Sunday, August 11, 2013

My Vague Memories of Camp Wel-Met's Western Trip #3 in 1965

A journal entry I wrote in February 2009 recalling my days in Camp Wel-Met has generated numerous hits. I just received a response from Mitchell W who was on the Western Trip #3 in 1965 with me.  It encourage me to scratch my head for memories of that trip.  Since it is almost 50 years ago, my memories of the details are fading.  I will do my best, so here goes.

Camp Wel-Met had 4 yearly bus tours of the Western United States in the 1960s and 70s.  Back in 1965 I was on Western Trip #3 that left NYC about July 16 and returned August 25.  

The tour started at the Narrowsburg site for a few days of training before we hit the road.  The first day was an overnight drive to St. Louis.  We actually changed drivers in Columbus, Ohio.  We stayed at the Jewish Community Center in St. Louis for a few days.  The next stop that I can remember  was the Jensby Farm in Kansas near the Nebraska border.  

The highlight of the trip was the Grand Canyon.  We actually hiked down the trail and slept near the bottom before we made the trek back up.  I was only 16 years old at the time and had a lot more energy that I had now.

I also remember stopping at the Navajo Indian reservation in Window Rock Arizona where we had to sleep in the bus one night since our sleeping bags were caught in a torrential rain.

There was also the stop at Pikes Peak where we took a railroad to the top

I can remember only some of the people I met on the trip:

Gerhard - group leader
Bernie, Louise, Mike and Marge were the counselors.
Phyllis Silverman
Nancy Yellen
Dick Seltzer
Mitchell W  who responded to my original post about Wel-Met (1961-65)
Mark Soloway
Barry
Andrea
Laura
Steve

1 comment:

Michael Schwieger said...

I think I was on this trip in 1965. I remember being on a farm in Colby Kansas. We were all herded in to the farmers root cellar. There was a passing tornado we were hiding from. When the all clear was lifted, all our camping gear was scattered all over the farm. Bruce was this trip also yours

 
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