A Long Trip With Family

HELLO FOLKS! — It is vacation time again and that is just what we are doing at this writing.

A long distance telephone call from Grandma Barnes brought us to the realization that this was the year of their Golden Wedding anniversary and that they were expecting us all to be there.

Our family is so large that we hadn't expected to take another long trip together. However, this was to be no ordinary visit. After all, 50th wedding anniversaries don't come often.

We talked over a number of different plans and finally decided that the most practical plan was for us to pack all twelve into the station wagon, hook a trailer behind for all the luggage and take off. We would be crowded, but with proper planning and schooling the discomfort would be held to a minimum.

Haying delayed us a bit. We finished haying the afternoon of the 15th, then packed the luggage and took off.

We had decided to try traveling through the night. The children had tested out the idea of all sleeping in the car and felt that it would work. With Vera and I taking turns driving we got along pretty well.

The weather man cooperated perfectly and gave us the weather we wanted. We got to the Badlands at four a.m. The day was just beginning to break, Mark woke up and said, "It it getting daytime?" "Yes" said his mother, "Good, then I won't have to go to sleep again."

The trip was planned with the children in mind and especially for them. After all we don't expect to take such a trip again with most of the family.

They Enjoyed It

THEY ENJOYED the romp around the Badlands immensely. The sun was not yet up and I think that is the time of day when they are the most beautiful. The sun peeped over the horizon just as we left the place and the shadows of the car and trailer could be seen away over on the further slopes. The children got a real charge out of looking for them.

The drive through the Black hills was most memorable. The children had not been there before and by knowing what to expect we could prepare them for each exciting episode. The tunnels were the most exciting for the younger ones and the Cosmos was what the older ones enjoyed the most.

We picnicked along the way and for the benefit of those of you who are planning to take a trip and want to do a lot of eating out, remember that all along the way there are picnic grounds and that are really nice with many of them having water and modern facilities.

Roads are very good too, for the most part. A good share of the new roads are being built on new routes and do not interfere with the roads now used.

We spent several hours in Cody and went through the Yellow Stone Park. I'll tell you about it next week.