Journal  February 2, 1953 (Jane)

Getting in the car to take off for California

We’re on the road. Roland is driving. First lesson for drivers towing a trailer. If you have to stop,  put the trailer brakes on FIRST, then the car brakes. That’s so you won’t jackknife. The trailer brake is a big handle on the floor that you have to pull. It’s installed on the right side of the car pedals and gear shift. 

Note: There were mirrors on both the drivers side and the passengers side so that the driver could use the mirrors to see both sides of the trailer. In 1953 there were no car air conditioners. Roland had made a playpen area for Sandy in the passenger seat behind the driver. Lesley had the rear seat with all her toys. There were no seat belts back then.

Lesley and Sandy in the car

We were a happy family, rolling along on our new adventure; two children, two parents and a dog. Our plan was to drive to our old neighborhood in Connecticut to say goodbye to friends the first night.

Journal (cont.)

Left Braintree at 2:20pm, mileage 29570. A few tears when we left but everyone tells us that they are coming to California. We were pilot and co-pilot from Boston to Connecticut, Roland looking in his mirror to see if he can pass, and me looking in my mirror to see if he can pull back into line. Arrived in Connecticut about 5:30. Had dinner with Russ and his family and said goodbye to neighborhood friends.

Journal  February 3, 1953

Off in the morning around noon. Stopped and ate lunch in the trailer just before New Haven. It was snowing and slush was on the road. However, all was clear by the time we finished lunch. Going through New Haven we missed the turn on the map and took the road right through the shopping center. Tried to console Roland, telling him it was shorter. But the road was barely wide enough to squeeze through. Roland would shut his eyes each time we met a big truck.

Hit New York at 6 pm!!! We went flying up and down hills, trying to make the green lights going up. Met everything – red lights, reckless drivers, cobblestones, stops on hills. We were so tired by the time we reached the New Jersey Turnpike that we had to stop and snooze. Reached my friend Bobbie’s house in Erlton, NJ, at 11:30 pm.

Journal  February 4, 1953

Stayed with Bobbie and her family all day while Roland worked on the trailer, shifting weight toward the rear-left. He also put wedges in the booster springs.

Called the folks tonight. They were all at Braintree waiting to hear from us. We are going to get an early start for Richmond Virginia tomorrow morning.