Inspiration?
 

Trfour, lots of good stories here. Thank you for sharing. I wonder if the LIFE magazine story was the inspiration for the movie, "The Long Long Trailer" starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. Here's the trailer, if you'll excuse the unavoidable pun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Ucb9O8q1eOc

Yes Joey, 34 days, which I stated in post #5.

Hi Descant,
The movie was actually based from the Book, " The Long Long Trailer ", written by Clinton Twiss that came out in 1951. The book was the chronicle of a couples year-long journey in a 28' Airway Zephyr ($4,200) towed by a Chrysler New Yorker convertible ($3,500) both purchased new just for the adventure.

The 1949 Buick Roadmaster was equipped with all of the bells and whistles of the day which included a back-up camera, just for hookup purposes. Here a still...:laugh:

Our Uncle George was a Commercial Artist in New York and had some buddy photographers at Life Magazine, and he was the one to let the cat out of the bag to Life about our trip.

Pic#1. Uncle George's rendition of our journey out to California.

Mom mounted Uncle George's Cartoon drawing on a boarder board and had everyone who visited, Open House. and before we left, front and back full.

Pic#2. We visited the Morman Tabernacle in Salt Lake City Utah.

Pic#1. Playing Catch?

Packing up.

Your poor mother? NINE kids???? She had to be amazing and to do a trip like that???

Pic#1. On the Hudson.

Pic#2. Leaving New York headed to the Gettysburg National Military Park.

OH, YES!! She used to make all of our clothes, including suits for Church, cheerleader's out fits for my Sisters, she reupholstered furniture, wallpapered and painted, and cooked, OMG!! Between Her and my Dad, there wasn't anything they couldn't do.
After we got out to California, She even won " Queen For A Day!

Nothing like the resolution...
 

Of old B&W photos...And the nostalgia that goes with it.

Do you recall what kind of camera(s) was (were) used? Rolleiflexes were common among journalists then. Common format was 4x5 and 4x6.

Wow, tr, she truly deserved a medal!!

I do not recall Gary, but I would imagine by now you could find out online.

Hi Tis,
After being in California for awhile, we were Blessed by a new Sister Sandra, I guess to even up us siblings to 5 Girl's and 5 Boy's. :)

Pic#1. Sister Dianne and newborn Sandra.

Still Available—Still Being Used...
 

Rolleiflex (and Rolleicord) came onto the market in the 1960s, so the camera used was probably a 4x5 "Press camera". (Medium or Large format). Yashica "twin-lens" clones appeared about the same time—selling for less than $30! (Seeing their quality, I ordered three Yashicamat 124G cameras in the mid-1970s).

Among other medium-format cameras, I used a Pentax 645, Zeiss Nettar, and a most-excellent Kowa SLR.

This older (2x4, 6x6, 2¼x2¼) format is seeing a resurgence, with camera prices edging-up. (Mint-condition Yashica 124Gs are selling for 10x their original price)!

And why not? Large-format cameras claim a 480 megapixel quality. :eek2:

.

Well, that explains it! I was trying to figure out if it was nine or ten. I guess the good thing is that she had plenty of helpers once the first ones got a little older.

Hi ApS,

Bout all I remember about the cameras Life used on our journey back in 1952 was they didn't use the canvas hoods and gun powder flashes. :)

That’s is hilarious [emoji23] I love it. I have so enjoyed this thread it is fantastic. ❤️


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Your mother was truly a busy woman! :D

Just awesome stuff Terry!!! Love love love.And thanks Don for allowing this.

Talk'n about old trailer trips from the 1950's towed with sedan style cars..... here's a movie ..... The Long Long Trailer (1953) with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz .... driving what looks like ..... just guessing here ..... a 1953 Mercury Monterey convertible w/ a 125-hp flathead V-8 .... and the trailer is a 36-foot, 1953 Redman 'New Moon' model.

Seems like a whole lot of trailer for a 125-hp gasoline motor..... on the mountain road .... must have had a three on the tree, manual, set up with a hill-climber 2nd gear and a heavy duty clutch!

"Say Lucy ...... oh Lucy ..... could you please get out and help with this trailer by giving it a push!"

https://vimeo.com/77392290

This movie is a regular on Turner Classic Movies .... showing up every few months.

Long, Long Trailer...Full movie...
 

Watch it here. I did. Hilarious.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6&&FORM=VRDGAR

Visiting Gettysburg
 

Pic#2.Don't shoot, checking her aim??

And, for all you sport's fan's
 

Pic#1. An NFL Referee Officiating, FIND THE FOOTBALL.

Pic#2. Tennis, on a Trailer Court??

trfour, how did you make it down here to the DFW area with the rest of us who wished we lived closer to the lake than 1800 miles?

Hi Janet,

I needed medical attention, and the only coverage I had at the time, 2005, was the VA and the #1 VA hospital in the Country was here in Dallas. Also, my Sister Doña has been living for many years here prier, so that's why. I found out threw much testing that I had kidney cancer, was successfully operated on some five years ago now. So I'm kindah stuck here, Retired on SS. Howevah, even though they had to give me 16 pts of blood and two pts of platelets, I still have my New England accent... And Thank God for this website, keeping me from getting too Homesick!!

Hi trfour,
Glad to hear your surgery was successful and you still have your accent. My family is fortunate to spend 7 weeks in Melvin Village each year. This great website is what gets us through the "winter months" here in Plano.

Thast's super
 

Congrats on successful surgery. I think we all feel like we know you and wish you the best. Fifty percent, maybe more, of good health is good attitude, so you're in the good numbers. We say here, "Press on, young man. Things will be better tomorrow." Keep posting. This is a great thread.

Thank Y'all Folk's
 

Go 'in to bed now, have a good night.


Turn out the lights, the party's oh-over...

'Just Dust in the Bore...
 

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...1&d=1554903835

The correct term for that is "boresighting". ;)

Cool ApS! :)

OHIO". To this very day, I couldn't think of a better name for this State.

We were detoured along our journey through, by a tornado that closed the main highway onto a dirt road that most Oxen would have said, Get Out'ah Here!
We did however get back to the main highway, through a very skillful pilot in my Dad, and of course Our Good Lord!
We stoped again to wash the MUD off, and did some more chores...

I remember the family vacations when I was very young traveling in the beach wagon out to the Midwest to visit my fathers side of the family.
It's amazing what I can remember from 60 years ago but I can't remember what I had for dinner last night. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
I remember my uncle taking me fishing and I was catching frogs that were so big I held them like a cat.
Another thing I remember is my uncles basement had a shower in the middle of it with nothing surrounding it. We all thought that was funny because you would obviously be seen by anyone that came down the stairs while you were showering. :emb:
Now I'm going to have to search my attic for pictures. :D
It's fun to look back when life was simple and less stressful, at least for the kids anyway.

What an amazing story!!! Incredible pictures and storyline. Your parents were real troopers to undertake this journey, and so culturally rewarding for the entire family-WOW!!!

My kids dread taking my grandkids to visit at the lake for just a weekend. Too much trouble packing all the crap they have to bring and they only have 2 and 3 kids?

Purpose of the trip is to bring less not more [emoji23]


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Tornadoes?
 

I, too, was confronted by tornadoes. As I entered New Mexico, the first Tornado Warning was issued by AM radio. As I entered the modest State campground near Roswell, perhaps 50 children and parents were using the provided playground. I advised them of the warning, then drove around the small campground for a suitable spot. After completing the small loop of maybe 30 spaces, I'd returned to the playground, and found it had emptied out. :eek2: Ultimately, I'd picked a campground with nobody in it! :eek:

As for the 8-minute movie clip of Lucie and Desie, I could sympathize with their dilemma of trailering through mountain passes. The only thing missing was steam. :emb: I won't spoil the ending, which is very telling, as most Eastern flatlanders become collectors of such things when they head out West. :rolleye2: ;)

come to, think of it
 

I mustah had CRS back then Too, cause your supposed to put a sheet on the bed before you jump in? and go to sleep... :)

Journey
 

Thanks so much Terry, for the journey through time. The pictures are wonderful.

IG

You are so very welcome Island Girl. And I thank you for all of your wonderful Pictures out here. I found out that time doesn't stand still for any of us, so we all qualify to that "journey through time".

Oh, and you rid me of CRS as I recall that wonderful Hug you gave me at Waldo Pepper's. Way back when... Love and miss you, Terry