The Long, Long, Trailer by Clinton Twiss

[TRfour]

While living on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH, I showed a copy of the Life Magazine story about my families journey back in the fifties to a friend that I met there. He and his Dad enjoyed the story very much. This friend was an old movie buff and happened to have a cassette copy of the movie with Lucile Ball & Desi Arnaz, ' The Long Long Trailer ' that he gave to me to watch. Wow, did that movie ever bring me back to the day!!

I highly recommend to everone here to check it out! It's an awesome movie!!

[wheel interested]

Loved the home security story Terry!!! Thanks for sharing.

[TRfour]

that segment of our trip. ( no pun intended ).

Our 4,376 mile, 34 day trek had many highlights for us, sight seeing and all, along the way. As a large family we had lots of fun then and now, sharing and talking about it. Many wonderful memories.

Thank you CarolJ

[wheel interested]

I have the forums set up to open on new posts and most recent first so I have begun to read back further to your blog.

I remember Queen for a Day very well. We watched it very often. What a large family you had growing up. Which one is you? Look at all those towels, sheets and blankets. It boogles the mind to see and think of just that part of the work involved in raising a family that size! It is no wonder Time Life picked up the story. This is book material. And you write so well. I am thoroughly enjoying the voyage.



This picture of Grace surely rivals Norman Rockwell and is wonderful and delightful. I especially like the young child looking up from his or her folded hands apparently trying to control a smile or snicker. A precious moment and fantastic photograph.

[TRfour]

About Queen for a Day, our Mom won on that show, and of coarse all of us children got to watch the live episode at home on TV. You may remember the Host at the time was Jack Bailey.
For those interested in taking a little trip down memory lane, here's a link with some video clips from the show.
Queen for a Day


That be me, standing in the back of the luggage trailer, over sized lunch pail and the guitar, with the ('Compression ) on my face.


" the young child", is my younger sister Doña. Just a very happy and free spirited and wonderful sister to this very day!

I have to thank you again for you're very sweet and kind comments and interest!

And just remember that I'm getting just as big a kick out of all of this as you are!

[TRfour]

CarolJ,

The two photos in you're post I believe were taken by Life photographer, Wallace Kirkland. After our story was published, Life Magazine presented us with a huge album with some of twenty thousand ( Their Estimate ) pictures taken by them and us, published and unpublished, of our journey.

I have been very blessed with a very wonderful family, however I lack some of the composing/writing skills that could bring our story to you all. Now, at the same time I will do my very best to make this story as interesting as I can.

There is lots more to come, and I am dedicated and committed to bring it to this Awesome Forum and share.

Oh and, as you may all find out, I am not skilled computer wise but I can tell you that I am very appriciative to have found this WebSite!!!!
I thank y'all.

[wheel interested]

That is a huge album! We shall all appreciate hearing the story as it unfolds Terry. Especially me... I had no siblings!

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

That is a huge album! We shall all appreciate hearing the story as it unfolds Terry. Especially me... I had no siblings!

Just know that you have been added to my beloved ones. Life, has taught us from an very early age to enjoy and welcome everyone. God knows and helps to keep the lid on, so to speak.

I love you're writings as well, and appreciate the chance to contribute here.
Looking forward to meeting you in person.
Love,
Terry

[TRfour]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

That is a huge album! We shall all appreciate hearing the story as it unfolds Terry. Especially me... I had no siblings!

Smooch more,...

Tripping,

Yet another leg,

Enjoy,

Our 34 day trek across our very and beautiful United States braught us to, on the evening of and July 6th, 1952 when we pulled into The Airport Trailer Village- Park in Westchester, CA. A suburb west of Los Angeles.
Were there for a week and moved to Artesia, southeast of Los Angeles.
The trailer was in place and Dad decided he would put the stabilizers in place the next day.

It was here at 5:00 AM the next morning that we discovered one of California's notoriaties.
"EARTHQUAKE!" The Tahachapi earthquake paid us a visit. Had our wheeled trailer rocking and swaying like a washing machine. Most of us ended down on the floor and thought that our trailer was going to, see you on the flip side.
Opened the back door and saw the COWs, in a field and pasture, falling and tumbling over like candle pins.


Moral to this story, haven't quite got there yet, If Mother Nature could ever give a Clue,
"TRUST AND BELIEVE IN HER!"

DOO we ever have some Smart Scientist's, Oh and yes we do...

However, MOTHER NATURE has a very sweetspot within me.

[TRfour]

Forgot to mention the part about Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada's was a trip in itself, at 7'085 feet above sea level, and the lowest point of traversing them huge mountains! Thank God the snow Gods were resting!
At the time, we were the lagest trailer to cross through there back in 1952!...

More to come...

[wheel interested]

Terry, I am so excited to hear more, perhaps you should be posting your articles to Airstream Life or write your own memoirs in book fashion!!! I could sit and listen for as long as you have stories to tell. And pictures are the absolute! Not only me but all Airstreamers and tin can tourists and mobile adventurers alike, I am sure.

Narrow roads around mountain passes really open the eyes and get your senses sharpenened, I'd say.

We were on a pass in Yellowstone country and the brake wires pulled out of our Thor TowLite. The truck's brakes started heating up and burning just about the time snow started to fall. On our way down with no where to pull over and the kind of views that made Lucy cringe, I would have rather been on the inside lane than looking off the drop off from the passenger's seat! We made it to Helena and they fixed our brake wires that pulled out on the rough and tumble of the construction of Yellowstone roads. But it was not far off from scene in the Long Long trailer.

[TRfour]

That must have been hairy, losing the trailer brakes!
I remember at one point descending the Black Hills out in the Dakota's when we pulled into a filling station to gas up that the brake drums on the Buick were cherry red, and an attendant ran up with a water hose!... My Dad told him to get away!... as if he had sprayed cold water on those cast iron brake drums, they would have exploded into a gazillion pieces!

I think that I need to apologise to everyone here for being retired, and still having too many things on my plate... There is a book in the works on our Family's journey and working on scanning old photos taken by Life Magazine photographers, and us...

A reminder that I just discovered this wonderful website through doing some research about Clinton Twiss and The Long Long Trailer!

Please let me add some recently rescanned photos...

The first... Sight Seeing In New York...

The Second... Dismantling a cannon at the Gettysburge Memorial Battleground.


PS, that's me in the striped shirt on the railing.

[TRfour]

Here's a couple more...

#1. Trying to get a view of the Empire State Building, NY.

#2. Looking for a spot to pitch our tent, Fort Wayne Indiana.

#3. Pulling out of Cajon Pass, CA.

[wheel interested]

The pictures are terrific. I can't imagine that size trailer being able to fit on a mountain pass. It is huge. Seeing it next to the others really shows how much bigger it was than the others.

Cute shot looking up at the Empire State Building.

Looking for a spot to pitch your tent in Indiana...tell us more.

[TRfour]

Yes, and most trailer parks we stayed at, usually we'd take up two to three lots with the two rigs.

We stayed at Fort Wayne for a few days doing some general maintenance and such. Us children could be very inventive and were not afraid or shy in any way to pitch in get our hands dirty.

There was an awesome indoor basketball arena right there beside the trailer park and my older brother Mel was a phenomenal player and he'd sneaker over and maid friends with a large group of Indians that invited him into their shoot around for practice before a big game that was going to take place the fallowing night. Well, when they got to see what brother Mel could do, they were fighting to get him on their team!

Well, don't ya know come game time night that Mel, while playing Center for the Indians, scored the winning HOOP to the delight of the huge croud in the granstands cheering them on. OH would I ever have loved to play backup for my brother in that game. I have way bigger feet than he did, but he had about three feet in hieght on me at the time, so I made a better Cheerer and seat warmer.

Here again, my hope is that y'all don't get sick 'on me!

More Pictures...

#1. Did I Say Laundry Day!
#2. Some More Trucking Back To Home.
#3. Tune-Up, With Some He'pp!
#4. Never Took Much To Entertain Us Kids.
#5. OH, Those Fresh Sheets!

[wheel interested]

Love the tune up and tube play picture. No way am I getting tired of seeing these pictures. You have preserved a place in time and a culture. This is great fun for me.

Simpler times. This is a great series. Would make a good calendar...lots of calendars and cards! Books are even better with your story telling. I love the visuals and the poignancy of nostalgic Americana.

I can't remember if I mentioned it before, yes, I did mention it before, your pictures feel strikingly like Norman Rockwell subjects and depictions. Tremendous photography.

[TRfour]

What was up with the striped shirts, must have been a sale going on at the time.

Dear CaroleJ, through you're continued interest and comments, you are very welcome into sistership of our family. May I add that it is soooo wonderful to feel the love between us. Thank you Sweetheart!

OH and yes, there will be smooch more to come...
Thank you,
Love Terry

[TRfour]

I have found through research of Clinton Twiss that he was the innovator of packing it up and moving it on... My family being from around the time, I wanted to find out who started this movement, and he very clearly did that.
So my parents could have been influenced by him to undertake the mobile home movement to the next level!!
Oh, what a trip, and Too Cool!!
No need for me to tell you all how much fun and enjoyment that we have shared together!!

Let us keep it UP!

[TRfour]

"OHIO". To this very day, I couldn't think of a better name for this State.

We were detoured along our journey through, by a tornado that closed the main highway onto a dirt road that most Oxen would have said, Get Out'a Here!
We did however get back to the main highway, through a very skillful pilot in my Dad, and of course Our Good Lord!

As you could imagine, we made a few gas stops on our way west. The Magic Carpet Mule got about 4-5 miles per gallon. Good thing was that gas was about $.17 - $.20 cents a gallon back in them days.

Now, don't think for a moment that I was just sitting there not paying attention! Many years later in fact when I applied for and landed my very first part time job after school as an "Petroleum Transfer Engineer", for a Whopping $.75 cents an hour, at a local gas station, Man Was I Stylin!!
Course, it took me a while to pay for the child work permit, as I was 14 at that time.

Oh the antiques, and today, Me Too!

[TRfour]

Signed up for the Marines, and they came to our house to pick him up knowing that Life Magazine would be there to take a photo.

He very proudly served in Okinawa.
My brother Mel later served in the Navy, and yours truly served in the Army for our country.

Please continue to alow us to say Grace in this country...