Evening star., 1937-04-25

Federal employe, who describes his
trip as Around the West in Forty
Days" A similar journey is possible
for many motorists in the National
Capital this Spring or Summer,
whether Government employees or not
A gist of Mr.. Gauss travels follows and
should appear of great interest to ALL
His Illuminating contribution at this
time is very much appreciated.
BY the enactment several years ago
of the law permitting annual leave to
be cumulative, Uncle Sam has ex-
tended to those of his employees who
have the stamina to forego vacations
Tor several years and save vacation
funds and time until later date, an
opportunity to become acquainted
with the land of their birth.
Starting in midafternoon one Sum
day last Summer, our party entered
UniontoWn, Pa, where the night was
spent. Pittsburgh was avoided by
by-passing from U. S. 40 to the Lin
coin Highway over Pennsylvania 18
from Washington, Pa. The next stop
was Plymouth, Ind Early next morn
ing we were in Chicago After a full
"a hours in the Windy City the jour-
ney was resumed. Charlton, Iowa,
and Silver Greek, Nebr., were the
stopping places the fourth and fifth
nights. The end of the sixth day
found us at Estes Park, Colo. Early
the next morning we entered Rocky
Mountain National Park. Driving over
the Trail Ridge Road at an elevation
of over 10000 feet, we took the long
loop through Berthoud Pass, and the
close of the week found us in Denver.
Going north on u S. IS we regained
the Lincoln Highway, lunched at
Laramie, Wyo, and spent the night
at Rock Springs. Early the next
afternoon We entered Salt Lake City.
A 20-hour stay in that city included
visit to the State capitol, the Great
Salt Lake and the Mormon Taber-
nacle. Going north on U. S. 81 we
crossed the Utah-Idaho line and spent
the night at Idaho Falls After A.
hour visit in this locality We passed
through the west entrance of Yellow
stone National Park and spent the
night at Old Faithful Lodge, but a
few hundred feet from the worlds
largest and best known geyser. The
next morning was devoted to a
leisurely walk around the geysers and
a drive to the south exit and down
to the Grand Teton National Park.
Returning to the Yellowstone we
passed Yellowstone Lake and con-
10 ~o of
the Yellowstone, where the second
night in the park went spent. Leav-
ing Canyon Lodge in the morning we
rode to the Sylvan Pass, the east en-
trance to the park, then retraced our
route past the lake and the canyon
and drove to the summit of Mount
Washburn, the highest point in the
park. The ascent and descent are
made over separate one-way roads and
afford a real thrill Late afternoon
found us leaving the park at Nam
moth Hot Springs. The comparatively
new northeastern entrance, the Red
Lodge to Cooke road. was reserved for
q future trip. Bozeman, Mont, was
the next stopping place, and the fol-
lowing night We entered Glacier Ma
tional Park.
The second Sunday after we left
Washington we were going over the
wonderful Going to the Sun High
way" which crosses Glacier Park
Passing through Spokane, Wash, the
next day, where We spent several
hours, We proceeded south and were
soon on the beautiful Columbia River
Highway in Oregon. Fortunately the
most beautiful portion of this high
way was traversed about sunset. We
continued on this highway from Ar
lington, Greg, the next morning,
stopping for an hour at Multono-
nah Falls, double fall reached by
q short walk up the cliff adjoining
the highway. Our route then lay
through Portland and Salem, Oreg.,
with a side trip to the Crater Lake
National Park, the two last mentioned
being the overnight stopping places.
We then traversed the California Red
wood Highway to Eureka, Calf, then
turned east to the center of the State
and then south to Sacramento, where
we spent the night and part of the
next morning
The end of the third week found us
crossing the bay from Oakland to San
Francisco. That night, the following
day and a second morning were spent
In that city. The next overnight stop
ping place was Hollister. At noon the
next day we entered the Yosemite Ma
tional Park at El Portal. The full
beauty of the Yosemite was not avail
able to us, however, as most of the falls
had so diminished in volume in August
as to be practically dry. May and June
are the best months within which to
visit this park. Evening found us leav-
Ing the park through the Wawona
Tunnel and the Mariposa Grove of Big
Trees. The night was spent at MADEIRA
We then regained the coast, after pass
Ing through the Kettleman Hills oil
field, visiting number of the old
Spanish missions en- route to Los An
geles and San Diego. Two days were
spent in the vicinity of Los Angeles
and one night at the San Diego Fair.
The beginning of the fifth week
FOUND us proceeding north from San
Diego through San Bernardino and
over the Mohave desert in the early
night to Las Vegas, New. After a side
trip to Boulder Dam in the early
morning We arrived at Zion National
Park in Utah, where we spent the eve
ming and the next morning. Bryce
Canyon National Park in the same
State was reached about noon En-
route to the north rim of the Grand
Canyon an overnight stop was made
In the Kaibab National Forest. The
next day included an early morning
visit to Bright Angel Point and I'm
perial Point, on the north rim of the
Grand Canyon and then a journey
through the Navajo Indian Reserva-
ton and the Painted Desert to Bright
Angel Lodge, on the south rim of the
Grand Canyon in Arizona. Two nights
and one full day were spent at the