The Trip: 1960
Yellowstone, South Dakota, Glacier
July 8, 1960 - July 29, 1960

July 8, 1960 Friday
What ho! This long-planned for vacation has finally gotten under way. It's hard to realize that, after anticipating this day for so long, it has at last arrived.

For the last three or four days the plans for the trip have been really churning around. Brother Ray carne down to the Lackland Hospital at the end of May, and, after six weeks here, he had just about crystallized his plans to the point that he could go with us when - blooey -yesterday he learned that he couldn't! What a disappointment that was!

As we pull out of the driveway at 243 Wayside Dr., he waved us a wistful goodbye. We left him with a house, a cat, and a bit of a dubious transportation in the form of our '50 Chevrolet.

Time of our departure was 4:20. We had the back seat built up for Billy (8), Barbara (7) and Bobby (3). This is the first trip on any length that we have all taken together, and we're looking forward to it.

We started up Highway 87 from San Antonio toward the Hill Country. I drove first, and around 6:00 Bill pulled out the chicken, bread and butter sandwiches, carrot sticks, celery, deviled eggs, peaches, bananas, cookies and punch, and he and the children ate. Then we stopped for gas and changed drivers. Then I ate.

Now we are about two hours (if my guess is right) or an hour and a half (if Bill is right -and he usually is) out of Anson, Texas, where we'll spend the night with Iris and Oscar, Bill's brother-in-law and sister. I'll finish this later.

Oh, one more thing. The children have been delightful! That little Bobby is shear delight to have along.

After supper I allowed the children to open a "surprise" from grandmother. Each child got a badge. The boys got a compass, which delights hiker Billy; they all got some balloons, which delighted Bob, and Barby got two clever outfits for her pony-tail doll, which delighted her. This surprise was most successful!

Also, we passed just outside of Brady a high fence that Bill identified as a "deer" fence. No sooner had he said that then we spied a deer! Later we saw three baby skunks and a mother. Much excitement!

On the edge of Santa Anna we went by a huge turkey farm. It will service many a Thanksgiving dinner! Now it is too dark to write; so I will stop.

Well, we arrived at 9:30 (right on Bill's schedule) and Iris was waiting for us - however; she is in the hospital and has been since Tuesday. She is having some tests run to see what's wrong with her. She just came home to talk to us; then Bill took her back to the hospital.

We were all in bed by 11:00, and we were knocked out!

July 9, 1960 Saturday
Up and away by 6:20. All of us slept like logs! It was a fine sleep, and Bill and I feel most rested.

After a question or two, we decide to drive a bit before breakfast.

This area has had a good rain. There is water standing in the terraces, and it makes it delightfully cool this morning to ride.

We stopped at Hamlin for breakfast and Bill shaved (in the car with his electric shaver. That car-attachment has been worth it to Bill).

Later in the morning I noticed that the car had a funny "roaring sound". We stopped, checked, and had a low tire. Bill pulled it off while the children chased huge grasshoppers and hunted rocks. We rode on into Wellington and had it fixed.

We lunched at Perryton, Texas, and had the car serviced. There wasn't much in the way of cafes there, but we stopped at Davy Kreem place. Billy and Barb had hamburgers. Odd little Bob wanted frosty flakes (Tony the Tiger). He also ate part of my plate lunch.

This afternoon we have driven through the Oklahoma panhandle and we're into Kansas. Remind my to ask what the Green River Ordinance is that is enforced in so many Kansas towns (says so on the city limits signs).

In Garden City, Kansas, I got off our good old US 83 (by mistake) and we are now on US 50. No matter, actually, but Bill started teasing me and saying through gritted teeth and with a mock smile, "I'm not going to be annoyed". And I started bemoaning the fact that now he would never go to sleep while I drove for fear that I would get him on the wrong road. Then I glanced around and saw some beautiful fluffy patches of clouds. "See," says I, "had we not come this way, we wouldn't have seen those lovely clouds."

We had told the children that we would spend the night in Cody, Kansas, and try to get a motel with a pool. Well, they interpreted all our kidding about the new highway that we had missed our chance for sleeping in a motel - and swimming. We reassured them that we would sleep ans swim (we hope) anyway. We'll probably do it in Goodland.

We gained an hour this afternoon (this was confusing to the kids). That's good because the motels may start filling, and we won't get to Goodland until about 6:30 (old time) or 5:30 (new time). Our tummies may not know the change, but it's been made anyway.

This afternoon driving through the eastern part of Kansas it got a little warm, but it wasn't completely impossible - I did sunburn my bare legs some, though, and Bill has one pretty red arm.

We're hitting the big wheat harvest time around here. We've enjoyed seeing the big combines at work and the big trucks with their loads of grain. We wondered what a truck load of wheat would be worth - Bill finally decided about $2.00 a bushel and a truck would hold 200 or 250 bushels. I wonder if that is near right?

We got into Goodland about 5:15 and found a motel with two double beds.

Our right front wheel has been acting queerly ever since the flat; so we went to a Texaco station and had it pulled off- an inside bearing was bad; so we had it fixed while we ate supper - the kids and I had fried shrimp and Bill had veal cutlets.

After supper we picked up the car and went to a lovely municipal swimming pool for a swim. Goodland has a beautiful big pool - one of the nicest I have seen.

Then "home" and to bed. Bob was more restless during the night and ended up sleeping with Bill and me. It got pretty cool toward morning.

July 10, 1960 Sunday
The children complained of being cold in the morning. Isn't that wonderful - in July? We were up and away by 5:20.1 wrote cards to go with the ones I wrote yesterday and didn't mail. We're headed toward St. Francis, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska Oust barely), and South Dakota. It will be good to see Sis this afternoon!

We found out last night that the harvesters had only two days of cutting before we got there. Trucks of wheat and big combines were all over the place! There were even stacks of wheat out on the bare ground. We were told that the price for wheat was $1.75 a bushel, if you sold immediately, and $1.85 if it is stored for a while and then sold.

We breakfasted in Wray, Colorado. The food was good, but it took us almost an hour. Now that this is THE ARRIVAL DAY, I'm eager.

Traveling through Colorado this morning has been fine, but now in western Nebraska at 11:00 in the morning, it is 97 degrees, and it is HOT.

We plan to see the trapper's museum and then go on and eat lunch. Then - on to Rapid City.

The fir trader museum just outside of Chadron proved interesting. The best part was the restored trading post.

We ate in Chadron at Helen's Steak House. It was expensive and good. When we came out, the temperature was over 100, and we had a tire that was bulging out on one side.

Bill changed the tire and we traveled without further incident to:

The kids and Sis looked real good - and supper was delicious.

July 11, 1960 Monday
Up and away from Sis's by 6:30. Bill and I are taking our three and the two Lawless boys to the Badlands this morning.

The drive out took an hour. It was cool, as it spattered rain on us all the way. However, being cloudy made the Badlands not quite so colorful as the bright sun would have made them. On the other hand, it was cool enough to enjoy them! What rugged desolate country - it had an "unreal" quality to it.

We got home at noon, ate, and lounged around the rest of the afternoon.

Bill took the children to a couple of museums.

At six we all went over to watch Sam play Little League. His team won (called at the end of the fourth because of rain) 10-12.

It was a good day!

July 12, 1960 Tuesday
This morning Sis and I went to the Commissary, and I got the rest of the food for our trip.

After lunch we lounged around until three when Toni, Bill and I left for Spearfish Canyon and the Passion Play.

The drive up "that-a-way" was beautiful! We stopped at Terry Peak Fire lookout. The ranger there gets lots of visitors as there is a sky-chair lift operating on his peak. When we got up there, we were the only car, but there were lots of people there.

We ate lunch at Roughlock Falls - a very beautiful place. Toni, Bill and I enjoyed it muchly.

Then on through Spearfish Canyon to Spearfish and the Passion Play.

The play was impressive - the lighting, costuming and setting were terrific.

We were home and in bed by midnight.

July 13, 1960 Wednesday
This morning we got up, breakfasted, packed a lunch, and the nine of us were up and away by 9:00 on our "faces" trip.

Our first stop was just a quarter of a mile off the main road at the site of the balloon launchings - ones that (manned) have gone some 72,000 feet in the air - farther than manned balloons have ever gone before.

Our second stop was at the Cosmos - strictly a sucker-tourist attraction, but quite entertaining and fascinating. We "grew" and "shrank", a ball rolled up hill (apparently), and you "stood straight" at a terrific angle. Oh, it was jolly. Bill, the kids, Toni, and I liked it lots.

Our next stop was at the faces [Mt. Rushmore] - what a fabulous undertaking. It was raining and pretty cold when we were there, but they were wonderful anyway. They looked as if they had been crying.

It was noon before we were through with our face-viewing; so we drove to Horsethief Lake for lunch. What a beautiful place! The boys, Billy and Sam, enjoyed their rock hunting. The others, Toni, Bob, Dan, Barbara and Bill enjoyed the hiking, and Sis and I enjoyed the warm sun atop a shiny rock (all the rocks seem to shine up there).

After a leisurely lunch and play, we drove down to wind cave. Sis stayed in the car, but the rest of us took our sweaters and took the hour tour through that nice, dry 47 degree Wind Cave.

Then we tore for home. Sam had a 6:00 baseball practice. He was about thirty minutes late.

This evening Sis, Bill and I listened to the nominations and the balloting of the National Democratic Convention. John Kennedy won the presidential nomination on the first ballot.

And so to bed.

July 14, 1960 Thursday
This morning after breakfast our family and Sam took off again south of Rapid City to do some of the things we missed yesterday.

We drove Iron Mountain Highway - with the pig tails. It was a beautiful drive - with several tunnels and quaint bridges. For a while we were behind a little fifteen foot Hummingbird Trailer that just barely had clearance through the tunnels.

Later we drove the Needles Highway. It was pretty.

We lunched our way to Jewel Cave. Then while Bob napped and I read, Bill, Billy, Barby and Sam went through Jewel Cave - a "rustic" one - no electricity or real smooth paths, straight up ladders, tight squeezes, They liked it. 'Twas cold (44 degrees) and windy.

On the way home, the boys stopped and rock shopped a bit.

Before we ate supper, Sis and I took the kids up for one last look at Dinosaur Park. It is something. Then we fed dry bread to the trout at the fish hatchery.

[note]
It was reported (in the April, 2005 edition of "Reptiles" magazine) that the oldest resident in the Reptile Gardens (in Rapid Cit, South Dakota, which we visited in 1960) is Methuselah, a Galapagos tortoise born in 1881. Methuselah has been greeting visitors at the Reptile Gardens since 1955. I wonder if Tim Tehee or I rode this tortoise way back in 1960?

Shortly after this vacation, the Lawless ones and the Tehee family moved to San Antonio. Tim and I graduated from Robert E. Lee High School together in 1970 and we are still friends.
Bill Brooks Jr.

After supper we saw Lindon Johnson nominated as John Kennedy's running mate on the '60 Democratic Party Ticket. Then we packed the car, washed hair, and went to bed.

July 15, 1960 Friday
Off from the Lawless ones at 6:00 this morning. What a fine time we had with them! The whole family got up to bid us goodbye (true and noble sacrifice). Sis put us up a lunch and gave us a good breakfast, bless her. And last night Toni wrapped the children some little "surprises" to aid them with the long drive today. They're the most thoughtful people I know!

Bill drove until we got to Devil's Tower, Wyoming. We stopped there and looked the tower over and read about it. Then I drove until our first gas stop in Gillette, Wyoming. Barby has ridden up front with us today. She's a good little traveler.

Along the route we have been eating plums and potato chips, a good combination (I guess).

We ate lunch as we drove along, as there wasn't a cool place to stop and eat "under a tree". Lunch was good (a Lawless-packed one always is), but we had to eat like mad to keep our sandwich from drying out and being crisp.

We arrived in Shosoni about three and had our little trailer hitched up and ready to roll by 4:30. We got the trailer "iced" and "gassed" and went on our way.

We spent the night in Thermopolis - our first night in our trailer. Things were a bit disorganized, but I expect (hope!) Things will get better.

Our first meal was asparagus, spaghetti and meat balls, fruit cocktail, and bread and butter. Needless to say, it tasted fine.

While I did the dishes, the children and Bill looked over the hot springs. Then we all went swimming - in a hot pool (well, warm, anyway) with a big, tall slide in it, and then went to bed.

We didn't sleep too well this first night - about 1:00 Billy fell out of bed. But we'll get used to it, I'm sure.

July 16, 1960 Saturday
This morning dressing and breakfast took longer than they should, but, again, I'm sure we'll get organized eventually (I wonder if I'm going to be saying this the night before we turn in the trailer ?)

I had shorts laid out for everyone, but it was so chilly this morning that I changed to slacks for the kids.

After breakfast, we hitched her up and headed for Cody and Yellowstone.

In Cody Bill saw the Whitney Art Museum while the children and I got groceries, mantles for the lamp in the trailer, and ice. Then we headed for Yellowstone. After we entered the park, we started our bear count. By lunch we had fourteen, by bed time it was up to twenty-two - thanks to the fact that several strolled right through our camp just before supper. The walked casually over to the trash and began very methodically to raid the place.

In the afternoon we saw some of the geyser action - including the spouting of Old Faithful. We walked some of the board walks around the various geysers and, by six, we found ourselves exhausted. We went home, ate, drove around for about ten minutes while our "bombed" trailer was getting rid of the mosquitoes.

We were all in bed by 9:00. Heard one man "shooing" away a bear about midnight, and we were dead to the world from then until 7:00 when the boys started giggling.

July 17, 1960 Sunday
I don't know exactly what happened, but all of a sudden this morning about 7:15 we had three children in bed with us. It was cold this morning, but by the time we had breakfast, it was warm enough for shirt sleeves.

Let me say a word about our camp. We are in "A" loop of the Old Faithful camp area. It was just completed this year, so it is clean and attractive. We have a water faucet right by our camp, and the other necessity is close enough for comfort and far enough away not to be an annoyance. We are most pleased.

After breakfast I packed a lunch while the kids and Bill hiked, then we were off to see some thermal action. We lucked out by seeing the Castle Geyser erupting. It is a beauty.

Then we drove to the Great Fountain. While we were waiting for it, we saw the White Dome play in the Middle Basin. We considered ourselves lucky to see so short a length of time. They were both beautiful. We took several pictures of each.

There are so many Boy Scouts here! They are going to Colorado Springs for the International 1960 Scout Jamboree. Bud Bohner intends to go. I sent him a note.

After seeing the geysers we saw some paint pots.

We learned today that if the geyser water gets on your glasses and dries, it is hard as glass - harder, actually, and it can scratch the glass.

As we drove toward Maddison Junction and Mamout Hot Springs, we saw bears along the highway - rather like newsboys who had a certain area that was 'His" to patrol. There were several with babies.

We left the park and went to Gardener. Had the car serviced and left, headlight fixed (it was broken by a rock). While the car was being worked on we ate ice cream and looked around.

We came back the same way we went - my bear count is 50 now. We saw Old Faithful erupting again and went to bed.

July 18, 1960 Monday
Up and away from camp about 9:00. We drove by just in time to see Old Faithful erupting again. I never grow tired of seeing that!

We started up toward West Thumb today and before reaching Natural Bridge, we had seen a total of 64 bear - for the time we have been in the park.

At Natural Bridge I stayed down to take pictures, and the kids and Bill hiked the 1/8 mile to the top of the bridge. It was 1/16 mile straight up and 1/16 down, but they made it.

On the way this morning we also saw three big old moose.

Aunt Seeta Mayne gave the children some surprises all wrapped separately for the trip. Today Bob opened his boat, and he has stopped at every bit of water to sail it - or wanted to. And up the Yellowstone River there is lots of water!

We saw bear #65 at artist's point on the Yellowstone. He was trying to raid cars until someone chased him away (he wasn't old enough or wise enough to know he didn't have to run away).

We enjoyed our canyon drive and "hikes" to various views of the waterfalls. On our way back we went out of the park to fill up with gas and have ice cream and, as it turned out, funny books.

We ran into a lot of road construction and road building - Mission 66 Project, it is called. We're reentering the western entrance to the park right now, and my bear count is now 76.

Oh, yes, while we were in the canyon, up near Upper Falls, we found a very friendly marmot that ate our vegetable thin crackers with great gusto. Today our new animals have been elk and marmots.

In driving back "home" (Old Faithful campground), we saw a coyote - another new-type animal; and just as we passed Grotto, it was erupting. A fine ending for a busy day.

Bear count by the time we got back to camp: 87.

Supper and bed completed our day.

July 19, 1960 Tuesday
Today is to be our "day of rest". We're rather burned out on driving, and we will have two days of it to get up to Glacier; so today we plan to stay pretty close to camp and recoup.

It gives me a chance to reflect on our trip so far and write a little more than just a chronicle of our movements. Up to now, we've been moving so fast that just writing that has kept me hopping.

We are, today, half through our vacation, and I find a curious combination of speed and slowness in my feeling about it. It seems ages since we were in our own little house, as Bob distinguishes it, and still it doesn't seem possible that half our time is gone.

I'm very glad we saw South Dakota and the Black Hills. Still, if seeing them were the main reason for our trip, I would have been disappointed. They seem too commercialized somehow. Maybe, if we had had the trailer there, I wouldn't feel like that - but in our "razoos" around Rapid City, I had that feeling. Still, I'm delighted to be able to say I've seen the Badlands, the Passion Play, the Faces [Mt. Rushmore], Wind Cave, and even Cosmos and Dinosaur Park in Rapid City. They were all interesting.

Here in Yellowstone, I believe, still one of the main attractions is the bears. The ranger beg, plead, threaten, and conjole the tourists not to feed the bear. On the other hand, if they didn't then soon the bear would stop begging by the side of the road. If that happened, some of Yellowstone's charm would be lost. Wondering each time you round a forest curve if you will see another one, and if so, what color he will be, is definitely appealing.

Last night I went to brush my teeth, and when I returned, there was a bear right by the door to our trailer. We leave the trash box outside the door (there is no room inside), and a bear was checking it over. Needless to say, I stayed where I was until he moved away from my front door.

We saw another man nearly get his come-uppance from a bear. The man was driving a convertible and he was out of his car with a loaf of bread under his arm. When we drove up, a big grizzly was coming up to him with his ears laid back. The man threw the bread straight up in the air and headed for his car. The grizzly turned toward the bread, brushing his side against the man.

The bread came down on top of the man's wife in the convertible. She immediately threw it out again, and the man and woman drove of{ laughing like crazy. The only thing is, they should be thanking the good Lord that the man has both his arms.

The grizzly cradled the loaf of bread in his paws and started eating. There was an American black bear there too, but the grizzly wasn't in a sharing mood. He was a real meany!

It's now 10:00. Billy and Barby are wading in a nearby stream. Bobby is playing with a paper sack in the dirt, and Bill just returned with some milk and an announcement that there is no ice. Oh, well, into each life some rain...

Guess what, about noon we began checking on schedule times and places and decided to leave the park after lunch. We had the hatches battened down and were away by 1:00.

By the time we left the park, I had seem 105 bears! By the time we were twenty miles into Montana, we were stopped waiting for a pilot car to take us through 17 miles of road construction. However, the drive along the Galltin River and in the Galltin National Forest was the prettiest stretch of country we've been in. The river was rushing, the forest was tall and thick.

We drove on steadily until we came to just this side of Butte. After passing the Continental Divide and the Foil Mountain Campground (where we should have spent the night), we drove through nine mile canyon. The city of Butte has fixed camp grounds all through the canyon, but they aren't fixed for trailers. We drove through one, but it just wasn't for us. So we ended up camping at a campground right at the intersection of two highways. It was dusty, noisy and we had no water. However, we managed. During the night the chipmunks scritched and scratched through our trash. This was not one of my better nights. For one thing, having to pump water in the trailer is a real chore! The pump sounds like an asthmatic sawing wood, you work your right arm to the point of exhaustion, and a teacup of water is your reward.

July 20, 1960 Wednesday
Up around 7:00, breakfasted, and away by 8:00. We drove into Butte and ask about the copper mine. We hade ask directions of two Montana citizens, and the directions were most lucidly and enthusiastically given. Our contacts with these people make us like them muchly.

We stopped by the Hotel Finten (the Chamber of Commerce has the ground floor), and Bill went in to inquire about the mine. Unfortunately, we learned that children under 16 couldn't go down the mine! Sooooo we're going on to Anaconda to the copper amelter. Children can go into that!!

The first thing we noticed as we approached Anaconda was the huge "world's tallest" smokestack - 585 ½ feet of it. We drove to the smelter first to check in for the tour, even though it was only 9:00 and the tour wasn't to start for 45 minutes or so.

Then we drove into town, bought a few groceries, and located a laundry. We got back to the smelter right at 9:45. We were afraid we were late - as it turned out - We were the only ones on the tour. Our guide, a junior engineering major from the Montana School of mines (he has already been hired by Anaconda Co, when he graduates next year), said that this was most unusual - that his parties were usually 20 to 25. Anyway, we visited the smelter and saw just how it was done. The slag and tailing heaps were terrific in size! We were told that only one percent of the raw materials used were copper. However, a big iron smelter is going in within the next five years to use the slag piles. The tailing, I guess, no one wants. We were given a little key chain with an Anaconda arrow on it - also a brochure showing the whole zinc, copper and magnesium smeltering process (all done here; however, we saw only the copper process). I wish I were teaching science next year! Right this minute I know how copper is smelted.

After visiting the smelter, we went to a washeteria and got the clothes clean. This took about an hour (the tour took 1 ½ hours) ,bt it was worth it (on both counts, the tour and the clean clothes). We're clean again! (At least, our clothes are. I must admit a smelter isn't the cleanest thing in the world, and we felt quite grimy after the trip.)

We headed for the mountains to get cool and find a place to eat lunch. We ate at the Spring Hill Camp area in the Deer Lodge National Forest. It was beautiful, but it wasn't made for trailers. In order to get out, we had to unhitch the trailer and swing it around via Brooks power. We made it!

The next point of interest to us was Silver Lake. This is one of the two lakes where Anaconda Copper gets its water -85 million gallons each 24 hours. The natural gas they use a day would heat a five room house for a hundred years. The second lake was even larger than Silver Lake. Both were huge.

We journeyed on to Bonner - and discovered that there was a tour through the lumber mill at 7:30. This was perfect for us.

We took the trailer and parked it in the Blackfoot Camp Area. This was a beautiful spot -tall trees and a wide, rushing river.

Then we went to Missoula hoping to swim before supper. We found out that there were two pools - an indoor pool at Montana State University and an outdoor city one - however, after visiting the sights of each, we found out that they were both closed from 5:00 to 7:00. A bit odd, that, but, though disappointed, we did some grocery shopping and ate supper out.

We debated for a long while about some apricots that were for sale. We ended up buying a lug (14 pounds). I wonder if we'll tire of them before we finish them ? I wish mother were here to help us eat them. She does love them so!

We ate supper at a wonderful place" The Four B's. After eating out "trailer food" for several days, this tasted especially good to us. Bill and I had soup, chicken fried steak, baked potato, green beans, and ice tea. (That tasted the best to me, I believe). Bob shared mine. Barb had her favorite, fried chicken, Billy wanted only a hamburger, and all three children had ice cream for desert.

There are two main topics of conversation in Montana right now - One is the weather. An unseasonable hot spell is upon the state - the hottest for some 40 years or so. Missoula, where we had supper, had an unheard of 105 degrees yesterday! Wouldn't you know this would happen?

The second big topic of conversation is the forest fires. Of course, the two play upon each other. We almost didn't get to see the lumber mill because so many of the workers are out fighting the fires. Just some twenty miles north of us right now is quite a fire!

We passed one fire, too, at Minrod. Several acres had been burned, and we were told that one was definitely caused by a motorist's cigarette! A Small, careless act can cause almost irreparable damage!

We returned to Bonner in time to go through the lumber mill. This, too, is owned by the Anaconda Co. What a fascinating trip this was! We watched the wood from the unloading of the logs off the trucks to the sorting and resorting of the finished boards.

Most fascinating to me was watching the big logs move from the pond where they were floating through the debarking process. That was done by air pressure - 1800 pounds per square inch. The log moves on a conveyor belt up one side, through a little house-like affair and comes out the other side stripped clean of all its bark. From there it moves, via other conveyor belts, to the sawing, sorting, siding operation - then on to the drying rooms. This was a most interesting visit! I'm so glad we made it!

When we left, we were given walking sticks of pretty, new wood with the Anaconda Lumber Mill name stamped on the side.

It was 8:00 when we finished the tour. We came home and put on our zoris and shorts. Then we wadded out into the Blackfoot River by the trailer camp and washed. That was the coldest water! However, after we were in it for a few minutes, it didn't seem quite so cold. Of course, by the time we were finished, al three children had fallen down, but that was fun, too -and out here in this very dry climate, getting we all over doesn't last long anyway.

Even while we were wading and splashing in the river, the mosquitoes started attacking us; so while we brushed our teeth and attended to other duties, Bill bombed the trailer. We have been doing this regularly every night - except for last night, and poor old Bob got four bites on his face; so we simply must bomb every night.

We must thank Ray for being "thoughty" enough to give us a bomb as a present. It has been worth its weight in Green Stamps.

I have been writing the last page or two of this chronicle by the light of the trailer's Coleman-type light. It makes a pretty good light, but not good enough for me always to stay on these lines. Now, though, my eyes are beginning to burn from the strain and droop from the general weariness. This is the latest (10:20) we have stayed up since our vacation started - and we had such a good big wonderful day. We must be off to sleep. G'night!

July 21, 1960 Thursday
Up and away from camp a little after 8:00. Bill didn't sleep well last night. We had one rock slide during the night that sounded like a heavy rain.

As we drove along this morning, we were quite aware of the haze against the mountains; smoke from the forest fires.

We hit quite a bit of road construction going to Montana. When we hit one of these construction areas, we usually have to wait - in a line of other cars - for a pilot car to take us through the construction. What a job - to pilot a 17 mile or so piece of construction - back and forth - all day long.

Finally about 11:00 we reached beautiful Flathead Lake, named for the Flathead Indians, who didn't have flat heads. We decided to go along the east side of the lake. What a lake drive that was! Along the way we saw cherry trees with beautiful ripe cherries. We stopped and bought three pounds of Bing and Lambert cherries. They were delicious!

We stopped for lunch at a lovely Montana State Park: Yellow Bay, and the water was simply enticing. We went in swimming - at straight up noon. However, we didn't stay in long enough to burn - besides, we were shaded by our own chill bumps - they were mighty high. The water was very cold, but, oh, so refreshing once you took the plunge. We swam for quite a time and then ate. Just as we were finishing it dawned on us that the aluminum tour was at 2:00 and we were some 35 miles from Columbia Falls.

We fairly threw things in the trailer and took off. We had only a fleeting chance of making it.

And we didn't! We were fifteen minutes late. Oh, well, we'll come again tomorrow. We went on to Glacier National Park. At the camp grounds we had hoped to stay, there were no spaces left. It was full to overflowing.

So we went to the Rising Sun Campground, which meant pulling the trailer over quite a pass. It was hot, and the car heated quite a bit. We had to stop frequently and water the car - or let it cool. It wasn't long before we were using snow water because there were snow patches beside the road. What fun it was. We had snow fights and throughly enjoyed ourselves.

We drove on over the pass on came upon the beautiful St. Mary Lake. There were people boating and swimming in the lake. Later when we left camp and hiked down to the lake we found the water icy. I doubt that we will swim here. However, we'll see how hot it gets tomorrow.

This evening Bill and the two older children went to the campfire program. I stayed home and put a very tired little Bobby to bed.

When the children came home, they told me a joke they had been told about two Indians, Hunting Bear and Fallen Rock. Barbara thought it was real rare.

We were all in bed and asleep by 10:00.

[Ed. note]
I didn't tell the joke here, but it was the one about the two Indians who went out to do their father's bidding. Hunting Bear came back, but not the other Indian. So Bear went out to find his brother and has been looking ever since. In fact, he has put out signs all over the mountains: "Watch out for Fallen Rack". At least, that's the way I remember it.
Nona Brooks

July 22, 1960 Friday
Up by 7:00. We ate breakfast and then moved the trailer to a cooler, shadier spot. It was 8:00 again before we got away from camp; so, again, we have only a fighting chance to make it to the aluminum plant. I hope this time we make it.

We did - with a good five minutes to spare - only to discover that children under 14 were not allowed in the plant! What a disappointment! On the other hand, we were out of the park and near our cherries, a good swimming hole, and a gas war; so we decided to drive to Flathead Lake and enjoy ourselves by taking advantage of all those things.

This we did. The lake was just as lovely - as cold and refreshing - as yesterday. We found a big log, and the whole family (except Bob, who had his own log in shallower water) rode it, stood on it, and had a high old time.

We swam again right at noon, but it didn't seem to hurt us. In fact, the water is so cold here that probably noon is the only time we could enjoy it.

We stopped at a roadside cherry place and bought ten more pounds of the big Bings and enjoyed them the rest of the day. It may have been a mistake to buy so many, but what a delicious mistake!

We went on into Palson and got the car serviced while we grocery shopped and ate lunch in the city park. The park was right on the lake and was lovely. After lunch the children amused themselves by rolling down the steep bank of the lake. No casualties.

After lunch we started back toward camp.

On the way we stopped at Hungry Horse Dam and took a self-guided tour down into the dam. It was interesting even though only one of the four generators was going. We pushed buttons and heard and saw illustrated lectures about the dam.

We got home in time for supper, a hike to get our boat tickets for tomorrow, and a stroll to the camp fire to hear a ranger talk about the geology of the park.

We went to bed nice and weary.

July 23, 1960 Saturday
We slept later this morning than we ever have before. It was quite nice. Since we have been in our trailer we have had to pull up a blanket before morning. That's good. On a whole, the trip has been considerably warmer than we anticipated, but so long as the nights are cool, we can manage.

We ate Bobby's favorite breakfast this morning: pancakes. Then we went for our boat ride. About thirty-five of us road a launch in St. Mary's Lake. We took half our ride, docked, and took a ranger-guided nature hike of about a mile to a beautiful falls; Bering Falls. Then we went back and finished skirting the lake in the launch. It was quite an experience. Bob, especially, was delighted with the ride.

We got back to the trailer at a little after 12:00, gathered up the picnic lunch I had fixed this morning, and took off to meet Paula on the other side of Logan Pass. We have driven this pass every day we've been here and will again tomorrow to take Paula back. We feel that we know it quite well. The children have named many of the snow patches and can recognize changes in them each time. It's really a lovely drive - if you don't mind mountain driving. Sis wouldn't like it - in fact, she wouldn't see it, with that sack she'd want over her head.

We got to the lodge a little after 2:00, and Paula and a friend, Fred, were there. We made arrangements as to where to meet Monday morning, and we started back over our mountain.

On the way home we stopped several times; we played in the snow, climbed a waterfall, and took many pictures.

We came home and ate early. The children were washed and in bed by 8:00. Bill, Paula and I talked till 10:00.

July 24, 1960 Sunday
Up and away from camp by 9:00. We found that six can dress in our trailer just about as easily as five. Paula is fun. We're enjoying being with her.

We've decided to go to Canada this morning. I'm writing in the car as we drive along.

We went up to the Canadian customs expecting to have to show our car title, vaccination, or something, but it turned out (since we are only crossing for the day) to be a simple matter of admitting that we were all born in the US and saying we had no firearms to get into Canada.

We soon came to the Waterton National Park, paid a quarter, and drove on. We saw a doe and her faun running through the grass on the side of the road. Later we came to the park headquarters and saw another doe eating peanuts out of the park visitors' hands. We tried it, and the doe kicked Bob, but he wasn't hurt. It frightened us all, however. We went on to Waterton and while the children and Bill shopped for picture post cards I caught up in my journal. Paula wanted to check on some Canadian woolen material.

Waterton seems to be strictly a tourist town, but it is beautiful, nestled at the foot of the mountains beside a deep blue lake. On a slight rise by the lake is a many gabled chalet. The wind was blowing hard enough to make tiny white caps on the lake, and the whole effect was picturesque.

We drove out along a lovely stream and ate lunch. There was another begging doe in the picnic area.

Then we left Canada - It was harder to get back into the US than to enter Canada.

We drove to the many glacier area. Then we drove home.

We weren't satisfied, however; so about 5:00 we took off again and hiked a bit more along Water Ouzel Trail.

Then we came home and ate a late supper.

July 25, 1960 Monday
We hit the boards running this morning as we had to break camp and get Paula over to East Glacier to meet Fred at 8:00 (or 8:30).

We made it by 8:30, had our goodbyes said, and were away by a quarter till nine. It was fine seeing Pauline. Bill misses seeing his brothers and sisters more often. We should try another family reunion some time. It is real keen getting together.

We stopped again in Browning and visited the Museum of the Plains Indians. It was a good stop. The paintings of Indians were striking. The exhibits were as good as any I've ever seen.

We journeyed on through the rolling plains of Montana. As we approached within thirty miles or so of Helena, we saw, unmistakably, a forest fire. The smoke was heavy. We also saw some firefighting equipment being trucked up toward the area.

Later, around Wolf Creek, we actually saw a burned over area. What a sad sight! It began to get hotter as we approached Helena. We stopped at a big super market in Helena and picked up a few groceries - hamburger for supper and milk. Then we were off again. As we approached the Galletin National Forest, we came to a place that made its own cheese. We had to stop, of course. Such cheese as they had. We ended getting half a pound of "rat trap" and half of Muenster. We ate on them as we drove along toward the Galletin.

When we left Yellowstone going to Glacier, we picked a camp ground in this National Forest where we thought we would like to stay. It was the Red Cliff Campground. That's where we did stay, and it was by far the loveliest camp we've been in - cool, clean - with all the attributes we deam necessary for good camping: tall trees, a rushing stream (actually, this was a wide river), water, and toilet (albeit outdoor) facilities. We really enjoyed this spot. The rocks had been tumbled by the river until they were satin smooth - I could hardly pass them up - and, of course, Billy couldn't.

We slept like babies this night.

July 26, 1960 Tuesday
Up, leisurely (about 6:45) breakfasting, and away by 8:30. We hated leaving this lovely place! It was cold this morning - cold enough that I needed my jacket and socks. Pauline would have thought it freezing - she's like Sis in that she seems to have only one corpuscle, and it is sluggish in making its rounds. She is 50000 cold natured. I used to say of Sis that her one corpuscle never went into her feet; it just jumped from knee to knee.

Anyway, this morning even the car was cold. Anyway we got up and away with buttons down ( we have the children report on this each time before moving the car - the buttons, all the door locks must be down). The sun was high before we pulled out - we have such nice, long days now!

We stopped in West Yellowstone for gas; then we reentered Yellowstone National Park. This time, however, we intended merely to drive through it. We all guessed on how many bears we would see on our drive through the park. Bill guessed 11, Barby 14, Nona 15, Bobby 17 and Billy 20.1 imagine Billy will be closest to right, but we'll see.

The minute we entered the park, we had a ten minute wait, due to one-way traffic. Bill and the children stretched their legs again while I caught up to this place in my journal.

By the time we were at Old Faithful Campgrounds, we had seen my quota of 15 bear! We also drove up just in time to see Old Faithful Perform one last time.

We had a letter from Sis written the 1 ₈th We fairly drank every word of it. My, but we've been out of pocket for a long time, it seems. There should be loads of big news - but there wasn't. Ray had passed his first board and might see the last board in four or five days. Then within 4 to 6 weeks after that he should be out of the Air Force. And Dan stepped on a nail, but it wasn't too serious. Sis said Mother is fine.

We journeyed on to Teton National Park. We had hoped to park the trailer at Coulter Bay, but it was full! We checked the ranger station and looked through the museum. By this time we were getting hungry. Oh, yes, we saw 32 bear driving back through Yellowstone.

We got a map of the park and began checking trailer sites. Full! Full! Full! We finally found one - without too much shade - but by a tiny cold stream and rest rooms. It was fine with the children. They loved the water.

Today is the day we simply must wash clothes. Since we have only four more days on the road, we decided to wash only what was necessary to get us home. We gathered it up and took off for Jackson.

We washed and dried our clothes in Jackson, visited a malt shop, and looked over this tourist town. Then we grocery shopped a bit and headed for the trailer.

Going back to our camp site, we passed by the elk refuge and saw a herd of about 15 elk. The road was a bit rough - as you can plainly see by my writing.

We got back to camp in time to go swimming. The water was very cold and swift. The rocks were sharp, but it was fun. We wore our zoris. Bob had a new plastic car which he floated in the stream. We nearly lost it a couple of times when it got in the rapids and nearly slipped by us downstream.

After be bathed and put on clean clothes, we decided to eat out of a chuck wagon - all you can eat cowboy style: boiled potatoes, gravy, stew, roast bee{ beans, ham, slaw, prunes, coffee, and hot chocolate. They lost money on this Brooks family! We ate like hired hands (or someone who has been swimming in a cold stream). The stew and beans tasted best to me, but it was all delicious.

Then we went back to our trailer. We had bombed it before we left. The mosquitoes are bad tonight!

We put the children to bed and then I read to them a while; then Bill and I read a bit (we had our big mantle on the light. It gave a good light.)

We soon were nodding; so we went to bed.

July 27, 1960 Wednesday
We stayed in bed this morning longer than ever before. 'Twas such a good sleeping! It spattered rain a bit this morning - nothing much, however. We ate cereal and fruit this morning for breakfast as I finished the bacon and eggs yesterday. I'm trying to finish everything so we can give up the trailer day after tomorrow and not have little bits of food left over.

We hitched the trailer and started back toward park headquarters. We intended to see some more of the Tetons, but we figured we might as well pull the trailer with us so we wouldn't have to return for it later.

We spent considerable time in the museum. It was heavy on fur traders and trappers; so Billy really enjoyed it. He really likes the "mountain man" era of our country's history.

Then we proceeded toward Jenny Lake for a hike. There was a lake trail leading completely around the lake. We started on it, planning at most to make the 2.7 miles to Hidden Falls, however, the trail turned out to be a horse-foot path, and we didn't care for it - too horsey. After about a mile we turned back.

We waded a while in the lake; then started for Coulter Bay. Here we picked up a chunk of ice, gassed the car, and headed out of the park and into Teton National Forest. It was getting lunch time, and we were hungry.

We ate lunch in a lovely lookout - a picture postcard view of the Tetons.

After lunch we drove on into Shoshone to Adams Trailer Sales where we rented the trailer. We had planned to spend the night there and start out tomorrow, sans trailer, for home. However, we decided to leave the trailer and drive all night. Leaving the trailer made us feel as if the trip was over.

I drove the first "hitch" to midnight and Douglas. Then Bill took over.

July 28, 1960 Thursday
We had just cleared the city limits of Denver by some 15 miles and were clicking along when - blooey - something happened. The car stopped and refused to go. At four in the morning!

Fortunately, it was only about three quarters of a mile back to a filling station and garage with a mechanic (bless him) on duty. He came back with Bill, but he couldn't fix the car; so he pushed us back to the station.

We were there by 5:00 and found out that our fuel pump was no good. At 5:00 in the morning the supply houses were not open. They open at 8:00. Then we would have to get it out of the station. It looked like we would stay there until about 9:00 - as it was, it was 10:30 before we got away.

It was already beginning to shape up into a hot day; so rather than take the planned plains route home, we went back to Denver and started down through Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Raton, etc, hoping it would be cooler.

It was noon when we got to Pueblo, and it was very hot. However, we bought sandwich material and cold bottled drinks and ate as we drove along. By the time we got to Raton, it had rained on us and was cooler. The drive on through New Mexico was hot but not impossible.

We got back to Texime, Texas, at 4:20 - only it then became 5:20. We discussed a bit more the merits of driving on through, staying in a motel, going either to Anson or Odessa. Bill and I are leaning toward going home, and since we're doing the driving, I just guess that's what we'll do!

We stopped in Amarillo for supper and to have the car serviced. Supper was delicious! We ate at 8:00, Texas time, but 7:00 by our tummies. It was after 9:00 before we were on our way again.

[Ed. note]
One year later -
We drove all night; got home about 8:00 A.M. Friday. 'Twas as good to get home as it was to leave!
Nona Brooks

And here the journal ends.

Miscellaneous Notes:

• Total Miles Driven: 4,927
• Trailer Rental for two weeks: $75.75
• 2 weeks allowance for Barb & Bill: $3.50
• Spent $.82 one day for 'groceries & a newspaper'

1960	Yellowstone, South Dakota, Glacier
	Bill Sr, Bob & Barb Yellowstone National Park
	Our Travel Trailer