Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1920 — LOG OF TRIP TO YOSEMITE [ARTICLE]

LOG OF TRIP TO YOSEMITE

WRITTEN BY JOHN WALKER, FORMER REPORTER OF THIS CIRCUIT. The following article from the pen of our former court reporter and very popular former fellow townsman is taken from the Tucson Citizen, published at Tucson, Ariz. The article will appear in installment of which the following is the first: The first log of a complete trip to Yosemite, through California, Idaho and Nevada, to be turned in in Tucson, has been made available through the courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. John Walker, who returned recently from the route. The log is exceptional in detail, full of experience and will be worth preserving by all those contemplating trips through ✓the country next year. The log, whilp not written for publication, is presented here in narrative form at the request of The Sunday Tucson Citizen. In concluding the narrative, several deductions as to the kind of tourist parking-* camp the tourists want are of general interest in view of the local attempt to establish a park here.

“We left Tucson on the 26th of June, and- made our first stop at Phoenix, and getting out of Phoenix early in the morning, drove to Parker that day, and owing to a storm did not get to cross the river that night. The weather going was cool, owing to rains in the mountains near the road. The road itself was about 50-50 from Phoenix to the Colorado. None of it wps dangerous in any way, but there would be stretches where it was possible to go from 30 to 40 miles an hour, and then there would be stretches that would be full of holes where it was very slow. At Parker there is a choice of two routes to Needles, either the canyon road or the Parker cut-off. The former follows a narrow canyon in the mountains for six miles, and #hile it is slow, it is not at all dangerous only in time of rain, when all the water from We mountains drains down into this canyon, necessitating your hunting a high place for your machine until the water recedes,' or else running the risk of being flooded. The cut-off road is shorter by some 15 miles, but is very dangerous owing to the intense heat. No work has been done along the road, and there is no opportunity to get assistance should anything go wrong. There is 98 miles of endless desert, most of it below the sea level, and should a tire have to be changed or anything else go wrong with your machine, it is ahnost suicide to work in the sun. From Needles to Barstow, with the exception of 30 miles of road, it’is generally* good. These 30 miles are rough, but passable. From Barstow to the top of Cajon Pass, the road is unpaved, but good country road. At the top of t pass you encounter the paved road, and yous road troubles are over. On topping the pass, one of the most beautiful valley views m the country is obtained. While it is not an entirely cultivated valte y , rt was nevertheless a beautiful one with the rugged mountains as far boundary, and the small rocky bills with here and there a ed spot m between. Santa Fe railroad runs through the far side of the valley, and to see one of their long trains come creeping down out of the hills, twisting and winding like a large snake gives one some idea of engineering feat it was to put a■ rail*»ad thru.

Road Well Signed. “From here to Los Angeles, the road book published by Harry Lode i B a wonderful help to the fowst In it is correctly recorded ev snot where a traveller could get off the road, and notations mad® where water, oil, gas and meals can be obtained. After the Colorado river is crossed, the road is well signed by the Southern Calitornia Auto Club. These signs are so placed that one cannot go wrongIn addition to the signs placed on Xe they have also designated their official garages and houses, and it is well for th® efer to patronize these a <reß and hotels where possible. As an illustration, when going J Ludlow we were accorded of treatment at the official garage, and then went to the official but had a “full house” and we wgrt to another restaurant, ran by th® company as we were told, and ate a sandwich and drank a cup very weak tea, and when the ball was presented, it was Sts for the sandwich and tea. Upon questioning this charge asa one, the lady said that that was the price, and of course, there was nothing left -bi#, to pay it. Tins was the only instance Where we rereceived anything treatment. Being a member of the California Automobile Club, upon calling at their Mid telling the officials sired to go, we were Supplied vntn maps showing the entire an on these maps were hidicated the naved and unpaved roads, as well as 31 other information and **** U J®* ful to strangers goang through the C °“w7 took the coast route from

Los Angeles north, and at is one continual boulevard, with short stretches here and there where the road is not paved. As a result of this good road, there are many accidents due to excessive speed, and misjudging distance in passing. We saw several machines that had been in accidents, and several people seriously injured. Upon reaching Ventura, the road follows the ocean for miles, and to the Arizonan, this is a wonderful sight, as well as extremely pleasant to run in the cool ocean breeze. We camped on the beach near Ventura on die night of July 3rd and before morning the entire beach as far as we could see was lined with campers that had come out to spend the 4th. Upon leaving our camp ground, we drove by easy stages up the coast, taking breakfast in Santa Barbara, and visiting the old mission of Santa Barbara located near the town. The Father who showed us through was very entertaining in his explanation of the history connected with the mission. He showed us the grave of an Indian woman who, upon finding that her baby had been forgotten on the island upon which she had been living, jumped off of the ship and made her,way back to the island, and remained there alone for 18 years. The baby was never found, supposedly having been eatep by wild dogs which inhabited the island. Upon being rescued, she only lived a few days, and was buried in the garden of the mission. He also took us up in the tower and let us look down into the Fathers’ garden, in which a woman has never entered. Many other points of interest were pointed out and the history connected with it explained. (To Be Continued.)