Sunday, April 17, 2011

The Gypsy Wagon Heads South . . . towards the Grand Canyon

Following the "world class" tour of Denver and its surroundings by their trusted guide, Davie, the four Jolly Dutchmen piled again into the Gypsy Wagon to head south through Colorado and New Mexico towards the Petrified Forest and the Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon.  


First stop on their way was Colorado Springs, where the ladies did some interesting sight seeing.  Their stops included the Garden of the Gods, and the Cave of the Winds, which is described as "most interesting".  The girls visited the Old Maid's Kitchen, where legend had it that if a girl left a hairpin there, she would be happily married within a year.  Those that returned after a year and were happily married left a safety pin as a token.  None of the girls fessed up to leaving a hairpin behind, but I do know that if my Grandma did, the legend didn't quite work for her, as it was several years later before she was married.  They described the weather that day as sort of rainy, so they could not see Pike's Peak, and, after a picnic at Manitou Springs, the Gypsy Wagon hit the road once more to head to New Mexico.






The back of this post card reads: "Dear Folks:  We just went through the Cave of the Winds.  It certainly is beautiful.  Coming up here we drove through these Narrows.  There is only room enough for the car.  It is awfully cold today.  About 58.  We have on coats and sweaters.  Love, Alberta."


Soup and ice cream was dinner that evening in Walsenburg, Colorado.  It was here that the girls changed their group name from the Jolly Dutchmen to the "Daughters Courageous".  They must have figured out by then that they were really on an adventure, and the Jolly Dutchmen didn't fit so well!  After crossing the New Mexico border, they stopped for the night in Raton, at the Green and White Tourist Camp.






After suffering a night so cold that their teeth chattered, the Daughters Courageous were up and ready to travel across New Mexico with the goal of reaching the Painted Desert by sunset.  They had to drive one hundred miles just to find breakfast to Las Vegas, New Mexico, and describe driving through "mud villages" where they paid Indian children a penny to take their pictures.  They took the Santa Fe Trail through New Mexico,  and described how, the further west they drove, the more meager the Indian homes were, and the more traditional dress they saw.   


Having been to this area myself, seventy years later, I can say that this area is still pretty barren, and many of the native american people still live a very simple, traditional life.  Along the way the ladies did stop to take a swim in the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, and enjoyed another picnic on it's shores.


The card sent home from Las Vegas, New Mexico, reads:  "Dear Folks: We just had breakfast here in Las Vegas.  We stayed all night about 100 miles from here in Raton.  We slept in a very nice cabin.  It had two bedroom and a private bath for .75 each.  We are having a grand time and the car is still going strong.  In 1500 miles we only have had to add one quart of oil.  Then we had it changed in denver.  Guess we's better get on our way.  Love, Alberta."



Unfortunately, the Daughters Courageous did not make it to the Painted Desert by sundown, so they decided to stop for the night about fifteen miles outside of the park and see the sun rise over the Painted Desert instead. . . more to come . . .