The Clio messenger., 1916-10-27
STORY OF A LONG
AUTOMOBILE TRIP
VIM. ROSE TELLS OF 10000 MILE
RIDE
Good Roads. Splendid Weather. and
Many Strange Scenes Made
Journey Delightful

A trip of thirteen thousand miles, ex-
tending from Clio. Michigan, to the
states of Washington, Oregon and Cal
ifornia, and back again, in Ford auto
mobile, affords wealth of experience
too great for us to cover completely in
the limited space at our disposal and
renders it necessary for us in our story
of it to touch only the "high spots," as
it were. To hear some of the exper-
fences of the long journey, first hand,
from one of those who made it. proved
intensely interesting and we have hoped
that we might be able to transfer some
of this interest to the pages of The
Messenger.
The story properly begins in Clio,
where on the first of May, 1916. VIM.
Rose, his wife, and their two sons,
Claude and William set out in Ford
touring car for trip to the sunset
lands of the Pacific slope. They took
with them tent proportioned to their
needs, light bedding, a portable stove,
and during the whole journey camped
along the way as the attractions war
ranted or their wishes inclined them.
This, Mr.. Rose says, was one of the
most delightful features of the trip, as
they were thus enabled to live close to
nature all of the time and the glowing
camp fires, the beds under the stars
opJ fnod of thair nuro chano,pu oool> aJ
in primitive way, appealed strongly
to every member of the party. 1t
proved very healhful, too. as everyone
gained in weight and enjoyed perfect
health during the entire trip, which
: covered five months time. The roads
were fine for the greater part of the
way and no serious difficulty was ex-
perienced in that regard. In one place,
in forest reserve in the state of Mon
tana, the road led 85 miles through the
l unbroken forest and the going was
good for the entire distance. Think of
2 half days ride through an unbroken
stretch of primeval forest. Surely that
alone would be an experience which
would never fade from the memory
The journey from Michigan to Montana
was comparatively uneventful, but in
the last named state interest quickened
2 as the scenery increased in grandeur
and places of historic interest were
e reached. The trail westward lay
t through the Yellowstone Valley. first
traversed by Lewis and Clark, in 1904,
d and along which General Custer, the
gallant Michigan soldier, led his little
cavalry command to its doom at the
battle of the Little Big Horn, June 25
1876. Mr.. Rose and his family visited
n this battlefield, portion of which ha:
It been set apart as national cemetery
where on the peaceful hillside, will
e Old Glory waving overhead, 276 whit,
i headstones mark the last resting places
/. of that number of brave soldiers VIII,
o fell in an unequal battle with 6, 900 saw
ages. An Indian reservation known a
e Crow Agency, now occupies part o
t. the lands adjacent to the Custer battle
field and the Roses were much amuse,
:. at some of the customs of the Indian
d whom they saw there. These were no
IS Indians of the same tribes that tough
Custer, but they are as near the abor
]. iginal American as one often sees now
= aday, many of them painting thei
faces with brilliant stripes of yelloy
,e and red and wearing their hair in thic
W plaits over their shoulders after tn
r fashion of their ancestors. On thei
: way to the agency for the rations whic
l. the government issues, Mr.. Rose say
III procession of his family, riding ahea
st on horseback in stoical grandeur, Will
= struggling along on foot follow tn
squaw with papooses and other burden
- on their backs and children of variou
RS sizes bring up the rear.
u While on their way through Montana
r. the Clio party had the unique expei
ience of being the unwilling neighbors
lie for few hours, of the prisoners of
y; convict camp. In pitching their ter
= for the night Mr.. Rose and his famil
i noticed that number of men. a
1t dressed alike, were encamped a shor
s distance away, but being unacquainte
with the criminal regulations of tn
20 country they gave but little thought
,r the matter. The morning followin
IS several of the men wearing the gra
/ uniforms came over to Mr.. Rose
y camp and asked if he did not think tina
IS himself and family had been takin
IS long chances in lying down to see
'e within few rods of a camp of convicts
who included among their number high
:. waymen, bank wreckers, murderers
Il and other desperadoes. Mr.. Rose re
piled that he had not felt at all appre