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Winter 1997-1998 1/3/78 to 2/24/78 This was the longest trip we ever planned and it was scheduled for during the winter. We had some concern about getting over some of the passes on the west coast. We planned to visit many of our friends that lived in the Southwest. The trip started with our flight to Seattle where we took the limousine to Lynnwood. We had a nice visit with Pat and Bob Hendrickson and spent the night with them. They took us to the ferry to Orcas. Michele picked us up and we stayed at Rosario's. It was a nice vacation for several days renewing our friendships and helping Ed with the Olga store that he had just purchased. On January 10th we set out going south on Rt.5. We made a stop to visit my nephew and his wife before continuing to Portland, Or. The weather had been poor since we got to Orcas but it was clear enough for us to see Mt. Shasta and the other peaks along the route south. The San Francisco Area We spent the 14th. with old friends, Madeline and David Roney, in Lafayette Ca. They lived up a little lane. We went as far as we could and finally left the trailer and car about half way up the lane. I don't know how we turned around and got out the next morning. I do know that we had a good time. We went out to dinner near the University in Berkley Ca. and had a few drinks. When we were ready to leave, Dave's car battery was dead and he went to the phone booth to call his son. After a long time he didn't come back. We found him asleep in the booth. I don't remember how we got home. Our next stop was San Francisco to visit cousin Eileen. We had done San Francisco years ago, before our trailer days. This time we just visited with Eileen and parked our trailer on the street and spent the night in it. The Los Angeles Area Our drive to Santa Barbara was spoiled by strong headwinds and heavy rains. An old Rohm and Haas friend, Walt Benson, lived there. We stayed at the El Paso. We had a nice visit with Walt. He showed us around the area and had dinner and lunch with him. Walt showed us the effects of a recent mud slide that they had experienced. We enjoyed seeing the Mission and the very pleasant town. Fortunately the weather improved. We spent three days in the Los Angeles Area. There was much to see. We visited Disneyland and I thought it was fabulous. Our experience was much different than the crowded expensive situation today. Like so many things we did during the 70's and 80's; I'm glad we did it when we did. Rohm and Haas had a full day's pass to everything at Disneyland. It was reasonably priced and I had brought one along. We hit the main attractions first thing in the morning before there were any lines. We were able to see the whole thing in one day. We experienced the same feeling of "having the place to ourselves" when we visited the Universal Studios and the Getty Museum. Today one reads of the hours of waiting time and the crowded conditions. We enjoyed both of these excellent attractions. We were busy exploring the many other places we always heard about but never expected to see. We drove all over Bel Air, Hollywood, Ingelwood, Santa Monica, Forrest Lawn, Holy Cross, Malibu. We saw the graves and crypts of many movie stars. It was time to move on and on the 21st. we headed out for San Diego. We tried to see President Nixon's home but we couldn't get close. The San Diego Area The drive down the coast from Los Angeles was not very attractive. The beaches were very ordinary and the road side was very barren and strip commercial if developed. The weather was nice with a temperature of about 68 deg. The 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, were spent in the San Diego area. We visited with Bob Worthington, my ex brother-in-law, and his wife and drove around Coronado. On our way to Yuma we drove along the border with Mexico and we walked across border into Tijuana. The Apache Junction Area We spent more than a week in this area since there was a lot to see and we had many friends there. Our first stop was to see Joyce Green who we knew from West Beach on Orcas Island. She had her trailer in Apache Junction and we left our trailer there also. It was the base for many trips to interesting spots in the area. We travelled to Phoenix, Scottsdale. Tucson, and Sedona. The red cliffs and countryside in Sedona was very impressive. Joyce Green acted as guide and took us to see some of the Indian ruins and the Casa Grande and Montezuma National Monuments. While we travelling around, we visited Peck Wright, Clide Betz, Bill Conn, and Jack Radovitch; all retired Rohm and Haas friends. I also visited one my oldest girl friends, Betty (Bahls) and her husband Lou Melicek. Mary Liz spent some time with Mary Elizabeth Card Yarnall a genealogy correspondent. When we were in Tuscon we saw the Desert Museum which was great, a very nice Mission San Xavier, and took a nice drive to the top of Mt. Lemon. Tuscon wasn't very nice. On our way to El Paso we took the opportunity to walk across the border again to see a Mexican border town, Nogales. The 2nd. of February was a sunny day but we had to fight a strong head wind as we drove all day to El Paso. There wasn't much of interest to see on the way. I couldn't interest Mary Liz in going to the Rodeo. We did walk across the border to Ciudad Juaroz in Mexico. The drive to the Big Bend National Park followed the Rio Grande River and provided some desert driving and interesting vistas of many mountain ranges and peaks. The Gulf gas station in Panther Junction was our home base for three days. I remember driving to the Santa Elena Canyon, walking to the Hot Springs, and sitting on the edge of the Rio Grande with our feet in the warm water. We had a most enjoyable three days but we finally had to drive on to Del Rio, Texas. Once again we gave a look at a Mexican town, Ciudad Acuna. The Texas Area We arrived in San Antonio just in time to see a big Rodeo parade of cowboys and their horses and wagons as they passed in front of the Alamo. After the parade we visited the Alamo again . Although we had been to his area several times in the past, there were several places we had to revisit. A must stop was at the Landing on the River Walk to listen to Jim Cullem and his Dixieland music. Another was exploring the River Walk, which as usual was enjoyable. We also gave the Mexican Market, and several Missions a look. We visited many of Mary Liz's relatives and had an especially nice visit with Ed and Carol Ann Glass. He made delicious Tacos and showed us his current collection of slot machines. It was time to move on so we headed out for Austin. We made another stop at the LBJ home on the Pedernales River. This time it had been made a tourist attraction and one had to take a small bus that drove you around the estate. It was much better the first time when one could walk around on his own. We looked around the University and Austin before moving on to visit the Donohoo's in Crockett and the Harlan's and O Connell's in Dallas. THE GULF and EAST COAST Our trip took us through Baton Rouge, La. and Pensacola, Fla. to Thomasville, Ga. where we visited Les and Jane Schultz, another Rohm and Haas friend. We did stop to see the battleship Alabama and a submarine open to visitors in Pensacola. Savannah, Ga. and Charleston, S.C. were next on our sight seeing itinerary. We were getting anxious to get home. We had three days in the area and enjoyed both of these beautiful Southern towns. We visited Savannah Beach, Fort Pulaski, Boone Hall, and Fort Moultrie. On February 22nd. we headed up th East Coast for Enfield, N.C., Graysonville, Md., and then home. Surprise!! It was a snowy trip. Snow showers around Fayetteville, N.C. and Graysonville was a mess with only electric service available at the camp ground; it was a swamp. I believe we were about the only one there. We even had a flat tire. To break up the driving we stopped at the Richmond, Va. library and I stocked up on my liquor supply. We were in store for one more surprise. When we arrived home, there was so much snow that we had to ram the trailer into a snow drift at a gas station 3 or 4 miles from home. We unloaded what was necessary and called it a day and the end of our 10th. trailer trip. |