Racinbob 1979 Grand Tetons

[RacinBob]

Me (far left) my brother and my college buddies take off from Iowa and head to Grand Tetons at the end of summer school to go back packing.

We rode in Dick's brand new Citation which was one of the first ones built, and Bob's Fairmont wagon.

We drove all night out and back. We didn't spend (have) money for hotels...... Oh to be young and careless.

Reprinted from slide taken with my Honeywell Pentax. Basically everybody but Joe (2nd from right) and I are retired.

[WhoIsTheLeader]

Sounds like a fun trip. The Citation must have been excitingly new for at least a week before it became apparent the Citation was a Citation. I've never been backpacking but I think I'd like it.

[Qaaaaa]

Cool pic. I see small tails, is that a German built or an early Westmoreland Rabbit?

[ttyymmnn]

@racinbob Neat. I'll take the Rabbit. Thx.

[RacinBob]

I don't have anything bad to say about the citation. The biggest impression I had of it was how roomy it was inside. It was a 5 door, 4 cyl automatic as I recall. Really a lot better of a car than a comparable ford maverick or dodge dart. It was quieter, rode better, nicer interior and handled better than the domestic counterparts. Also got much better gas mileage. Plus being a hatchback, the utility was off the charts.

The Fairmont had a straight 6. It was well bolted together and functional. As I recall, it had the same basic suspension and drivetrain as the Fox Mustang,.

The rabbit was not from our party. It has square big side markers so it also makes it a nearly brand new Westmorland built Rabbit. I know that the side markers was the difference as I owned and raced a '80 Rabbit.

[RacinBob]

I see it is roughly 1000 miles from Ames. This was back when the speed limit was 55 (Thanks Jimmy Carter). God that must have been like crawling.....

[benn454]

@racinbob Less sound deadening and floppier suspension/flexible bodies back then. The sensation of speed was still there, at least.

[barnie]

Such good memories, aren't they? Framed backpacks, cotton and wool clothing, big clunky hiking boots. Still have my REI model from ~1970. It's in storage but it has all the stuff in it including a SVEA 123 and an MSR from ~80. Spun aluminum cookware, plastic utensils, aluminum fuel cans and MIL canteens. Repair kits, a singles tent or two, soap and spice bottles. Some AT and other trail patches sewn on it by Mom (RIP) who got me into backpacking. Because of my long body, mine has a bar welded into it to move the shoulder straps higher than original Most comfortable thing I've ever carried for many, many miles.

[Roundbadge]

@racinbob Reminds me of my trip with one college roommate, his fiance (proposed on the trip) and his friend, out to Yellowstone to visit my other college roommate in 1998. We drove out in a '90ish Chevy van and slept in a tent while in the park, then drove back. The van stunk horribly by the end because one of us (not me) chose not to shower all week. Van also got horrid mileage...only defrayed by the cost of picking up a trailer with a motorcycle for someone on the way back and having them pay 1/5th the fuel cost. Would've been 23 at the time.

[fintail]

Styles come back around, these guys don't look too different from many young guys today.

[Highlander]

@racinbob I love it. I used to do a lot of back packing when I was a child. Very much an early 80's era... frame backpacks, leather boots, and hiking in jeans.

[RacinBob]

@highlander Yep, and we were a lot hairier too!

[BritsnSwedes was MINIGTI]

@fintail oh that picture could have been taken yesterday!