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Show The Last Segment of The Severance Family's 1921 T rip From WALNUT CANYON and home to NEBRASKA During the summer of 1921, my grandparents took the family on a trip from their farm near Central City, Nebraska to Los Angeles, California to visit my grandfather's parents and sister. My an enclosure not big enuf for the cars that are here. Didn’t only sprinkle here so ground is dry —for which we are thankful. As we came into town a young river, for which this grandparents were Ralph and Ella Severance. Their children were Helen, 15, Bud (my father) 13, country is famous, flowed down Donna, 5, and Phil, 4. They camped and cooked with a “Sterno” stove most of the time. My grandfather had made a trip to the west coast previously, but the rest of the family hadn’t been west still sick tho’ he slept well. of Nebraska. In this final segment, they leave Walnut Canyon National Monument, east of Flagstaff, AZ, and The boys have to leave us this morn I guess, as we go north on account of latest reports return to Nebraska. It was August and the southwest’s “Monsoon Season.” ways fora hard time ahead. Donna has a good play with a neighboring dog and the balls —also drops rocks to the bottom of an old deep well but Phil sleeps thro’ it all. It is . almost noon when we finally get started out. The Galloways in the Franklin car are the Owen. Severance the street in front of us so we had to turn out. Phil is on the roads. Everyone including our three cars seem to be fixing up their cars in various - SENS Getting water on the reservation. Thur. Aug. 11 —We are on our- way at 6:45 —bad roads out onto main road. Made mistake of getting onto Loop road instead of main road to Winslow. Came over Padre Canyon bridge of which we took a picture. This road also takes us by Meteor Crater but the road is very rocky. Crossed Canyon Diablo bridge also. See sheep and herder's teepees. Finally reach Winslow —ate lunch after leaving again. Roads here show they were very bad in places awhile back when we were having our fun at Seligman. Next stop is Holbrook which was under two feet of water. Near here too the Cadillac we've been hearing about was washed away. A man here took our number and directed us to Springerville but, as we are told he is hired to do this, we decide on the Gallup route after consultations with the Franklin car which is going with us. A Ford too fell in line and we started merrily on. All went well for some 12 miles when it began to rain —it just poured. We got us on an elevation where we wouldn’t drown. Down in the valley ahead where a young river swished was a stalled car. All the boys and the Ford went down to see. They finally got the car out —man & his wife from Alburqurque. They only ones with us —the others going East via Alburqurque being afraid of this road we are taking. Road is terribly rough but otherwise pretty fair. Some of the bridges being out we have to either detour or cross thro’ bed. See many Indians. They seem to dislike us —going out of their way to avoid a meeting. One boy did wave tho’ in return to our etings —waved his hat band off. But most of them give us the stony stare. See some tending their sheep & goats, some carrying water, many on horseback or in wagons. Eat a lunch on the way —over mountain, valley and prairie —sure would be bad in case of a rain. We can see that recent rains have washed in some places over bridges and many are gone. Rain had been coming up behind us but our road kindly led us around the other way. We had a tire blow out as we neared Shiprock. Here is a fine large Indian school with everything just fine. See Indian boys & girls everywhere. We drove to the store where we got supplies. Two of the Indian boys rode a short ways with us. They didn’t crowd Helen either!! We find fresh mutton at the store and get some for supper —then drive back to their athletic field to camp. Only one other car (the Galloways) here. were sure glad to get out as they were in between two streams, but the streams soon subsided enuf so that we all cross in safety..A fourth car (garage men) leads the way. We drive on a few miles and then near dark decide to camp by the roadside by the rocks on a hill. We cook the mutton on their gas stove and have a merry time. They tell us how they cooked squabs and shot the rabbit!! Phil is almost himself again. This is a fine place to camp altho’ we have no drinking water except what we carried. Up and on again over mts. & ravines. Had to side step 4 mi. to Adamana to get to the We got a fine sleep and up again. Ralph fixed some tires and Mr. G. shaved. Albert said he would trade Ezra for Donna but Ezra said we could have Albert for nothing. After petrified forests but a stream prevented. Water was coming down from the east so fast that we were advised not to try to cross. Purchased a few pieces of the’rock at the store and viewed what he had then turned back. Sidestepped again to see the Painted Desert & Black Forest —a great sight in the sunlight. On again to Gallup —roads are surerough. Phil is sick today and roads sure shake him up. Boys in the Ford (Jess, Bill & Klare) are enjoying this with us as well as Mr. Galloway and two sons. Saw a meteorite at Navajo —just found in July. See lots of Indians too. Eat dinner by the roadside and on again. Go thro’ a few small burgs but they are far apart. Stopped at one (Lupton) for gas. Couldn’t make those two Indians understand but a white man came to our rescue. See many Indian huts and small children. Just as we came nearer Gallup —some 12 miles out and roads are good —it begins to rain. Just a loud clap and down pours the rain. We fish at the side curtains & rain coats and never stop. Road is so soapy, boys had to help us out of ditch once. Meet several cars and have hard time passing. Boys are completely _bespattered with mud. Their spare tire fell off twice and we had to call them back. Finally got in safely, got supplies and found the campground well before dark. Camp is getting information about the road and park ahead we lead out again. It is cloudy and fine riding and they tell us we'll soon have better roads and wonderful scenery as we are nearly done with New Mexico —meaning the Colorado line. This town of Shiprock gets its name from a huge rock —ship like in shape which the Indians believe is the ship they came over in, now turned to stone! Mts. of various and curious shapes are very pretty. We speed along at 22 mi. per which certainly seems good. 30 mi. and we come to a flowing well where an Indian woman with 3 ponies is filling her curiously shaped jugs. We spy another Indian back in the bushes. Got pictures as she didn’t object. Swing over to Ute Mt. Indian school to get gas but store is closed. We soon run out of gas and Mr. G. lent us a gallon. Many indians passing —Ezra tries to bargain for a pony for $30 —also a beaded hat band —$5. Certainly is a beautiful valley —gardens and alfalfa and trees. Trying to make Cortez -14 mi. before gas gives out. See small fields of oats just cut and alfalfa smells good. Lots of hogs & cattle as we are in the White man’s land again, tho’ ‘tis Sunday we see them stacking Alfalfa and cutting oats. A truly |