Moving Across Country~Maine to California

My dad received military orders to move from Brunswick Naval Air Station, Maine to another base in California that I cannot recall...maybe in Chula Vista? I think he drove a blue Pontiac. I remember he put a piece of plywood the length of the back seat across the middle floor board "bump" (for lack of a better word) so that my brother and I could stretch out side-by-side and sleep. When we were sitting up, our legs splayed out in front of us because the spaces under the board on either side of the bump were packed with belongings--in fact, the whole car was packed. We were pretty small and we wore no seat belts, so we were able to face each other and play games, too.

I remember waking up one time and looking up and out the window at hills of dark green trees. I remember also, traveling across a bridge and seeing an eagle with a fish in his mouth. One night, we stopped for dinner at a Sambo's restaurant. I recall vanilla pudding for me and green jello for Craig. On another of our stops, an Indian Reservation, we went into a teepee and my mom bought me a little Indian girl with a Papoose on her back. She was about six inches high and dressed in soft beige suede decorated with colorful beads. Though it was a long trip, these are the only events I can recollect.

~Mama