A transcript from my Diary of our California vacation in June and July 1970, as it was written by me back then (age 15). My parents packed us four kids up in a VW camper and proceeded to California and back! I don't know how they did it but as you will see, it was one heck of a trip! I kept a diary on the trip, and these are my exact words that were written in 1970. 


 

 *Note- the map links are all google maps and can be zoomed in or out by using the controls.

                                                   Cathy                Tom        Ken         Carey
                                                               VW Camper in 1970

Note: there were six of us on the trip. \The camper slept 4, Mom and Dad and the girls. The boys slept in a tent that could either be hooked up to the side of the camper or be set up on its own.



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June 14 1970

Where: At Home - London 
Weather: Unstable - rain and sun 

 It is 5 days till we leave now and most of us can hardly wait till then. The drug convention just finished so there is still a lot to be done. Dad washed and waxed the camper today and hes cleaning the inside now. I am out of school now so I'll probably have to do a few things to help. 
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June 15 1970

Where: At Home - London 
Weather: Unstable - cool and rain 

 We went to the bank today and withdrew our money. I ended up with 41 dollars American money. (Adjusted for inflation, $41.00 in 1970 is equal to $303.21 in 2022). Mom owes me 6 more too. We are starting to get some of the clothes ready. We will be packing either today or tomorrow because there are only 3 days left to prepare. We are going to leave very early on Friday.
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June 16 1970

Where: At Home 
Weather: Hot 80's 

 I was away for a lot of the day so I really don't know what happened as far as preparations go. I took my Clarke Road (High school in London Ontario) jacket up to be dry cleaned and have to get it Wednesday. Mom has got all of the clothes piled up on on the couch. Dad brought the film and the medicine for the trip. Eric (Rasimus) lent me his diving mask for the summer because he is going to Germany.
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June 17 1970

Where: at home
Weather: Rainy but Hot

Well the clothes are all in the camper now and the food is the only thing left to do. Tomorrow is the last day we will spend in Canada for a month because we will leave at 5:30 a.m. Friday. I got my Clarke Road jacket back this morning (cost $1.25). Dad is going to bring the film for my camera tomorrow.
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June 18 1970

Where: At Home
Weather: Rainy and Hot - 74 - 80

Did and I just finished loading the sleeping bags and the rest of the camping equipment. It is hard to believe that July 19 could come so fast. All the preparations are through except that I have to get a haircut (yech!) Its 4:45 p.m. now so I figure we have about 12 hours left before we leave.
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June 19 1970


Where: Glenwood Farms Illinois 
Weather: Cold during the day then hot 
Miles Today: 493 

 We started from London at about 6:10 a.m. and headed on our way to Sarnia with Mom driving. We switched drivers at the Michigan border and made the long trip completely across the ste to Indiana. We got there at about 1 p.m. our time. When we got near Gary Indiana we reached a point where there was a bad tie up due to construction. We lost about a half hour. We arrived at Marseilles at about 4 p.m. and had only a little difficulty finding Glenwood Farms. It is a fairly good camp set up in a dude ranch style. We went swimming in a lake and took a short look at Marseilles tonight. Dad got his watch fixed at a jewellery store and got a bargain on the price. Everyone here seems to be very interested in our trip and a few have asked questions. We will try to get up at about 6 a.m. tomorrow. 
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June 20 1970

Where: Omaha Nebraska (K.O.A.) 
Weather: Rain while driving 
Miles Today: 485 

 We started from Illinois at 7:05 a.m. and ran into rain quickly. For the rest of the day we were going from rain to sun and back again. We traveled completely across the state of Iowa and about 20 miles into Nebraska. For about 5 Minutes in Iowa the rain fell so hard that we could hardly see. We arrived at the KOA at about 4 p.m. and our first impressions were yecchh! but it is just new and we are finding that it is not so bad. After supper we took a drive and found a farm that has about every type of cattle that I have ever seen. We estimate 5,000 head of cattle on one farm. The name is Leo Timmerman and sons limited, Nebraska. 

Click for Maps
Todays Travel Map (approximate route)


 Tom's note: I found this listing on the web. It is near Omaha so I'll bet this is it! Timmerman & Sons Feeding Co Inc. Mary Meister PO Box 367 Springfield NE 68059 402) 253-2218

 

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June 21 1970

Where: Ogallala Nebraska
Weather: Beautiful and Warm 
Miles Today: 368 

 We slept OK at the K.O.A. and were ready to leave at 7:30 a.m. We didn't leave the state of Nebraska and we didn't have to travel as far as the first two days. At Minden we stopped for about 2 1/2 hours at Pioneer Village which is a place containing antiques all having to do with America's history. We arrived at Ogallala at about 3 p.m. but had trouble finding the Lake McConaughy camp so we ended up in the Lake Ogallala camp at about 4 p.m. After supper we had a short swim in the Lake and we are playing Jarts now. We expect to get to the interesting mountains tomorrow. We also met some people from London!
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June 22 1970

Where: Estes Park Colorado
Weather: Hot all day - some rain 
Miles Today: 293 

 We got up earlier than ever today ( 5 a.m. ) and headed for Cheyenne Wyoming. We expected to see mountains from Cheyenne but didn't see any until we got to Colorado. Coming out of Cheyenne we took the wrong highway and ended up about 15 miles off course. We finally got on track and headed up the side of the mountains. The road was spectacular and we stopped at a few places to take pictures. The VW took the climb to 8,000 feet quite well. We are camped about 5 miles outside of Estes Park in the Ponderosa Camp Ground which is really a nice place. I think we can finally sleep in tomorrow because we have only 140 miles to travel.

Click for maps   
Route Map
                                                                  Estes Park in 1970
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June 23 1970

Where: Colorado Springs Colorado 
Weather: Very hot - 90's / Rain 
Miles Today: 182 

 I slept really well in the Ponderosa and got to sleep in till 7:30 a.m. When we were ready to go we debated on going into Rocky Mountain National Park or sticking to the schedule. We were finally forced by Mom to stick to the schedule. When we reached Monument Lake Resort, it was scorching hot, and we could barely stand it. After lunch we went to the Air Force Academy and had an interesting tour. The place is unbelievably huge! Approx. 18,000 acres. Our tour included the chappel, the sports stadium, the planitarium and many others. From there we went to the Garden of the Gods which is a place close to Pikes Peak and Manitou Springs. There are many large odd rock formations made of red sandstone. They were very beautiful and I used a lot of film (*Tom's note - where are my pictures today???) Tomorrow we don't have to take down the tent and we will not have to get up till around 9 a.m.

Click for maps

Garden of the Gods


                                            US Air Force Academy
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June 24 1970

Where: Side trip to Canon City Colorado / Royal Gorge 
Weather: Hot in the 80's till later in the day 
Miles Today: 168 

 We slept in until about 8 a.m. and didn't leave Monument lake resort until 9:30. It was only 60 mile to Canon City so we didn't take too long to get there. We were stopped at the gate and we decided to buy tickets to the inclined railway. (By the way I left out one point. Before we actually got to the Gorge we took a mini train ride to the rim of it!) We then drove across the highest suspension bridge in the world and ate lunch on the other side. After lunch we went back over the bridge and by that time Mom was nearly crawling the walls. We then went down the inclined railway which goes to the bottom of the gorge. After that ride was done we returned to Monument Lake resort and arrived at about 5 :15 p.m. At 8 we went to a rodeo which was really interesting! Tomorrow we have a long haul over the mountains,

Click for maps
                                                                      Inclined railway                                
Royal Gorge

Royal Gorge Miniature Train
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June 25 1970

Where: Hermosa Meadows Colorado 
Weather: Very Hot 
Miles Today: 354 

 We made the rather long but spectacular trip over the mountains to Durango Colorado today. The only boring part about it was when we hit the flat plateau between the two ranges. I would say that Hermosa Meadows was the best camp so far. The washrooms are excellent and there was a cool fast running river nearby. Ken accidentally threw a rock at my foot and smashed it up. The lady at the camp showed slides of the Colorado area and I wish we could stay in Colorado longer. It is the best state we have been in so far
.
 

Click for maps

 Hermosa is now closed!
. In April of 2003, Hermosa Meadows CamperPark will no longer be operating as a campground. We do appreciate our many loyal campers. Our wish is for you to visit Durango and enjoy your stay in the area; whether a past guest or future guest. 
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June 26 1970

Where: Grand Canyon 
Weather: 115 inside camper 
Miles Today: 340 

 We left Hermosa and gradually entered the desert. The thermometer rose until it hit 100+! We could barely stand it and kept splashing the dish cloth on ourselves. We stopped at four-corners where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado all meet at one point. When we finally reached the Grand Canyon we were nearly cooked alive! At the higher altitudes, however, the temp. decreased slightly down to 90. By the way, Mom, Dad and Carey are sleeping in a cabin and the rest of us are in the camper. The temp. should go down to 55 or 60. We are here tomorrow too. 

Click for maps


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June 27 1970

Where: Grand Canyon Arizona 
Weather: Very Pleasant Miles Today: 60

We got up at about 8 a.m. and had a good breakfast inside. We then hopped into the van and proceeded to tour the canyon by stopping at various observation points. The Canyon is fantastic and we learned some interesting facts from the ranger. 1) It is a mile deep 2) It is nine miles across 3) The Colorado River is as wide as a football fields length 4) If the empire State building was set on the river, we couldn't see it from the top of the canyon. After lunch we drove around some more and then Ken and I walked the path along the rim. We had several interesting experiences (*Tom's note - I was referring to the Underwear Incident, you can ask me about it, but what goes on in the canyon, stays in the canyon!) I would say it was the most enjoyable part of the trip so far. We met up with Mom and Dad at the Hopi house (see below) and had a very delicious salad supper. We have to get up at 5 a.m. to avoid the heat!  

Click for links


                                                                   Grand Canyon

Hopi House

Indian handicraft and souvenir shop in Grand Canyon Village. The Hopi House has been a showcase of genuine Indian handcrafted art objects since 1905 and is itself a work or art. It was named as a National Historic Monument in 1987. The Hopis have lived in the same villages here for over 900 years, longer than any other community in the present-day United States. Their baskes, silver jewelry and pottery are highly prized.



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June 28 1970

Where: Bryce Canyon Utah 
Weather: Hot and Windy 
Miles Today: 351 


 We traveled from the Grand Canyon to Bryce and arrived at about 2 p.m. On the way we saw pretty well all of Bryce canyon National Park by driving along the road and stopping at all the lookouts. Most of us agree that Bryce is much prettier than the Grand Canyon. Another side trip on the way that I forgot to mention was through the Moqui Indian cave. It had a flourescent mineral display and I bought a pair of moccasins. Now every kid has a pair. 

Click for maps

The amazing Bryce Canyon


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June 29 1970

Where: Zion National Park 
Weather: Warm and Windy 
Miles Today: 109 


                                                                 Zion National Park

 We left Bryce and headed down the 90 miles to Zion. We arrived at about 1 p.m. After lunch at a drive-in we went along in the car and stopped at various viewpoints. Zion is the opposite of Grand Canyon and Bryce in that you are in the Canyon and looking up. We also saw such things as huge arch in the rocks and tall very rocky peaks. From here we go to Las Vegas for two days. We will all be in the motel and that saves us the time and effort in not setting up the tent. 

Click for maps
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June 30 1970

Where: Las Vegas Nevada 
Weather: Very Hot 
Miles Today: 181 

 Due to time change and everything we arrived here at about 10:30 a.m. and ate lunch at an all you can eat place. We are in the Old West Motel with a swimming pool and TV's. Mom and Dad went to dinner and saw Pat Boone and then went to another midnight show. We sat here till 1 a.m. watching the TV. Tomorrow I hope we can get out and see a lot of the place and at night I want to see the lights. This is a really fabulous place! 




                                                                     Vegas - 1970



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July 1 1970

Where: Las Vegas Nevada 
Weather: Very Hot 
Miles Today: 21 

 We got up in the morning and went to the gambling casino called Circus Circus. Ken and I played the pin-ball machines and mom and Dad won $16 on the slots. After that we had a swim in the pool and then watched TV till 5 p.m. The we had another swim. After that we drove down the strip to see the big places such as the Riviera, The Sands, Ceasar's Palace, The Stardust, The Sahara, The Desert Inn and so on. After dark we walked to downtown Vegas and the neon was fabulous! You would never believe it! At midnight Mom and Dad went to see Totie Fields. 




 
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July 2 1970

Where: Las Vegas Nevada 
Weather: Very Hot (110) 
Miles Today: 14 

 We got up at 10:20 and ate breakfast. Then we went to Circus Circus and I spent $3.00 ($22.70 in 2022 dollars! LOL) there. The place is just fabulous and its the highlight of our trip so far. We saw a lot of Circus acts performed above the gambling tables! We stayed there till 4 p.m. and then came home to the Motel and had a swim. After our swim we went to Bob's Big Boy to eat. I had a fish sandwich and it was very enjoyable. After supper we enjoyed our last dip in the pool. We have to get up at 2:30 a.m. to cross the desert.



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July 3 1970

Where: Yosemite National Park 
Weather: Very cool at night 
Miles Today: 385 

 We left Las Vegas at 3 a.m. so we could beat the heat of crossing the desert. We arrived at the Calif. border at about 10 a.m. today and traveled for about another hour to Yosemite. The camp that we are in is quite dirty and there are a lot of weird looking hippy type guys around, but most of them seem to be good natured and friendly. We (Ken, Cathy, and Me) took a walk up the side of a mountain but that was the extent of our activities for today. We are getting rested for our trip to the valley tomorrow. 

Route Map (Approximate) 



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July 4 1970

Where: Yosemite Park California 
Weather: Hot in the Valley 
Miles Today: 118 

 When we got up this morning and were getting dressed we were greeted by Dad saying "there are bears in the trees by the washroom!" and when I got there, sure enough, there was a brown bear and her two cubs trapped up a tree. We got bored looking at then after a while and decided to leave for Yosemite valley. The temp. slowly got higher until it was around 100. The park doesn't impress me that much due to the fact that most of the sites are off the main road. We saw the visitors center and a couple of waterfalls before we came back. Tomorrow we leave for San Francisco. I am really looking forward to that! 

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July 5 1970

Where: Portola Park - San Francisco 
Weather: Cool (54) 
Miles Today: 304 


 We left Yosemite at about 7 a.m. and drove down a highway the wound back and forth and up and down and all over! Once we got into the San Francisco / Oakland area there were sites galore. We saw the hockey stadium (Oakland Seals) baseball stadiums, (Giants and A's) and others like San Quentin and The Golden Gate bridge. The whole city is built on a hill and all the streets go straight up. (and down of course!)After leaving Frisco we headed for Portola campground down a 7 mile winding road that was murder to drive. We have a nice spot beside a stream. After supper we took a walk on Coyote ridge. 

                                                                   Coyote Ridge Trail
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July 6 1970

Where: Pismo Beach Park California 
Weather: Cool (in the 60's) 
MOM's Birthday 
Miles Today: 280 

 We left about 7 a.m. and drove along California Highway #1 which is the coast road. WE had many views of a lot of beaches and big surfs. One such area was Big Sur. We went about 150 miles along the coast until we arrived at Pismo Beach where we had some trouble finding a campsite. The are we are in does not allow tents but the man lets us in anyway and we finally found a spot big enough. I forgot to mention that on the coast road we took a 17 mile drive to Pebble beach and other areas that went all along the ocean. 

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July 7 1970

Where: Leo Carillo State Beach 
Weather: Warmer than yesterday 
Miles Today: 167 

 We slept well at Pismo although I hated being aroused at 6 a.m.! The highway wasn't as scenic as yesterday and we arrived here before noon. We ate lunch and then went down to the beach. The waves are really cool. They stay calm until the very edge then they rise high and crash down on everyone below. We then did laundry and ate supper. Later on we went back to the beach but were soon kicked out by the lifeguard for swimming in unsafe water. To top it all off we got a parking violation but luckily it was just a warning. 
                                                              Leo Carillo State Beach
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July 8 1970

Where: Carillo - Universal Studios 
Weather: Warm and Sunny 
Miles Today: 97 

 Our Main purpose today was to see some of Hollywood. After we arrived in Santa Monica we decided to tour Universal Studios. The admission was nothing compared to what we saw! We saw the office building which doubles for "Howard Publications" in "The name of the game". We saw a sound stage where they film "H.R. Pufnstuf"and the car used in "It takes a thief". We went on to see the plane used in "Airport". We also saw Gene Barry's and Lloyd Bridges' dressing room. We went through the house area and saw Beaver Cleaver's house and the Munster's house and the house used in "The Birds". We also saw areas used in filming "The Virginian" which is now called "The men from Shiloh". We went through the areas used in the old dracula and frankenstein movies. We saw a fake Mexican, American, European and Western city. We also saw McHales Lake and his PT Boat used in "McHales Navy". The experience was fascinating! 




 TV Shows that I mentioned (IMDB) 
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July 9 1970

Where: Doheny State Beach 
Weather: Cool - Hot - Cool 
Miles Today: 110 
 We traveled along highway #1 through L.A. today. The city is about 80 miles across. We arrived at Doheny State Beach at noon. Our campsite is just about on the beach! We went to San Juan Capistrano Mission, founded in 1776. The gardens were really fabulous. Tomorrow we go to Disneyland. We stay here 2 more days. 
                                                                  San Juan Capistrano



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July 10 1970

Where: Doheny - Disneyland 
Weather: Hot Miles Today: 71 

 Well we went to Disneyland today and all I can say is Wow! Here is the list of rides that we went on: 1- Peoplemover - cars tour Tommorowland 2- Autopia - drive car on a track 3- Flight to the moon - simulated mission 4- Submarine Voyage - travel through a lake. very good. 5- Train through the Grand Canyon 6- Indian War canoes - paddle around a river 7- Mark Twain riverboat - voyage on a river 8- Pirates of the Caribbean - very good! Through caves. Pirates burn a village (Pirates of the Caribbean) 9- Haunted Mansion - very good horror house 10- Jungle Cruise - on a river. alligators hippos etc. 11. Tiki Room - birds and flowers singing 12. Swiss Family Robinson tee house ....all of the rides were great but one of the greatest was 13. Matterhorn Bobsleds - a ride down a mountain at lightning speeds. There were also a many great free displays.


 




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July 11 1970

Where: Doheny - Knotts Berry Farm 
Weather: Hot Miles Today: 93

We decided to travel to Knott's Berry Farm which is an old Western Ghost town with various rides and attractions. One good ride was a log ride through a mountain. We are at a restaurant and I had the best biscuits and Jam I have ever had! The place is rather nice but not as good as Disneyland. 

Knott's Berry Farm Location 

Doheny State Beach Location 

Knott's Berry Farm Today 

Old Souvenir Timber Mountain Log Ride

Careen through the darkness of a twisting 2,100-foot waterway at speeds of 8 - 12 feet per second and plummet down a furious flume propelled by 24,000 gallons of water at your back.




 


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July 12 1970

Where: Palm Springs California 
Weather: Extreme heat (110) 
Miles Today: 130 
 We traveled through some desert into the extreme heat of Palm Springs. We searched around for a motel and found one which has units with separate cabins. The pool was outside our door and we used it quite a bit! We went up on the 2 1/2 mile long 1 mile high aerial tramway. The temperature at the top was 40 degrees lower than the 110 on the bottom. Thw whole thing was very enjoyable and was a pleasant escape from the heat.

 

Route Map (Approximate) 
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July 13 1970

Where: Palm Springs California
Weather: Hot!
Miles Today: 756 (combined with tomorrow)

We are staying at our motel till 6 p.m. so the heat will be a little less and so we just layed around and had a few swims till 6. After we packed and hopped in and started on our way. I am going to sleep on the floor of the camper now.
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July 14 1970



Place: Albuquerque New Mexico
Weather: Hot
Miles Today: 756 (combined with yesterday)

We travelled on and on through the night and us kids slept in the back and on the floor of the camper. We went on for 750 miles until we reached a Red Arrow Campground about 25 miles past
Albuquerque. The trees are real small and there is not much shade from the heat. We have 5 more days left. It seems that we have only been gone for a few weeks. Tomorrow we are going about 350 miles to Texas.
(P.S. When we first entered New Mexico a man in a Standard station tried to give us the bull and make us buy a new set of tires, but we soon caught on and got out of there.)

Location map
Route Map
Albuquerque Today

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July 15 1970

Place: Shamrock Texas Weather: Warm - Good Breeze Miles Today: 356 We left our New Mexico camp at about 20 after 8. We made poor time because the wind was against us. We were going to shop in Amarillo Texas but we missed our turn and we didn't find any other shopping center. Our camp in Shamrock is a Red Arrow Camp. It has a pool and good washrooms. Location of Shamrock Route Map Shamrock Today History of Shamrock
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July 16 1970

Place: Miami Oklahoma 
Weather" Hot - Air Conditioned!" 
Miles Today: 379 

 We got up early (as usual) and left Texas right away. We stopped quite a few times and I bought a souvenir for Grandpa and Grandma Thomas at Howard Johnson's. When we arrived in Miami we decide to have a motel and us kids will sleep in the camper. (not Carey). When we saw our room we were surprised to see a colour TV!. There is a pool here too and we went swimming twice. There is also a restaurant here and we decided to eat dinner there. The whole meal was great except for the hamburger steak. Tomorrow we go to Missouri. 

Re: Colour TV in 1970
Officially launched in both English and French at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 1966, at the beginning of Canada's 100th year as a nation. Colour broadcasts from the United States had been available since the mid-1950s. A mandatory transition to colour for all transmitters took place between 1969 and 1976 on all English and French channels. CBC began full-time colour broadcasts in 1974. Full-time colour officially achieved between 1976 and 1977.

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July 17 1970

Place: Meramec State Park, Missouri 
Weather: Hot and Humid 
Miles Today: 296 
 We got up at 6:45 and left Miami soon after. We were heading for Missouri and the caves that are there. When we arrived at our campground we had trouble finding a spot, but we finally got settled. We met our neighbours who are the "Dogwood campers of Missouri". We then drove to the Caverns and decided to take the tour. We walked a mile and a half through stalagmites and tites. We saw the largest stalagmite in the world. We really enjoyed the whole walk and I wish I could see some more of the caves in Missouri. Tomorrow we see St. Louis. 
                                                                    Meremac Caverns


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July 18 1970

Place: La Porte Indiana 
Weather: Dull and Windy (80's) 
Miles Today: 423 

 We got up early again and headed for a resort which is supposed to be as good as Timber Shores. We travelled for a while on the same highway and we saw the same restaurant across the highway in Indiana. When we arrived at La Porte we saw that it was still under construction and it has only been open for camping for two weeks! Our spot is nice but it would be even better when they really get this camp going. This is our last camp before we get home. Approx. 325 - 50 miles away. I will be writing the next page in London. 

Re: Timber Shores. This was a campground that we had previously camped at in Michigan. We had all loved it there.
Once among the largest and most popular RV campgrounds in the midwest, Timber Shores was revered as a vacation destination in the mid-60s to late-70s. After the energy crisis that began in 1973 made travel too costly and the nation endured times when gas wasn’t even available, the campground struggled and never recovered its former allure when it teemed with resorters who filled travel trailers, campers and tents on about 700 sites.

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July 19 1970

Place: London Ontario 
Weather: Rainy and cool 
Miles Today: 300 

 We got up today to the sound of rain coming down hard on the tent and proceeded to slosh around in the mud trying to get the thing down. When we finally got packed, everything was wet and muddy. We then headed on our way home. In Albion Michigan we stopped to see some old friends from Timber Shores, the Saurers. They have a beauty house with a colour T.V. and wall to wall carpeting. We ate lunch and then proceeded to Canada. Everyone was glad when we finally pulled up into our driveway. Tomorow we will unpack and get everything dried out. 

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