Road Trippin'

I'm having a very linky week it seems. June Cleaver Nirvana did one of her excellent illustrated posts about her family's epic road trips. Which got me thinking about the trips my family used to take back in the day.

For a few years there, in the 70's, my family was my Mom, Stepdad, my sister and me and, every other weekend and longer periods of time in the summer, my two stepsisters. How did we roadtrip?

A 1971 Datsun 240Z as a matter of fact. Now you may be saying to yourselves. "Jenn, that car is a two-seater; you said there were six of you?" Well, yeah. Remember, we're talking waaaay back in the day. No seat belt laws plus kids weren't really allowed to have opinions or complain. So, yes, we frequently took "the Z."

You say you want some more specifics on the logistics of it all?

One of the adults would open the hatchback and in we would pile. Heads near the front seats, feet at the back of the car in a sort of a triangle. The outer two girls could extend their legs, the inner two needed to bend their knees. And off we'd go--mountain roads being the specialty of the house--Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Mt. Baldy, Pismo Beach. Pt. Mugu.

I would blame my height (stretching for 5'4) on the all scrunching, but they all  hit at least 5'7.

Comments

[kcinnova]

I can instantly pick you out in that last photo - you had your beautiful smile even then. :)

My mom walked away from a one-car accident (totaled her car)in the late 1960's because she was wearing her seatbelt, so I think we were likely one of the few families who ALWAYS wore seatbelts. I used to envy kids who got to ride in such interesting fashion as you did.

[Reluctant Blogger]

Yeah everyone used to just cram in back in those days, didn't they? We were the same.

I went to Ireland with my children a few years back and they are much more relaxed there out in the country and my friend packed all eight of our children and two dogs into the tiniest of cars. They thought it was wonderful fun. I'm sure the appeal would soon wear off though!

[phd in yogurtry]

I have got to show this to my kids the next time they complain there is no room in our seven-seater!

[gary]

OH! These pictures are so great!
I remember driving like that too---all kinds of ways to cram kids into a car back then.

[blognut]

Wow! That had to look like the clown car at the circus when you all started piling out of it. That would have been a sight to see!

[midwest mommy]

lol, that's great. I thought it was bad growing up that we all had to fit in a Chevy Bretta.

[Mary Alice]

Coooooool. Maybe you passed us? We were the large family rocking back and forth trying to force the VW bus slowly up the steep grade with our collective momentum. None of us were strapped in either. Toddlers climbing around the back. Oh those were the days. It is a wonder we all survived.

[jenrantsraves]

For one of my birthday parties, my parents loaded a bunch of girls into our hatchback and took us to a water slide park. Can you imagine doing that now?!

[imom]

I love the photos! We did out share of road trippin', but our car had a back seat, although it was only a two door. I don't remember ever wearing a seat belt. Somehow we survived!

[Smalltown Mom]

What a trip down memory lane.

[magpie]

Six people in that car blows my mind.

I remember riding loose in the way back of the station wagon.

[Gladys]

My Brother had an Opal GT - also a 2 seater. We took many a trip with him squeezed 5 in the tiny bubble. I'm only 5'1" so maybe that explains it.

[Manic Mommy]

Our best was the white station wagon with the wood on the sides -- with electric everything. Even the tailgate would fully retract into the floor of the car!

We always rode in the way back, where there was (I shit you not) a controler to open the back tailgate. While a bunch of kids were sitting back there. With the car moving. On the highway. Brilliant.

[green girl]

But that is the coolest car ever!

[Julie]

Oh my gosh! I thought our little Toyota Corolla with me wedged between 2 car seats in the back was squished!

[Busy Bee Suz]

Great pictures!!!
Reminds me of riding in the hatch of my Dad's pinto. Yeah, the cars that would blow up if hit in the rear. Of course the other option was sitting on the HUMP. You know that awkward middle spot in the back seat...but at least we had a back seat!!

[Janet]

LOL I remember those days!

[San Diego Momma]

I can't even imagine. Then again, we had a Buick Estate Wagon. I think you had the classier ride.

[mandy]

My husband, born in 1967, used to take family roadtrips with his sister and parents in the Mustang. Other cars, he'd lay on the back "shelf" and fall asleep up there, or read, rolling down onto the backseat or the floor with any sudden stop.

Granted there was less traffic on the road, people generally drove more slowly and cars were heavier. Still. It's a miracle that no one was ever hurt too badly.

[Nora]

Impressive! We had a family of six and roadtripped in an old Suburban, and that was chaos enough.

[Fannie]

OMG! We had seven on our raod trips but at least it was a 4 door!

[Baby Favorite]

And here I feel guilty when I "cram" my 9- and 13-year-old into our fairly late model Camry because "there's not enough leg room" (according to them). I need to show them this!

I didn't realize people went to Pt. Mugu if they weren't in the military/government. (The base where I work is directly linked to theirs, incidentally.) I have only been to Mugu on gov't. travel, but I've heard there are some neat cottages you can rent on the beach. Hmmm...

For some reason, I can't comment on your post today about that one (dimwit) professor of yours, but I think you are an amazing writer, and I come from a family of writers. (My mother had a children's book published by Harper Collins, had many others in the works at the time of her death, and at one point, was a nominee for the Mark Twain Award for Children's Literature.) Unfortunately, I didn't inherit my family's talent, but I still think I have a good "eye" for it. You really know how to touch people, and it irritates me there's someone out there who can't fully appreciate that.

[JCK]

These pictures tell such wonderful stories themselves!