St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1957-06-28

If the budget can stand a little
extra strain at the seams"
After talking over such places
as a lake resort vacation or a va
cation in the country, you finally
decide 10 take long trip to the
west coast Neither one OF you
have seen mountains, the dessert,
the Grand Canyon. the Painted
/ Desert, or the great national for
est. You decide to make these ex-
ira side trips as part Of your vaca-
ton.
Being sensible, you have care
| fully planned your trip, Friends
advised you 10 cross the desert
early in the morning before the
sun gets too warm. Finally, the
great day arrives and you are
driving out Of your garage at four
a. m. on a beautiful morning in
June.
You notice how much fresher
the air Is early in the morning and
the scenery in your home state is
so beautiful. About five p. m. you
ate good hot dinner, found
sleeping quarters for the night
drove around 10 see the city and
by ten p. m. you retired.
Each morning you were on
your way bright and early after
having eaten good breakfast.
The morning you started across
the desert you we're on your way
by 2:30 a. m and both Of you
were so sure you understood what
friends meant when they called
the desert desolate At daybreak
you were amazed to see the miles
and miles Of the little white rib
bon" highway that stretched
out ahead Of you. You never
dreamed Of anything like 1t. There
was nothing anywhere but you,
that little ribbon" and occasion
ally a filling station or another
motorist.
Being fiat, you could see the
highway for miles.
Then, almost before you knew
II, you wondered what on earth
was the matter with the gasoline
you bought at the last station!
You did not seem to be moving
with a great ease as you had been.
Then you saw the great big
sign and you were amazed to see
II read, You are now 10000 feet
above sea level"
You were up in the mountains
and you thought you were going
up a hill. But, oh, when you
reached the top. one look down in
TO the canyons and II you are like
one friend / know, you jumped in
to the back seat. pulled a cover
over your head and let your hus-
band take over"
He wanted you to look at the
beautiful scenery down in the
canyons and on other mountain
levels. You told him to look, you
had seen all you wanted to see!
You did get up courage enough
to look at the sign-"The Contin-
entail Divide" You had studied
about this part Of the country in
school and you were happy to
really cross the Continental Di-
vide"
Soon you were going around the
narrow winding highway first up
and then down. Some seemed so
narrow, then there was that sign
that read, have your brakes
checked here, steep mountain pass
ahead"
You looked at your husband sit
ting there so calm. Never had you
admired him more than at this
time He was so calm you decided
TO enjoy what there was to see,
with thin. At first the scenery
was so beautiful you had decided
the sign was wrong, because It
wasn't SO steep, after all In one
minute the blood almost froze in
your veins as you looked down
and saw the sheer drop Of the
mountain You wondered how any
one could hold a car back on such
a hill You paved" at the rug on
your side lsilently putting on the
brakes until you foot was al
most numb
Your husband tried 60 reas-
sure you and you knew he was
right, but you crawled over the
seat and when YOU "came up n
gain" YOU were on good old solid
ground.
As far as you could see. the
ground was level so you said.
dear, you must be tired. I will
drive for while" He was very
happy for the rest and so you
slid into the drivers seat. Just
then the station man began wip-
ing the glass on your side and you
told him the scenery was beautiful
what YOU saw Of II, but you didn't
like the awful" mountains.