PIONEER TREK 09

Before heading out on the pioneer trek, Betsy was able to take a picture of us happy and clean. The reality of what we were about to embark on had only slowly started to set in. It really started to hit Betsy when she had finally finished all the costumes for our family and loaded all the supplies into the back of the van ... then it hit ... this is real - we are really doing this. Mark, Devon, Jessica, Jenny and Hannah Orr

Since we were driving to the trek at 5:00 a.m. and we were giving Jenny and Hannah Orr a ride to the trek, the girls spent the night with Jessica. It was great fun - but they didn't get to stay up too late. Everyone was happy to get going and slept most of the way there. Just before our exit, we stopped to get Dramamine and breakfast. It would be our last "Modern" meal for three long days. Many of you know that Betsy is a picky eater. You may also know that some of my children have inherited my taste (or lack there of). There are just certain things we won't eat - even if starving. One - is beans. I like like green beans, even Devon will eat green beans, but no other type of bean. Of course, our first meal was bean and sausage soup. great! Mark liked it, but Devon, Jessica and Betsy didn't eat. Anyway - I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here are Jessica and Devon, brother and sister

before the trek

Ma and Pa Lowe -

Mark and I at our first rest stop on the trek.

Looking forward from our handcart on the initial pull to the trials

Jessica was in handcart family #8

Devon was in handcart family #10

Devon's ma and pa were Mark and I

Looking behind us

Jessica getting into the back while at our first rest stop

After our first rest stop, the trail became very rough, rocky and hilly. It required tremendous teamwork and cooperation to safely get the handcarts moved on that part of the trail. After this part of the trail, we were able to stop near a stream for dinner. We cooked biscuits and sausage and bean soup. It took a long time for our coals to light which slowed the whole cooking process. The kids did most of the food preparation while I tried to better organize our cart's weight.

We had a very scary experience after dinner while pulling out of camp. We had two girls on the bar and somehow the back people "the breaks" let go of the back while the cart was going down hill towards the stream. The cart easily could have ended up in the stream with kids - yikes, however something prevented it from going over and put the cart back on the trail. It was a miracle to witness.

Shortly after pulling out, the Trail Boss stopped the pull and gathered everyone together. The men were being called away to serve in the "Mexican American War". It was time for the women's pull. I was very emotional about this. I'd seen how hard the boys had to work on the bar to navigate the cart up and down hills and now they would be gone. "How are we going to do this?" was the question that kept going through my mind. I have two girls with hurt knees and one girl (that is very strong) with a fever. The five girls and myself decided we would put one girl up front on ropes, two girls on the bar, and two girls in the back to push. I would join in on the ropes. As we got closer the the "HUGE" hill, girls from previous carts came running down to help us...it was wonderful. We made it up the hill. Then in kind turn, we ran down the hill and helped the next cart up, and the next one after that! It was so touching to see everyone work so hard.

The boys and men were lined up on the sides of the "HUGE" hill to watch. It was also a "Silent" period so no one was to talk. It was very touching for all. After the last wagon was up the hill, the men were allowed to join their families. We were so happy to have them back. Unfortunately the longest and hardest hill of the day (night) was still ahead of us.

After the women's pull, the two girls with knee injuries really couldn't do anything. One went to the trek doctor, while the other just walked beside us. We were down to 8 workers (one with fever). That was when we came upon "Heartbreak Hill". The good news was the hill was paved, the bad news was the hill was approximately a 40 degree angle and went on forever! I was amazed how well we did. We just kept going, one foot, one step at a time. I was so proud our our young men and women for not giving up and for their perseverance. They were amazing.

At this point it's approximately 10:00 p.m. and it is approximately where we were going to camp for the first night - HOWEVER - we were not allowed to camp at this field because of what the previous trekkers did, so we had to keep pulling for three more miles ... in the dark. Betsy brought out the lanterns and flashlights for everyone except those on the bar. She walked ahead so the people on the bar could see what was coming.

Everything we did was teamwork! Help each other!
We finally arrived at camp at 12:30 a.m., pulled out tarps and bedrolls. Boys slept on the outside of the ring of carts and girls slept on the inside. You would think everyone would have been exhausted and crashed, but girls stayed up most the night. I don't think I even slept an hour the first night.

The next day was beautiful. We got up, cooked oatmeal and hot chocolate for breakfast and then cleaned up camp. All Mas and Pas had a meeting about the dangerous task ahead. The kids have to take the carts up the side of a cliff. It's the steepest hill. I had faith that our leaders knew what they were doing, but I have to admit, I was extremely scared for them...one wrong move and there would be trouble.
The second day's pull was the most difficult of all pulls. It was taking the carts up the side of a cliff. The incline was approximately 55 degrees. We put two families per cart to pull them up.

Here is one family bringing the cart up a section of the big hill. Jessica is in this family.

She is photographed in the middle with the light green bonnet and cream shirt.

I am looking down on Jessica's cart as they are starting their climb up one of the toughest sections of the climb.

To get a proper perspective, look at the top of the cart in the next few pictures ... these are the kids pulling the cart at the very end of the pull up the steep hill.

See the change in height. It's extremely steep.

Hannah, Devon, Meagan, and Chris

Once on top the kids were able to get fresh cold water and catch their breath before pulling the carts back to camp. They got to explore the cliffs around them. What a sense of accomplishment. It was truly amazing to see what they were able to accomplish. No other trek had ever hiked as far as we did in one day, and no other trek had ever come up that hill.

Best Friends, Jessica and Jenny were in the same family.

Great friends: Jessica and Amanda. Amanda wasn't in their family but she visited often.

After the incredibly hard pull up the hill the kids only needed to pull the carts down (using the same path they took the night before). The Ma's and some of the young women walked down the steep hill to get the lunch started. Everything about this trek involved WORK - TEAMwork and HARDwork. I was glad to be a part of both.

That afternoon was very enjoyable. The youth attended workshops including: 1) Pioneer Games, 2) Music and Stories, and 3) Watermelon and Stats. We learned that we pulled 13.1 miles the first day. We pulled between 750-800 pounds / the carts alone were 350 pounds.

That afternoon also brought one of the most refreshing parts of the whole experience - hair washing - or "lets wash off even though we are in clothes!" I loved it. I finally didn't feel like I was covered in sweat.

Jessica and Mommy after they got their hair washed.

That felt so good.

Saturday Morning we enjoyed hot oatmeal and hot chocolate (again). Just as we were cleaning up and getting into family time - the PONY EXPRESS arrived with mail for all the youth. It was a special time. The parents of each youth were asked to write a letter to their child. Mark and I both wrote letters to Devon and Jessica. I sincerely hope they will treasure the letters.

Devon reading the letters from his parents

Jonathan Ranquist helping Mark with the fire for cooking.

The rest of the day was relaxing...for most. Some had to keep working as seen above by Mark and Jonathan. Mark was master of the coals and he would pick a different youth to help him with each meal. This time we were cooking "Caffeine Free Coke Ham" Oh - YUM! While they were preparing the fire, the rest of our family was taking down camp and returning the cart to the barn. Later we even helped take each cart apart. After our chores were done and all our stuff cleaned up, the youth got to enjoy time with each other. Below is Devon and a few friends admiring the horse from the Pony Express.

Devon admiring the horse from the Pony Express

Jessica and Amanda relaxing (in normal clothes - shame on them)

The Trek ended with a Fireside and Testimony meeting after the delicious Ham lunch. It was so touching to hear all the kids stories. We hiked up the hill and made sure each of our youth found their parents, collected our belongings - loaded up and headed out.

We left the area around 6:00 and stopped for modern food in Lexington - SUBWAY! Mark was so happy to find healthy and nutritious food. We finally got home around 9:30 p.m. We thought we would be too tired to unload and settle, but we found we had great energy.

We had missed Marissa and Robert, but were glad they had fun with their friends!