I-and the family-ended this week on New Mexico. For the next several decades it figured frequently in my life to some degree, often powerfully. I actually lived there at one point, many years later. I love the scenery and generally the climate which is so similar to Arizona but there are some things I never quite cared for, mostly an element of the people....not the long term native ones, though. I have called it the Land of Disenchantment at times and meant it. I remember back in my young days--like up to 10 or s--, many kinds were very disparaging about New Mexico and considered it an enemy or an evil sibling sort of place. Now I laugh
The last few days in Sacramento passed very fast. Somehow everything that had to be done got done and on August 20, which was a Tuesday, we hit the road. At about 11:00 AM, our caravan pulled out of Aunt Roxie's drive. Dad drove the Chevy, towing the U-Haiul trailer and Charlie Mike roade with him, I suspect not by choice or happily but that was how it went. Mom drove the Volvo and Alex and I rode with her. We had the imemdiete things in the back--it had a faily commodious trunk space so chage of clothers, needed medications, toiletrries etc were secured there. I know Mom was never a ral happy driver but I think she did take a Driver's Ed class in Sacramwento and got her California license. Charlie Mike was now over sixteen and should have been driving too,, at leeast with a training permit, but I do not think that happened. I still did not have a license but was a reasonably capable driver.
The first night we reached Barstow, CA. I know we were in a motel but I have little memory of that. By the next night, we were in Flagstaff. Mom and Alex came to the aprtment with me, which apprently miffed Carolyn to have a 'male' in her space for all Alex was a very quiet and innocent nine year old! Mom and he used the double bed and Carolyn had her single that her boyfriend had provided so it was no big deal. I took the couch. Dad and Charlie Mike got a room at the Monte Vista, what number I never knew!
From there we doubled back slightly to go to Prescott where we got some of the stuff that had been in the Old Green Ford. The folks had some trepidations but there were no problems at all. That night we got into Silver City after taking some back roads and a roundabout route.(not sure why keeping off the Interstates.)That was a very long day. We stayed at The Drifter, then a fairly new motel on the far east side of town. It is still there today but more in the middle of town now. It seems different from what I noted that first time but memory can be flawed.
We woke there on Friday morning and had to get on with business promptly. By Sunday, August 25, the folks had rented a house in San Lorenzo, whre Dad would be rteaching in their small two room school. It was a decent house although I called it a "Bryant house" as it was similar to some Charley Bryant and his wife had lived in. However it had electricity, running water--including hot--and a roof that definitelydid not leak. I cannot remember whether there were two or three bedrooms. It sat on a little semi-farm with some out builiings and a small orchard. It was really not a bad place at all. Too bad they did not stay long.
I stayed there until September 8 and did my best to help set up the household and took care of all I could since both parents went to work almost at once. It seems like school started August 26, or at least their preparations did. Alex would go to the San Lorenzo School while Mom was teaching at the middle school in Bayard and Charlie Mike enrolled in Cobre High as a senior.
Pictures: The first is the place at San Lorenzo viewed from the hill above, some time during later 1968 or early 1969. The next is as it appeared when I detoured past on a trip down to NM and AZ from Colorado about 2014. Last two are The Drifter as it appears fairly recently, about 2015. It is larger and spruced up from what it was in 1968, and I last saw it about 2020; thought I kept a photo but can't seem to locate it!
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