The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-15
WHEEL ACROSS COUNTRY
MANkATO FOLK WRITE OF
TRIP TO THE COAST
Splendid Outing Enjoyed BY Mr..
And Mrs. Joe Davies In
Their Auto
IlT.lT.?
JOE DAVIES

JOE DAVIES
Los Angeles, October 9.-We left
Mankato August / ana made our first
stop at Madison Lake where we were
entertained at six O'Clock dinner at
the summer home of h. H. Perrin,
after which We left for Eiysian where
we spent a week at Lake Francis.
We left Elysian on Sunday, the
eighth, and arrived at La crosse,
Wis, at 4 p. m. We measured the
gas and found that we had used but
seven gallons to cover 148 miles, av-
eraging twenty one miles TO the
gallon. After spending a week at
La Crosse visiting friends and rel
atives, we left there on Sunday, Au-
gust Is, and spent our first night on
the road camping in Schoolyard.
We found the sedan made a regular
pullman car we had the back OF the
front seat fixed so that we could
lower it back and make a bed in the
car, using basket OF canvas which
we hung from the inside OF the car
over sour bed for the baby, we slept
like bugs in a rug, as comfortable as
could be. WezEot up early the next
morning and had our first breakfast
in camp using our touring kit and
camp cook kit to advantage. We ar
rived at Fort Dodge, Ia, Tuesday at
2:3O where we found Bacock's house
and were informed that they were
at Mankato but were expected home
that afternoon, so we took possession
of the house and when Babcock ar
rived we had a pleasant visit with
them and also with RUDE Foster and
his sister, Mrs. Foster. who called on
the Babcacks while we were there.
Leaving Fort Dodge the next morn
ing we drove to Omaha. The roads
are fine through Iowa, and enjoying
the trip immensely with the eXcep-
ton of a rain storm which we ran
into outside of Council Bluffs, and
which continued throughout the night.
We visited relatives at Omaha and
Auburn, Neb., until the following
Monday, when we left for Stromsburg,
Neb., arriving at p. m, for an over
night visit with George Presson and
family. Upon leaving Stromsbu
we left all relatives behind and start
ed on our trip west going over the
Meridian Hig hway to Grand Island,
Neb., and then to Kearney, Neb.,
where we found a regular camping
ground for tourists. During that
hight it rained and we found 1t nee
essary to stay over day at kear-
a bit. We left Kearney the follow
ing morning and when out Of kear-
ney about ten miles we met two cars
stalled in the road, one with a Min
nesota license number. We asRCd
the man driving the car with the
Minnesota license where he was from
and he replied that his name was
Smith and that he was from Pipe
stone and going to Los Angeles. He
was driving Velie sedan which he
had purchased from Doty at Man
kato and han with him his own me,
chanic. We joined his party an
through.
Roads Were Fine.
We found the roads good through
Nebraska with the exception Of some
heavy sand in a number OF places
for short stretches. Our next stop,
after camping for the night at Big
Bend, was Cheyenne, Wyo., where We
found an ideal camping grounds for
tourists which is provided by the
the city and located on beautiful
spot on the shore of lake just out
side the city Cheyenne is an up to
the minute city with lovely parks
large modern residents surrounded by
beautiful trees, the latter proving of
special enjoyment to us after our trip
through the prairie country Of Yves
tern Nebraska. From Cheyenne we had
our first view. of the mountains and
Judged that they were but short dis
lance off. We found however that it
took most Of the day to reach the
foot hills and we camped that night
at Rock Springs after crossing the
Rocky Mountains over fine roads
and easy grades. We found consider
able desert land in Wyoming and the
roads were the worst we found on
on the sand in Nebraska, with a great
deal of sage brush and sand over the
Land That God Forgot, as some Of the
party called that IartSof the country.
Leaving Rock Springs we drove to
Evanston, arriving at 1890 p. m. the
next day. In the meantime we went
trout fishing and succeeded in land
ing several fine mountain trout which
we cooked over our camp fire. We
left Evanston aud detoured over a
rough and hilly road to Coalville
Mormons for the first time. This
place also had a fine camp for tour
lists at the junction of two mountain
streams and here we tried our luck
at fishing again but no trout this
time.
Witnessed Gall Game
We did shoot five sage hens and
several rabbits. After Coalville our
next stop was at Salt Lake City where
we arrived Sunday afternoon In time
to take in ball game which was be-
ing played across the street from the
tourists camping ground. After rid
ing about Salt Lake City and enjoy
ing the many places Of interest TO
the tourist, we left the next morning
over the Midland Trail for Ely, Ne
yada, arriving there about 3 p. m. Ely
Is a typical western town with the
cowboys, Japs, Indians and other char
acters typical Of the west, and with
wide open gambling going on all the
time. We dropped into one place where
there were all kinds of games Of luck
gress but we did not try our luck
at a fortune although We were in
formed hat it was nothing for ten
thousand dollars to change at a sit
ting, and this was very likely Judging
from the money that was in sight
Leaving Ely the following morning
we found nothing but sage brusa,
sand and bad roads to Tonapah which
Is a duplicate of Ely with es excep-
ton of the big silver mines which
are located there. After Tonapah we
arrived at Big. Pine, Calf, after
crossing the Sierre Nevada mountains
which were the highest and steepest
grades we found on the entire trip.
It took us three hours to 60 four miles
IN ~, an -