In this very tough season in which we find ourselves, time is suddenly on our hands. At home alone or with family, our minds are naturally drawn backwards to happier times, easier times – which, of course, all felt stressed-out, frenetic and way too jam-packed in the moment, but now in retrospect seem positively dreamy. So in this manditory slow down, it seems like the perfect time to pick back up the thread of Sid and El’s slow romance.

Even the most ordinary stories can reach through the years to connect with our thoroughy modern times. These particular lives were going through tough times too. The year was still 1932, the depths of the Great Depression. They weren’t stuggling like some were; Sid was employed by Rutgers University and lived in a boarding house, and Elsie lived comfortably with her parents in Buffalo, NY. But even if their lives were relatively secure, the world around them was far from it. The topic comes up in letter after letter, the economic and political state of the country was almost always part of the discussion. But right now it is reassuring to see in the letters that ordinary life does go on in extraordinary times, and sometimes in surprising ways. This letter turns out to pretty much be a travelogue as Sid fills Elsie in on how he spent the summer.

(Spoiler alert – it was not with Elsie!! But rest assured, she must have forgiven him since…well, I’m here.)

I was surprised to find that after Sid taught summer school, he convinced his parents to go on a two week driving vacation in Canada. Although “vacation” might not be exactly the right word, with its conotations of kicking back and relaxing, “expedition” might be a better choice. The party of three kept up quite a pace over the mostly unpaved roads as they explored the Gaspé Penninsula in Quebec. Never staying in any spot more than a night, they covered 2,600 miles in 14 days! I’m not sure what they were driving – I’m pretty sure Sid did not own a car so it must have belonged to his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Benjamin Sanderson – but I can’t imagine it was particularly fancy or fuel efficient. I am equally certain they did not stay in luxurious places or eat at the finest resturants. Nevertheless, I was surprised that they could afford to take such a lengthy trip at the height of the ecconomic troubles. I would not be surprised that careful fugality had allowed the Sandersons some comfort in later life – this would be true of my grandfather as well – but how they spent their money was unexpected.

But as I think about it more, we have made similar choices. Just before the pandemic began, our family decided to splurge on a four day trip to – coincedently – Qubec. Deciding how I wanted to celebrate a significant birthday, I too opted to put our resources to getting out and exploring the world, toward getting away from all the pressing needs of work, home, school, and just having a great time as a family. Hmmm. Perhaps Sid’s decision came from the same place – a long stretch of summer school to be followed shortly by the fall semester, his one room home in New Brunswick, the world in chaos around the world….

A Canadian vacation seems like the perfect choice!

September 17


Dear Elsie,
What a pity that we did not see each other this summer! And now it turns out that it was all my own fault. From the Mairs whom we saw in Rochester on Labor Day while visiting Wilson’s family a few hours I learned that you were returning Tuesday. When I couldn’t rouse you on Wednesday I thought that perhaps you had taken advantage of the fine weather to stay another week, and I got all tangled up with family affairs for the rest of the week. I sort of hated to call to say I could run around mornings and the first thing I knew time was up and I was on the way home. And then your letter was forwarded to me – it must have arrived on Monday morning just after I left – and I learned you had arrived on Wednesday night, and knew that again I had procrastinated too much. It was just inexcusable carelessness on my part and I paid for it for I had counted so much on seeing you this summer. I ought to know by now that vacations are reasonably short and that one should not let the days slip by. You see we were home Labor Day night after calling at the hospital to see Margaret who had been sick since she left the island in August. But she is home now and evidently well on the road to recovery.
Yes, it was a most interesting trip – and quite an experience in driving as well. I found the family mostly enthusiastic about taking it altho [sic] they had never heard of the Gaspé peninsula before (neither had I) so I planned out a two weeks trip which would include Quebec, Montreal and Ottawa on the return. It was all new territory for me as I had only been around Toronto, Niagra Falls, Ont. and the parts of Canada on the way to Oliphant. Going we went through eastern N.Y. where there are so many picturesque lakes, for example at Geneva, Skaneopolis, Cazenovia, etc., and Vermont. Saratoga Springs appeared to be an exciting place for a visit in August during racing season but we only had time to sip a bottle of mineral water. To Rutland, Montpelier and Derby Line where we crossed to Canada was through delightful country, and here, too, we had our first taste of the dirt and gravel roads which we were not to escape until we got back to Montreal. We kept to the southern side of the St. Lawrence, going to Sherbrooke and Lewis, across from Quebec. There I had my first view of the Chateau Frontenac dominating the cliffs on which is built the upper city. No wonder that the old St. Lewis fortress which stood there presented such difficulty to conquer in the days of 1812. I had rather expected a higher cliff but I guess it was bad enough the old days when one had to walk or ride horseback over rough roads. The next day along the St. Lawrence it was cloudy but clear enough to get some idea of the great river and the mountains on the opposite shore.
But such was our fate for the most part on the Gaspé, with a bit of rain and fog thrown in for good measure. One has to have a lot of time and wait for weather or take his chances; we could have had much worse, but we would have delighted in bright sunshine for the river and its surroundings are glorious then as we later saw on the journey back to Quebec on the north shore. We went to Metis Beach for the night and then around the peninsula tarrying for the night at Riviere du Renard and Pencé. For 150 miles the road goes up and down, one minute you are climbing steep hills, crawling around sharp curves with wonderful glimpses of the mountains behind and of some primitive little fishing village nestling in a cove at the foot of the cliffs. Each town has its church and steeple in a prominent place. And then the next minute, you ride along the beach with towering cliffs at your elbow. The road is smooth gravel and dirt, but narrow and dusty and fortunately little traveled at the present. Every ten or fifteen miles there is a little village where one can get decent accommodations & meals (something like the old Winston Hotel as I recall it) and gas and garage service is plentiful. The north shore is almost completely French but we found they spoke English too, at all hotels & service stations. Many times when I tried my French the answer was in English. On the south shore, English is the language & the scenery is less interesting, but again one finds villages tucked now in coves with smooth sandy beaches. Fishing is the life of the people and everywhere one sees there little boats & the fish on the drying racks. We had lots of cod & salmon but were disappointed that we were too late for lobsters to which we had looked forward. After skirting the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Baie des Chaleurs one cuts across the peninsula to the St. Lawrence again.
This time thru the Matapedia valley which follows the Matapedia and Roostigan (?) rivers. This was an old favorite for hunting and fishing. It is great country and here we had bright sunshine which made it ideal. We lingered near Riviere du Loup for the afternoon of the next day but the sun failed us and we had to start next morning in a mist and heavy fog to cross to the north shore to St. Simion near the Saguenay. Halfway across it cleared and what a sight it was to see the tall Laurentian mountains to the north.
We battled with then to Murray Bay which looked to me an ideal place for a summer if one could stay at the Manoir Richelieu & wanted to be dressed all the time. All this time it was too cool and cloudy to make a dip in the St. L. Tempting.
Much mountains and terrible roads for 20 miles as we had gone along the shore instead of turning inland, but we were rewarded with some striking views of water. But we reached St. Anne de Beaupre at dusk & parked for the night. I was disappointed here as I had seen Lourdes in France on a good day and knew what a popular healing shrine could be like. First of all the situation is different, but we did the sights in order & skipped on to Quebec where we saw the most interesting things & views. We found it most satisfactory because we had a well-informed young man go in our car. We wasted no time finding our way about and looking up things to see.
After lunch at the Chateau we dashed toward Montreal to get as far as possible within the path of totality of the eclipse. All Quebec Provence was eclipse mad & everywhere along the road one saw people with their smoked glass ready for the sight. We had twenty or thirty seconds of the total eclipse and the whole experience was most exciting as the clouds did not spoil our view. It was a real spectacle!
Then to Montreal that night & one of the hottest days of the year. Not conducive to sight-seeing but we took in the best of the city that day. Another day in Ottawa which we found most attractive and later it will be a much finer city. The parliament buildings are modeled after those in London and from the Memorial Tower one has a fine view of the city. Here again there is a marvelous hotel, the Chateau Laurier. For forty miles one can drive the parks surrounding the city.
Then it was down to Prescott and to Alexandria Bay for Sunday. The day started with rain but soon cleared, enabling us to have a long boat trip thru the Thousand Islands which are indeed a sight. And I had my first dip in the St. Lawrence, followed by a second before breakfast the next day when we started home along Lake Ontario to Oswego, Rochester and home.
Really it seemed as tho I had traveled for ages, always in and out of a bag, lunch here dinner there, each night almost in a different hotel. Twenty-six hundred miles and only about 140 miles retraced. It was quite an experience, and both mother and father and I were delighted with the whole thing.
You might think I was writing a Newman travel talk, but as I didn’t see you, Elsie, I wanted to give you an idea of it. It’s all about myself and that is to be regretted. If one wants to fish or hunt and has a lot of time that part of Quebec is the place to go. I am sure Russ would enjoy it a great deal.
Now it is back to work altho at this early date it is hard to get much of an idea what conditions are to be. Like last year the freshman class is large, but apparently a great many upper classmen have not returned. Colleges are now feeling most severely the results of the depression. But you can vote for Thomas and see the country smile!
And you? Did you have a fine summer? They tell me the lake was low again, but then there is always water in the distance!
Do write soon, Elsie, and meanwhile
My best to you,
Sid
P.S. I am at home, and the respectable paper is at the office, pardon this stuff.