IRENE BUSTAMANTE

I know Dad got lost at some point and someone came back and pointed him in the right direction. When we got into Central Oregon, we were in awe of the beauty....the snow...the tall pine trees. I know driving through the snow was probably hard formy dad but he managed. I believe that the highway maintenance crew probably did a good job of keeping the roads clear. I don't remember who was in the caravan. I believe it was one of the Bustamante brothers but I don't remember which one. I wish Dad was here to recount the stories. I know that we stayed in a two room migrant housing just off the main road that runs north and south from St. Paul. My dad went to work "en el jape"… if our families from Cheto were not well acquainted with the work in and around St. Paul..”el jape” stuck to our vocabulary.  The large yards and the tall plants probably impressed us the most; besides it was the last product we harvest before going back home to Asherton or perhaps make one more stop along the way to make a few more dollars..so that we could “INVIERNAR” (stay during the winter season) in our home town once again. 

We lived in a cabin such as this for a few months during harvest season.

Irene’s brief memory of a trip more than 50 years ago!

Hi Miguel, it is difficult to imagine our trip to Oregon as most of us were traveling in the back of my dad’s truck. I know we travelled in a caravan and we spent the nights sleeping on the side of the road. Dad stopped at grocery stores and bought lunch meat (probably bologna); bread and mustard for sandwiches, and sodas. He drove a pickup and put some type of canvas over it and we kids stayed warm in the back of the pickup. At least I don't remember being cold. I remember going thru New Mexico and I was so impressed with Albuquerque for some reason (maybe because it is known as the land of enchantment; indeed it was that and more).