California 1982

Spring of 1982 a plan was hatched at Rusty’s Bar in Middleton WI over 20 cent taps by Tim Gavigan and Rick Smith. They decided to drive to California in a van to Visit Chris Eddy in Long Beach CA.
Chris, Rick and Tim played Hockey together on the Madison Cardinals Midgets and then the Capitol Midget Team.

1982 Long Beach California: Tim Gavigan, Rick Smith, Chris Eddy.

1st Day
Ricks Birthday
Rick Smith at the back of his van
Pulled over 60 miles north of Madison

Pulled over by a Wisconsin State Trooper for Speeding. There was open beer in the van along with other goodies laying about. Rick managed to talk the cop out of a ticket because the van was new to him and we thought the speedo was off. Sure enough we sweet talked that trooper into driving along side of us calling out 55 MPH to us.

Sure enough our speedo was off.  Camped near the Min North Dakota border that night.

2nd Place
North Dakota and Montana Border
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The Mountains
1/2 Way Across Montana
The Rocky Mountains
Yellowstone
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park

Geysers, Fountain Paint Pot Trail, Hotel one night

Jackson Hole
Wyoming
Met Friends

Ran into Chris Van Riezen, Joe Marty waiting for Stuart Anderson to arrive so they could be off to Alaska. Partied for four hours and they hit the road towards Idaho

Flat Tire
Idaho
Flat tire in the middle of the night.

Rich was sleeping. The van felt like the wind had picked up and I was being pushed to my left until .... thud thud thud the tire went. We had jack issues that required us to used boards  ad other stuff to the the van jacked up. Prior to this adventure Rick worked at Napa Auto parts in Middleton and Tim worked at the Parkwood ARCO Station (University  Ave and Park) and the Westgate ARCO (Odana & Segoe RDs).  We both had some experience with vehicles.

The Ocean
Newport Oregon
Ocean and Van Troubles

The van was starting to run rough so in Newport OR we decided to take is to a shop. Turns out we had burned thru a set of points. Guys in the shop wanted to trade us some "smoke" (we left a pipe out and they had seen it) for the work. We said we would love to but.... what we brought was all gone buy that point.

Fremont CA
MIELENZ
Fremont CA

Camped outside the bay then to the MIELENZ Famly aboad in Fremont for two nights. Old Milwaukee beer and Doobies after dinner. Souped up Chevy Vega that kept breaking drive shafts was in the garage. Grandma Ruth wired Tim $100 and then it was off To long beach to meet Chris Eddy

Long Beach
Long Beach
Long Beach

arrive at Long Beach

San Gabrial Mountains
San Gabrial Mountains
San Gabrial Mountains

arrive at Long Beach

Point Furman
Point Furman
Point Furman

Point Furman

Fight

The Missing Persons Band was new

March 30
Sub Label
The Road Home
Long Beach to Vegas, to Cheyenne, to Des Moines to Madison. Two Day later I am the Blue Bell Ice Cream Guy


Chris Eddy