Rudy and Emma used many of the annual national Legion Conventions as the reason for vacation trips. They attended conventions in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Chicago (coordinated with the 1933 World’s Fair), Miami (in 1934), and Los Angeles—in 1938. Rudy and Emma spent four weeks driving to and from the Los Angeles convention, touring the country and visiting army buddies along the way. At the convention, he received a cup for the most miles traveled to the 91st Division reunion. Emma kept a diary and financial record of the trip.

In order to save money, they took another couple from Northampton to share the gasoline expense. The total gasoline bill for the 6,900 miles they traveled was $69.59 so they saved $34.80 by taking another couple, but they did get two more drivers. Cost for the two of them to stay overnight was $78.10 including four nights at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles for $6.00 per night. Meals, other than at the convention amounted to $50.14.

Emma’s comment on the Petrified Forest was, “We then went through the Petrified Forest which was very interesting, but I expected to see trees standing.” They usually started looking for a motel about three o’clock.

One day Rudy suggested they stop earlier since the next large town was quite a distance away, but the other couple insisted that they would find something before night fell. As a result, they ended up at a place called McFadin’s Flats, which was even worse than it sounds. Afterward, Rudy made the decision as to when to stop for the day.

The Los Angeles convention was the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Legion in Paris. Rudy looked forward to attending the 25th anniversary convention planned for Paris in 1943. He even gave Emma Evening in Paris perfume in anticipation of going. However, neither the German army, then occupying Paris, nor the American government were keen on the idea when the time came.