PREFACE

hey, this works, how cool......... I composed a 2 page word document yesterday in anticipation of this blog.....here it is.....

PRIOR TO MAY 1973

LET ME PREFACE THIS: MY MEMORY SUCKS. I CAN ONLY REMEMBER 1 PERSON FROM MY SENIOR CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THERE ARE EVEN A COUPLE GIRLFRIENDS THAT I DON’T REMEMBER THEIR LAST NAMES. THAT PRETTY SAD. SO ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO BE WRITTEN IS WITH CATARACTS AND GLUCOMA.

THE PLAYERS:

ME, ARMY BRAT, 10 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN 12 YEARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. YOUNGEST OF 3 BOYS. SHY, INSCURE, OVERRIDING FEAR OF FAILURE, BUT EXPERIENCED TRAVELER

HENRY (AKA: HANK) SELBY AND JOE THOMPSON.

WE MET FALL OF 1964 AS WE ATTENTED THE SAME GRADE SCHOOL (NAME OF SCHOOL AND TEACHERS ARE WELL PAST MY MEMORY CAPABILITY’S) WE WERE 9 YEARS OLD GOING ON 10. WHY AND HOW WE BECAME FRIENDS IS A MYSTERY TO ME, BUT I KNOW BY THE TIME I MOVED (SUMMER OF 1965) I WAS PART OF THE FAMILY AT BOTH THE SELBY’S AND THE THOMPSON’S HOUSE. THE REASON WE STAYED FRIENDS WAS THAT MY GRANDPARENTS HAD ‘RETIRED’ TO A FARM OUTSIDE OF VERSAILES AND EACH SUMMER I WOULD ‘RETURN’ TO KENTUCKY TO VISIT THEM AND EACH SUMMER HANK AND JOE AND I WOULD ‘HOOK’ UP. THEY WERE MY ONLY LONG TERM FRIENDS I’VE EVER HAD. WE WERE ‘STRANGERS’ IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT COULD PICK UP THE ‘FRIENDSHIP’ THING EASILY EACH YEAR.

JOE: AS I CAN BEST REMEMBER, HE WAS NEVER IN A HURRY AND ALWAYS KNEW EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO WORKOUT…….DON’T WORRY….. KINDA OF LAID BACK AND SOFT SPOKEN. BUT, TIME IS TERRIBLE THING FOR A MEMORY, SO THIS WILL HAVE TO DO FOR NOW.

HANK: A THINKER, A QUESTIONER, MAYBE EVEN CYNICAL. LOVED AN ARGUMENT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LAWYER. LIKED ADVENTURE, WILLING TO TAKE CHANCES.


IT WAS MAY OF 1973. GRADUATION WAS JUST DOWN THE PATH. I HAD SAVED A COUPLE HUNDRED BUCKS TO BUY NEW GOLF CLUBS AND WAS PLANNING ON PLAYING GOLF ALL SUMMER (EXCEPT FOR THE 2 WEEKS I WORKED EACH AUGUST SHOVELING HORSE SHIT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK).
LIFE WAS PLANNED AND NOTHING EXCITING WAS ON THE HORIZON.

THEN JOE CALLED. HEY, BILL, HANK’S GOING TO BE AT A FAMILY RENUNION IN CARRIZOZO,NEW MEXICO WANT TO GO PICK HIM UP AND GO ON TO (THIS PART IS A BIT FUZZY) PORTLAND,OREGON. THEY ARE REALLY DOING GREAT STUFF IN THE JESUS MOVEMENT IN THE NORTHWEST AND I’D LIKE TO GO VISIT SOME PEOPLE I’VE MET.

OK, BACK UP THE BUS………..WHAT? NEW MEXICO, OREGON….HUH? !
WELL, AFTER BY INTIAL SHOCK WORE OFF MY BRAIN KICKED IN AND THE TRAVEL BUG STARTED TO WIGGLE.
OK, 1ST OF ALL WHAT ARE WE DRIVING?
2ND OF ALL HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST.
3RD OF ALL ARE OUR PARENTS REALLY GOING TO OK THIS?

I GUESS NUMBER 3 HAD TO BE ADDRESSED 1ST. I CAN NOT TO THIS DAY REMEMBER MY MOM’S REACTIION, BUT I WAS # 3 SON AND THE OTHERS HAD SURVIVED, SO MOST OF WHAT I REQUESTED DURING SR YEAR GOT AN OK. PLUS, DAD WAS IN VIETNAM AND WASN’T DUE BACK UNTIL JULY. I THINK SHE WAS JUST TRIED WITH EVERYTHING AND FIGURED I WOULDN’T DIE.

SO, I WAS CLEARED TO GO…….WITH CONDITIONS OF COURSE…… 1ST I HAD TO CALL EVERY SUNDAY, 2ND I WAS GIVEN A LIST OF NAMES FROM AROUND U.S. THAT WERE MILITARY FRIENDS THAT WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE WOULD TAKE US IN. (THIS CAME IN HANDY 2 OR 3 TIMES)

NOW, # 2………I STARTING CALCULATING MILES, COST OF GAS & FOOD, HOW MANY PLACES WE COULD MUNCH OFF OF, COST OF CAMPING IF NEEDED. DIVIDE THIS BY 2 FOR THE 1ST 10 DAYS AND DIVIDE BY 3 AFTER THAT…….OK, I’VE GOT $263.00 IN MY SAVING ACCOUNT. I’LL TAKE $200.00 AND THAT SHOULD BE OK……..

WHICH BRINGS US TO # 1. JOE’S TOYOTA LAND ROVER (CRUISER?). AH, YES. RADIO? DON’T REMEMBER ONE. AIR CONDITIONING, I DON’T THINKS SO. FIREWALL BETWEEN ENGINE AND YOUR FEET WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING SHOTGUN (HOT !). 3 ON THE COLUMN (GOOD THING WE ALL KNEW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. 2 BENCH SEATS IN BACK THAT FACED EACH OTHER. WE PUT A SHEET OF PLYWOOD TO CREATE A DECK THAT BECAME THE ‘SLEEPING’ AREA WITH MATTRESS AND PILLOWS AND ALLOWED STORAGE UNDERNEATH FOR THE ‘KITCHEN’ AND TENT. WE USED A LUGGAGE RACK ON TOP TO TIE DOWN THE SUITCASES AND COOLER. (AND AS RECALL THE LUGGAGE RACK WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS PARTICULAR VIHICLE AND WE HAD TO TIE IT DOWN WITH ROPE TO KEEP IN ON THE ROOF. WE HAD A SAFARI LOOK WITH ROPE RUNNING DOWN TO THE FRONT BUMMERS.MORE ON THIS DURING THE 1ST OR 2ND DAY ON THE ROAD)




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