February 7 - 11, 1947

Friday February 7, 1947

Leaving Pasco at 6:30.  Saw a coyote just before sunrise close to the road.  Just saw another one. ( 15 min. later)

Got to Ida’s before dinner, had no trouble finding her.  Went with Ida & Elmo to Spokane on Sat.  They took us to Grande Coulee Dam on Sunday.  Such a place! oh the biggness of it!

Ida and Elmo Wright, Ida was first cousin to Selma. They managed the Crooked River Ranch mentioned in 1934 trip.

Monday February 10, 1947 

Leaving Ida’s at 8:15 Ida daughter to Carrie

Entered Idaho at 10:20 got to Sandpoint at 11:15 Had dinner with Ada, then we went to find Clarence fishing on the ice in the bay.  8 or 9 miles  and such a road! Snow & ice & curves! Had to have help twice getting back.  No chains of course!  Had trout and white fish. 

Ada was a first cousin to Roy, her mother (Elsy Alice Arnold) was a sister to Great Grandma (Elizabeth Angeline Arnold) Sanford. Elsy married Joseph Erwin Bracy, he was killed in a mine accident at Red Lodge, Montana and was tried at Belvidere, Neb. Elsy did not want to stay in Belvidere so she homesteaded in Wyoming. 

Ada married Clarence Coulston. 

Postcard dated Mon. noon Feb. 10

Dear Geneva: We are now at Ada’s.  There is some ice & snow here but there has been more.  We are going out to lake where Clarence is fishing thru ice this P.M. Ida & Elmo took us to Grand Coulee Dam yesterday.  That thing is so big  I can hardly believe it after seeing it!  Had a letter from Arlene too.  Don’t expect to hear any more now, as we will be moving everyday.  Plan to try it thru Salt Lake City on the way home.  We find out about roads before starting out.  Mother

Tuesday February 11, 1947

Had venison for dinner.  Left Ada’s at 2:00 after seeing where Kenneth and Bertha live. Gerald in 8th grade age 14, Kenneth 20.  Raining most of P.M.  Saw a porcupine across the road.

The Arnold family history says Ada and Clarence Coulston married August 17, 1925. They had 2 sons, Kenneth born in 1926 and Gerald in 1933. So Bertha must be Kenneth's wife.

February 4 - 6, 1947

Tuesday February 4, 1947

Leaving Ebba’s at noon came on Wash. side to Vancouver across to Portland  rock slide so we had to take a 3 mile detour.  Some Road.  Found Linda’s,  Helen but she could not tell us just where to find their  logging camp for sure, so we went back to Vancouver, down Wash. side of Col. R. (Columbia River) and couldn’t find a cabin until we got to N. Bonneville at 8:00.  Got a nice cabin with kitchen, bedroom, front room, shower, toilet and closet for $4.00.

February 5, 1947

Leaving at 8:30, looked the dam over from Wash. side, crossed “Bridge of the Gods” to Oregon side.  Saw a boat with raft of logs go thru “locks.”

Found Delta and her hubby in bed. Spent about 30 min. there Delta married Jan. 15, 1947. No idea how Delta is related.

Saw  Horse Tail Falls, picture of D & Roy. Multnomah Falls, Wahkeena Falls, took picture of Ocean, Bridal Veil Falls, Shepherds Dell, Latourell Falls,  Crown Point Vista House where we turned around & started to retrace the 17 miles to Bonneville,  Which we came up thru so Dwane could see the waterfalls we saw 13 years ago.  Really looked Bonneville Dam and Locks over from Oregon side.

On down the CAl. Hiway thru tunnels, Rowena Loops and on to The Dalles.  Got a nice cabin ( a real home) for $5.00.  We had smelt for supper.

February 6, 1947 

Postcard dated Feb.6 to Geneva

Do you remember this fall? Dwane thought it pretty nice.  It had so much water going over it the spray was hitting the hiway.  We hope to see Clifford S. sometime today. Spent a lot of time seeing Bonneville dam and other places along Col. R. Hiway.  We are in a cabin here at The Dalles, Oregon ―ready to leave.  Love, Mother

Leaving at 8:45 Locks for boats, freighters etc. all the way to Celiolita Falls,  Took a picture here.

on to Pasco, Wash. then across Col. R (Columbia River) to Kennewick, then to Richlands, a gov’t “mush room” town of 20,000, where they work with elements of atom bombs etc.  Still a big military secret too.  Every person in there has sorta signed his life away because they signed papers that if they were found guilty of divulging any military secrets they would receive a life sentence without a trial.  Kay’s mother was visiting there too and so we went back to Pasco and got a cabin for the night. Not too good (3.00) compared with last nites cabin.

February 1 - 3, 1947

February 1st, 1947

After visiting until midnight, we all slept until 9:00.  Had a big breakfast ( or dinner) from 11 to 12.  Left Ted’s at 2:00.  Got to Belle’s at Osewgo at 5:00.Talked to Joy Ondrzeck on the phone from Belle’s’  Dolly “Belle” Sanford Married Carl Englert related to Roy, Max Englert is their son.

Postcard  dated Feb. 1st, 1947

Dear Geneva: we are now at Oswego, getting directions on how to get to Belle’s.  We’re at Ted’s and Mabel’s last night.  Have had lots of rain since getting into Oregon, but it is not too cold.  Love Mom

February 2nd Sunday 1947

Ground Hog Day and the sun came out after raining and blowing most of night.  Went with Mrs. Max Englert (Helen) to a little church (Rosewood Chapel).  Had dinner and had a look Carl’s and Max’s saw mill and at 2:00 we were on the way to Banks, Ore.  Got to Banks at 3:00, found Linda’s house and an old lady in the house said Linda had left on bus for Portland at 2:30.  Decided to go on to  Ebba’s and perhaps find Sam’s at Oregon City on return trip.

Ebba and Linda (first cousins to Selma) daughters of Aunt Maggie and Helen was daughter of Linda.

Got to Sorenson’s about 9:15, after the ride across on ferry at Astoria.  Foggy, rainy weather.  Lots of snow at times thru the mountains.

Postcard dated Feb. 3, 1947

Dear Geneva:  We got to Ebba’s about 9:15 last night.  Came across the Columbia on ferry after dark.  Some snow in mts. Sun P.M.  went to Banks, Ore, but missed Linda by 45 min. she had gone back to logging camp, near Oregon City (near Portland.)  We'll try to find her as we go back that way.   Daddy & Dwane are fishing below Sorenson’s barn this P.M. I went with Geo. & Ebba to a funeral.  Has been rainy but sun is out now.  Will go on tomorrow.  Mom

January 27 -31, 1947

January 27, 1947 

Leaving January 27th at 7:35  More redwoods.  Saw “Trees of Mystery”, Family tree, Elephant Tree, Shrine Tree where music was played: “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer.  This place also had a pulpit and benches.  Beautiful and estimated to be 5000 yrs. old.  Saw more of the ocean on to Crescent City, then the beautiful Smith River Canyon drive.  Saw a little snow over that ridge once in a while elevations 2,435 at Hazelview Summit in Cal.  On into Oregon and only 20 miles from Oregon Caves but road closed because of snow.

Selma, Oregon  Selma, Cal. —towns we passed thru.

Lots of saw mills.  Ate dinner at Grants Pass, Ore.  Got to Eugene about 6:00 but not to Ed’s until 7:00.

January 28, 1947

  

Drove around town Lee’s were over for supper too.  The Kardells all over in the evening.

January 19, 1947

Went thru Plywood Mill.  Leaving Ed’s at 12:15.  Came to Aunt Carrie’s at 2:30.

January 30, 1947

Came to Aunt Maggie’s after dinner.

Aunt Maggie and Aunt Carrie were Great Grandma Lena’s sisters

January 31,  1947

Left about 2:00, went to Salem, Roy & D had hair cuts.  Got out to Ted’s about 5:15 just a few minutes before they came from school.

January 25 - 26, 1947

January 25, 1947

Stayed at Mill Valley, Cal.  ( 4 miles north of Golden Gate Bridge) last night.  Best cabin we have had yet and only $3.50 compared to $5.50 we have paid.   Leaving at 8:35 and it’s really foggy.  Wish we could see the ocean here in the bay but it’s impossible.  Fog either cleared or we drove out of it in a couple of hrs.

At Geyserville we took a 19 mi. side trip to see geysers.  Roads so steep and up grade we had to stop to let engine cool off.  Robins and meadowlarks singing like spring at home.  Feels like April weather.  So many trees look like they are getting ready to bloom.  People complain about lack of rain.

Near the geysers we came to Mercuryville ( a big b’l’d’g. where you could get a bite to eat and a little gas in a pinch) seems like it was at the top of the world.  The lady here showed us 1/2 pt. of mercury (they mine it in the mts. nearby)  This 1/2 pt. was a real lift, so heavy.  In talking to her she told us she had some butter from Garretson the other day! The Si Mortons were friends of hers.

Geysers were steam and you could hear them for miles.  We walked around through them.  So hot in places, our feet were uncomfortably warm.  Steam is piped to houses for heat.  Large mineral bath houses.  Roads away from this place were terrific!  Curves so sharp and narrow I’d call it a 1-way road but we did meet 1 car.  People living here and there throughout the canyon.  The geysers smelled so rotten Dwane gagged and threw up.  Saw 3 deer.  Came past the ranch, home of “Sea Biscuit” (race horse) near Willets.  Picked up a nail and lost the S. D. air in one tire.  Got a cabin at Willits, Cal. $4.50.  Started to rain about the time we stopped.

January 26, 1947

Rained all night  Roy decided to change the tires back and had just taken it off when jack twisted, and car fell down, bent the jack was all, got it bent back but it’s worth less now than it was before.  Leaving cabin at 7:50 Still raining at times.  Foggy at times, spoiling our scenery, which is beautiful, mt. curves, lots of evergreens, big and small.  Rat trap mail boxes.  (A trap on end of pole holds the mail)  Fog all gone.  

Redwoods and more redwoods.  Drove through one.  Restrooms in one.  House in one — ceiling 50 ft. high.  Saw worlds tallest known tree 364 ft.  Some places part of the trunks of trees on both sides of road had been chopped away to make road wide enough.  Thru Eureka, Cal.  most western city in U.S.  Bought a crab at Arcata —(boiled) 65¢ we enjoyed picking his meat for supper, have a cabin just a few miles east of Klamath. $4.00.

Postcard dated Jan 26 - 47

We’re still in Calif. at Willits don’t think we’ll get up to Eds tomorrow we took a side trip t’day to see some steam geysers so didn’t get too far today, hope to see some big redwoods tomorrow  has been real nice so far a little rain tonight 

Dad

January 23 - 24, 1947

Thursday January 23. 1947

Foggy morning.  Leaving Lillian’s at 9:30.  Stopped at Tjunga, Sunland, Cal. for an hr. to visit Mrs. Bertha Kelly, a cousin of Roy’s mother.  Saw snow in the mountains.  Truckloads of oranges, in fact they lost three along the hiway.

Signs: Elelvation 4,000 ft. Lebec, Cal.

5 miles of down grade (6%) ahead: Trucks use low gear.

Divided hiway and good road cattle on mts. so high up they look so tiny..  Grapevine, Cal. 2,000 ft. el. 7 miles from Lebec.  33 to Bakersfield.  Just a few more miles of rugged country and then on the level to Bakersfield.  Lots of Cotton fields, Some being picked, others planted.  Big olive groves.  Ate a late dinner (4:30) at Bakersfield, $2.06.  Bought a 30 lb. sack of oranges from fruit truck for $1.80.  Drove all P.M. in shirt sleeves rolled up.  Rather warm.  Cabin at Earlimart, Cal. $4.50. Nice.

Friday January 24, 1947

Leaving at 6:50  Bales and bales of cotton along railroad tracks.  After driving for 1/2 hour we ran into fog.  Lots of grape farms, olives, fruit and nut trees.  Saw cotton being picked.  Saw large sheep herds, also some cattle.

Postcard dated Jan. 24, 1947  Post mark Selma, Calif.

Dear Geneva:  Left Lillian’s yesterday morning Stayed at Earlimart last night ― that’s between Fresno and Bakersfield, cal.  Will probably be at Oakland or San Francisco to night.  Real foggy here this morning.  Got your letters.  Thanks.  Don’t know what to say about addresses from now on so will probably have to wait & hear from you when we get home . don’t suppose we will stay more than 2 days at any one place.  Love, Mother.

January 19 - 22, 1947

Sunday January 19, 1947

Went to Santa Catilina  Island today.  Left Wellington Pier at 10, arrived at the island at 12:20.  ($4.92)  Took the glass bottom boat ride, the seal rocks trip, the skyline drive and the bird park drive. ($2.26) Around 800 passengers.

Post card to Geneva

We are now about half way on our return trip ( 29 miles) from island.  Have had a grand day.  Wish you could have taken it with us.  Well hope you can take it sometime.  Really was wonderful.  Mom  Daddy sent a box of sea water taffy from island.

Monday January 20, 1947 

To San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.  This Mexican town was so different than Jurez (across from El Paso) Tijuana pronounced Tee a wana, Jurez pronounced Who arz.  After being in that first town and seeing how dirty and filthy it was I forgot about the sugar and really forgot it today too.  Ran into fog on way home.

Tuesday January 21, 1947

Washed clothes.  Lillian and I had our hair washed and set.  

Went to Cliftons for Lillian’s birthday party.  ($5.38)  They furnished the cake had “Happy Birthday Lillian” on it.  Then to N.B.C. where we watched the Phillip Morris broadcast program.  

Then started home and something went wrong with shift so we came the 15 miles home in low gear.  More fog too.

Wednesday January 22, 1947

Roy got car fixed up.  He says the garage’s here are “hold ups”.  In afternoon went to Exposition Park shopped a little at Sears store in L.A. also Manchester, had rabbit for supper - delicious.  Made plaster - paris plaques.