Introduction
This is part of the Swansons' travel narrative
history. This section covers Bob's travels, before
he met Sandi. Years covered include:
Bob's Travel History (Pre-1970)
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Introduction
This is part of the Swansons' travel narrative
history. This section covers Bob's travels, before
he met Sandi. Years covered include:
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1968 .-.-.-. 1967 .-.-.-. 1966 .-.-.-. 1965 .-.-.-. 1964 .-.-.-. 1963 .-.-.-. 1962 .-.-.-. 1950's
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1968
Relocating from Boston to Sacramento, California,
Bob drove straight through with a college
buddy. This was a most difficult and strange experience. There
were still Burma-Shave signs on the highways,
but for the most part the Interstate system
had taken over travel. Don't try this at home
kids. Fatigue took its toll. Paul Simon was right
when he sang about "America".
This summer, Bob (not having wheels) does a lot
of hitchhiking from Davis to Berkeley, Calif. Many
interesting events happen, and much rapping
takes place.
This fall, while trying to continue studies at Humboldt
State College (way up there in the Redwoods), Bob
spends a lot of time hitchhiking between there and
Berkeley. Even more interesting trips occur, such
as sharing a car with a group of lumber mill workers
who were surfers, on their
trip down to Santa Cruz to catch the waves.
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1967
Bob took a Spring Break trip (literally) from school in Riverside,
California, to San Francisco. The trip did not
follow the normal highways of California. The loveliest
sight was coming over the coast range into Watsonville in
the fog. The green was intense. Bob took infrared
color pictures. Paul Simon was right about
"Cloudy".
This was the last summer for Bob at the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival. Southern Oregon left a lasting impression
on him. This is one of the possible places he
would love to retire. Travel to and from the
Festival was always interesting, since it punctuated
the end and start of school years. For instance, the
1967 trip back home required a long stopover in San
Francisco, where the summer of "love" was in full
swing.
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1966
Christmas in New York City. Bob had never been to
the East Coast before. In many ways, this was
the End of the "old" New York City. Things are much different
there today.
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1965
Bob's first summer (of three) at the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival in Ashland, Oregon. This year was a threshold
between the "old" and "new" eras for the Festival,
and he got to see the changes happen. The trip up
to the festival was one of Bob's first airplane
flights, and it was a doozie. The short-haul flight from
San Francisco to Medford on United was on a DC-3!
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1964
Bob drove himself up to Stanford for a summer program
in theatre. This was his first driving trip alone, and
the scene at Stanford was unique. He visited San
Francisco a few times this summer.
After summer school, Bob and a friend drove up the Oregon
Coast. The loop took
them from Ashland (before he was in the Festival) on
the central route, to Portland, then down the coast.
Camping was cheap or free, and the scenery was
beyond description.
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1963
As part of a youth organization, Bob got to fly to
Washington, DC, and Annapolis, Maryland. A very
interesting experience, and the first time that
Bob had ever been in an airplane. Turns out that
the next day after his visit, the famous Civil Rights
March took place. Bob missed seeing Bob Dylan perform
by only one day.
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1962
Bob took part in a National Science Foundation
summer program in San Jose. This was the first time
away from home, and was a real eye-opener. Bob
got a taste of the college life, and suddenly
decided that High School was the pits. He had
to attend another year, however, before he
could get back into the college life. During this
summer, he saw a baseball game at Candlestick park,
and saw Willy Mays hit one out (deep center field).
The Giants beat the Dodgers.
Oh yes, on a side-trip to San Francisco, Bob
bought his first guitar in a pawn shop. He then proceeded
to try to play it, in hopes of attracting women.
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1950's
Bob's family drove from the LA area to Seattle and back,
towing a travel trailer. Fascinating experience. The time period
can be accurately determined by the fact that
the San Francisco cable cars were about to be
destroyed, and a petition (and local election)
was in full swing to protect them. This was the
"old" San Francisco, before the truly large
high-rises. No freeway blotted out the old
Ferry Building. Fisherman's Wharf still had
fishing boats bobbing in their slips.
Previous family trips included Yosemite. In the early
50's, we camped
by the side of the Merced River. To get the campsite,
we just drove our trailer into the Park, and checked
at the Ranger Station for a spot. Try that in the
1990's! Some of the
old original Yosemite Village was still standing
at this time. A year or two later, we visited
Kings Canyon Park and did similar things.
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