Baba, Mehera, Mani and Meheru rode in Elizabeth's large dark blue Nash, driven by her. (Charmian had wanted to drive him, but Baba said no.) In the other smaller car, a Rambler station wagon, driven by Sarosh, were Rano, Kitty, Goher and Delia.
Before leaving Myrtle Beach, Baba asked Elizabeth, "Do you have the insurance papers for the car?"
Elizabeth replied that she did not, so Baba instructed her to stop on the way and collect them from her home, Youpon Dunes.
Baba repeatedly warned Sarosh to follow Elizabeth's car closely, and that if he failed to do so he would never be forgiven. While Sarosh was with Baba in America, he received a telegram saying that he had been elected mayor of Ahmednagar. Soon this position would become useful to him.
Goher kept a brief diary of their trip. Leaving Myrtle Beach at 2:00 P.M., the group arrived in Columbia, South Carolina, where they spent the first night at the Forest Motor Court.1 Baba did not eat any supper and did not sleep at all. The next morning, 21 May, they left for Murphy, North Carolina, at 6:45 A.M. They passed through the Blue Ridge Mountains and all were impressed with the beautiful natural scenery. Sarosh's car, due to its age and condition, could not always keep up, and at times lagged far behind. Sarosh missed Baba's car in Laurens, and then searched for Baba's car in Greenville. At one place Baba had his car halted until Sarosh arrived, and strongly rebuked him for his laxity. Afterward Baba's mood changed and he forgave him. While passing through the Blue Ridge Mountains they had a beautiful view of a place called "Caesar's Head."
Stopping in Brevard, North Carolina, Baba and the group ate hot dogs, ham sandwiches and cakes. Baba appeared to be in a good mood. Arriving in the town of Murphy, they drove around for a while looking for a quiet motel and rested for the night at the Mooreland Heights Motel, at 510 Valley River Avenue. The motel had a kitchenette and they had a light supper with tea. That night Baba slept well, and at breakfast was in a good mood.
They left for Memphis, Tennessee, on the morning of 22 May 1952 at 6:30 A.M. The weather was misty. Passing through Ducktown, they entered Tennessee where they stopped at Ocoee Lake. Baba declared the lake and its surrounding countryside to be among the most beautiful scenery he had ever seen, and he indicated that this old Cherokee Indian area had a spiritual atmosphere.
Footnotes
- 1.The Forest Motor Court was located at 3041 Two Notch Road. It is now called the Forest Oaks Apartments.