Notes from Daisy
Forney Osthoff – 1939:
“Boulder, Aug 7,
1939. Left Boulder about 10:00. The day is cool and cloudy. Ran
into partly clear skies at Ft. Collins. Clearing as we drive
along. Roads very crooked and narrow. No shoulder. As we neared
Laramie a 14 car passenger train passed us. The engine number was
7011. We passed this train several times and it passed us on the
way. Lots of traffic. At Rock River we saw an old surrey
all protected by a sort of crate, out near the road for folks to
see. A man hailed us, and George stopped. The man was out of gas,
and wanted some money so he could stop a gas truck and buy some.
The man had a fairly good looking car. Miles and miles of bare
country, sagebrush and crooked road. Stayed at Rock Springs. Just
as we stopped at our cabin the train we saw at Laramie, WY 7011
passed us. One tire was down but as we left early had to have it
fixed at Green River. Drove on toward ‘Little America’. [Large gap
in notes] Just left Huntington, Oregon. Very hot. Crossed ‘Burnt
River’. Dry, have round top mountains on both sides of us. Passing
through lime. Stone is taken from side of mountain carried in
buckets on cables to mill where it is ground. Just went through a
cut where a sign read ‘look out for slides of fallen rock’. At
Pleasant Valley a large sign ‘at V shaped, in front of Catholic
Church. Nice wide valley north of Baker. Wonderful alfalfa, some
wheat. Old rail fences. Almost clear skies. Strong north wind.
Road Good. Going up and around sagebrush covered hills. Now down
hill still winding. Tiny fields of wheat up on mountain sides and
among and sagebrush. More black lava rock. Just passed a nice
peach orchard, La Grande, going up a canyon with pines like Colo.
but mountains not so rocky. River about like Boulder Creek, only
not swift. Fine Road. Pines taller and different as we go around
sharp curves and up canyon. We went through a lovely stretch of
road and finally came to an ‘Indian Reservation’. Very nice and
clean and well kept. Went on up to about 3000 feet alt. Then
started down making hairpin curve after curve. Have a
very comfortable cabin here at Pendleton. Very hilly around here
and all of it formed up and down hill. Land does not seem to
wash. Sacked wheat lying in many fields. Weather must be always
dry at this time of year. No fruit in this section. Seeing
Columbia River for first time. Following river between mountains.
‘Look out for slides and fallen rock’. Entering Washington 8:55
Thurs. morn Aug 10. Fine road. Lava rock by road. Pecular [sic]
chimney rock. Have left river. Up on flat dry land. Just crossed
Snake River near Pasco. Very hot at 9:30 north of Cournell. All
the land is in wheat. Nearly every farmer has an elevator. Almost
to Grand Coule [sic] dam. Country nearly covered with lava-like
rock. Down grade now for 3 miles. Hairpin turns. Down at dam a
tremendous amount of light green water comes through openings in
dam. Some facts of 4300 feet long (dam). Dam Lake 151 miles long.
4000 feet wide, 400 feet deep, will cover 8200 A[cres]. Greatest
power in world when completed. 5000 men employed. We crossed
bridge to Mason City. Cement is mixed there and hauled across top
of dam to put where needed. Scenic drive to Coule [sic] City.
Waterville Aug 10. Just starting down Pine Canyon Alt. 2800, drop
of 800 ft. in just 6 miles. ‘Watch for deer on highway.’ Very few
trees. Choke cherry trees with lots of ripe cherries. Coming to a
nice fruit valley. Peaches, pears, and apples, and berries.
Columbia River close to road. Just saw natural rock formation a
likeness of Lincoln. Stopped at Wenatchee
at Wm Smesors (?). They gave
us fruit and veg. Have just passed large pear orchards. Looking
down on huge apple orchard from road above. At Cashmere our first
large saw mill. Wide valley of orchards. Loads choke cherries.
Have left main highway for a short cut to Everett. Another saw
mill. More pears & apple orchards above and below us. Wenashee
River below us. High mts. Ahead of us. Going up canyons. Swift
stream below us. High mtns on both sides of us more pines. Country
more like Colo. mtns. See snow in the distance. Trees taller and
thicker. Just drank out of a ‘fountain of youth’. Just saw a fawn
in the road. Being convoyed over a 4 mi. stretch of new oiling.
River below us just a few feet wide has the clearest water I ever
saw. Top of Stephen’s Pass 4061 feet. ‘Watch for deer.’ Very
rough for several miles, and steep. Still going down. Lots of
Shasta daisies by roadside. Just passed west portal of Cascade
Tunnel. Pines different. Gravel road. Large ferns all along
road. Trees larger, much larger. Heavy undergrowth of
tropical looking plants. Very cool. Trees have been burned along
here. Miles of ferns. Clouds coming down over mountain. On
good road now. Very cool. Had our first tree ripened fruit for our
lunch. This is a wonderful road. ‘Watch for rolling rock.’ Bridal
veil and Eagle falls. Just passing burned timber. Huge stumps of
red cedar. Sawing them up for shingles at Sultan. Ferns are common
weeds along here. Moving car just bumped into rear of our car near
Everett, Wash. Going on north to Canada tonight. Beautiful flowers
and trees but very dry and dusty. Still cool. Have seen only a bit
of ocean. Going through beautiful country. A red cedar stump along
highway with opening large enough to drive car thru. Just being set
up by pioneers of Snohomish C. Hundred not quite so large all along
the way. Wonderful oats and berries here. Flowers so brightly
colored. Roses grow so tall. Going over draw bridge. We
wished a boat would come along. Heavy closely mowed grass on
shoulders of highway. Well kept farms. A good view of the ocean.
Oysters 35 cents a bushel. Bellingham – took the ocean drive. Saw
our first boat in harbor. Lots of logs in water. ‘Glass’ filling
station. Just one continuous line or row of houses, small tracts,
all well improved. Waste paper recepted along highway. Came up to
Blaine and spent the night. Blaine is on the Canadian border right
on the beach. Stopped now at customs house. Cool and cloudy. Our
first stop to get gas in Canada. Englishman wearing long sleeved
underwear, the attendant. Hand pump at gas tank. They give 5 qt.
Gallons, 27 cents per gallon. Lots of vegetation. Flowers thick
along paved road. Well improved farms or small tracts. This is a
honey center. Still lots of ferns and plants with long lavender
flowers. Lots of people on bicycles. Clearing so many tracts.
Paid our first bridge toll at New Westminister. Man riding auto on
very high wheels. Beautiful flowers, beautiful hydrangeas.
Entering city of Vancouver, nearly as large as Denver. Drove around
the city – beautiful homes lovely flowers. One place had fuschia
[sic] trees along walk. Just saw a hedge made of ferns.
Going back over same road to Everett. At customs house again. Here
we unload and are inspected. Nothing to it. He opened our
suitcases looked in looked in car & trunk. Sun has come out. Air
cool but pleasant. On ocean drive again at Bellington [sic]. Down
thru Everett going south to Seattle on 4 lane road. Traffic heavy.
Seattle built on hills. 6 lane roads, now going over long viaduct.
Just passing Boeing Airplane factory, Seattle. Forest fire a short
distance west of us. Good 4 lane road to Tacoma. Cottage camps,
places to eat, and filling stations all along the way. We missed
Tacoma on our way to Olympia. The highway took us just around the
edge of town. Have had a fine 4 lane road to Olympia. Can’t see
the country for the trees by the road. Olympia a beautiful town.
Nice homes. Stopped at Tenino(?) At a very nice modern cabin
(steam heated), and we needed heat. Very cool and misty. Aug 13.
Starting to Portland. Fine, paved road. Coming to Cantralis(?)
pretty valley. More small tracts, nice town. Beans and tomatoes
staked up in every small garden. Even marigolds trimmed up to match
the shape of trees and shrubs in yard. Flowers bright colors and
houses brightly trimmed. Roads are named in this part of the
country. Every side road is named. Now in Lewis & Clark State
Park. Going thru Toledo. Speed limit 25 mi. One sign read
‘Remember 25’. Fruit and berries along here. Pears and apples.
Still cloudy but not raining. No Colorado cars. Speed limit on
Washington roads 50 mi. Just went thru Castle Rock, Washington.
Perennial sweet peas growing on slope of a jut(?) in road. What
curves and tall trees! Near Kelso. For sale ‘night crawlers 10
cent a dozen’. Longview going over big tall bridge over Columbia
River. Lots of boats on river. Just stopped and picked a few
lovely wild blackberries growing thick everywhere. Have had miles
of crooked roads. Good oiled road. Going past St. Helens. Pulp
paper mills. Every house has a big wood pile. Apple trees all
along the way are propped up like our tree. Quite smoky most of way
down from Canada. Cannot see mountains at all today. Too cloudy.
Entering Portland. Lots of lumber mills. Very large
Standard oil refinery. Tall trees, wide road just out of Portland.
Crossing another big bridge. More large paper here on Willamette
River. Good wide highway just past Oregon City. A boat towing in a
long line of logs. Lots of logs in river. Leaving river,
going along mountain roads. More lumber. Nearly clear now and
warmer. Seed onion grown here. All leaves but seed stalk removed.
Going thru Woodburn(?). Raise berries, peaches, hops, grapes.
Passed within 12 miles of Silverton. Nice farming country. Stopped
at Salem. Motel cabin on Aug. 13. I washed out our dirty clothes
and ironed. George and I picked about a quart of wild blackberries,
cooked them, and made some jelly – if it jells. Went away out in
the country to find Alvin Fleming but they were not home. The man
at this camp told us to pick some blackberries of we cared to. We
found one solid mass of berry bushes about 100 ft long, 20 ft wide,
and 10 ft high just loaded with berries. Would like to can some.
Aug 14 leaving Salem. About the nicest place we have seen. Climate
seems nicer. Very cool last night, no clouds or fog this morning.
Filberts are grown here extensively and are very pretty trees
in shape and color. Roses grow in rows along many parkings. Out in
country more filbert orchards. I believe there are cherry orchards,
too. Prune orchards on slopes of low hills. Ground covered with
prunes under trees. More tall pine trees. A series of signs read
‘There is hardly ever a driver alive, who passed on a hill at 75’.
Lots of blackberries along road. Cucumbers patch. More wheat and
oats. A wayside store with everything including hardwood right out
in front. Just saw another ‘high’ clothesline. Saw some up in
British Columbia. Nice farming country south of Albany. Wide
valley. Fine wide, straight road. Mostly wheat growing here. No
Colorado cars. Entering Eugene. Many large trees, probably oaks.
Going past campers. Not as nice as Boulder. Nice town. Taking
Highway 28 to go to Crater Lake. Meeting trucks with large logs,
some 3 ft in diameter. Two logs to a truck and a big load at that.
Going up into mountains. Good road. More filbert orchards. Valley
about 1 mi wide. Nice homes, small tracts all along road. More
large ferns and wild blackberries. More apples and plums. No
aspens among pines, but what looks like ash trees. Passing State
Fish Hatchery. Nice long lake formed across McKensie River. Good
pasture. New covered bridge across river. Low mountains on
both sides, heavily timbered. Driving along road with trees
probably 100 ft or more high. Several miles of heavy timber. Just
passed Nimrod. More of the same. Some trees covered with moss from
top to bottom. Another covered bridge. Following McKensie River.
Fatter trees. Coming out into sunshine. Snow on mountain in front
of us. Tall timber. Very crooked road, sharp curves for
miles up hill. Immense lava beds on both sides near Sisters. Lava
all broken up. Trees growing in among lava. Down one slope comes 2
distinct rivers of lava from a mountain. Now going down a lava
canyon. Road now leaving lava. Going down hill. All those sharp
curves to do over again. I expect more lava as we go down. Pines
are nearly all jack pines, miles of them. More lava beds, but
probably older, as there is more vegetation. Bend, Oregon, just had
a flat tire. Not as nice a place as near Salem. Hot and dry. More
broken lava south of Bend. Miles of tall pines with piles and piles
of logs lying beside road. Been there so long they are rotted. So
much down timber. ---Crater Lake--- A lake surrounded by
mountains. We are at entrance. A volcano like mountain out in
lake. Snow along road. A large rock on south side called phantom
ship. Going down a small Grand Canyon with Colomades [sic] trees
and away back a water fall called Godfrey Glen and Colomade. Going
down thru tall trees. Annie Creek Canyon seems a continuation of
the above. These tall trees have green moss on them. Here are a
lot of aspens all tall & large. Now some grazing country more like
North Park. Quite a lot of hay. Just coming to Klamath Lake. A
big saw mill at Modoc Point. Driving around east side of lake. On
hillsides, more lava streams (broken lava). Beautiful view. Large
swirl rock formation just as we passed Agoma. Coloring wonderful
toward the west, over the mountains.
Reached Klamath Falls about 8:00. Called
Uncle Will but did not go up till this morning. He is in very bad
shape, been in bed 5 years. [Note in margin of notes – Will
Steinmetz 917 Walnut St.]
Town not very attractive. Large Weyerhauser saw mill near here.
Country rough, mostly ranching, hay and cattle. Warmer this
morning, but was cool last night. Have left the lake, crossing
Klamath River. Another saw mill. Going up hill thru small trees.
Just like miles and miles of roads like we were on yesterday. Soil
more reddish, sort of sandstone rocks. Have gone over 2 passes of a
little more than 4000 feet in past hour. These tall jack pines I
have mentioned are used mostly for pulp, not good for lumber. Their
needles are short and hang from a main stem in clusters & other
trees I know nothing about. Going up another pass. Now going down
very sharp curves for miles. More rail fences. Near
Tolent(?) large pear orchards full of pears. More pears. Pear
trees propped up. A fruit center. Saw mills along here. Nice farm
country around Medford, too. Large pear shipping center, mostly
pears. A cheese factory here too. Trees along here that sheds its
bark every year. Just stopped at Gold Hill for gas.
Saw a house with the roof covered with vines. Saw a sloping lawn a
few miles back covered with cines. Rattlesnake farm 300 yards!
Rogue River famous fishing place. ‘We-ask-u-in’ name of eating
place. Going thru low mountain road. Lots of wild blackberries
again. Crooked road and sharp curves. Just went over a pass 1658
ft high. Now going down again. So many very large bridges in
Oregon nearly all dated after 1935. Almost to California border.
Going thru very heavy very tall trees, some of them we believe are
redwoods. Entered California 1:55. Inspected. Going over high
very crooked pass about like Trail Ridge Road. Giant
trees on both sides. Going down canyon. Now our first big
redwoods. Going thru dense forest of them. Heavy undergrowth of
ferns (like Boston Ferns) in among them. Certainly wonderful.
Crescent City right by the ocean. We plan to follow the coast drive
down to San Francisco. Just stopped by some redwoods about 9 ft in
diameter. So tall it makes you dizzy to look up. Now by the
ocean. Beautiful view of bay & rocks. Into the redwoods. The
world’s largest tree Sequoia Supervirens(?) Red Wood. 32 ft dia 300
ft high broken off 4000 yrs old. Giant Topis(?) Spruce 10 ft in
diam. 300 ft high is on a fallen redwood log. The spruce tree is
1000 yrs old. Other huge trees. Ferns 7 or 8 ft high. Along high
drive by ocean. Now down a little among the giant redwoods, miles
among trees 10 to 15 ft in diameter. Just crossed a big lagoon
nearly 1 mile long, on a nice bridge. Bier weeds along road 6 ft
high. Now in heavy forest. Bad fire a long time ago ruined large
trees. We drove along the coast over very crooked roads for miles.
Stopped at Sea Cliffe Camp 2 ½ miles north of Trinidad, Cal. Have a
nice modern cottage, very courteous manager. Most beautiful dahlu(?)
I have ever seen. Our cabin is about 150 yds from beach. Will go
down in the morning to be close to the water. Aug 16 Just left
cabin. Cool and cloudy. Can’t see much of ocean for fog. Going
past wheat fields just a little way from beach. Leaving ocean and
going thru nice farming country. House trimmed in bright red and
walk painted red. Humbolt, Cal. Oyster beds, lumber mill with
redwood products. Leaving Eureka. Won’t get back to ocean till we
get to San Francisco. California speed limit 45 miles. Most people
drive faster. Going thru Fortuna we saw pretty square baskets of
flowers up on a shelf by each street light. Pretty lattice work
baskets. Going thru Scotie(?). Large redwood stumps in town and
out side. Lumber piled along road for nearly a mile. Huge piles.
Heavily timbered mtns to west of us. Sun coming out. In huge
redwoods again. Miles of road thru trees. This part is
called ‘The Avenue of Giants’. Trees right at edge of road. We go
from one grove of trees to another, each one named. Road terribly
crooked for mile and miles. Now we are in grape
growing district. Thousands of acres. On steep hills,
clean, cultivated. A forest fire to our left – we just left Ukiah.
Road very rough. More pears and prunes. Men on roads who direct
traffic wear red coats and red caps. ‘Hop pickers wanted at
Hopland.’ A little dome of a hill has grapes growing round and
around hill. So many trailers and trailer houses in Calif. Very
hot this afternoon. Quite a number of palm trees at Cloverdale,
Calif. Very lively. Lots of prunes drying in trays. Going thru a
lane of palm trees. Fruit and more fruit. Very dry and hot. Palms
in nearly every yard. Miles of prune trees. Santa Rosa a
pretty town, but not so nice south of there.
Arrived at Mary’s (George’s cousin and Carrie’s daughter?) to find
her gone to Tucson to be with Carrie (George’s aunt – Emma
Elizabeth’s sister) after the tragic death of Frank?. Mary’s
husband Wilber has been grand to us and his mother and father of
Acata were there with him. We all went to Treasure Island.
Took a drive thru San Francisco. Went up the steepest hills we ever
went up and down. One hill like a stairway. [large gap in notes]
Just going thru Bowlingame(?). Lots of nice homes. Most of them
stuccoes. They were not so nice as farther north. Fine wide 4
lane road. Lots of traffic. Going thru Palo Alto, but not thru
best part of town, so cannot judge what kind of town this is. More
fruit, prunes drying on about ¼ block. Trays spread out in orchard
or in yards. More spruce trees. Ground purple with prunes as they
let the prunes drop then pick them up for drying. Santa Clara is a
great fruit growing section. San Jose a very beautiful town of
large homes. Large trees nice, lawns and palm flowers. Fruit and
vegables [sic] all along the way. Peaches 35 cents a lug,
blackberries 40 cents a crate. More miles of prune orchards. Nice
shade trees, black walnut, I believe along road. Getting very warm
again. More orchards on hillsides. Not a very nice country, yet
there is still some fruit. Winding mt road. We are closer to ocean
– about 7 mi, and it is many degrees cooler – and windy. Out in a
nice farming country. Beans, head lettuce, wheat, onions, and
beets, principle crops. Around Salinas are great fields of beans
and head lettuce. Hauled into a central station in truck loads.
Several large seed beet fields. Sugar beets much smaller
than Colo. beets. Water to irrigate is mostly pumped. A big
drawback to this beautiful Salina valley is the wind. The west side
of all shade trees is bare of branches. Nothing but beans here &
hundreds of acres of them near Greenfield. Aug 20 Stayed at King
City. Had a poor cabin. After leaving King City the country very
dry and barren. Lots of little hills or knolls. Now we have
crossed the Salinas River again. It is dry now, a wide sandy bed
grass & weeds growing in river bed. A few trees that look like a
cedar scattered around over the knolls. We are going up hill a
little and there is probably a pass ahead. Just crossed the Salinas
River again on a big bridge. And we cross that river, 4 times in a
few miles. Passed Old Mission built in 1797, at San Miguel.
Stopped and bo’t some salted almonds. There are thousands of acres
of almond groves here. So many of them are on top of these knolls.
Paso Robles is a nice little town with a beautiful hotel – an
elaborate place – with lovely flowers. Getting hot again. We hope
for a cool sea breeze soon. Good road along here has been rough for
several miles. Lots of traffic. Another forest fire to our right.
More wheat fields on the hills and knolls. Suddenly started down a
winding steep road 4 lanes wide and very good road. Here comes a
cool breeze. San Louis Obispo, an old [sic] with lots of palms.
Down to sea again at Pismo Beach. Very cool and cloudy. A Denver
car just passed us. Pepper trees all along the way. Santa Maria a
cold wind blowing in from the ocean, yet we are about 15 mi from
it. Beautiful trees and flowers. Seeing our first oil wells.
Quite thick her. The clouds are so low – sun shining now but the
sky dull and smoky looking. We meet so many trucks. Along road
for many miles a plant like very large portulaca has been
growing. At Treasure Island it was in large beds, blooming. More
low hills or knolls. Very dry and hot. At the beach again. The
ocean really looks blue today. A few low clouds. Oil wells & a
refinery a few yards from coast. Oil wells way out on piers in
ocean. A large oil field on shore. Trees that shed their bark all
along highway. Now a long row of palms.
Stopped to see Sadie and Glen at Santa Barbara. No one at
home. Very beautiful city. Going along beach now. Passed a good
size oil field, a number of wells out in water. Stopped a minute to
watch some men fish. They were fishing for perch. Going thru
Ventura. Bright red flowers on trees all along streets. Have
passed lots of lemon and orange and walnut groves. Beans planted
all along the way since we left King City. More sugar beets, too.
Castor beans make good size trees. Usually heavy row of cedars
around orange and lemon groves. Approaching some mountains. Sea on
one side, mountains on other. A sign said ‘Dangerous but
passable’. Large waves dash against rocks below us. On a three
lane road now. Passed Malibu beach. Lots of little boats in
ocean. Very large homes and cottages – all alone here. Seagulls
thick on the sand. Very large homes on mountain side.
Cottages built on shore so narrow the cars are parked by roadside.
Arrived at South Gate Monday morning.
Talked to Fern a few minutes then went on to dock and caught the
9:30 boat to Catalina Island. Enjoyed the trip over. As we
landed an orchestra of islanders were playing and a large group of
people in bathing suit and bright colored suits were sitting along
our path singing. It is a beautiful place and we enjoyed our stay
there very much. As soon as we ate our lunch we went out in a glass
bottom boat and saw a lot of scenery below us.
Got back about 7:30 to L.A. The
trip back was nicer. George & I sat on the upper deck. Saw a
flying fish, a school of porpoise, a large sea creature.
Stayed at Harold’s [I believe Harold is
Ode’s son and married to Fern]. Saw Ed Johnson and he and Alvin
[and] Mary [Johnson – Ed’s son] and Jackie [could be Jack E.,
Alvin’s son – 3 years old in 1939] came to Harold’s Tues. eve. They
were all just grand to us, & seemed glad to see us.
[I believe Ed is son of Martha Alice Forney] Leaving South
Gate Wed. Aug. 23. No fog this morning, but smoky. Going past
very large English Walnut Groves & orange groves. Trees loaded
no fences, so we just stopped and an orange. Miles of orchards &
palm trees. Going thru beautiful town of Azuza. Now thru more
orange groves. Grand 4 lane road. Saw some orange blossoms. Just
saw a sun flower trimmed up like a tree, blooming. A cactus
garden. Going under a huge power line that brings ‘juice’ to L.A.
From Boulder Dam, Mountains to our left. Picking oranges. Large
pepper trees. Leaving orange smudge pots every orange tree. It is a
very rocky spot, and then more oranges growing. Getting hot and we
found huge grape vineyards. George picked a bunch of grapes
that look like Concords, but taste very different. Very sweet.
Miles of orange trees. Getting warmer. Going along edge of San
Bernardino. Nearer mountains. On mt slopes there are wide lanes
cleared. We think they are fire guards. Starting up pass. Large
flat rocks form mts. Just went over Cajon Pass 4301 ft. Have been
going thru cuts – deep cuts – of fine rocky soil. Fine road. Very
nice easy grade. Rather heavy shrubs of cedar and a peculiar palm
like tree we believe is the Joshua tree. They are Joshua
trees. At Victorville there is a large cement plant. Al the soil
looks about like cement. A very large switching sub-station near
town. Boulder dam line crosses here. Very rocky. Another large
cement plant. Starting across desert. Still lots of scrubby cedars
and dry sage-brush. There are dips in this road for 27 mi. Traffic
not heavy, but we occasionally meet a car getting dryer and hotter.
Following railroad and Mojave River. Leaving Barstow. Getting
hotter. Less vegetation. Country not barren & flat, rather hilly,
small mountains. Still sagebrush and low cedars. It is a little
cloudy, and when a cloud goes over us, it is a few degrees cooler.
There are a number of houses near the road. We wonder why and how
they live here. But nearly every house is a wonderful display of
bright colored rocks. We are in sight of or near that big power
line most of the time. Mountains with no vegetation all around us.
A dry lake and the Devil’s playground to our right. The playground
is a rough looking place with lots of loose sand. Stopped at Baker,
Calif., for gas. It was 106 there. Coming to some more Joshua
trees to Yucca plants. Have gone up to 4000 ft at Yucca Grove and
we are going down hill and the air is much cooler. The cedars are
green again. The road stretches straight ahead of us for miles. A
little more cloudy and a few drops of rain just hit the wind
shield. We are headed for another pass of 6,000 ft. A car just
passed us with a box on right front window containing dry ice to
cool the car. We have not felt the heat badly and it is sprinkling
again and more cloudy. What a welcome sprinkle. Going down hill
again. Had a nice little sprinkle. Still mountains on both sides
of us, without vegetation. Nearing Nevada state line. Coming to
Las Vegas. Still desert, cactus, stunted sagebrush, and yucca
plants. Very dry & hot. As we near Las Vegas there are palms and
other trees planted with flowers along with them. Leaving Las
Vegas, we are driving to Boulder City and will probably stay there
all night. This is a nice drive, with high mountains all around us,
beautifully colored. Nothing but sage brush and cedars between us
and mountains. Here we are at Boulder Dam. Came to Boulder City
stayed all night here and went to the dam the following morning. A
very interesting place. Went down from top of dam to the bottom on
an elevator. A guide took us on a tour and explained everything.
Leaving Boulder Dam the mountains around here have no vegetation.
Some are brightly colored and loose soft rocks, others look like
they are of volcanic origin, sort of volcanic rock. Hot here this
morning. There is a beach on the lake for swimming. Had a
comfortable cabin last night. Most cabins here [are] air
conditioned, but we did not feel like paying from 50 cents to $1.00
more for the air conditioning. Our cabin was $7.50. The mountains
to the right of us are colored, but not high. Colors very beautiful
on mts to the left. On our way back to Las Vegas. Leaving Las
Vegas for Zion Nat’l Park. Still in desert, and getting pretty
hot. We keep jug of cold water all the time. When we get sleepy we
get out of the car, get a cold drink. It is a little hill, sort of
sand hills, certainly a desolate country. Just passed an airplane
landing field out here in the desert. A little more color in
vegetation. The cedars (very short) are green, the sage brush a
sort of gray, and some dry grass or weed a reddish brown. Now some
cactus and Joshua trees. Getting warmer. We cross miniature canyons
frequently. Going thru cut after cut. Just below us is a nice
green valley. Crops look fine. Now [we are] in the valley.
Crossed into Arizona at 12:5 [sic] Aug 24. Getting hotter. Deeper
cuts, very crooked roads, up and down hill. More Joshua trees. Now
into Utah about 1:30. Trees a little larger. A beautiful red
mountain ahead. Roads narrower, not so good. So many cone shaped
mts. We just passed that red mt. Down into a green little valley,
all kinds of fruit and vegetables. Now up where it is hot. Near
road acres of black rocks that look like clinkers. The town of St.
George is at the foot of red mt. This place was the winter home of
Brigham Young from 1861-77. Outside of town more black lava, more
colored mts. Mts. Like /Steamboat mt. At Lyons, only are all
leaning back. More lava. Hurricane a pretty little town in a fruit
growing valley. Going thru Rockville there was a wide shaded road
where small children had stands by the road. As we move slowly by
a child would run out and sit down by table, offering as we passed.
Going thru Zion National Park, very wonderful. We have
nothing like it in Colo. Just crossed bridge made f many colored
rocks. Going up a mt, round many switchbacks and finally thru a
tunnel a mile long, and out thru a canyon of colored rock. Mostly
red and tan land every way. Past that rock formation into some
fairly tall cedars and brush. Very hilly, sharp curves. Aug 25
stayed at Kanab last night. Nice and cool. Cool this morning.
Leaving the beautiful Zion Park, entering Ariz. Poor travel road,
desert again, sagebrush and little else. A flat, rolling country.
A new road being built. The old road very rough. A terrible road.
On a better road now going up hill. Good sized trees. Over loose
gravel roads for miles. Passing thru nice tall pine forest. On a
good oiled road, nice forest on both sides of road. Tall aspens,
almost the first we have seen on our trip. Just passed 3 deer near
road. Nice and cool. Almost like the road at Allen’s Park. Saw 2
more deer. Have gone thru several open parks. Nothing in them but
grass. They are ringed with a heavy growth of aspens and many small
spruce trees. Taller pines back of aspens. Flowers along the road
now. Clouds and blue sky much as we find at Estes Park. Just
entered Grand Canyon National Park. A Mr. Wiseman who checked us in
knew Herbert in Ft. Collins. Is a graduate in Forestry. Beautiful
flowers along road. Juniper is name of trees I have called cedar.
Rocky mt white oak we call scrub oak. Just went out to Bright Angel
Pt. A wonderful view. Can see for miles. Rocks mostly seem to
have fossils in them. Leaving Grand Canyon going back thru that
heavenly wooded area. Just saw a wild fox on the road ahead of us.
It ran up the slope and we got a good view of it. Going into number
of cattle drinking water from the road. Raining hard now. In that
heavy forest again. Very tall aspen. We have come back on the same
rough road but have only a few more miles of it. At Fredonia, the
first town in Arizona across the border from Utah, is Shiprock.
Back to bright colored rocks and odd shaped rocks. Some like toad
stools. Into Utah among hills and more crooked roads up a canyon.
Just passed two small saw mills. Have gone up over a pass and going
down. Raining a little. Raining hard. Have stopped at pangultch
for some meat. Not raining now but showers all around us. Altitude
6666 ft. Got into a heavy rain with showers all around us so did
not go to Bryce Canyon. Going into a canyon. Out of canyon into
potato growing, some wheat and alfalfa. Haystacks are built
sloping, a little sprinkle of rain. Road very wet. Has been a
heavy shower. This is the most rain we have seen since we left
home. Going into another canyon. Mts colored. Many of them
sulphur [sic] colored. Just passed Rock Candy Mt. There are domes
and spires and marbled effects. Loose rocks and loose dirt. A
rainbow just now came between us and the mountain. A beautiful
canyon. A white canyon to our left as we come out of canyon into a
green valley. Into town, Elsinore. Probably a Mormon town as so
many towns are in Utah. Have stopped at Richfield for the night.
Have a comfortable little cabin. There is a rodeo in town so we
had to hunt for a cabin. Cool again this evening. Did not get very
hot today for any length of time as we were in several showers.
Leaving Richfield. Aug 26 Cool and partly cloudy. In a valley
where they raise grain, alfalfa, sugar beets, a little corn. So
many houses along there are old and poor. Those colored loose dirt
mts on both sides of us. On desert again. Even the sagebrush is
very short. Near Gunnison. A sugar factory here. Country better,
and all irrigated. A large flock of turkeys east of Gunnison. More
colored mts. Another large flock of turkeys with a herder. Going
thru Monte the temple city. A large white stone temple on edge of
town. Another large flock of turkeys with a herder. There must be
lots of grasshoppers or crickets here to have so many turkeys. We
certainly hear crickets at night. In all these little towns there
are so many cows. Boys driving cows out to pasture is a common
sight. Outside of town, more turkeys. Going thru very
uninteresting country. Sagebrush and juniper trees on one side,
poor farm land on the other. The altitude is above 5000 ft all
along here. The road is good here, but narrow shoulders. Very
large flock of turkeys. Nice hay meadows and stock here. Some
sheep. More turkeys. Into another canyon, but mts not high.
Brightly colored. Leaving Thistle. Still in a wide canyon. Now
narrower, all soil and rocks red. On new oiling 5 mi new road
work. Into another canyon. Passed soldiers summit alt. 7454.
Seeing so many coal trucks. Thru another canyon, real long and
crooked. Going thru Castlegate a gateway formed by natural rocks.
A coal mine. Down canyon thru tunnel. Passed thru Helper, road
very rough and crooked. Those loose rock canyons all around us. At
Price, Utah, a very nice town of 4000. Getting warmer. Ate lunch
at Wellington. Country covered with little knolls and loose rock
hills. Some small juniper trees. No trees now, just tiny
sagebrush. On the desert again. It is cloudy and not hot yet.
Book cliffs to our left. Low hills all around us. More desert at
Green River, loads of melons and carts. Shipping out quite a lot.
A scenic place. More desert and hot. Lots little round mounds and
hills. These cliffs are brown or roan cliffs. One is sort of grey
[sic] with a dull yellow top. Others brownish red tops and grey
[sic] bottoms. More knolls and heat. Beautifully colored mts to
our right about 20 mi. Crossing Colo. state line at 3:30 Sat. Aug
26. Colo. road about same but a little wider shoulder. Still very
hot.”
