Aug 19 - Creepy Eerie Vampirella**

Saturday, August 19, 1972 - Page 232
LOCATION: Rapid City & Bethlehem, South Dakota

10:00 AM
I just woke up. Last night I went into Rapid again (it's about half a mile away) to pass the time. It was beginning to get cloudy, though it was still warm. I went into Becker's Drugstore and found -- forsooth -- a Creepy Magazine! Haven't seen one of those in years. I had to buy it of course. Along with Eerie there is another illustrated monster mag -- Vampirella. I bought that too. I also bought the new If that was there.

Creepy Issue 7 -- February 1966

Eerie Issue 81 - February 1977

Vampirella Issue 18 -- August 1972

Wandered around the town some more (one out-of-towner asked me where he could get some acid -- good grief). Got back as the light was fading -- read a few stories, then tried to get to sleep but it was only 9:00. So I wandered around some more. I cut my hands on the broken glass of the door, and I had a hamburger at Snow White's a few blocks away.

As I was walking back the rain started -- since 8:30 lightning had been flashing around, but now it was right above us. It was a good storm for a while -- the streetlights went out, thunder shook the house, rain came down in torrents. It lasted less than a half-hour though. The lightning persisted, but the rain was gone.

I read some more stories in my mags, and finally got to sleep around 12:30. It is now 10:25 A.M. and the skies are clear and warm. Soon I'll start hiking to Beth.

10:10 PM
I started my way to Beth at 11:30 -- I arrived at 2:00. I hitched, and four rides got me here (the last one was a group that was coming to Beth too, so I got the driver all the way up). Of the group that was here before, Bruce, Brad, Tom Shearing, Father Henry, Sr. Sylvester & M.R. are left. There are [end of page: continued in next entry]

TOMORROW: Scrabble plus a new hat & boots

Jun 19 - Another flood in Rapid City

Monday, June 19, 1972 - Page 171
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

(1:30 PM 6/20/1972)
It has been decided that I'm not gonna work any more at landscaping, and I'm leaving for S.D. [South Dakota] on the 28th (Jim & Cynthia are coming down for the 4th of July on the 29). Tom came back to Bethlehem --- Gil's in Pennsylvania burying somebody, and Rapid had another flood recently with 4 more feet of water. I've gotta get stuff prepared for the trip.

Still have not heard anything from the Latkas. Mayhaps I went too far with my irreverence in my last letter and they decided not to associate with me. Anyway, this book will return to South Dakota for another month or so.

Monday I woke up at 8:00, having got to sleep at 2:00. I got most of my photos selected to go with me to S.D. (to practice drawing) and I got to sleep at around 4 P.M., waking at 6:30 P.M. Mom had gone to bridge. I watched T.V. and washed the dishes. Went to bed about 1:30, ... [continued on next page]

Jun 02 - Man's Rise to Civilization as Shown by the Indians of North America from Primeval Times to the Coming of the Industrial State**

Friday, June 2, 1972 - Page 154
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

5:55:55 AM
I woke up this morning at 5:10 after having gotten to sleep at around 7:30 or 8:00 last night after Tricky Dicky's speech at 6:35. He just got back from the Summit meetings in Russia. (He closed by saying history books will note that this was the year in which we: "...went from the lowlands of war to the high plateau of world peace" [thunderous applause -- standing ovation], if I remember correctly. We shall see, shan't we?)

Dad came over today with my 5$, and I finally got the dishes washed. I wonder how long I'll retain this 'Early to bed, early to rise' schedule. It's now 6:02:22 A.M. ---

(1:30:30 AM 6/3/1972)
I'm sorry I can't say I read "Man's Rise to Civilization as Shown by the Indians of North America from Primeval Times to the Coming of the Industrial State" today, because I like to mention it everyday, but I promise, the next time I read "Mansrisetocivilizationasshownbytheindiansofnorthamericafromprimevaltimestothecomingoftheindustrialstate" I'll mention it. (There, that makes up for the lack of mentioning it yesterday.)

I got to sleep at about 11:30 A.M. and got up at 3:00. I finished organizing "Time Fall" notes. Dad called and for a while it'll be a toss up whether this summer will be used working for Aeroneurotic or serving time at Beth, S.D. Chunk called, and my immediate future is a bit more definite -- He, me & Murray are racing to Catalina in a Sea Scout sail boat. We stay there over night and race back. So I had to get a sleeping bag, so I drove over to dad's to get it (he & Larry are going to a party at 9:00) and I gave him the wire chair to fix, and the electrolux sink center.

Chunk called again, and we figured out what food I'd bring. I took a bath & made a bunch of turkey sandwiches. I've gotta be at the Sea Scout Base by 8:00 A.M. Tha's early. 11:45:30 now

Apr 25 - Photos: Bethlehem, South Dakota

Tuesday, April 25, 1972 - Page 116
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

Today: (see page 115)

These photos were taken by Tom Hildebrand, and were given to me by Tom Scheurring, and were put in here on August 26, 1972 A.D., at about noon while sitting on my bunk in the Abbott's Cabin. Now, what else do you wanna know? ----

[This is a rare TIME-JUMP-AHEAD referring to Grady's return-appearance at Bethlehem, South Dakota, later in this year, spurred by the disastrous Black Hills Flood of June 9 that killed hundreds.] 

Jan 11 - Matt's letter to girlfriend Judy***

Tuesday, January 11, 1972
LOCATION: Bethlehem, South Dakota

10:30 AM
Got to sleep last night at 1:30 in the stereo cabin. The three of us -- Matt, Me, and Phil (social sciences investigator or something) -- stayed there till 1:00, listening to the stereo and reading. I found out a button is missing on my new jacket.

12:00 AM
We had lunch at 1:00, and I went to the stereo cabin to draw an abstract painting from one of Fr. Gilbert's books. It took me most of the day to finish. I helped Brad put up wood strips on the ceiling of the chapel in the retreat house. Afterwards, I returned to the Stereo Cabin to finish my drawing.

Dinner was at 6:30 -- we had Chow Mein, rice, thingamajigs, whatjamacallits, and banana bread. I checked the Imperial for anti-freeze at the suggestion of Fr. Gilbert -- the car started fine, and registered plenty of anti-freeze.

I called mom and dad to tell them to send the $60.00, and they complied with Gilbert's thinking about building a geodesic dome to plant vegetables in. Tomorrow, M & I have to go to Rapid for our glasses -- we asked Fr. for $30 for me, and $8 for Matt, telling him we'd pay him back as soon as M's check ($40) and my bank account ($60) comes in.

It started snowing again, giving the land a fresh look and guaranteeing snow shoveling jobs tomorrow.

[Inserted here is a letter by Matt to his girlfriend, but he never mailed it so Grady grabbed the letter and put it in this book]

*judy

if you're travelling to the North Country fair

where the wind is heavy on the borderline

remember me to one who lives there...

Leon Russell

Its a week since I left newport.  in that time I have seen more things than ever before I have seen.  It's supported my idea that newport was a severely limited and limiting place.  I have visited states, driven hiways, been a temporary drifter, and subjected myself to the theoretical forces of the Gestapo.  And I am not finished yet.  I find myself in a commune in the unlikely and remote black hills of south dakota.  It's run by a catholic father, and the people and philosophy are both as beautiful as the forest surrounding.  The big town, Rapid City, is perhaps a normal midwestern town, but with my conditioning I can't help but describe it as strange... strange.  the plan of me and my colleague, Grady Lyda, is to live here and work in Rapid City 'till we have enough filthy green to travel to New York City, there to establish ourselves, get interesting work or develop a business.  I have with me - myself, which includes all clothes, the stereo, and personal effects.  the car is a portable sanitarium. anyway, this is asking you if you would like to visit me in New York this summer (after you've finished school).  I will feed you bagels & cheese every morning, take you to see the sights, and provide snappy repartee.  See what it's really like to live outside sunny Calif.  let life drive you crazy.  take it from someone who's seen both sides of the sanity fence.  It's better.  but that depends on definition of 'better' . or maybe 'bet' . or 'ter' . (give up) think about it and write me.  that address again -- Bethlehem, South Dakota 57708 (THEIR OWN ZIPCODE, YET.)

I think, at this point, I can definitely and unequivicably make the compulsively profound statement - - - - I miss you.
Matt Gold
P.S. don't worry about money.  I'll pay 4 you in the City.

see for me if her hair's hanging long --
that's the way I remember her best. -- L. Russell

[Below are the Front & Back photos of this letter. Matt was a clever artist: if you

click on this image & look carefully, you can see a giant Question Mark behind his text.]

Jan 08 - Lost on the way to Bethlehem, SD

Saturday, January 8, 1972
LOCATION: Rapid City, Spearfish & Bethlehem, South Dakota

Got up at 9:30, walked to a nearby gas station to get the tire fixed, and repaired the spare. Before we left I bought gloves and a gas can. We also got some oil for the car. Matt drove first, then after about half an hour I took over because we were getting closer to Bethlehem, South Dakota. The weather was coldest its been since we started.

I passed the turn off to Bethlehem the first time, and went straight to Spearfish, where I patronized a local phonebooth, checked the phonebook, and called Geri's home. It turned out that she left last Wednesday on a plane to go to Langdon, Utah, for college. Oh well...

Anyway, we reversed our position and headed back for Bethlehem. I took a turnoff which I thought would take us where we wanted to go, and the road got very icy, so we put the chains on with a great deal of difficulty (one of the chains didn't fit one of the tires because one of the tires was the wrong size -- that happened when we changed the flat).

I noted my mistake in turning where I did, and we got back on the highway -- took off the damned chains -- and hunted for the Bethlehem turn off. We eventually found it, went up the treacherous winding road (put the chains back on), drove at 5 miles an hour, and got to the Shrine of the Nativity in Bethlehem, S.D.

Hallelujah!