Quote:
Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine
We side tripped to The Canyon, of course. At the South Rim vista, a Japanese tourist engaged me in converstion. He said he had been a Zero pilot. I was a little apprehensive, but I'd met Nisei Japanese/Americans who'd served valiantly with the 442 RCT. My Dad jumped in, and they discussed world peace and stuff. Nice guy, not the villian of the propaganda movies.
Never got back to The Canyon until 2016, when after my dog Lola died, my best buddy grabbed me and said ''We're goin' camping!'' He had recently lost his dog, Sheba, too. We took off for a couple days in Pinetop -- staying with his cool sister -- then Flag. Camped in the Coconino Forest. Then the Canyon and camped in the Kaibab Forest after cruising atound the South Rim. Saw a lot more Japanese tourists. The driver on the Rim bus was amazed that we were actually Arizonans. He said he never sees Arizonans, some Americans, but mostly foreigners.
The Canyon hadn't changed much in 49 years deep inside, but the upper area on the South Rim wasn't really recognizable.
[Wow. The VW Thing was quite the groovy ride in '67. ]
Are you guys holding a piece of the wreckage on the TWA Constellation/United DC7B mid-air in 1956?
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I've been back a few times. I am blown away by the changes, such as the new visitor center. Various foreign languages.
That is actually an Auto Union DKW "Munga", a 3 cylinder two stroke, independent suspension NATO vehicle. When we lived in Tucson, went four wheeling up Pantano Wash where Vail is, with a guy who had a Toyota Land Cruiser, with airplane tires. Must have been spring, water was running. He said if we got stuck, he could pull us out, we pulled him out, twice.