1/22/72 Temperature zero so I decided to make run to island on Scorpion. Did. Not bad going altho I skirted a couple of ugly looking slush spots. All well at NWI. Finished Custer Died for Your Sins. It might be classed as a “great” book.
1/26/72 40o below; 7 mph wind = 65o W.C.F. I put in the best part of the day on our Minnesota income tax. Will have to audit my work very carefully because the way I have it figured the state owes us $46! Looks good.
1/27/72 To Judys’ for dinner. The Brooks showed up 50 minutes behind schedule. Car trouble. Despite that, it worked out well. They proved to be excellent company. Much talk about Big Bend and Mexico before we got onto subject of National Park. Our conversation confirmed our opinion of Myrl Brooks [first superintendent of Voyageurs National Park]. A high class man who will handle a difficult problem very well if left alone. He does not need any more “help” like he got from that ass Dickerman at the last seminar.
1/28/72 On to Bernice’s for a going away song fest. Buck, Dale, Marie & Lois, Ihrigs, Avis, Dorothy Halvorson. Our usual good time. What a good bunch!
1/30/72 To Buck and Dale’s in a.m. Bev Oveson there. Stayed for couple of hours. Much talk about traveling. They all want to stow away in our Chevy.
1/31/72 Got new tires put on car, brought motors from Buck’s to Finstads. Got tied up an hour listening to Clara’s blah, blah. It was particularly irritating when I wanted to listen to George, who is always interesting to me.
2/1/72 Finally got retirement form from government and learned that we had miscalculated $375 on income tax. Goddamn, I was peed off. Layna assumed full blame but I am past the stage in life when that is important. I tried manfully to juggle my final figures to compensate but it was a hopeless task. I gave up in despair, knowing that I must start damn near from scratch.
2/2/72 I have always prepared our tax and it has always been with fear and trembling. Too many chances for error. This time (it was much simpler without NWI), I think I got it 100%. Tonight the car is almost packed. I wrote notes to Byrne, Gould, Rays & Raymans. I am sleepy!
2/3/72 Wound up the last of the packing and loaded car. Charles Skrief came about 9:30 and we briefed him as to living in the house while we were gone. It is good to know he will be here. On to Duluth and Karen and Robin by 5 p.m. Robin studying like mad. A good chance to visit, however. They have been having problems with their “protégés”. They have more feeling for mankind than I have. To watch play practice with Karen. It was very gratifying to see how she was accepted by the group.
2/4/72 On to Sally’s by noon. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We went down town and cashed in a bond at NW Federal to finance our coming trip. Much animated conversation during our cocktail party preceding Sally’s birthday dinner. Jim even told about how much he was making. No wonder our taxes are so goddamned high! Many memories stirred. About my trip home from Hibbing after Sally born. Had to run alongside Model A to keep feet from freezing. When Layna came home later with baby, we hauled them across with Weberg’s old horse and stone boat! Pioneers.
2/5/72 Two big firsts for Johnson today. Jim took me to see U. of M. hockey team play Wisconsin. We won 7 - 4. Hurried home and ate and off for basketball game between U. of M. and Iowa. We won again 53 - 54. An exciting experience. Minnesota in national doghouse because of rowdyism with Ohio State two weeks ago.
2/6/72 Jim and I played many games of ping pong. I only won a total of 3. Not too bad for a fat old man. I decided I was a perfect opponent for him. He had to extend himself to win but didn’t have to suffer in losing.
1972 Mexican trip. 2/7/72 to 3/30/72
Visited Sally & Jim’s friends, the Ruhs, in Wichita, KS.
Visited Layna’s cousins in Dickenson, TX.
Palmers
Benoist
Giamfortone
Visited Galveston, TX, “one of the dirtiest ports in the world.”
Entered Mexico at Laredo, TX.
Stayed at plush motel in Saltillo.
Visited George and Maria Williams in San Miguel. 2/17-2/22
Watched construction of Williams’ new house
Futile duck hunt with George. “It takes more than water to attract ducks. This area nothing but cactus and sage brush.”
Went to bull fight.
Drove to El Motel Mi Rancheito on “one of the most beautiful roads in all of Mexico.”
Visited Vera Cruz. “Decided to go all out and stay at Emporio Hotel. A grand looking structure from outside but only so-so inside.”
Visited Villa Hermosa. Museums and first haircut by native barber.
On to Yucatan.
Campeche. Hired great guide. “Truly the Spanish were ingenious builders - with a lot of slave labor.”
Merida. “Stopped at the unpublicized ruins, Edzma, climbed to top of pyramid - full of wonder at the Mayan people.”
Chicken Itza. Hired guide. “a great experience to just see the works of these remarkable ancient peoples.”
Campeche. “We agreed that we have thoroly enjoyed our stay on Yucatan peninsula but it has been a one-time deal. Too damned hot!”
Tehuantepec. “Damned happy to find an air conditioned room.”
Oaxaca. “Had fun with 3 kids. Our candy supply is getting low.”
Maintla. “This veddy, veddy, plush, plush joint even at 225 pesos. Surely the most expensive place we have ever tried.”
Tuxpan. “Back to 75 pesos which is more our speed.”
Campobello. “..surely is has to be the most beautiful [road] in Mexico.”
San Blas. “We got 3 good yellowtails and one bonito & 1 mackerel in about an hour. It was great.”
Culiacan. “Met some Swedes from ND and talked Mexico for some time.”
Guaymas. Joined by Dan & Eileen Clark for two days of fishing.
Nogales. “Good to be back safely in USA.”
Patagonia, AZ. Visited Jim & Emmy Lou Kimball. Sightseeing in hills.
Tucson, AZ. Visited Dan & Eileen Clark. Visited Jim Kimball in hospital.
Flagstaff, AZ. First car trouble.
Gallup, NM. “Had a nap, ate dinner and to movie - Dirty Harry. What a bloody, obscene picture. Awful!”
Albuquerque, NM. Repaired transmission (under warranty). “..learned that Don Eisenach had died.”
Fort Morgan, CO. “I strained my eyes all day for game and saw one magpie.”
Minden, IA. “Saw a number of geese along Platte River which reminded us of trip thru here with Bruggemans in 1941.”
3/31/72 Stopped for a much needed car wash 3 blocks from Jernbergs. Burt and Ann there, Ann with her arm in a sling. Not very happy. I don’t blame her. Sally & Jim full of Easter preparations. Karen & Robin in soon after. Sure great to be with our kids after our long absence. Many games of ping pong. Jim the champion but all of us, Robin, Karen and I give him a helluva battle.
4/1/72 The Jernbergs pretty much taken up with church work. They are very active at Cabrini. That put the Monahans and Johnsons on their own and we made the best of it. Made it to Orpheum Theater in time to stand in line about 15 minutes waiting for Godfather to start. A great performance by all concerned but it didn’t seem to us that it had to be that bloody. A memorable show nevertheless.
4/2/72 Easter Sunday. I think I surprised everyone a little by saying I was going to church. I guess I surprised myself. Sat next to Burt and Ann and it was fun to hear their comments comparing the service at Cabrini and the one at home in Duluth. A young ex-priest sat immediately in front of us alongside his wife holding a 12 day old baby. That didn’t help! The finale at the service was to give all the kids balloons. No wonder the old people were confused. Back home where Sally prepared a great brunch. We took off for Duluth soon after,. Karen with Layna and I with Robin. He drove his VW at 80 - 85 mph but it didn’t bother me much. It would have been sudden death if anything went wrong.
