three musketeers

When I was 12 years old my parents decided it was time for the three musketeers to go on an adventure which I still remember to this day. The three musketeers who were 9, 12, and 13 had never been outside Western Washington except to visit Uncle Bob, Aunt Joan, cousins Rob, Susan, and Christy in Vancouver British Columbia. The adventure was to travel throughout Canada and part of the east coast of the United States.  What made it really special, and unforgettable we left  Gig Harbor, Washington the day after school  was let out in early June and  did not return till the middle of August.  So the three musketeers knew they would be gone for the whole summer.  The oldest Dick, the smart one would tell us the history of every place we went.  Jack, the youngest, who was known for getting in trouble whenever possible, would listen to every word the smart one would speak. Of course, Herb, myself, the outgoing, talkative one would only listen to the smart one when it pleased him.  I was ready for anything that came our way. Our transportation was a Dodge Dart with a tent trailer hitched on the back which we would setup each night, and take down each morning for travel.

Our first destination was Banff, and Jasper national parks. I was excited to see because of a fictional character named Dudley Do Right of the Canadian Mounty Police.  Of course, they were as beautiful places I had imagined and seen in pictures before.  We than  visited Calgary, Alberta,  Winnipeg , Manitoba, and then reached Kingston, Ontario where we spent a few days visiting with our mother’s  two long time friends Kay, and Moira  from her college days. Also, they worked together in Ottawa, Ontario during World War 2.  While in Kingston we went swimming along with listening to Johnny Rivers, and Johnny Cash music. Also, with Trevor, Kay’s son who was around the same age as Jack, we discussed spider and snakes.

Our next destination was to Montreal, Quebec which we found was not totally what we expected. We spent two weeks in Montreal because of the World’s Fair and Canada’s Bicentennial. We had a very good time going to the fair except the long wait lines. Of course, the three musketeers would find ways to entertain themselves.  Our older sister, Barb, a college student at University of Oregon arrived a few days ahead of us, staying with our Aunt Judy.  The three musketeers had never met their Aunt Judy before except maybe as infants. She taught nursing at McGill University, and was a single woman who never married.  What we didn’t expect was she would treat us though we were her children which you could imagine how well that went over. Since we have been on the road for several weeks she wanted to be sure we were ok as well. Not a good start to someone who was a stranger to us. Years later she retired and moved to Vancouver Island. She continues to treat us along with our cousins as though we were her children.  She was a nice lady in general; however, we wanted to be treated as nephews, and nieces and not her children.  Also, in Montreal we found out Aunt Judy drove her car like a New York City cab driver. She would race any cab driver as well. Our dad told our mother he would never ride with her again. I never did either. We did survive the experience we never forgot. After Montreal we went to Gas Bay in Quebec. Aunt Judy went with us for two weeks. We had to continue biting our tongues.

I will continue our adventure in my next post.