Phoenix, We're Here: Wake Up!

[Page 1] US ON A BUS Phoenix, We're Here: Wake Up! (Charles G. Griffo, news editor of The Star, is on a 6,000-mile trip through the South and Southwest on a Greyhound bus. He is being accompanied by four of his children while the other two remain at home with Mrs. G. Here is his sixth story.) BY CHARLES G. GRIFFO Phoenix, Ariz.-Here we are at Phoenix, in the Valley of the Sun. We arrived after a 400-odd mile trip over U.S. from El Paso, passing through Lord sbur g and Las Cruces, N. M e x., a t night. We awakened as the sun rose over the beautiful Griffo Arizona mountains, and saw Globe, Superior, of some of the world's largest copper mines, a vital element in the state's economy.

Actually, the trip was quick, quiet and without incident, unless the jolt of having a portable radio drop off the luggage rack at 1:30 a.m. and begin blaring forth what appeared to be "You Are My Sunshine" by the Mexican Pea Pickers chorus, could be called a an incident. The plastic case of the radio was broken, a situation which will cause concern to 16-year-old daughter Patricia, who is not along on the trip. It's her radio. It really plays better, however, than it did before the accident. The only other thing of note is that Mary Elizabeth's front tooth should come out at any moment. She's 6. MARTHA, 14, tried to sleepwalk down the aisle at around 4 a.m.

somewhere west of Globe. I woke up just in time to stop her. At a rest stop about 3 a.m. somewhere in Arizona, Gregory, 4½, awakened a rather grumpy Californian to tell just who was to sleep on the pillow we rented at El Paso. But that's life I guess, traveling with children. When the sun came up and the towering peaks of Superstition Mountains hove into view outside Mesa, all was quiet and peaceful. We were ready for Phoenix and a bath. It was in Phoenix's beautiful new bus terminal that Chuck, Greg and Mary got their "horsey" ride. The sight at 7 a.m. of three youngsters taking turns riding the 10-cent mechanical horse, surrounded by baggage, must have been an eye-opener.

IT WAS HERE that I pulled the sneakiest trick of the year. I took up a close Phoenix friend's kind offer to watch the kids most of the day while I write. I'm afraid it's going to be a terrific blow to our friendship and a jolt to Southwestern hospitality. I'll pass along the tranquilizer pills with the kids. | 95. him "my daddy owns a wanch in Texas." While passing through Texas I had made the mistake of telling him that I had bought a piece of the King Ranch; that I had a deed to a full square - inch of that priceless land. That I had paid 25 cents for it as a souvenir gag, I hadn't been able to get across to him. AND CHUCK and Mary E. got into a fist fight, arguing Griffo.