First of all, I still remember the Burma Shave song. Your wonderful recollection brings back so many memories of my own childhood and trips in the family car....especially in summer hear when there was no air-conditioning.
I was one of those kids who got car sick, especially in the back seat and my parents were smokers. I either rode with my head out the window or laid down and closed my eyes, and breathed through my mouth.
When we stopped for lunch, I always made the mistake of having a hot dog and orange soda. I won't describe what happened when we returned to the hot car and the smoking.
Did you and your siblings play cows and horses on trips? We did, at least for a little while. We had six kids, so we had 3 on each side of the car.
We scored points with cows being 1 point, horses 5 points. We kept count, hoping to beat the other side of the car by a predetermined time, or on our destination. Now, if we came to a cemetery, all of our points disappeared and we had to start over.
That sounds like a very good game. I remember playing one that was very similar on camp buses both as a camper and a counselor. Sadly, I had no siblings, so I didn't play any car games when I was young. I probably wouyld have love to read int the car, but looking down and focusing my eyes was out of the question. Too bad my parents never though of dramamine.
I remember Stuckey’s! They were here and there all the way to Florida. They had all sorts of touristy-type things in them: puka shell necklaces, orange blossom perfume, dried baby alligators, bags of salt water taffy, boiled peanuts, and lots of sizes of shells.
The road signs made a long trip more enjoyable. People would read the billboards and laugh. It was a clever advertising campaign, but did it increase sales? I shaved for the first time around 1960 or 1961. I don't recall my father or I used Burma-Shave. By 1965, I wanted to grow a beard. I haven't shaved properly since 1970, the day I received my discharge from the USAF.
Reminds me of our trips to Dusney and Universal whenour boys were young. We'd leave home about 4PM and take turns driving all night. Arriving in Kissimmee around 2PM the next afternoon, the first stop would be Gatorland. Cheap hotel early that night, and on to parks the next morning. Now our boys, all grown up, hop on planes and make their own way to meet up there for a long weekend every other year or so.
Oh yes... there are still similar sets of signs at the entrances to a few small towns I dive through occasionally, although they are no longer sponsored by Burma Shave.
What fun those signs were. You shared some doozies. I loved that next to last one. Wolf is shaved neat and trim, now Red Riding Hood chases him.
That’s my favorite, too, Sue! It’s great!
First of all, I still remember the Burma Shave song. Your wonderful recollection brings back so many memories of my own childhood and trips in the family car....especially in summer hear when there was no air-conditioning.
I was one of those kids who got car sick, especially in the back seat and my parents were smokers. I either rode with my head out the window or laid down and closed my eyes, and breathed through my mouth.
When we stopped for lunch, I always made the mistake of having a hot dog and orange soda. I won't describe what happened when we returned to the hot car and the smoking.
Car sick, oh my, I don’t envy you on long trips!
Did you and your siblings play cows and horses on trips? We did, at least for a little while. We had six kids, so we had 3 on each side of the car.
We scored points with cows being 1 point, horses 5 points. We kept count, hoping to beat the other side of the car by a predetermined time, or on our destination. Now, if we came to a cemetery, all of our points disappeared and we had to start over.
That sounds like a very good game. I remember playing one that was very similar on camp buses both as a camper and a counselor. Sadly, I had no siblings, so I didn't play any car games when I was young. I probably wouyld have love to read int the car, but looking down and focusing my eyes was out of the question. Too bad my parents never though of dramamine.
Happy 4th, Sandy! I was never car sick, but I was also never able to read in a car. That did make me nauseous and gave me a headache.
Happily, when my wife and I fly (which we're doing this week) I take dramamine and have no trouble...I can even READ and playSudoku on the flight. :)
AND you don’t have to watch for crazy drivers, or traffic jams on the road when you fly. Good for you, Sandy!
Robert Cosmar, thank you for the restack! 💋💋💋
It was so well known that it became the basis of a popular song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6DLHp4sxck
Yes! Thank you, David!
I don’t remember Burma-Shave.
But I do remember the favorite of my road trips with my family, aunt, uncle and cousins was Stuckey’s.
The proper pronunciation is Stuck-keys but we always said Stooo-keys. After every location we passed (or visited)…and in the day, there were many.
I remember Stuckey’s! They were here and there all the way to Florida. They had all sorts of touristy-type things in them: puka shell necklaces, orange blossom perfume, dried baby alligators, bags of salt water taffy, boiled peanuts, and lots of sizes of shells.
Similar to today’s Cracker Barrel.
Sort of similar. Cracker Barrel is more high class I think.
Exactly. I was looking for that term. Cracker Barrel is more a restaurant with the shop in it. Stuckeys was just a flat out hi-way road side joint !
I agree —at my age, Cracker Barrel is more my style. They even have clothing now.
The road signs made a long trip more enjoyable. People would read the billboards and laugh. It was a clever advertising campaign, but did it increase sales? I shaved for the first time around 1960 or 1961. I don't recall my father or I used Burma-Shave. By 1965, I wanted to grow a beard. I haven't shaved properly since 1970, the day I received my discharge from the USAF.
It sounds like the Ad Campaign wasn’t too successful, other than for entertaining bored motorists. 😮😊
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience, Frederick.💕❤️
Reminds me of our trips to Dusney and Universal whenour boys were young. We'd leave home about 4PM and take turns driving all night. Arriving in Kissimmee around 2PM the next afternoon, the first stop would be Gatorland. Cheap hotel early that night, and on to parks the next morning. Now our boys, all grown up, hop on planes and make their own way to meet up there for a long weekend every other year or so.
I love your story, but do you remember the BURMA-SHAVE signs?
Oh yes... there are still similar sets of signs at the entrances to a few small towns I dive through occasionally, although they are no longer sponsored by Burma Shave.
I didn’t know that. Thank you for sharing the information, M.M.
Thank you, Connie Casella, for the restack!
CJ Thanks for sharing the memory and for introducing me to the great advertising of Burma Shave. What a hoot! ( Does anyone even say that any more?) D
Hi Dave! I’m glad you enjoyed the post! It was fun for me!
Yeah, “What a hoot” is right up there with “The bees knees” and “Golly gee” (laughing).