In the mid-80's we spent our vacation traveling from southern California up the coast to beautiful, awesome Lake Tahoe. The kids had never been there and we thought it would be a great place to 'bond'...but, alas, the kids had gotten older and had either moved out or were busy doing their own thing - Kim had taken off, like she had several summers during her high school days, to visit her Aunt Martha, Uncle Gerry and kids in either Houston TX or Sliddell LA. I believe my baby boy, Billy, had joined the army and was off at boot camp. Jack had his own 'digs' and life....so that left Robert. Although he was a junior in high school he was game to go with us....and not wanting him to be alone...we invited his younger cousin Danny to go with us. He was thrilled because vacations were few and far between in his family.
Sooooooo we packed all our stuff in the back of the enclosed pick-up truck and headed off down the road. Life was good, we were all on a 'free-spirited' vacation and were going to just have fun....fun...and more fun. We pulled into Lake Tahoe later that night and get out of the truck wanting something to eat. But as the boys climbed out of the back of the truck we knew something was wrong - Bobby had turned a deep-sick shade of green. Danny told us they tried to let us know but could not catch our attention. Soooooo, they finally opened the side and back windows of the truck and stuck their heads out and...................well I think you get the gest! There was a car full of girls driving right behind us about the boys ages - and they were laughing so hard it's a wonder there was not an accident. The poor boys were sooooooooo embarrassed!
After settling into our camp the boys went up and took showers and cleaned up. We had hot soup and seven-up for dinner that night.
The next morning we discovered there was a McDonald's right across the street from our campground. The three guys were in 'hog heaven'....off to get sausage McMuffins, pancakes, and all the stuff that goes with it. And mama didn't have to cook :) YEAH!
Cousin Danny been bugging us for a new pair of shoes ever since we left home - we told him his shoes were in great condition and he'd have to deal with them (absolutely nothing wrong with them).....but when we drove up to Carson City NV for the day and went through the Ponderosa Ranch he managed to dinky with his shoes until the velcro strap (that replaced the old shoe laces) broke off the shoe....done on purpose? Me things so! About 5 minutes later he looks down on the grown and finds $25 CASH.....he'd hit the gold mind in his eyes....I immediately took the money away from him and said on our way back to camp we would stop and buy that new pair he wanted - well now he says "these shoes are ok, I'll make them work!" We would not go with it....he broke those shoes on purpose....he can now buy some new shoes with his new found $$$. Poor Danny was not happy! We stopped on the way back to the campground at a shoe store and HE bought them ....gripping the entire time!
The next day we went river rafting on the Truckee River - what a kick that was! Danny wouldn't wear his new shoes and take a chance on getting them ruined (smart kid)....so he wore the old ones which worked perfect for the situation.
River rafting on the Truckee River was just what it's cut out to be. Robert fell out of the raft once and injured his foot a little....but other than that no catastrophes. Couple times we thought the waves would flip us over and we had a little bit of a hard time rolling to shore but over all it was a BLAST for all.
Mary Post Warren
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