SAM & CEIL: THE LAST 216 Miles

October 4, 1921. We started at 6:45 A.M. for Philly, about 216 miles from here. We made wonderful time and the scenery was beautiful. Reached Baltimore about 12:00 P.M. Had a blow out just before reaching Baltimore. Ate after passing out of Baltimore and reached Philadelphia about 7:30 P.M. it was dark out. At Media, just 12 miles from home, the engine went dead and after cranking the car a few times, it started again, but we burned out the headlights and had to travel with just one oil lamp. When we got to the house, we sure did look like we had been traveling.

SAM & CEIL: CLOSER TO HOME

September 29, 1921. Left St. Louis at 10:30 Thursday and thank goodness we finally hit a cement road, the first since Albuquerque. Stayed at a garage for the night in Marshall, IL.

September 30, 1921. Enjoying the trip a little more now and making better time. Left Marshall, IL about 8:30 a.m. and camped at Richmond, Indiana.

SaM & CEIL: EVEN MORE MUd HolEs

September 26, 1921. Monday morning [1921]. We started again but had not gone very far when a woman stopped us and told us about the mud hole a mile further up the road. Her son offered to take us across at $2.50 but as we got going along with another Ford with 4 farmers in it, we decided to try it first. The farmers tried it first, and after a lot of pushing and what not, they got across. Then we tried it and after a lot of grief we got out. We hit a few more mud holes but I just got out of the car to make it lighter and we made it all right. Got as far as Williamsburg and stayed at the camp ground there.

SAm & CEIL: More mud holes

September 25, 1921. We made Waverly this morning and left about 12 o'clock. We had not gone very far when we hit a stream and had to be taken across with a team hitched on front. A little further on we had to be taken across a mud hole, paying $1.00 each time. Then we went across the ferry and found the roads just as bad on the opposite side. We got into some mud holes but out again without help and went as far as New Franklin, whete we camped for the night.

Sam & Ceil: MUles to the rescue!

September 24, 1921. Left K.C. at one o'clock, stopping at the post office first. We received only three letters yet they made us good. All went well until the rod holding up our running board broke. Sam had a hard time getting it off and by the time he did, a storm came up. We tried to reach the next town but about five miles out were stuck. It was 5 o'clock by then and we decided to stay there in the middle of the road. If anyone wanted to get by, they would have to help us move. At about 10 o'clock a machine came along and helped us out and advised us to try to make Waverly about 1 1/2 miles from there. We started but soon hit a mud hole and our rear tire was completely submerged. About eleven o'clock, a machine went by and after trying for a half hour to get us out, he went up and got a pair of mules and pulled us out. He allowed us to sleep in his garage. He lived nearby.

Sam & Ceil: 202 MIles

September 23, 1921. Started at 7 a.m. Made splendid time for the first hour but on account of a detour and a flat tire, lost about an hour and a half. Went as far as Kansas City, arriving about 8 o'clock. Made 202 miles from Marian to Kansas City, which was excellent.

Sam & Ceil: Scary Weather

September 18, 1921. At eleven o'clock started from Las Vegas. Ran into a hail and rainstorm and then when it cleared up, decided to go to Raton. About five miles out of Raton we ran into a cloud and as it was dark then, we had our share of scares, thunder and lightning. We skidded a great deal and then went into a ditch. When the rain stopped a bit, we went on and finally hit a garage where we camped for the night.

September 19, 1921. Starting at ten o'clock went as far as La Junta, Colorado. Had to go over the Ratoon Pass, an elevation of 8790 feet. It was wonderful up there.

Sam & Ceil: Good Roads make a brief appearance

September 16, 1921. Started again at 8:30 and went to Albuquerque. Through Albuquerque we had the first smooth road since leaving San Bernadino, Calif. It was a pleasure after going over nothing but dirt roads except through the desert where it was sand. Dirt roads would have been alright if they were not all broken up. The smooth road lasted only through the town and then we were back again to the bad roads.

SaM & CEIL: DUCK HUNTING?

September 14, 1921. Sam and Yeager [don't remember him] went duck hunting and it was not until about 10:30 that we started out and went as far as Datil, N.M where we camped.

September 15, 1921. Started out at 8:30 and made Socorro, N.M for the night.

Sam & Ceil: An Unexpected Encounter

Had to have a few things attended to and it was about 1:30 before we started out again. Did not make much time, and camped about 15 miles past the New Mexico state line. During the day when we had stopped the machine for lunch at a spot where we did not see a house or person around, we were not stopped for more than a few minutes when we were surrounded with about 10 Indians who were trying to sell us things. It was hard to keep your eyes on all of them and when we saw some of them monkeying with our spare tires on the back of the machine, we quickly got our things together and started out. If we had stayed there very long, we would not have had much left of our supplies.

Sam & Ceil: 2 posts-More terrible roads

September 11, 1921. Sunday. Started early. The roads were terrible but we rode until 10 at night and made Winslow, 142 miles away.

September 12, 1921. Started out about 10 o'clock. Only made 101 miles, the roads being terrible. Spent some time at the Petrified Forest. It was wonderful there. Took some petrified wood with us. [Now this forest is a national park and you are not allowed to pick up and take away the smallest piece of petrified wood.] Went on to St. John to camp for the night.