Wanderlust

In the Spring of 1964 I, my wife and two sons took a 6 week trip from California across the United States and return. We traveled in a very large slide-in camper that had a large sleeping area that extended over the cab of our Dodge truck. I had just leased the truck and caught a break on the camper when the original purchaser decided she didn't like the color scheme and forfeited the $500 down payment, which the dealer gave to me. This camper was so wide that it would probably be prohibited from highways by most states today. The weight caused the front of the truck to rise a bit so driving was a learning process that I had to engage. As an army vet who had driven everything from half-tracks, 2 1/2 ton trucks, command cars, jeeps and seeps I had no fears in tackling this behemoth. And, in the end, no damage was ever incurred. The camper had a dining table that converted into a double bed at nighttime, a chemical toilet, an ice box, propane stove and oven, sink, battery operated lights or regular electric hook-ups when parked. A very comfy home away from home and, while moving, the boys had a great seat in the overhead sleeping area with its large window.
This was a vagabond trip, wandering south through the Salton Sea then eastward through New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, No. Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio before turning westward towards home. I would drive about two or three hundred miles each morn and arrive at a pre-planned spot to rest, sight see and get our ground legs back again. We tried not to miss the notable places along the way, stopping at Indian Tribal sites, the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, the Alamo in San Antonio, Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, Stone Mountain in Georgia, Blue Ridge Mountains in No. Carolina, a few days with an army buddy in the back woods of Kentucky, and a long stay in Cincinnati, Ohio where we visited with my wife's sister.
With today's restrictions and regulations I doubt if this trip could be duplicated. Campers were not that prevalent and we were able to stop almost wherever we wished for the evening. We stayed in super market parking lots, under bridge overpasses, and often in state or county parks. In big cities we could often just park on a street as we were treated as a passenger car under the highway codes. We were self contained so did not pose an environmental threat. Only once were we told to leave a potential overnight site and that was in Coolidge, Arizona where we had parked at the Casa Grande ruins. A ranger politely asked us to leave after visitor hours as he had no rules governing a possible night visitor. There were a few commercial camp sites to be found. We found one in Georgia and one in No. Carolina. Both had places to shower, clean the camper and provided Ranger guided tours of the area. I recall the cost as being 75 cents per night in Georgia and $2.50 in No. Carolina; however, in No. Carolina's defense, they had a swimming pool and rec hall.
As we traveled we would gather decals to apply to the rear of the camper, indicating all the places we had visited. Remember, this was 1964 and we were to travel through the deep south. While in full sympathy with the civil rights cause, we were on vacation and hoped to get safely home without injury, so we did not engage in any political discourse with the natives. And, there were plenty of natives who would gather around us wherever we stopped - - never having seen a home on wheels before.
The closest we came to an accident happened when I pulled off the highway in a wide strip of graveled ground so we could have some lunch. After lunch I prepared to leave and walked behind the camper to make sure all was clear as I needed to back up to gain a more level access to the highway. Then, I slowly backed up and hit something. Upon investigation I found that a gentleman had pulled up immediately behind me, so close he was in a blind spot, and was busy studying a map! No damage was done so we chatted, smiled, and went on our separate ways.
Our only major problem came after my youngest son became seriously ill in New Mexico. We had briefly visited distant relatives in Texas and he had taken a drink of water from a garden plastic hose. It gave him a kidney infection and we were stuck outside Carlsbad Caverns without a clue where to go. We drove to Lovington, NM at early dawn and found a hospital. They had to call a doctor as there was none on duty at that hour. In a short time a physician arrived and he was able to diagnose the problem and provide antibiotics that quickly brought back a healthy lad. Son, Kevin, about 7 yrs. old at the time, was convinced that a young boy on the Carlsbad tour was to blame, having made a 'devil face' at him when he passed. He still believes this today.
Everyday we awoke to a new front yard, a new adventure. We enjoyed views of cotton fields, corn fields, busy city traffic, nearby creeks, rivers and lakes. We spent one night holed up in the camper while a furious thunder storm drenched the area and lightning struck a tree a bare 30 feet away. This was in Indiana on our route homeward. We later paused in Arizona to view the petrified forest and the huge crater that was formed eons ago by a meteor.
It would be an equally adventurous trip today but with the price of gasoline and the traffic today - - - I am
just sayin'