The Johnson Journals, Chapter 209

• Don writes more about vacation

• Don aknowledges his mother’s birthday

• Don endures winter

Quotes and highlights from 1969 vacation to Mexico

Pozo Rico. “Our hotel rather nice, very new and modern, but the noisiest damned place on earth, not excepting Vietnam.”

Tajin. “We could not pass up the ruins - and what a helluva shame it would have been if we had. Archeologists have unearthed a city of 2,500 acres - very spectacular.”

Vera Cruz. [Don & Layna had a remarkable experience when they got into casual conversation on a bus with four young Mexicans, who spoke no English. They spent most of two days with them, visiting their “typical Mexican” homes and being welcomed by their families.]

Acayucan. “A hot, humid day. I kept wondering just how in the world the Spaniards kept going in this country - armor and all.”

Tehuantepec. “We thot we would have to hole up in poor accommodations (according to AAA). The Motel Calli air conditioned. Great!”

Salina Cruz. “A 24 inch pipe discharged oil and refuse into the ocean.”

Tula. “We saw what the guide book said was the oldest living thing on earth. A tree. Maybe it was.”

Oaxcaca.

 “To museum where I refused to pay guide double what we had agreed on.”

“we took off for the ruins of Monte Alban. What great people the Zapatecs must have been. We inspected their works for 3 hours in a blazing sun.  Mike interpreted the inscriptions, often with a lot more enthusiasm than knowledge, I fear.”

Mitla. “The priest was blessing the baskets of seed held by the peons. They were on their knees before the church. They then filed inside accompanied by fireworks, I suppose to attract the deity’s attention. A half hour wait and they all came out except a little angel who appeared at a high window and threw out candies and cookies which the kids below scrambled for. More fireworks. Quite an exhibition of paganism mixed with the established church.”

Cuernava. “As near as we could tell, we were the only people in a fantastic place that could accommodate at least 100.”

Acapulco.

 “Not plush but very nice. $14.40 a day American plan for both.”

“By 10 a.m. I had caught two 9 foot sailfish. This settled an ambition of long standing.”

“This climate tires hell out of both of us.”

“Out to see divers. An excellent show.”

Taxco.

“happy to call a cab for down town. I can see why Layna (after having been here before) did not want to drive. I also was unable to understand why anybody could.”

“I did some shopping. Bought a pencil for 1 peso. God help the Mexicans if they had to depend on the likes of me.”

Cacahuamilco caves. “ Possibly the most spectacular natural phenomenon we have ever seen - not excepting the Grand Canyon.”

Morelia. “A Mexican kid asked to wash our car. I can look out the window and see him on the top scrubbing away!”

Guadalajara.

“We had had no lunch and were not sure how far we had to walk. Hailed a cab and we rode about 3 blocks!”

“A great triumph when we found the damned vanilla beans. We bought 20 for 40 pesos. Big deal.”

Manzanillo.

 “We went over and watched a very amateurish rodeo. Very interesting, however.”

“To market in p.m. and ran into Harold Asplund, from the Falls.”

“Layna went swimming - but not me! I put on my new shorts (Bermudas) and went along to Tesora Beach.”

“Finished reading The Miracle of Language by Charlton Laird. It turned out to be one of the most fascinating books I ever read.”

“It will be hard to leave all these good people.”

“Drove right to American Embassy to learn that it was closed in honor of Washington Birthday - which is tomorrow - Damn!”

“They were on their first visit to Mexico - had been here 3 weeks. They knew all about it but still planned to be back next year - after they learned Spanish. Good luck, folks!”

Tepic. “We learned for ourselves that there was a good road to Puerto Villarta, and how spectacularly beautiful it was!”

Puerto Villarta. “Left at 8 a.m. feeling pretty smug with ourselves. We saw the great place, had a good place to stay and know that we may never go back. All very satisfying

Mazatlan. “We are headed north, and it feels good.”

Cuidad Obregon. “The management at Valle Grande asked in a questionnaire if we thot they should join an American chain or stay Mexican. We told them!”

Hermosilla. “I thot that it is one of the most beautiful spots we have ever seen.”

Nogales. “We admitted to each other that we had a small sense of relief at driving 4627 miles in Mexico with no trouble.”

Tucson, AZ.

“ to the Karchenachi for a Mexican feed. It was far better than we had in Mexico.”

“I don’t remember when I first hoped to see a rodeo, but it was long, long ago. Today I made it and it was great.”

Prescott, AZ.

 “A great reunion with Rosalie and Whit. They both look fine and it is hard to realize that Whit almost gave up last summer.”

“to Pine Cone Inn for dinner. It was so damned dark that I ate all my brook trout, fins, tail, bones and all.”

Cortez, CO. “learned that Mesa Verde was closed Sundays and Mondays! Damn it all. We got to the gate of Yellowstone in 1956 and couldn’t get in there either.”

Tucumcari, NM. “Highway #66 a far cry from the trail we followed with the Bruggeman’s in 1941.”

Wichita, KS. “ paid $17.40 for a room. I sure kicked my rear end for being such a damned sap.”

3/13/69 Slept in until 8 a.m. A leisurely trip to Sally & Jim’s. The freeways have sure cut down on traveling time. Sure good to see our kids again. Jim to work after lunch but Sally and we had a good gabfest - all p.m. She is definitely one of our very favorite people. It snowed about two inches during day and when it let up about 5 p.m. I went out and cleared the walks. Good!

3/14/69 We were due to go to ADM office at 3:00 p.m. Sally took us to bus stop and off we went, in wrong direction! We were almost downtown St. Paul when I asked as to our destination. We were 40 minutes late. No one noticed. Everyone buzzing about Andreas’ announcement that ADM was moving it Decatur, Ill. Nordbye assured us that we were OK at NWI for this year, but would not comment on future. We shall see.

3/15/69 All the Jernbergs and Grandpa & Grandma to the university swimming pool to watch Nancy take her lesson. A far cry from my day when the instructor pushed the kids in and said “Start swimming!” An interesting display. On home for lunch, then Layna, Nancy, Sally and I to visit Historical Museum. Someone is doing a good job of bringing things together. I thoroly enjoyed it.

3/16/69 The Jernbergs due to go to church at 9 a.m. which fit nicely into our departure plans. Karen and Robin taking care of 4 kids (in their own home). A chance to pick up a few extra bucks. A good visit there, leaving about 3:30. Snow piled high along road all the way home. Our driveway partly clear. Sure a great relief to walk in and see everything the way we left it, except the Fridge is kaput. A small casualty when you figure what could happen in two months. On to Buck’s where we had a great reunion. All well there. Much news, lake, BCC, union, their house deal, cars, kids, relatives, snow - all of it good. What a fine family to come home to!

3/17/69 A whole box of mail to sort. Much of it was 3rd class. The Coast Guard accounted for almost ?. They are going to make me earn my pay this year. Shoveled snow for a couple of hours and it actually was fun. Would not care to do it for a living, however. To town with Layna after lunch. Met many old friends who seemed glad to see us - one of the deep pleasures of coming home. Out to see Daveys at 4 p.m. Grace recuperating from her back surgery. She is down to 109 pounds which makes her so skinny I can’t understand where she holds all the guts that she obviously has. What a gal!

3/18/69 It looks like we have a full crew lined up for NWI already. Bernice stopped in to say she was raring to go, also said that Johnny’s fiancé’ and Mike’s girl friend, students at Bemidji, were willing to come . I am not so sure of this arrangement, for more reasons than one. We shall see. Cliff and Lou out for a drink at 4:30 and stayed until 9 p.m. A darn good visit. Cliff looking great. Says he feels fine. They were 3 weeks in Florida which gave us much to talk about, comparing notes.

3/19/69 Our refrigerator went kaput while we were gone and we are forced to buy a new one. I was feeling sorry for us until I stopped in to see Wayne Judy. Their furnace went out while they were gone and everything broke. What a helluva mess. I’ll settle for our loss. My mail full of Coast Guard stuff. What a dope of an outfit. No wonder our government is so damned unwieldy.

3/20/69 My mother’s birthday. She would have been 96 years old today. My thoughts ran back to her off and on all day. On this earth, there is probably only one more that gave her a thought, my sister, Beryl. We are not important to many people very long. The Daily Journals - all nine weeks of them - were waiting for us when we got home. We have been working at them a little each day. I finished the last one today. To Supervisors meeting in evening. Many seemed happy that I was back. I am sure many more didn’t know we had left.

3/21/69 The snow was piled level over our Arctic Cat but I decided to dig it out. Did. Much to my amazement, it started on the first pull after priming. I went up to island. Traveling good. Everything just as we left it last fall which is quite a relief. Maybe it helped to put Strand away, altho he could not have been the only culprit in the area. The Lardy Larsons out to hear about our Mexican trip. Louise talked steady.

3/22/69 To “Tax Meeting” at 2 p.m. The usual story. The ones who knew the least hollered the loudest. Not much accomplished other than to learn that there were many disgruntled taxpayers in the area.

3/23/69 The Daveys out for coffee about four p.m. and we worked up a deal whereby we would all go to Fort Frances for dinner. Much to our surprise, the Daveys came in after we got home and stayed until almost 10 p.m. Grace apparently feeling fairly well, altho she wears a collar brace when out of the house.

3/25/69 Timmy made me a landing net in school, and it is a dandy. What a kid!

3/26/69 All of our slides back so we set up viewer after supper to look at them. Laird and Debbie McLinn here as we were about to start. They stayed until 10 p.m. An interesting visit. Laird excited about working on the Great Lakes freighters next summer. Debbie is off for Yale for a 4 year graduate and her doctorate. A slight difference in goals. After they left, we went ahead and looked at the pictures - 200 of them. It was very satisfying to find only 3 duds. The rest a very good cross section of our trip. To bed at 1:30.

3/27/69 I went to water commission meeting in Falls. Many interested people there, all concerned with their own individual problems. I left with feeling that the water levels were handled reasonably well and it was the “Acts of God” that gave us abnormal elevations.

3/28/69 With Beryl Nims at 11:30 to see Ken Amick. He has had a real rough time but seems to be on road to recovery. Jay came about 12:30 and we had lunch. Much money talk at table. Wagness got his full share of time. Not very complimentary. Ken had heard that Vern Jones was selling out to Paulucci. Big deal. Nims had heard that the new Holiday Inn (Thompson, Corrin, etc.) was being financed by some insurance company. A million or more bucks at 10% interest. That ain’t hay. NWI looks like small peanuts right now. Took Buck and kids to see My Side of the Mountain. Good.