1970 Trip Across Country from Ohio to California and Back
with Cyrus, Elizabeth, Cathy, Margo McCreary, Ben Hatch, and Rob Lord
1971 Trip from Ohio to California
Sunday, August 1, 1971 (321 miles)
Cy, Elizabeth, Margo McCreary, Ben Hatch, Robbie Lord, and I set off for California in 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass pulling 1937 Packard and Ben’s 1966 VW van. Replaced Cutlass (blown head gasket) in Denver with Dodge Pickup truck with window. We go on Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Turnpike.
We start keeping record of how many states we spot licenses from. We spent night in Elkhart, Indiana. Beagles bark all night. Margo and I, looking most wholesome, ask farmer’s wife for place to camp on the horse farm of young couple. The others look like hippie freaks with long hair and beards. We ham, noodles in tomato sauce, and cold beans. Smoke in Cy’s camper. Forgot tarp, frying pan, and containers. The beagle stole my Northup House blue night shirt. The ground was bumpy and it was cold. Lots of stars. Private moon. Saw bush pig and white turkeys.
For Zorba and Dito
Who is so safe as we?
We have found safety with all things undying,
The winds, and morning, tears of men and merit.
The deep night, and birds singing, and clouds flying.
Robert Brooke – 1914
Monday, August 2, 1971 (387 miles)
Indiana to Illinois to Iowa. We leave at 7:30. All Eatons in one vehicle and Ben, Rob, and Margo in other on Route 80. Breakfast at University in South Bend of eggs and bacon. Camp cleaning lady gave us wash place and coffee cup. Played Frisbee. Separated between Rock Island and Davenport. Met at Mississippi. Blaming tempers. Elizabeth driving. Gas attendant, a plump kid, helped. Liked Cy’s car. Tip. Had two dinners at Luciana. Because of phoning Mom, she got us back together. Spent night at polluted river. God’s gift near Rochester. Picnic not camping place. Wind Mill. Red barn. Playground. Bugs and light. Hand pump. Soup, music, checkers, and colored stones. Set up rain tent. Rain. Slept in bus. Fell out. Big ears. Robs weed picking Lakes to eat by.
Tuesday, August 3, 1971 (333 miles)
Ben, Rob, and me; Cy, Elizabeth, and Margo. Iowa & Nebraska. Shower power at pump. Pancakes finally. Flowers and weed picking. Pig farms, corn. Sleep and back rubs. Scenic view and sandwiches. Met Cy, Elizabeth and Margo. Frisbee. Loveland to Omaha. Visited Sue Higgins and family and cats. Ice tea. To the university with Su’s kind heart. To Victory Lake at Freemont Lakes (800 acres). Swimming. Steaks and corn and mushroom sauce. Salad. T.V. across lake. Wine cooler. Elizabeth walk Poison sumac. Bed at 12:15. Rain, rain. Left Sue.
Wednesday, August 4, 1971 (336 miles)
11 AM. Fremont to Minden. Did dishes with Sue and Margo at Dairy Queen (hot water). Harold Warp (Pioneer Village). Scrambled eggs in rain. Ben, Margo and me. Elizabeth, Cy, and Rob. Flowers route 30 to Route 10. Keanney; Grand Island. Showers. Atomic testing, domes. Big granaries. Pioneer village. (H. Warp is watching you!). Windmill. Water pump; gypsy caravan. Old motor bikes, old cars, school house, church, bells. I got in for under 16 and cashier thought I was a boy. Ben’s old traffic conductor, Pop. Walk to Dairy Queen. And Platt River on 10. Truck waves and blown over. Ben and Cy picked us up. 2nd offer. Drove 100 miles. Incredible sun set. Rob and I talked a lot. Bus overheat. Margo, Elizabeth, and I not stop soon enough. Cutlass bad. Pizza, gas station, beer, teeth. On 80 west stop at rest area. Slept outside. Good snooze.
Thursday, August 5, 1971
Route 80 west. Rest area. Rise and shine. Rob, Ben, Margo and tape. Leave message for Cy and Elizabeth. 7;30 AM leave (Cy, Margo, and me. Ben Rob, and Elizabeth in bus. Flowers. Stop on 80 for chunky soup. Cactus! Walk on freeway. Grasshoppers. Cutlass so hot – poor bambino! To Denver and nasty attendant. Ate at Moon Wink. Sharon Stephens picked us up. Hot over heat to S. Utica and so kind Stephens. V.W. fix Cutlass. Showers. Hamburgers and corn and potato salad and eat, eat, eat. Walk to mountains. Margo, Rob, and me double backrub. Sleep outside. Big bright moon and tinkling shells.
Friday, August 6, 1971
Rise and shine. Scrambled eggs. Aunt Barbara made breakfast. Wash and gas clean (from tar) soap, and dry Cutlass. Bike riding of 10 speed. No swimming lake. Shower from car shower. VW shiny shine. Mike Stephens home. Cold lunch in kitchen. Clothes clean. Cy babying Cutlass. Good night sweet prince. Spaghetti dinner and partly fiasco town trip. Too many ages. Shops (leather, jewelry, wood, spider tire). Topless exotics. Old lady happy by band place.
MacDonald’s – two miles. Pizza making. Young kids. Pizza eating. Ben, Cy, Margo and me. Beer. Home 1:30. Chocolate Chip ice cream. Slept outside with Mike. Me down. Cy, my friend and helper. Called home.
Saturday, August 7, 1971 (150 miles)
Rise and shine 6ish, bike ride, shower, Uncle Bob’s cinnamon pancakes. Departure imminent. Pop top on VW bus. Grocery and dump gas cap shop. Lunch on picnic table on patio. Sharon back from telephone job. Lizard up late. Late Cy. Left 2 PM. Route 285 to fair play, 24 to Poncha Spy (?). Mountains awesome. Happy welling. Old mines, blasted rocks for mines, questions, rainbow, sweater. Wave people to pass. Beer lemonade. Bus climb, climb, climb. Green turtle. Camp after long climb to Continental Divide. Warm change clothes. Quivering aspen trees. Camp under aspen circle. Hill. Looked like an army of marching, straight aspens. Windy paths like Fremont Lakes. Stone fire place. Table with benches. Outhouse. Ravioli, zucchini, wine. Sat around fire. Sad Amigo (Margo). Cook on soapy dishes over grill over fire. Ate on picnic table. Rob and Elizabeth on top. Ben and me in bus. Good ZZzzzzzz. Coolish. Recorder trouble (?). Snow moon light on trees.
Sunday, August 8, 1971
Omlettes. Yuuuuuummmmm. Left 8:45. Saw deer. Blue Mesa Reservoir. Rushing water, bear tracks, and noisy grasshopper stop. Uncompaghre (running River), bridge, walking challenge, Bear Creek Falls, Red Mountain. Iowa family to California. California to Indiana. Prairie dogs. Red creek. Mark and Birgil. Walk. VW stop. Glide down mountain to EVray gas station and expensive unfriendly eats. Sleep at Rotary camp site. Me out under circle of trees. Guys giggling. Margo and Elizabeth up top talking.
Monday, August 9, 1971
Up 8ish. Ben and me hitchhike with Clyde and long haired Mike to gas station with baseball girl attendant. Hitch back with Clyde and truck squat smoke. Tow truck to Montrose. Sat in Greenie VW backwards while towed. I slept. Ike’s Chevron gas station. Back pack to river and old Mexican mosquitoes. Backpack back to gas station. Engine capoot. Call Cy. Ike take Rob, Ellizabeth, and Margo to Uncompaghre site. Ben and me hitch. Clyde and family. Swim at damn down from yesterday’s site near California campers. Camp between slow moving water and fast moving. Stew and wine and zucchini and wine and smoke. Rob, Margo, Elizabeth, me and Ben. Most original proposition. How did Ben end up in my sleeping bag. Pee excuse.
Tuesday, August 10, 1971
Out of sleeping bags at sun got warmer. Swim at first site. Margo, Elizabeth, and me valiant efforts to ford running water swishing down to rock. Sun bathe. Lunch and back to camp site. Elizabeth, Ben, and me hitch to town with fireman and son. Met Cy! Tinker’s feast. To campsite. Elizabeth and me hitch ½ way back. Fix and fix and fix tow hitch. Leave 9:30. Drive til 6:30. Meteor. Moon reflecting on Blue Mesa. Deer, skunk, fox, lights out. Cy’s lack of 7 up. Scenic Denver tow with Uncle Bob’s Red Ford. Route 50 to 25.
Wednesday, August 11, 1971
Shower, breakfast, bed. Sleep til 1. lunch, lunch, lunch. Get Cy’s Dodge truck from Murphy, fed rap, marriage, Mexican tacos to Sam. Taco dinner and bean salad and chiffon dessert. Call Cathy F. Cut R’s stone. Slept out with Margo.
Thursday, August 12, 1971
Good will, Margo’s purple creation. Rob’s material. Sharon makes him Sapu CyCy shirt in exchange for tree shirt. Fix Cy’s truck. Bumper. To gas station. Bathing suit. Free pens. Abe Carter guy. Sleep and not sleep. Dream awake. Fake/curious. Lotus room. Stoned psychiatrist. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy and me dance and dance and dance. Beer. Slept out. Chocolate chip.
Friday, August 13, 1971
Waffles, wheat germ. Ben and Rob left. Sign. Margo, Cy, Elizabeth in Dodge to Red Rock after clean up and shop. Margarine and soap bubbles. Climbed amphitheater mountain. Hatchet women in cave. Route 285. North Platt (rafting –life preservers, hospital 9th grade campers). South Platt. Up tent. Wind blew. Shoots. Cy’s tent on Dodge. Hamburgers, green peppers, dindin, wine. Ate. Me in crappy mood but beauty to watch. Families next to us with gun. Up and moved from East. Elizabeth and Margo walk. Cold sleep. Popcorn and Frank, Bill…toilet paper pipe. Card tricks.
Saturday, August 14, 1971
Omelets. Cy’s. Elizabeth and I wade in river. Tubing. Cy and me. Ass up. Shoots. Diving off rocks. Short tube. Marge and me first long tube. Sun burn. Egg salad. Throw wood. Collect wood. Slide it. VW bus gentle couple hitch to phone. Five miles. Cold beer on tummy. Swedish Steig L. trumpet player. Barbecued chicken and rice and sald. Yum, yum, yum. Sex, pill, talk.
Sunday, August 15, 1971
French toast. Cy and me long tube. Margo to phone. Elizabeth and Margo long tube. Cy, Elizabeth and me together through shoots. Watch people dive. Northrop T. Shirt. Fat guy with overalls and baseball cap. Cooler and dive. Me bring cameras. Cy’s sand and rock boat (pans through sand canals). Elizabeth and me easy hitch. Not buy acid. Take tubes back. Ravioli from people we took camp site from. Hamburger and chicken chow mien, chocolate milk, peppers. Howling. Cy walk. Slept on cot and Stephens sleeping bat. Margo in bus.
Monday, August 16, 1971
John’s born. Happy birthday. Grilled cheese. Left 9:30. Trash bags. Mountain Route. Sante Fe. Route 85. Back to Stephens. Wash hair. Eat chock chips, grapes, bike ride with Mike. V.W. fixed. Tuna fish salad. Wine. Margo, Ben, and Rob drive 150 miles. Me and Elizabeth to bed early. Outside me. Back 1 pm. Talked til 2:30. Raided ice box.
Tuesday, August 17, 1971 (500 miles)
Left Stephens! Left Colorado. On way again to California. Laramie, Cheyenne, Green River Flaming Gorge. Ate neat river in railroad town. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy, and I climbed rockslide cliff. Sunset. Drove with Rob and Ben. Stars began coming out. Robs flying horse. Rock formation and shale cliffs. Red on rocks. Slept under bridge in back of Dodge. Cold. Margo in front.
Wednesday, August 18, 1971 (610 miles)
Early start. Hitch hiker whole way. John/Jack – family. Frisbee lunch stop. Hot, dry, thirsty. Salt Lake City. Ate on road near Lovelack (?). Frisbee behind back catch. Baked beans and hot dogs. My salad. Arrive Reno midnight. Stay three hours. Couple beers from John. Spent 10 cents with Margo to Crap table. Nice guy. English muffins.
Thursday, August 19, 1971
Slept at rest stop. Margo, me and John outside. Comfortable. John left early. Crayon. Others slept in until 8:30 or so. California. ZORBA. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy, and me to San Jose. Waited at Sacramento. Hitch hiker. Me slept. Big welcome for Cy. Signs on boat. Beer in little cans. Tacos and corn on cob. Drunk and happy. Puppies. Called home. Leave Amigo (Margo). Ben, Rob, Elizabeth, and me in Greenie. Drive from 8 pm til 12:30 to Guadalupe. Slept on way. Awesome phosphoresce and pulsating light. Walk to ocean. Yucky smell. Black fire tire feet. Double backrubs.
Friday, August 20, 1971
Elizabeth and I up top pop tent. Watched fisherman. Camped near Guadalupe by oil refinery. Breakfast at Chinese/Mexican place. Mounts of food. 75 cents or so. Drove near Pisno beach. Sunned and played in waves. Ate tortillas and concocted and drank Ben’s wine/brandy/fruit cocktail (Sangria) punch. Long haired doxins doggies. Dune buggies and motor cycles up and down beach. Met Cy at Cal Poly. Professor. Cadillac storage. P & J. Left Packard. Morrow Bay. Incredible trip down. Steak and sald and wine and rolls. African music and Super CyCy dancing. HOME AT LAST FOR ELIZABETH AND CY!
Saturday, August 21, 1971
I slept by fire outside trunk. 5 cars zooming around, up sand dunes and bypassing me. I got up and walked up sand dunes to view wide strip of ocean. View of Los Osos and trees. Ben stuck. Separate Eatons/Ben, Rob.
Drive to Nan and Greg Wocheck’s wedding. Clock fast but 20 more miles. Breaks out and stupid sisters. Mucho flowers, weird excerpts. Relaxed feeling. Food, potato salad, cake. Mike Bilberg and Cristi’s house. Showers, pictures, Alice in Wonderland.. Good dindin. Chicken, corn on cob, peaches. Play boy dope game. Gill, Mike, and Shelly, Dan. Bed and sleep. Too many clothes.
Sunday, August 22, 1971
Up at 10. Eggs and bacon. Clean dirty dishes and pans. Fix pants, Cy’s wallet. Drove to San Diego. To Toni’s and Carolyn Isakson. Had egg salad. Me poogie. Feeling Good Cy and Elizabeth. Beer and tumbling headstands. Limbo and dancing. Cy and Toni to beach. Sailor from South and Apollo moon flight rescue and hamburgers, potato salad, no one wanted. Slept awhile in bus, then on couch.
Monday, August 23, 1971
Off to Mexico. Tijuana and Ensenada. Beach time vs. Mexico time. Tempers and switching drivers. Cy sleep. Beer to sorta messy beach with good sand and tumble making waves. Elizabeth and I shot out of waves. Salty eyes . Shells. Shops and Mexican combination plates. $7.35 for five. No shirt for Amigo. Ben’s hammock. Nixon time at boarder. Sellers and honking. More time for heroin spill. Motorcycle accident. All slept on floor.
Tuesday, August 24, 1971
Met kids. Shower Hare Krishna people offer me readings but want money. I’ve lost my traveler checks. . Finally get new checks. Zoo via express place. Environmental zoo. Great huge trees and birds’ cage. Left Toni’s. Ben and Rob’s big caper 165. Drove to Los Angeles to see Mike and Christy. Ebou Manga (my Gambian friend?). Rob and Ben missed turn. Late. Chunky soup. Shower. My own bed. Quiet, slow. Clarity. Australia. Qui slo cla? Zoo –melody happy.
Wednesday, August 25, 1971
At 9 left for San Luis Obispo. I slept. No post office box. Bank. Meet Ben and Rob. Check on Loper house (People from Chile). Eat at A & W. Frenchie eat, eat, eat. Elizabeth and I walk around town. Craft shop. Bike shop. Liquor store. Boys work on bus til 9:30. Wine with Mr. Loper. Cork. Go to bar, band, pool table place. I ask others. Steve – fire fighter. Cy, Ben, Elizabeth, Rob, Me, and Steve dance. Strobe. (The Eye) next door me. So leave, walk. Climb onto fence. Rob help me off. Too many dumb questions. Slept on Ware house street. Elizabeth and Ben outside. Rob not well. Figured out awful smell. Gas! Gas woops.
Thursday, August 26, 1971
Keep sleeping in bus. Fix bus. Breakfast at motel place. Leave San Luis Obispo and Cy and Elizabeth. Here’s to Zorbonius, San Luis Obispo.
Stopped off route 1 – sunset beach. Cold water swim. Showers. Ahhhhh. Rob’s Susan. Eat. Fisherman’s wharf. Everybody ill but I ate my dinner. To Sausalito and house boats. Slept in bus. Ben on Hammock between bus and barrel. Dog bark. Trash collection. Car at barrier.
Friday, August 27, 1971
Breakfast and clean up sort of. Check evil’s houseboat. Wharf. Houseboat with stained glass windows and old Toni and huge Hans ? tiled bathtub and unfinished work. To Mouse. And leave Rob. Ben and I tour San Francisco. Nob Hill. Climb/legs/clear day view. Columbus. Fisherman’s wharf and lunch. Always hungry. Small stomach. Gin, Crème, and Egg white drink. Trolley car. Hang on. Greenie by nude bar area. Back to Mouse. Her man 35-55. Inside of ship –silver truck. We go to bar outside. Eat China town. Go to Berkeley. Walk. Phone home and Wochiks. Bar basement. Off to N R drive. Hands over water. Leave Orland 9:30. I slept outside. Mucho stars. Shooting and wished. Gnarled, many limbed tree ¾ circle. Eng man.
Saturday, August 28, 1971
Orland (5) to Lake Shasta, volcanic mountains, red soil, field of color to 42 at Myrtle Creek and Roseburg. Remote. Coos bay to 101.
We carved out a curve
Tilting one into one,
I followed a bend in the stream,
Forever reflections narrowing into cover
Monotonously passed, behind, and mine.
Blackberries, lumber, and shavings. Jap boats. Picnic spot near sand dunes. African grass and lighthouse. Older couple (Alaska maps). Sunset. Red flying ants. Ben’s macaroni. Spaghetti special in coffee pot and wine. French garlic bread, foil, Oregon corn on cob on log table. 5 me to ocean. Run and count steps. Moon. Take fire into my hand and run into the sea and be content. Camp site. Hot, hot shower. Stars. Squareback plans of travel, work, wood building Loom van.
Sunday, August 29, 1971
7:20 on Winchester Bay 101.
Along ocean, sea lions, seals. Greenie health treatment at Lincoln (101) to route five via 18 to 99 west Portland to 80 East. Cascades, mail project….trees on hill, club of old cars [Cy] Kid in bumper seat. Gas station yahoos. Swimming and beer in Arlington, Oklahoma. Long sunset. Old barges. 14 to 395 to 90 E. I drove. Camp in Fish trap o bottom of hill with “Atomic Tester” (radar) on top of hill. Lots of cricket sounding like animals. Cheese and yogurt supper. Sausage bugs and sand flees and mucho itching. Stars. Got hot after cascades. Woman bar tender (bicyclist from Massachusetts. Wheat farmer in San Diego navy, bartender never taken a vacation. Rob and Ben play pool for beers. I couldn’t lose. Watermelon and happy.
Monday, August 30, 1971
Up at 6. Scrambled eggs. Leave Fish trap about 6:45. route 990 East. St. Regis. 461 North (Paradise) to 28 north. Roding working. Misty rain. Hoboes laying track. Banana lake. [leave river. Me moody. Hare Krishna San Diego Zoo. 93 North, 2 East. (I drove). Flathead Lake. Glacier Park. Bar chaser. Hands across the River. Drive through park. …Shower Power Falls, snow, foggier and foggier. 3 hippies in ext blue bus; boy and girl working here. No weeks. To Lake outside of park. Salad, last of goulash, FIRE. Lake and Beaver noises. Best backrub. Cold and wet (stars) move in with
Rob when I hear creepy noises after seeing all the BEAR signs. Me too figidity. Him too. Finally sleep.
Tuesday, August 31, 1971
Laundry. Clean. Omelets and ham. Left 11:30. Route 89. Broke down outside of Browning. Fan belt, pulley. Ben and Rob search for parts. I have camera and books. To bars. Nappies. Pool. With brothers Walter (wife Mary Loud- high school); Cleyton, girl Elma (nurse) and cousin Eddie, play with old Pa and Barroom Betty. Burbon in bathroom. Go to Legion, drugstore, to Walter’s Pa’s tent. Big bonfire. I stay away and sober up by wind, wet, and stars. Back to fire. Elma and Cleyton look for me. Singing. They fight, leave, Eddie try to make me stay. Rob talk. Ben pass out. Back to bus. Lose watch. Bus rock in amazing wind storm. Rain.
Wednesday, September 1, 1971
We’ve been gone a month. I write while guys sleep. Coffee shop. No car part. Hitch to Kalispell. I walk in strong wind. Watch trains. Restaurant, train, Sears robot guy. Juju…talk…I sleep. V.W. parts. Eat at Smitthy’s –sign. Neat business. Traveler. College age kid; Lead guitar player. Everybody allowed to have own opinion. Bring war over here. He fight. Lived life. Truck driver (Matthew) crowded quarters. Own cab. Rafting double green florescent shifts. Blues tape. Fix car and leave. Dindin at Great Falls. Drive. See deer where we pulled off. Sleep.
Thursday, September 2, 1971 (865 miles)
Up at 7:30. Me drive. 15. 91 South, 28 75 to 90 East (Helena and 3 Forks)
Rob got ticket. Shit hurry. Nap and headache. Rob lunch. Yum. Glasses and pills in Hardin. Old man with arm bands in bar. Warm sun.
Driving long and weary
When a lone gnarled tree waved
Traveling homeless
When the stars gave shelter
Standing still
And everybody is elsewhere doing other things
When a breeze nudged me on
Feeling tight and aching
When the water gently whirled over me
And gave me rest.
Dinner of Sloppy Joe and salad on windy hill. Antelopes below. Finally I drove 1:30 until 5. 90 East and 16 East detour. Gas at old man’s warehouse. Sleep near Mitchell.
Friday, September 3, 1971
90 East to 29 South at Sioux Fall. Leave 9 AM. I sleep. Hot. 80 East. Lunch by yucky river. Ben and Rob drive. Hot. Sleep in bathing suit. Dinner at weed picking spot of August 2nd, 3rd fame near Iowa city. Scrambled eggs. Weeds on table. Nova Scotia walk. I drive 11 pm to 1:30 AM. Ben until 7:30. Me to home. Ben and Rob sleep. I talk to Mom and Dad.
Saturday, September 4, 1971
Clean out Greenie. Drive and move it. Pans and ice. Lunch. Ben and Rob leave.
Sunday, August 1, 1971 (321 miles)
Cy, Elizabeth, Margo McCreary, Ben Hatch, Robbie Lord, and I set off for California in 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass pulling 1937 Packard and Ben’s 1966 VW van. Replaced Cutlass (blown head gasket) in Denver with Dodge Pickup truck with window. We go on Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Turnpike.
We start keeping record of how many states we spot licenses from. We spent night in Elkhart, Indiana. Beagles bark all night. Margo and I, looking most wholesome, ask farmer’s wife for place to camp on the horse farm of young couple. The others look like hippie freaks with long hair and beards. We ham, noodles in tomato sauce, and cold beans. Smoke in Cy’s camper. Forgot tarp, frying pan, and containers. The beagle stole my Northup House blue night shirt. The ground was bumpy and it was cold. Lots of stars. Private moon. Saw bush pig and white turkeys.
For Zorba and Dito
Who is so safe as we?
We have found safety with all things undying,
The winds, and morning, tears of men and merit.
The deep night, and birds singing, and clouds flying.
Robert Brooke – 1914
Monday, August 2, 1971 (387 miles)
Indiana to Illinois to Iowa. We leave at 7:30. All Eatons in one vehicle and Ben, Rob, and Margo in other on Route 80. Breakfast at University in South Bend of eggs and bacon. Camp cleaning lady gave us wash place and coffee cup. Played Frisbee. Separated between Rock Island and Davenport. Met at Mississippi. Blaming tempers. Elizabeth driving. Gas attendant, a plump kid, helped. Liked Cy’s car. Tip. Had two dinners at Luciana. Because of phoning Mom, she got us back together. Spent night at polluted river. God’s gift near Rochester. Picnic not camping place. Wind Mill. Red barn. Playground. Bugs and light. Hand pump. Soup, music, checkers, and colored stones. Set up rain tent. Rain. Slept in bus. Fell out. Big ears. Robs weed picking Lakes to eat by.
Tuesday, August 3, 1971 (333 miles)
Ben, Rob, and me; Cy, Elizabeth, and Margo. Iowa & Nebraska. Shower power at pump. Pancakes finally. Flowers and weed picking. Pig farms, corn. Sleep and back rubs. Scenic view and sandwiches. Met Cy, Elizabeth and Margo. Frisbee. Loveland to Omaha. Visited Sue Higgins and family and cats. Ice tea. To the university with Su’s kind heart. To Victory Lake at Freemont Lakes (800 acres). Swimming. Steaks and corn and mushroom sauce. Salad. T.V. across lake. Wine cooler. Elizabeth walk Poison sumac. Bed at 12:15. Rain, rain. Left Sue.
Wednesday, August 4, 1971 (336 miles)
11 AM. Fremont to Minden. Did dishes with Sue and Margo at Dairy Queen (hot water). Harold Warp (Pioneer Village). Scrambled eggs in rain. Ben, Margo and me. Elizabeth, Cy, and Rob. Flowers route 30 to Route 10. Keanney; Grand Island. Showers. Atomic testing, domes. Big granaries. Pioneer village. (H. Warp is watching you!). Windmill. Water pump; gypsy caravan. Old motor bikes, old cars, school house, church, bells. I got in for under 16 and cashier thought I was a boy. Ben’s old traffic conductor, Pop. Walk to Dairy Queen. And Platt River on 10. Truck waves and blown over. Ben and Cy picked us up. 2nd offer. Drove 100 miles. Incredible sun set. Rob and I talked a lot. Bus overheat. Margo, Elizabeth, and I not stop soon enough. Cutlass bad. Pizza, gas station, beer, teeth. On 80 west stop at rest area. Slept outside. Good snooze.
Thursday, August 5, 1971
Route 80 west. Rest area. Rise and shine. Rob, Ben, Margo and tape. Leave message for Cy and Elizabeth. 7;30 AM leave (Cy, Margo, and me. Ben Rob, and Elizabeth in bus. Flowers. Stop on 80 for chunky soup. Cactus! Walk on freeway. Grasshoppers. Cutlass so hot – poor bambino! To Denver and nasty attendant. Ate at Moon Wink. Sharon Stephens picked us up. Hot over heat to S. Utica and so kind Stephens. V.W. fix Cutlass. Showers. Hamburgers and corn and potato salad and eat, eat, eat. Walk to mountains. Margo, Rob, and me double backrub. Sleep outside. Big bright moon and tinkling shells.
Friday, August 6, 1971
Rise and shine. Scrambled eggs. Aunt Barbara made breakfast. Wash and gas clean (from tar) soap, and dry Cutlass. Bike riding of 10 speed. No swimming lake. Shower from car shower. VW shiny shine. Mike Stephens home. Cold lunch in kitchen. Clothes clean. Cy babying Cutlass. Good night sweet prince. Spaghetti dinner and partly fiasco town trip. Too many ages. Shops (leather, jewelry, wood, spider tire). Topless exotics. Old lady happy by band place.
MacDonald’s – two miles. Pizza making. Young kids. Pizza eating. Ben, Cy, Margo and me. Beer. Home 1:30. Chocolate Chip ice cream. Slept outside with Mike. Me down. Cy, my friend and helper. Called home.
Saturday, August 7, 1971 (150 miles)
Rise and shine 6ish, bike ride, shower, Uncle Bob’s cinnamon pancakes. Departure imminent. Pop top on VW bus. Grocery and dump gas cap shop. Lunch on picnic table on patio. Sharon back from telephone job. Lizard up late. Late Cy. Left 2 PM. Route 285 to fair play, 24 to Poncha Spy (?). Mountains awesome. Happy welling. Old mines, blasted rocks for mines, questions, rainbow, sweater. Wave people to pass. Beer lemonade. Bus climb, climb, climb. Green turtle. Camp after long climb to Continental Divide. Warm change clothes. Quivering aspen trees. Camp under aspen circle. Hill. Looked like an army of marching, straight aspens. Windy paths like Fremont Lakes. Stone fire place. Table with benches. Outhouse. Ravioli, zucchini, wine. Sat around fire. Sad Amigo (Margo). Cook on soapy dishes over grill over fire. Ate on picnic table. Rob and Elizabeth on top. Ben and me in bus. Good ZZzzzzzz. Coolish. Recorder trouble (?). Snow moon light on trees.
Sunday, August 8, 1971
Omlettes. Yuuuuuummmmm. Left 8:45. Saw deer. Blue Mesa Reservoir. Rushing water, bear tracks, and noisy grasshopper stop. Uncompaghre (running River), bridge, walking challenge, Bear Creek Falls, Red Mountain. Iowa family to California. California to Indiana. Prairie dogs. Red creek. Mark and Birgil. Walk. VW stop. Glide down mountain to EVray gas station and expensive unfriendly eats. Sleep at Rotary camp site. Me out under circle of trees. Guys giggling. Margo and Elizabeth up top talking.
Monday, August 9, 1971
Up 8ish. Ben and me hitchhike with Clyde and long haired Mike to gas station with baseball girl attendant. Hitch back with Clyde and truck squat smoke. Tow truck to Montrose. Sat in Greenie VW backwards while towed. I slept. Ike’s Chevron gas station. Back pack to river and old Mexican mosquitoes. Backpack back to gas station. Engine capoot. Call Cy. Ike take Rob, Ellizabeth, and Margo to Uncompaghre site. Ben and me hitch. Clyde and family. Swim at damn down from yesterday’s site near California campers. Camp between slow moving water and fast moving. Stew and wine and zucchini and wine and smoke. Rob, Margo, Elizabeth, me and Ben. Most original proposition. How did Ben end up in my sleeping bag. Pee excuse.
Tuesday, August 10, 1971
Out of sleeping bags at sun got warmer. Swim at first site. Margo, Elizabeth, and me valiant efforts to ford running water swishing down to rock. Sun bathe. Lunch and back to camp site. Elizabeth, Ben, and me hitch to town with fireman and son. Met Cy! Tinker’s feast. To campsite. Elizabeth and me hitch ½ way back. Fix and fix and fix tow hitch. Leave 9:30. Drive til 6:30. Meteor. Moon reflecting on Blue Mesa. Deer, skunk, fox, lights out. Cy’s lack of 7 up. Scenic Denver tow with Uncle Bob’s Red Ford. Route 50 to 25.
Wednesday, August 11, 1971
Shower, breakfast, bed. Sleep til 1. lunch, lunch, lunch. Get Cy’s Dodge truck from Murphy, fed rap, marriage, Mexican tacos to Sam. Taco dinner and bean salad and chiffon dessert. Call Cathy F. Cut R’s stone. Slept out with Margo.
Thursday, August 12, 1971
Good will, Margo’s purple creation. Rob’s material. Sharon makes him Sapu CyCy shirt in exchange for tree shirt. Fix Cy’s truck. Bumper. To gas station. Bathing suit. Free pens. Abe Carter guy. Sleep and not sleep. Dream awake. Fake/curious. Lotus room. Stoned psychiatrist. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy and me dance and dance and dance. Beer. Slept out. Chocolate chip.
Friday, August 13, 1971
Waffles, wheat germ. Ben and Rob left. Sign. Margo, Cy, Elizabeth in Dodge to Red Rock after clean up and shop. Margarine and soap bubbles. Climbed amphitheater mountain. Hatchet women in cave. Route 285. North Platt (rafting –life preservers, hospital 9th grade campers). South Platt. Up tent. Wind blew. Shoots. Cy’s tent on Dodge. Hamburgers, green peppers, dindin, wine. Ate. Me in crappy mood but beauty to watch. Families next to us with gun. Up and moved from East. Elizabeth and Margo walk. Cold sleep. Popcorn and Frank, Bill…toilet paper pipe. Card tricks.
Saturday, August 14, 1971
Omelets. Cy’s. Elizabeth and I wade in river. Tubing. Cy and me. Ass up. Shoots. Diving off rocks. Short tube. Marge and me first long tube. Sun burn. Egg salad. Throw wood. Collect wood. Slide it. VW bus gentle couple hitch to phone. Five miles. Cold beer on tummy. Swedish Steig L. trumpet player. Barbecued chicken and rice and sald. Yum, yum, yum. Sex, pill, talk.
Sunday, August 15, 1971
French toast. Cy and me long tube. Margo to phone. Elizabeth and Margo long tube. Cy, Elizabeth and me together through shoots. Watch people dive. Northrop T. Shirt. Fat guy with overalls and baseball cap. Cooler and dive. Me bring cameras. Cy’s sand and rock boat (pans through sand canals). Elizabeth and me easy hitch. Not buy acid. Take tubes back. Ravioli from people we took camp site from. Hamburger and chicken chow mien, chocolate milk, peppers. Howling. Cy walk. Slept on cot and Stephens sleeping bat. Margo in bus.
Monday, August 16, 1971
John’s born. Happy birthday. Grilled cheese. Left 9:30. Trash bags. Mountain Route. Sante Fe. Route 85. Back to Stephens. Wash hair. Eat chock chips, grapes, bike ride with Mike. V.W. fixed. Tuna fish salad. Wine. Margo, Ben, and Rob drive 150 miles. Me and Elizabeth to bed early. Outside me. Back 1 pm. Talked til 2:30. Raided ice box.
Tuesday, August 17, 1971 (500 miles)
Left Stephens! Left Colorado. On way again to California. Laramie, Cheyenne, Green River Flaming Gorge. Ate neat river in railroad town. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy, and I climbed rockslide cliff. Sunset. Drove with Rob and Ben. Stars began coming out. Robs flying horse. Rock formation and shale cliffs. Red on rocks. Slept under bridge in back of Dodge. Cold. Margo in front.
Wednesday, August 18, 1971 (610 miles)
Early start. Hitch hiker whole way. John/Jack – family. Frisbee lunch stop. Hot, dry, thirsty. Salt Lake City. Ate on road near Lovelack (?). Frisbee behind back catch. Baked beans and hot dogs. My salad. Arrive Reno midnight. Stay three hours. Couple beers from John. Spent 10 cents with Margo to Crap table. Nice guy. English muffins.
Thursday, August 19, 1971
Slept at rest stop. Margo, me and John outside. Comfortable. John left early. Crayon. Others slept in until 8:30 or so. California. ZORBA. Margo, Elizabeth, Cy, and me to San Jose. Waited at Sacramento. Hitch hiker. Me slept. Big welcome for Cy. Signs on boat. Beer in little cans. Tacos and corn on cob. Drunk and happy. Puppies. Called home. Leave Amigo (Margo). Ben, Rob, Elizabeth, and me in Greenie. Drive from 8 pm til 12:30 to Guadalupe. Slept on way. Awesome phosphoresce and pulsating light. Walk to ocean. Yucky smell. Black fire tire feet. Double backrubs.
Friday, August 20, 1971
Elizabeth and I up top pop tent. Watched fisherman. Camped near Guadalupe by oil refinery. Breakfast at Chinese/Mexican place. Mounts of food. 75 cents or so. Drove near Pisno beach. Sunned and played in waves. Ate tortillas and concocted and drank Ben’s wine/brandy/fruit cocktail (Sangria) punch. Long haired doxins doggies. Dune buggies and motor cycles up and down beach. Met Cy at Cal Poly. Professor. Cadillac storage. P & J. Left Packard. Morrow Bay. Incredible trip down. Steak and sald and wine and rolls. African music and Super CyCy dancing. HOME AT LAST FOR ELIZABETH AND CY!
Saturday, August 21, 1971
I slept by fire outside trunk. 5 cars zooming around, up sand dunes and bypassing me. I got up and walked up sand dunes to view wide strip of ocean. View of Los Osos and trees. Ben stuck. Separate Eatons/Ben, Rob.
Drive to Nan and Greg Wocheck’s wedding. Clock fast but 20 more miles. Breaks out and stupid sisters. Mucho flowers, weird excerpts. Relaxed feeling. Food, potato salad, cake. Mike Bilberg and Cristi’s house. Showers, pictures, Alice in Wonderland.. Good dindin. Chicken, corn on cob, peaches. Play boy dope game. Gill, Mike, and Shelly, Dan. Bed and sleep. Too many clothes.
Sunday, August 22, 1971
Up at 10. Eggs and bacon. Clean dirty dishes and pans. Fix pants, Cy’s wallet. Drove to San Diego. To Toni’s and Carolyn Isakson. Had egg salad. Me poogie. Feeling Good Cy and Elizabeth. Beer and tumbling headstands. Limbo and dancing. Cy and Toni to beach. Sailor from South and Apollo moon flight rescue and hamburgers, potato salad, no one wanted. Slept awhile in bus, then on couch.
Monday, August 23, 1971
Off to Mexico. Tijuana and Ensenada. Beach time vs. Mexico time. Tempers and switching drivers. Cy sleep. Beer to sorta messy beach with good sand and tumble making waves. Elizabeth and I shot out of waves. Salty eyes . Shells. Shops and Mexican combination plates. $7.35 for five. No shirt for Amigo. Ben’s hammock. Nixon time at boarder. Sellers and honking. More time for heroin spill. Motorcycle accident. All slept on floor.
Tuesday, August 24, 1971
Met kids. Shower Hare Krishna people offer me readings but want money. I’ve lost my traveler checks. . Finally get new checks. Zoo via express place. Environmental zoo. Great huge trees and birds’ cage. Left Toni’s. Ben and Rob’s big caper 165. Drove to Los Angeles to see Mike and Christy. Ebou Manga (my Gambian friend?). Rob and Ben missed turn. Late. Chunky soup. Shower. My own bed. Quiet, slow. Clarity. Australia. Qui slo cla? Zoo –melody happy.
Wednesday, August 25, 1971
At 9 left for San Luis Obispo. I slept. No post office box. Bank. Meet Ben and Rob. Check on Loper house (People from Chile). Eat at A & W. Frenchie eat, eat, eat. Elizabeth and I walk around town. Craft shop. Bike shop. Liquor store. Boys work on bus til 9:30. Wine with Mr. Loper. Cork. Go to bar, band, pool table place. I ask others. Steve – fire fighter. Cy, Ben, Elizabeth, Rob, Me, and Steve dance. Strobe. (The Eye) next door me. So leave, walk. Climb onto fence. Rob help me off. Too many dumb questions. Slept on Ware house street. Elizabeth and Ben outside. Rob not well. Figured out awful smell. Gas! Gas woops.
Thursday, August 26, 1971
Keep sleeping in bus. Fix bus. Breakfast at motel place. Leave San Luis Obispo and Cy and Elizabeth. Here’s to Zorbonius, San Luis Obispo.
Stopped off route 1 – sunset beach. Cold water swim. Showers. Ahhhhh. Rob’s Susan. Eat. Fisherman’s wharf. Everybody ill but I ate my dinner. To Sausalito and house boats. Slept in bus. Ben on Hammock between bus and barrel. Dog bark. Trash collection. Car at barrier.
Friday, August 27, 1971
Breakfast and clean up sort of. Check evil’s houseboat. Wharf. Houseboat with stained glass windows and old Toni and huge Hans ? tiled bathtub and unfinished work. To Mouse. And leave Rob. Ben and I tour San Francisco. Nob Hill. Climb/legs/clear day view. Columbus. Fisherman’s wharf and lunch. Always hungry. Small stomach. Gin, Crème, and Egg white drink. Trolley car. Hang on. Greenie by nude bar area. Back to Mouse. Her man 35-55. Inside of ship –silver truck. We go to bar outside. Eat China town. Go to Berkeley. Walk. Phone home and Wochiks. Bar basement. Off to N R drive. Hands over water. Leave Orland 9:30. I slept outside. Mucho stars. Shooting and wished. Gnarled, many limbed tree ¾ circle. Eng man.
Saturday, August 28, 1971
Orland (5) to Lake Shasta, volcanic mountains, red soil, field of color to 42 at Myrtle Creek and Roseburg. Remote. Coos bay to 101.
We carved out a curve
Tilting one into one,
I followed a bend in the stream,
Forever reflections narrowing into cover
Monotonously passed, behind, and mine.
Blackberries, lumber, and shavings. Jap boats. Picnic spot near sand dunes. African grass and lighthouse. Older couple (Alaska maps). Sunset. Red flying ants. Ben’s macaroni. Spaghetti special in coffee pot and wine. French garlic bread, foil, Oregon corn on cob on log table. 5 me to ocean. Run and count steps. Moon. Take fire into my hand and run into the sea and be content. Camp site. Hot, hot shower. Stars. Squareback plans of travel, work, wood building Loom van.
Sunday, August 29, 1971
7:20 on Winchester Bay 101.
Along ocean, sea lions, seals. Greenie health treatment at Lincoln (101) to route five via 18 to 99 west Portland to 80 East. Cascades, mail project….trees on hill, club of old cars [Cy] Kid in bumper seat. Gas station yahoos. Swimming and beer in Arlington, Oklahoma. Long sunset. Old barges. 14 to 395 to 90 E. I drove. Camp in Fish trap o bottom of hill with “Atomic Tester” (radar) on top of hill. Lots of cricket sounding like animals. Cheese and yogurt supper. Sausage bugs and sand flees and mucho itching. Stars. Got hot after cascades. Woman bar tender (bicyclist from Massachusetts. Wheat farmer in San Diego navy, bartender never taken a vacation. Rob and Ben play pool for beers. I couldn’t lose. Watermelon and happy.
Monday, August 30, 1971
Up at 6. Scrambled eggs. Leave Fish trap about 6:45. route 990 East. St. Regis. 461 North (Paradise) to 28 north. Roding working. Misty rain. Hoboes laying track. Banana lake. [leave river. Me moody. Hare Krishna San Diego Zoo. 93 North, 2 East. (I drove). Flathead Lake. Glacier Park. Bar chaser. Hands across the River. Drive through park. …Shower Power Falls, snow, foggier and foggier. 3 hippies in ext blue bus; boy and girl working here. No weeks. To Lake outside of park. Salad, last of goulash, FIRE. Lake and Beaver noises. Best backrub. Cold and wet (stars) move in with
Rob when I hear creepy noises after seeing all the BEAR signs. Me too figidity. Him too. Finally sleep.
Tuesday, August 31, 1971
Laundry. Clean. Omelets and ham. Left 11:30. Route 89. Broke down outside of Browning. Fan belt, pulley. Ben and Rob search for parts. I have camera and books. To bars. Nappies. Pool. With brothers Walter (wife Mary Loud- high school); Cleyton, girl Elma (nurse) and cousin Eddie, play with old Pa and Barroom Betty. Burbon in bathroom. Go to Legion, drugstore, to Walter’s Pa’s tent. Big bonfire. I stay away and sober up by wind, wet, and stars. Back to fire. Elma and Cleyton look for me. Singing. They fight, leave, Eddie try to make me stay. Rob talk. Ben pass out. Back to bus. Lose watch. Bus rock in amazing wind storm. Rain.
Wednesday, September 1, 1971
We’ve been gone a month. I write while guys sleep. Coffee shop. No car part. Hitch to Kalispell. I walk in strong wind. Watch trains. Restaurant, train, Sears robot guy. Juju…talk…I sleep. V.W. parts. Eat at Smitthy’s –sign. Neat business. Traveler. College age kid; Lead guitar player. Everybody allowed to have own opinion. Bring war over here. He fight. Lived life. Truck driver (Matthew) crowded quarters. Own cab. Rafting double green florescent shifts. Blues tape. Fix car and leave. Dindin at Great Falls. Drive. See deer where we pulled off. Sleep.
Thursday, September 2, 1971 (865 miles)
Up at 7:30. Me drive. 15. 91 South, 28 75 to 90 East (Helena and 3 Forks)
Rob got ticket. Shit hurry. Nap and headache. Rob lunch. Yum. Glasses and pills in Hardin. Old man with arm bands in bar. Warm sun.
Driving long and weary
When a lone gnarled tree waved
Traveling homeless
When the stars gave shelter
Standing still
And everybody is elsewhere doing other things
When a breeze nudged me on
Feeling tight and aching
When the water gently whirled over me
And gave me rest.
Dinner of Sloppy Joe and salad on windy hill. Antelopes below. Finally I drove 1:30 until 5. 90 East and 16 East detour. Gas at old man’s warehouse. Sleep near Mitchell.
Friday, September 3, 1971
90 East to 29 South at Sioux Fall. Leave 9 AM. I sleep. Hot. 80 East. Lunch by yucky river. Ben and Rob drive. Hot. Sleep in bathing suit. Dinner at weed picking spot of August 2nd, 3rd fame near Iowa city. Scrambled eggs. Weeds on table. Nova Scotia walk. I drive 11 pm to 1:30 AM. Ben until 7:30. Me to home. Ben and Rob sleep. I talk to Mom and Dad.
Saturday, September 4, 1971
Clean out Greenie. Drive and move it. Pans and ice. Lunch. Ben and Rob leave.