I AM My Mother’s Daugther

Using a GPS to navigate has both advantages and disadvantages.  Mostly, you have no idea where the heck you are on a map.  The GPS tells you nothing, but the time you will arrive.  At least that is what my cheap GARMIN provides. 

So as I am talking to my Mom on our Sunday morning, I realize I am driving up a two lane highway that looks like a switch-back goat trail.  The Ortega Highway 74 reaches an elevate of 2600 feet.   This was my first towing up a steep grade.

Palm Springs Vintage Trailer Show.

It reminded me of our 1960’s family vacation with the Davies.  My Mom rented tear-drop trailers to be towed behind our station wagon.  My parents, and 3 sisters off to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Sisters Robin, Kerry, me, Bess the dog, and Becky.
(from left to right)

Accompanied by our family friends the Davies; Big Dave, Mary Jane and their 5 kids, 3 girls and 2 boys, also a station wagon and rented tear-drop trailer.  Four adults and 9 kids.  These are some of my fondest family memories.

Getting left behind at a gas station, or lost on our way back from the campground bathroom.  Singing songs in the car, or on the top of a big rock.  Our favorite song was made-up and went something like, “here they come, here they come the greatest men we have ever seen and their names are Mr. Davies and Mr. Reardon”.  None of us were going to make it to The Voice or Glee.    I only wish I had pictures of our family vacations.

So as I was driving up Highway 74 winding along a narrow road with a beautiful view of the valley below, I remembered a favorite family lore.

My Mom was the navigator and after driving up and down a very steep and narrow highway somewhere in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, when we reached our destination, my Mom jumped from the car and commented on the beautiful scenery.  To which Mr. Davies who had been following behind, yelled something to the effect “what the FUCK are you trying to kill us”.  Mr. Davies had worked in the US Steel industry in Youngstown, OH and spoke a language we had never heard before.  We all loved Mr. Davies, he was bigger than life, and a vocabulary to match.

Thanks Mom for introducing me to towing a trailer.  I am loving it and remembering fondly our family trips.