Liberty Xpress is the name of the 1973 Wayfarer motorhome that Richard Durney donated to the Wyoming Libertarian Party for the 1998 campaign. Dave Dawson and Steve Richardson spent a grueling week touring the state in it. We have some information about the tour and its schedule below.
Steve Richardson emailed out the following informal report after the August, 1998 meeting:
Liberty Xpress is the name of your official campaign tourmobile, courtesy of Richard Durney of Basin. He donated the 1973 Wayfarer motor home to the party, which we decorated for our entry next weekend in the State Fair Parade (Douglas) and for Dave Dawson and me to use in our Excellent Tour of the entire state in October.
Since Anne was already committed for the weekend to helping our friend Dave Mattis in his re-election bid as Big Horn Co. Sheriff, Richard drove alone to Dave's office here in Casper, where the rest of us were conducting party business in our monthly meeting. We had gotten worried about him because we had finished lunch and almost completed work on Lewis Stock's yard signs when he rolled in - explaining that he had to fix a flat along the way.
By the way, Lewis, who is running for HD5 (Douglas) will serve as Chairman until next year since Rod Heil resigned last month and the rest of the ExecComm appointed him (as former Vice Chair) to fill the vacancy. He is full of ideas and I am confident he will provide the leadership we need in this exciting election year.
Everyone contributed sweat and creativity to the task of restoring the "Winner"bago; with a dozen of us all over it for six hours solid, we transformed the old unit into something Anne would not recognize and that we can all be proud of. A fresh coat of white covered the old racing stripes, then we made it into a billboard on wheels with bright, glossy letters in red and blue (plus a few artistic touches, such as the red hubs with blue bolts on a white rim background).
Both sides feature LIBERTY XPRESS in red, 1'x2' letters. In front, "LIBERTARIANS" appears above the windshield (in red) and below, "CHAMPIONS OF LIBERTY" (blue). Above the rear windshield (in red), we painted "VOTE LIBERTARIAN" and below (in blue) "Try Liberty…You might like it". Dave, Lewis and I can hardly wait to march beside it in next Saturday's parade! Margaret has yet to comment about driving it but Eva (the teenage Dawson) assures us that "It's cool!".
Today was the most fun and productive meeting I can remember since joining in Feb. 1995. Dave remarked that unlike most of our meetings, when we leave with a warm and fuzzy feeling, this time we actually had something to show for our efforts! The Blomquists and the Brossmans deserve special thanks not only for driving a couple of hours to get here before the work started, but for getting Richard home; Basin is just a wee bit out of the way for them (Riverton and Lander).
Look for the Liberty Xpress on TV, in your local paper or on the highway and tell your friends to keep an eye out for it. If we prove nothing else this election season, let's show the Cowboy State that Libertarians know how to have fun!
Steve Richardson
P.S. I'm not the Secretary (Beverly Spungin is) and these are not official minutes. I just enjoyed this so much and thought the enthusiasm was something worth sharing with those of you who weren't able to join us.
Steve's news release on the triumphal return of the Liberty Xpress to Casper!
Here is the schedule of the Liberty Xpress, sorted by place name.
- Basin
- Tuesday, October 6, 7:00 Coffee and Breakfast
8:30 AM: Republican-Rustler
- Buffalo
- Monday, October 5, 7:00 AM coffee
- Casper
- Saturday, October 10, late! End of the line.
- Cheyenne
- Friday, October 9, 6:00 AM: Steve Richardson live on "Newschannel 5 This Morning" (KGWN - Cheyenne). Scott Farris will also be on the show. Incumbent Barbara Cubin declined to appear. Erin Hottenstein is host.
7:00 AM coffee
9-10AM, KGAB radio, 650 AM, Pam Lewis' "Talk of Cheyenne" show
Live with Bob Rule at KRRR at about 10:30 AM.
- Cody
- Monday, October 5, 5 PM: News conference, City Park (near the Chamber of Commerce)
- Douglas
- Saturday, October 10, BBQ, hosted by Libertarian State House candidate Lewis Stock, time and place to be determined.
- Dubois
- Wednesday, October 7, 7:00 AM coffee
- Evanston
- Wednesday, October 7
- Gillette
- Saturday, October 10
- Green River
- Thursday, October 8, 7:00 AM coffee
8:10 Dillon Mullendorf at KUGR Radio (1490 AM) in Green River
8:30 Keith Jantz at Green River Star
- Guernsey
- Friday, October 9
- Jackson
- Wednesday, October 7, 10:00 AM: KSGT/KMTN radio (1340 AM/96.9 FM)
11:00 AM: Jackson Hole News
- Kemmerer
- Wednesday, October 7, 4:00 PM: KMER radio (950 AM)
- Lander
- Tuesday, October 6, 5:00 PM: Wyoming State Journal
- Laramie
- Thursday, October 8, 6:30 PM: KUWR radio (FM 91.9) with Bob Beck on "Wyoming Today". Steve Richardson live, Dave Dawson will tape for broadcast Friday evening.
3:30 PM: taped show with Ray Hageman of KOWB, 1290 AM
4:30 PM: Tiffany Edwards at The Boomerang in Laramie
- Lovell
- Monday, October 5, 1:00 PM: Interview, Lovell Chronicle
- Lusk
- Friday, October 9
- Moorcroft
- Saturday, October 10
- Newcastle
- Saturday, October 10, 7:00 AM coffee
- Pinedale
- Wednesday, October 7: Radio interview, details TBD.
- Powell
- Monday, October 5, 3:00 PM: Interview, Powell Tribune
- Rawlins
- Thursday, October 8, 12:30 Rawlins Daily Times with Chuck Bowlus
- Riverton
- Tuesday, October 6, 3:00-5:00 PM: Media interviews, schedule TBD: Riverton Ranger, KTRZ (FM 93.1), KVOW and KTAK (FM 93.9)
- Rock Springs
- Thursday, October 8, 9:15 AM: Rock Springs Rocket-Miner
10:00 AM: Sweetwater TV (cable)
- Sheridan
- Monday, October 5, 8:00 AM: Sheridan Press
9:15 AM: Live with Pat Turner on "Public Pulse" - KROE (930 AM)
- Shoshoni
- Tuesday, October 6, 2:00 PM: Malts at Yellowstone Drug!
- Thermopolis
- Tuesday, October 6, Noon: Lunch at the Sideboard (at the signal)
- Torrington
- Friday, October 9
- Wheatland
- Friday, October 9, 2:00 PM: Live on KYCN/KZEW radio
2:30 PM: Deringer Park interview with Platte County Record Times in Wheatland
- Worland
- Tuesday, October 6, 10:00 AM: Northern Wyoming Daily News
11:00 AM: KWOR/KKLX radio (1340 AM/96.1 FM)
Here is a day-by day schedule of the Liberty Xpress.
- Monday, October 5
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Buffalo
- Sheridan, 8:00 AM: Sheridan Press
9:15 AM: Live with Pat Turner on "Public Pulse" - KROE (930 AM)
- Lovell, 1:00 PM: Interview, Lovell Chronicle
- Powell, 3:00 PM: Interview, Powell Tribune
- Cody, 5 PM: News conference, City Park (near the Chamber of Commerce)
- Tuesday, October 6
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Basin, 7:00 Coffee and Breakfast
8:30 AM: Republican-Rustler
- Worland, 10:00 AM: Northern Wyoming Daily News
11:00 AM: KWOR/KKLX radio (1340 AM/96.1 FM)
- Thermopolis, Noon: Lunch at the Sideboard (at the signal)
- Shoshoni, 2:00 PM: malts! at Yellowstone Drugs
- Riverton, 3:00-5:00 PM: Media interviews, schedule TBD: Riverton Ranger, KTRZ (FM 93.1), KVOW and KTAK (FM 93.9)
- Lander, 5:00 PM: Wyoming State Journal
- Wednesday, October 7
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Dubois
- Jackson, 10:00 AM: KSGT/KMTN radio (1340 AM/96.9 FM)
11:00 AM: Jackson Hole News
- Pindale. Radio interview, details TBD.
- Kemmerer, 4:00 PM: KMER radio (950 AM)
- Evanston
- Thursday, October 8
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Green River, 8:10 AM: Dillon Mullendorf at KUGR Radio (1490 AM) in Green River
8:30 AM: Keith Jantz at Green River Star
- Rock Springs, 9:15 AM: Rock Springs Rocket-Miner
10:00 AM: Sweetwater TV (cable)
- Rawlins, 12:30 Rawlins Daily Times with Chuck Bowlus
- Laramie, 6:30 PM: Interview, KUWR
4:30 PM: Tiffany Edwards at The Boomerang in Laramie
3:30 PM, Steve and Dave on a taped show with Ray Hageman of KOWB, 1290 AM
6:30PM, Steve Richardson on KUWR in Laramie (FM 91.9) with Bob Beck on "Wyoming Today".
- Friday, October 9
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Cheyenne, 6:00 AM: Steve Richardson live on "Newschannel 5 This Morning" (KGWN - Cheyenne). Scott Farris will also be on the show. Incumbent Barbara Cubin declined to appear. Erin Hottenstein is host.
9-10AM: KGAB radio, 650 AM: with Pam Lewis' "Talk of Cheyenne" show
10:30 AM: Bob Rule at KRRR.
- Wheatland, 2:00 PM: Live on KYCN/KZEW radio
2:30 PM: Deringer Park interview with Platte County Record Times in Wheatland
- Guernsey
- Torrington
- Lusk
6:30PM, Dave Dawson on KUWR in Laramie (FM 91.9) with Bob Beck on "Wyoming Today".
- Saturday, October 10
- Liberty Xpress schedule:
- Newcastle
- Moorcroft
- Gillette
- Douglas, BBQ, hosted by Libertarian State House candidate Lewis Stock, time and place to be determined.
- Casper
Dave Dawson and Steve Richardson left Casper Monday morning, and headed north to Sheridan. On the way, they encountered a snow storm, and headwinds up to 50 mph (80 kph). They were down to as slow as 20 mph pushing into that wind, but they kept on. After all both libertarians and Wyomingites are accustomed to bucking headwinds. Later on that day, they also encountered that other quintessential Wyoming traffic stopper: a cattle drive.
Even with all that, they made all their appointments: four newspapers and a radio station. They did an unscheduled interview via cell phone with Wyoming News Network, which is heard on radio stations all over the state. Both candidates are enthusiastic about the trip, and think they will get a lot of positive media coverage.
Dave said that the media are attracted by the vehicle and the story about the trip they are making, and only after that do they get down to issues. The trip is an icebreaker.
Dave also reports that they had some electrical troubles, which Dave (the computer nerd) was able to repair in quick order. Now, how many gubernatorial candidates can you imagine crawling under their vehicles, tools in hand?
Steve reports that a lot of drivers gave him thumbs up along the road. At least, he thinks that's the digit he was seeing. :-)
The Liberty Xpress, and her crew, in a rare moment of repose on the campaign trail. From left to right, Wyoming Libertarian Party chair and candidate for State House from Converse County, Lewis Stock and a fine crop of future libertarians, U.S. House candidate Steve Richardson, and Margaret and Dave Dawson, gubernatorial candidate.
Your webmaster got to see the Liberty Xpress at the Candidates Night in Thermopolis. It is very well decorated, indeed! Compliments to the sign painters who carried out the artwork. The interior is spacious. I overheard a number of favorable remarks on it at the Candidates Night, so it looks like the effort of decorating it and the cost of driving it are well justified.
Neither Dave Dawson nor Steve Richardson asked me to say so, but I expect a donation to their campaigns earmarked for Liberty Xpress expenses would be most welcome. The October tour alone will be well over 1,000 miles, and at 5 MPG, fuel alone will over $250.
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