What Do You See? (Chapter 22)

The next two weeks proved to be an endurance test for the Stewart family on many levels...

This was 1929 and there was NO super highway system in the country, only two lane roads, many of which were unpaved gravel and some only dirt roads. There were NO truck stops, no fast food places or McDonalds. Tourist "cabins" could be found, and mom and pop roadside cafe's that said "EAT" with a single gas pump out in front. NOTHING else, unless we came to a town where there was sometimes a hotel - sleazy at best! There were NO motels. In fact, the word "motel" didn't exist! We eagerly looked forward to the larger towns where there would be a clean hotel, a dining room, and clean beds with sheets.

Campbell would rent two rooms, one for the "men" (Eric, Irv, and himself), and one for the "girls" (mother, Martha, Helen, and me). Our first night on the road, we arrived in Kansas City, and that was lovely as we stayed at a beautiful hotel. After that it was all "down hill" as Pueblo, Colorado proved to be nothing very good accommodation-wise. But, that was the beginning of the real "Old West" that we had come to see. And it was INDEED! It was rugged, spectacular country - mountainous and beautiful. We picked up petrified wood, saw the Painted Desert, and I remember father getting out of the car to feel a giant Saguaro cactus twice as tall as himself!

When we arrived at the Grand Canyon in late afternoon, we all got out and stood in a spot on a lookout. Campbell said, "Martha, Nanny, tell me what you see!" All I could say was, "It's all pink and orange, and it's so BIG I cant see where it ends!" I have never forgotten that view!

And so the first week of our trip was over, and the second week was spent travelling up through California and Yosemite Park, followed by the trip up the coast to Oregon and finally Washington, and then the ferry to British Columbia and our destination - Vancouver, British Columbia!

A lot of human drama took place in the green Cadillac as it made it's way across the lower western states and up the coast. Father told stories, sang songs, played word games, and even recited some Robbie Burns as we chugged along through the mountains. Poor little seven year-old Irv got carsick every other day or so. Both Irv and Helen napped every afternoon on both sides of Campbell's lap. Martha and I did not need naps, and so were alert to everything. Campbell's question was always, "What do you see?" to both of us. We would describe what we saw at that moment. If we saw a particularly beautiful cactus flower or a range of mountains, we would describe it to him. He loved hearing about everything that we saw.

But we could not tell him what we saw in the front seat of the Cadillac...

It was so disturbing that we didn't mention it until we were tucked in our bed at night. Martha and I often had to share a bed on the trip as there were so many of us to accommodate.

The nightime conversations often went like this...

"Did you see her sharing her sandwich with him? They each took turns taking bites of it!"

"He's always squeezing her knee!"

"She's always touching him or wiping the sweat off his face!"

"Dad can't see anything they do...do you think we should tell him?"

"NO!"

"I hate him - dont you?"