More parks and pools in Fort Wayne




We would take a day or two off for just recreation now and then, especially after a few days of just driving. Most people know of Fort Wayne as a dirty industrial city, but back then it was a large, friendly town with good recreational facilities. We found a very comfortable motel there and a restaurant we liked, so we hung out for two days.





You may have noticed a throw-away comment about "a comic about Robin Hood". Yes, we brought along books to read. But I was a voracious reader (I believe I said that already) who would read for enjoyment, amusement, or just to fight off boredom. Bob would become the same way on the trip. It was clear we would get through the books we brought pretty quickly. So we acquired reading matter along the way that was cheap, small and lightweight (hey, we had a REAL space problem), and wouldn't rot our minds too badly. What did Dad and Mom come up with? "Classics Illustrated" comics. By the end of the trip, I already knew the plot for dozens of English Lit classics. Yes, I read the books themselves when the time came, but I already knew the "road map" and how to "navigate" the book.

Ruth adds, "I have no recollection about either reading or being read to … except for comics. I remember big excitement about Dad pulling a new Donald Duck or Little Lulu comic out of the trunk as a reward for good behavior or just having lived through a long day on the road successfully."