome. I hope to read more like this in the future.