Jan 20 - Picking up Dad, plus big car problems

Thursday, January 20, 1972
LOCATION: Bethlehem & Rapid City & Mt Rushmore, South Dakota

9:00 AM
I just woke up, and I'm in Storms [the stereo cabin] now. It's snowing outside with very fine snow flakes.

(2:00 PM 1/21/72)
I ran into Fr. Gilbert and got directions for the airport. Then I tried to start the car, gave up, and put the recharger on. After a while, I consulted Wheezie, and over a period of an hour or so, we failed to start it (waiting for the battery to recharge, trying to start the car, then waiting for the battery to recharge -- while waiting I read my book). By 11:00 A.M., I gave up on the car, told Tom (who was in the print shop), he found Fr. Gilbert, and Gil & I went in his car to pick up Dad, who was coming in on Western Airlines at 11:45 (Mom called last night, Father Gil answered -- but no one relayed the message to me).

A 1968 photo of  Lu Lyda & Grady

Picked up Lucifer [my nickname for Lu Lyda, my dad] at 12:00, got back and ate lunch, then I proceeded to pack the rest of our stuff. Matt took a picture of the whole gang in the chapel, then he disassembled his stereo, I packed it, and dad socialized.

Tom, Dick and Phil left in the Chevy to go to town. Fr. Gil began to drive away, but came back when he saw the Chevy was gone (He had to go to a wake, and then to court to act as a character witness -- [wild, nearly illegible writing on the rest of this page] DAMN, THIS ROAD IS BBBMMM  BUMPY). Anyway, we all tried to start the Imperial: Me, Gil, Matt, DAD, Wheezie & Swede. Finally Gil drove up his car and we jumped the batteries. Ultimately the thing started, and Gil drove away. So Dad, and Me, and Matt started on our way but the car stopped again just outside the house, blocking the driveway. Wheez, Swede, Me, Dad, and Matt tried to start it again. Then we put the recharger back on. Wheez found that one of the coils was cracked, so a spark was jumping. He taped it, and we waited 1/2 hour for the battery to recharge. Then Dad & I went to start it, and it worked immediately. We all said goodbye again, and left. The skies by this time had cleared. We went to Rapid to return Matt's library books, and then we went to Mount Rushmore. We left Beth. at 3:15, and got to Rushmore at about 5:00. The place was deserted, and despite the lack of light, Matt took some photos. Then we left (continued on next page >>)