You may be wondering, "How did a boat that navigated the waters between Long Beach and Catalina make it to the land-locked Lake Elsinore?" Well, that's a great question and an even more fascinating story. Fortunately, the event was well covered by the media and documented so we can share it with you here. The narrative and photos below are from the personal journal of Pete Dawson, a member of the move crew and the Lake Elsinore Princess Foundation.

On March 12, 1999 the Princess departed Pier C in Long Beach on her nearly three week trek to Lake Elsinore, CA. Here, you can see the harbor cranes beginning to lift the vessel from the water to start its over 100 mile journey over land, through traffic, and under/around traffic signals and power lines. A challenging journey indeed!

Each team member wore a communications radio, and there was constant communication. You can just imagine exchanges like "A little to the left now"; "That's it"; "Steady"; "Over the hump she goes!"; "Watch out for that tree!"; "OK, now"; "Hold it, Buck!"; "Joe, lift those wires"; "Forward - slow, now!".

Buck was the driver; grandson Joe was on the upper deck lifting wires and streetlights over the upper deck.

Up, really, really UP Colima Road, through La Habra heights and Hacienda Heights was extremely slow, and the crew talked rather grudgingly of the brick ballast and the tons of sea water that the old white truck was painfully pulling up these hills. One would have thought these roads were vertical, as Princess was hauled up at about one mile an hour. The truck is a ten wheeler with a small Detroit diesel and extremely low gearing. The bed has a box filled with steel and cement. It reads overweight at the truck scales with no load aboard!

Once at the top of La Habra Heights, Princess took to the median strip, so traffic could pass. A push bar (see picture) was installed from Princess's dolly to a following truck for extra braking on the way back down. 60 wheels of air brakes. Princess is definitely not petite!

The CHP picks us up in Whittier and decides that an inspection is in order (it is a quiet night for them). Princess waits for over an hour.

Pomona Police happen by (going the other way), turn around and stop the procession with a siren. Like we're going to run for it !!! It is 2 am; the drunks are just going home. They sobered up real fast when this big ship passed them in the night - on the wrong side of the road!

Tuesday, March 23, 11:00 pm - The Princess moved again, and with a special daytime operating permit, the crew said she would arrive at Lake Elsinore at the end of that day's run, no matter what!

Slover Street in Fontana/Rialto should have been relegated to smaller craft, as it was painfully slow negotiating the many overhead lines and narrow areas. Then South, at last, to Riverside Drive in Riverside. It must have felt like a freeway to Joe, with the Princess moving at flank speed (maybe "warp speed") of 21 miles per hour! He finally got to just relax and ride for a change. The Princess made it to Riverside Drive just as the evening arrived.

Bundy Canyon Road was just ahead when reporters located the entourage. The streets were lined with people and cars. Cameras were everywhere. Some people chased this Odyssey since daybreak, several hour earlier.

The intersection at Bundy Canyon was alive with spectators and they were not disappointed, as the turn onto Bundy was exciting . . . the Princess nailed a stop sign!

Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore was one long line of cheering specators. At one point, spectators ran out with balloons and attached them to the tow vehicles. Princess stopped several times on Grand to allow traffic to pass. On the third such stop, traffic never did cease, so great was the enthusiasm and interest. Finally CHP officers had had enough and suggested that the process terminate until midnight, reminding us that the drivers were over their limit on hours anyway. A discussion ensued. Princess was allowed to proceed. However she must stay in the road center instead of meandering around the trees and power lines, so as to accommodate continuous traffic, a slower method, requiring men on the upper deck of Princess.

At 5:15 pm, the Princess turned the corner at Riverside Drive in Lake Elsinore; less than a mile to go! Lead man Darrel does not know which marina the Princess is to go to, so he asks for a lead vehicle. The lead driver is quoted as saying "I'm the lead, and I'm thinking, it's after 5:00 pm. The city employees will have locked the gate and gone home. Where will I find a key? The delay will be really hard on these tired movers. Maybe someone stayed for us. Suddenly Darrel passes me - he musts know where to go.

Holy Smoke! The road is blocked with humanity at the city park entrance ... balloons, banners, signs, and more people than Fourth of July celebration! A truly grand entrance for a truly grand Princess!"