Dear Folks, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, Part 1 January 25, 2004 The following is a story based on my memories and transcription of the notes I wrote in my Trip Journal including the snapshots that were taken at the time in 1952 regarding our trip from Spokane, Washington, to Memphis, Tennessee. As a bit of a background, my mother, my brother Johnny and my husband (at the time) Ric, and I had made the long trek across the country from Niagara Falls, NY, to Spokane, WA. We eventually arrived there in July 1951. However a lot transpired between the time we all settled into our house in Spokane in July 1951 to when we moved from Spokane in February 1952. I guess most importantly to me was what happened in December of 1951. My husband Ric was given only one of two choices in the mail. The Draft Board would either draft him into the Army or allow him to pick his choice of service. It was during the Korean War and Ric chose the Marines. He left for Boot Camp in Parris Island, SC, shortly after the New Year and I was devastated. He was going off to war!! We had been married for only a year! In addition to that, the ferroalloys company that had recently employed my father as supervisor, felt that he was THE man to move to Memphis to supervise the construction of a brand new ferroalloys plant, from the very bottom up to the first tap of the furnace. It was a gigantic task. (Note: I eventually stood alongside Daddy with the building of the plant from the beginning to the end!). Considering all of that, after only seven months of living in Spokane, we set off again in February 1952 for another wonderful trip across America the Beautiful that we had never seen before. I'll try to share with you the wonder of it all.