The great California trip with Mom, Dad and siblings when I was 8ish.
We drove out to California in a 4 door Impala that was Tammy’s car. Dad chose to take this car because it had air conditioning but it wasn’t working well enough to keep the windows closed. Kids in every little bit of the car. In between Mom and Dad in the front, laying out getting a sun tan (heat rash) in the back window, in the feet sections of the back seat. The older kids who GOT a seat in the back seat had to put their feet over the front seat or out the windows. There were seven of us kids, plus Mom and Dad.
Mom made us bologna sandwiches on her lap as we drove. We ate out occasionally and my dad gave each of us a $2 limit. He had every meal budgeted in.
We explored abandoned towns and buildings out on the desert. We were basically where the Brady Bunch got their show content.
The desert was so hot that Dad would pull through a fast food place and get us ice waters. When we were done drinking them, we’d dump the rest into our laps and cool off as it melted.
We practiced singing as a group, so that when we got to California we would definitely be able to win a spot on the Gong Show. Because that’s what people did. Ruth Ann sang along but her heart wasn’t in it.
We practiced the theme song to Laverne and Shirley. We would have been “gonged” for sure… When we got to California, we found that the Gong Show was booked MONTHS in advance so that dream died.
In the mountains we drove past ski resorts where the skiers wore bikinis. I guess the weather was warm enough but there was snow… weird…
We stopped in Provo, Utah for gas and we asked the attendant where Donnie and Marie lived. It was JUST around the corner and down the block!!! So we found their house. A secretary came to the door and we met two of the less famous brothers, Jay and Merlin, and then also the baby brother, Jimmy, who wanted to see all the girls. The boys signed all of our autograph books. Marie was in the kitchen cooking and chopping onions and didn’t want to see anyone. But we all got our autograph books written in and were so excited to brag to our friends. One sister has a photo of Donnie’s car. The one on the far right is Marie’s.
We also swam in the Great Salt Lake. It felt divine to just float so easily. Having the salt in the water helped immensely with buoyancy. What an experience! I’m the one 2nd from the right with the belted swim suit. My oldest sister, Tammy, is just ahead of me and Mom is to the left of her. We’re waiting for a shower after swimming.
There were barrels of fresh water to take showers with on the beach and Dad insisted before we got back into the car. The tall boy looking down is my brother, Mark.
Mom also brought along zucchini for snacks. She would give each of us slices of it and thankfully the windows were open because out it went when she wasn’t looking. I would have loved it nowadays!
Dad always did the driving and was always on a schedule, loath to stop the car for anyone if they had to go. You held it and peed on his schedule. One time, Kristin, the baby peed into a cup in the front seat for Mom. Mom pitched it out the window and it splashed into the back seat onto Mark. Another Salt Lake swim would have been great…
On the Continental Divide pic, I’m the one on the far right, I think… holding my baby sister, Kristin. Melanie is on the left.
Sometimes we camped in really weird campgrounds. Some KOA wannabes. If you’ve seen the movie Vacation, it’s like the pool with the ducks in it. There would be movies in the evenings about nature and voiced over bears with narrator. “Mama bear is getting grumpy! Better take a step or two back from the bear cubs…”
When we finally got to California, we stayed at my Dad’s brother’s brand new place and slept on their floor. According to my siblings, they had to sleep out on the back patio and woke up with a sunburn and a close snake. Yikes! Every cousin, distant or closely related, is a potential motel.
The main attraction was Disneyland!!!! Tammy, Mark and Teresa were old enough to go off by themselves, mostly the toboggan mountain ride where you get splashed. The rest of us rode on the “It’s a Small World Ride” as well as others. What a great day! I think Mom, Dad, Ruth Ann, me, Melanie and Kristin were in this group.
In reminiscing about this trip with my siblings, they each have additional memories to add to it. Like the snake story and then jumping on a pile of sand and being told by police to leave immediately, a wild 13 year girl cousin, skateboarding on crazy twisty California roads… So many memories that I was probably too young to have participated in. Oh well. They have their memories and I’ve got mine! :)
When Robb and I started a family, we always hoped we’d do memorable family vacations that our kids would cherish and I hope that they do. The two trips to Ireland were fantastic, spring break in Arizona, camping trip to Backbone state park, Branson, the Dells, zoo trips.
Even though you spend a fortune on a trip, it’s the littlest things that you do with your kids that make the memories. Spend the time with your littles! Because one day that’s what they’re going to remember.
2 comments:
Precious memories. I hope .y kids look back and share stories.
Those are great memories. We always went someplace, but just to relatives. I don't think Daddy believed in having fun...lol Mama did make bologna sandwiches in her lap. Daddy would stop, go in and buy a certain number of slices of bologna and a loaf of bread. We did get a Coke, a real treat.
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