Dadz and Link were lifetime best friends. Link and three partners built the boat, and Lloyd prepared it for winter, and set it up for use in spring. As far back as I can remember, we went to Haverdegras Maryland to go boating. We spent a lot of nights tied up to the dock. there was a small bait and rod shop, a counter for sandwiches, and other necessaries for boaters. I have a picture of me seated at the helm steering the boat. It is labeled Randy 7th birthday. I will hunt it. Name on the boat was Dar-Bob-Sue. Suzie was Link and Marge's daughter. Other 2 were other investors kids?
One night I remember the most, I was about 5 or 6, there were 3 bunks in the cabin. And space for 3 more sleeping spaces on the floor. There was a storm coming so Dadz tied up the boat. It was an old steel hull, half of a longer hull. Lights on boat, one in cabin, so when darkness set in we went to sleep. Sometime later I was woken up by Mom. It was before Mike was born: Dad, Mom, Dick and me. The boat was jumping up and down it was hard to walk.
Dick is 11 years my senior, he carried me and helped mom off the boat and up the peer to the parking lot. We left because it was so rough, the cast iron skillet slid off the propane burner and hit the bull dog on the head. he started yelling and woke everyone up. We were safe in the car. The parking lot was about 6 feet higher that the water.
By now the boat was jumping up and down 4 or 5 feet, Dick said. Then Mom yelled, where is Dadz?!? Dick ran out the car, down the dock, did Dadz fall in the water? Dick jumped in the boat when it went down, entered the cabin, Lloyd was fast asleep rolling from hitting the inside hull, and to the rail so you do not fly out the bunk in bad weather! Mom always says, he can sleep thru anything, when being used to sleeping in a tractor trailer bunk, the storm was nothing to him.
One night I remember the most, I was about 5 or 6, there were 3 bunks in the cabin. And space for 3 more sleeping spaces on the floor. There was a storm coming so Dadz tied up the boat. It was an old steel hull, half of a longer hull. Lights on boat, one in cabin, so when darkness set in we went to sleep. Sometime later I was woken up by Mom. It was before Mike was born: Dad, Mom, Dick and me. The boat was jumping up and down it was hard to walk.
Dick is 11 years my senior, he carried me and helped mom off the boat and up the peer to the parking lot. We left because it was so rough, the cast iron skillet slid off the propane burner and hit the bull dog on the head. he started yelling and woke everyone up. We were safe in the car. The parking lot was about 6 feet higher that the water.
By now the boat was jumping up and down 4 or 5 feet, Dick said. Then Mom yelled, where is Dadz?!? Dick ran out the car, down the dock, did Dadz fall in the water? Dick jumped in the boat when it went down, entered the cabin, Lloyd was fast asleep rolling from hitting the inside hull, and to the rail so you do not fly out the bunk in bad weather! Mom always says, he can sleep thru anything, when being used to sleeping in a tractor trailer bunk, the storm was nothing to him.
Sometime between my 7th and 9th birthday Link sold his share in the boat and bought an older 20 foot trailer. And of course, Lloyd volunteered to pull it to Wildwood, NJ. Link had a used car lot on Harrisburg Pike on ground now owned by Franklin and Marshall College. Dad was the mechanic for the car lot. Link bought a big older Cadillac Sedan at the sale to pull the trailer.
We hooked up the trailer and Dad took me along to help watch the trailer making turns so we would not hit anything, lots of small towns, not much clearance. We left as soon as it was dark on Friday night. Less traffic at night. Mom and Marge put bed sheets, on beds, and pillows so we had a place to sleep when we got there.
By car it was about four hours, Hauling this heavy trailer, it was over 6 hours. It was close to 3:00 AM when we pulled into the park, Florida Motor Court. This was the 2nd trailer to set up here. There were about 12 cabins, and lots of space for more.
When we got up about 9 o'clock AM, we got breakfast and started setting up the trailer. Cement blocks in sandy soil, sink about 4 inches. The water, sewer, and electric hookups were set up close to where markings for us to set trailer up. Dad had the trailer on blocks about 2 feet off the ground. and the ditch for running hookups under the trailer. All hooked up Sunday about 2 that afternoon.
Hookups need not be below freezing level as only used over summer. Water lines and waste lines hooked up to air compressor and emptied in the trailer and back to where they hooked to main lines. Link had another friend put skirting around trailer to keep animals out. Dad took me to boardwalk for about 3 hours. Then we headed for home, my Wildwood adventure was starting.
We hooked up the trailer and Dad took me along to help watch the trailer making turns so we would not hit anything, lots of small towns, not much clearance. We left as soon as it was dark on Friday night. Less traffic at night. Mom and Marge put bed sheets, on beds, and pillows so we had a place to sleep when we got there.
By car it was about four hours, Hauling this heavy trailer, it was over 6 hours. It was close to 3:00 AM when we pulled into the park, Florida Motor Court. This was the 2nd trailer to set up here. There were about 12 cabins, and lots of space for more.
When we got up about 9 o'clock AM, we got breakfast and started setting up the trailer. Cement blocks in sandy soil, sink about 4 inches. The water, sewer, and electric hookups were set up close to where markings for us to set trailer up. Dad had the trailer on blocks about 2 feet off the ground. and the ditch for running hookups under the trailer. All hooked up Sunday about 2 that afternoon.
Hookups need not be below freezing level as only used over summer. Water lines and waste lines hooked up to air compressor and emptied in the trailer and back to where they hooked to main lines. Link had another friend put skirting around trailer to keep animals out. Dad took me to boardwalk for about 3 hours. Then we headed for home, my Wildwood adventure was starting.
Second Trailer! The Wildwood bug hit Link and Marge TOO. After a couple years they wanted a bigger trailer. Link bought a burned out trailer cheap, Dad made a space in the car lot garage, and the old trailer was rebuilt there. The fire was not that bad. Looked bad, but Link was a whiz at buying cars at sales. Then dad fixed what necessary, and link sold them at a profit.
Link had a carpenter rebuild the trailer. New skin, and wood paneling walls and ceiling, nice kitchen, big area at front, back hall bunk beds one side, just one bed across from bunks. Lots of windows, 4 fans in ceiling to draw out the summer heat. And a small bathroom, and main bedroom in back. The toilet had no tank, just a handle like a urinal, and toe petal to open bottom of bowl. It fascinated me, I never saw anything like it.
When the new trailer was finished guess who took it to Wildwood, NJ?
Link had a carpenter rebuild the trailer. New skin, and wood paneling walls and ceiling, nice kitchen, big area at front, back hall bunk beds one side, just one bed across from bunks. Lots of windows, 4 fans in ceiling to draw out the summer heat. And a small bathroom, and main bedroom in back. The toilet had no tank, just a handle like a urinal, and toe petal to open bottom of bowl. It fascinated me, I never saw anything like it.
When the new trailer was finished guess who took it to Wildwood, NJ?
Friday evening Again! But This time Link closed the car lot, and was very successful selling cars For a friend Bud. Car salesmen made great money, only if they put in a lot of time. Link by himself, left no time for family. Working for someone left some time for family. Link sold his Ford pickup Daddy used to the place that hired him. 1/4 mile from Link's car lot. A truck and trailer repair shop.
Lloyd could fix anything mechanical. He fit right in. The new shop let daddy use the pickup to haul the trailer to Wildwood,NJ. They were friends of Link Too. Daddy had pulled the trailer to their shop, 2 days before we were to leave.
I was riding shotgun again. The pickup was a six cylinder, not much power. Link got another old Cadillac and followed us to push the trailer up the Delaware Bridge. Small hills were OK for the Pickup, the bridge was not. Link watched the sharp corner the trailer must clear the side of the building. He was too close to the trailer, and it pushed him about 6 feet away as it turned the corner.
I was watching the other side. Older now, I was watching more turns. We left Lancaster. To route 30, right on route 41. Past the Gap Town Clock again. Watching for the house with the head in the window! A 3 story old house about 10 feet off the road with a wig holder head in the one window. Sometimes they would put it in the other window same room, other window. Every kid that went past the house looked for the Head!
Yesterday we came home from the shore, Mary was driving, I looked, the house still there, no head! BUMMER!! Link helped push the 32 foot trailer up the hill for the bridge. With the car helping, we were only doing 10 MPH. Daddy made a metal brace with wood face so trailer bumper not scratched up. We got there about 2 AM, slept on trailer floor. Saturday and Sunday we set and hooked up everything.
The first year of bigger trailer, Marge,Link,Mom and Dad went next door to see Shorty the first night he spent in their old trailer. Suzie, Linda and I were alone. We got an ultimatum: no yelling, making a mess, or anything else. We were good, not wanting to lose future Wildwood times!!
Lloyd could fix anything mechanical. He fit right in. The new shop let daddy use the pickup to haul the trailer to Wildwood,NJ. They were friends of Link Too. Daddy had pulled the trailer to their shop, 2 days before we were to leave.
I was riding shotgun again. The pickup was a six cylinder, not much power. Link got another old Cadillac and followed us to push the trailer up the Delaware Bridge. Small hills were OK for the Pickup, the bridge was not. Link watched the sharp corner the trailer must clear the side of the building. He was too close to the trailer, and it pushed him about 6 feet away as it turned the corner.
I was watching the other side. Older now, I was watching more turns. We left Lancaster. To route 30, right on route 41. Past the Gap Town Clock again. Watching for the house with the head in the window! A 3 story old house about 10 feet off the road with a wig holder head in the one window. Sometimes they would put it in the other window same room, other window. Every kid that went past the house looked for the Head!
Yesterday we came home from the shore, Mary was driving, I looked, the house still there, no head! BUMMER!! Link helped push the 32 foot trailer up the hill for the bridge. With the car helping, we were only doing 10 MPH. Daddy made a metal brace with wood face so trailer bumper not scratched up. We got there about 2 AM, slept on trailer floor. Saturday and Sunday we set and hooked up everything.
The first year of bigger trailer, Marge,Link,Mom and Dad went next door to see Shorty the first night he spent in their old trailer. Suzie, Linda and I were alone. We got an ultimatum: no yelling, making a mess, or anything else. We were good, not wanting to lose future Wildwood times!!
The place Dad worked after Link's was a contractor that hauled other companies' freight. When a driver was not be able to go, or an extra short time driver was needed, dad drove. He repaired trucks when not driving. Every year when the tomato crop came in, Dad drove. They stacked tomato baskets on a flat bed trailer. Each layer was put on the wood of the basket on the inside of that basket. By 5 layers it looked like a burial tomb in Eqypt, a lot more narrow at the top. No ropes, or fasteners.
Of course Dad took Dick when he was small. Me when Dick could not go. We went to Heinz at Winston-Salem. The one time that stands in my mind, the trucks dad,s company used were all day cabs. No sleeper. The guy besides us had a sleeper. The driver talked to dad every year. He said, Lloyd, you and your kid use my bunk, I am going drinking. He probably had a girl friend here too.
We were in the bunk about 2 hours when a lot of yelling started. Dad got out the truck, his friend from Lancaster only had one arm, the right one. He was arguing with a two armed driver. He swore, turned around and headed for his truck. The guy came over to dad, his back to the guy with one arm. He came running over with a big wrench in his hand, swinging it around. Dad pushed the guy aside, and grabbed the guy's one hand, called him by name and said cool off. He did. I wondered how he drove floor shift trucks with one arm?
Another time we were eating supper, dad was driving that time too. He was mad, he told us," a cop on the turnpike pinched me today" I was horrified that a police officer would pinch a person hard enough to make them mad. It would be years later till I new what pinched meant!! Next year I asked Dad when we were hauling tomatoes again. He said, never, another truck went over to the oncoming lane and hit Dad's friend head on. He died, so did his 12 year-old son. Company said no more riders!
Of course Dad took Dick when he was small. Me when Dick could not go. We went to Heinz at Winston-Salem. The one time that stands in my mind, the trucks dad,s company used were all day cabs. No sleeper. The guy besides us had a sleeper. The driver talked to dad every year. He said, Lloyd, you and your kid use my bunk, I am going drinking. He probably had a girl friend here too.
We were in the bunk about 2 hours when a lot of yelling started. Dad got out the truck, his friend from Lancaster only had one arm, the right one. He was arguing with a two armed driver. He swore, turned around and headed for his truck. The guy came over to dad, his back to the guy with one arm. He came running over with a big wrench in his hand, swinging it around. Dad pushed the guy aside, and grabbed the guy's one hand, called him by name and said cool off. He did. I wondered how he drove floor shift trucks with one arm?
Another time we were eating supper, dad was driving that time too. He was mad, he told us," a cop on the turnpike pinched me today" I was horrified that a police officer would pinch a person hard enough to make them mad. It would be years later till I new what pinched meant!! Next year I asked Dad when we were hauling tomatoes again. He said, never, another truck went over to the oncoming lane and hit Dad's friend head on. He died, so did his 12 year-old son. Company said no more riders!
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