Pioneer Trek 2014

Behind.
Behind.
My blog, my poor blog. Starving, sick, in need of a little resuscitation. There's so many things I left out about 2014. I shall have to start with the last biggest thing and move backwards. Even though I realize that makes me always behind and increasingly behinder. Perhaps one day I can jump forward to 2015. Until then.

Let's talk about trek.

Four days after Christmas Conner and Claire woke up at 5 a.m. and dressed like this and joined new families for the next few days. They headed out to the Mormon Battalion Trail, about a half hour west and north of Maricopa. The point is to experience the life of their pioneer ancestry. No electronic devices, no warm beds. Just food over the fire, 17 miles of pushing handcarts, and some amazing memories.

I was called as the stake historian so I got to go to trek. Because I got sick from what I am sure was at the flu only ten days prior, I decided to skip the first day of trek and just attend the second and third days. It was great to meet Conner and Claire's families (the Thackers and the Larsens). The first night was frrreeezing for them- only in the mid-20s and I was worried about them as I woke up frequently in my warm bed, knowing how cold it was. But when I arrived in the morning as they were eating oatmeal out of dutch ovens, they were all alive. Tired, but alive.

They had a rough day ahead of them. The "Women's Pull" where the men are "called off to serve in the militia" and the women have to pull the handcarts over the roughest part of the trail. Then it was walking, walking all afternoon, getting "heckled" and getting their rice crispy treats stolen, but they all pulled into camp with exuberance as all us staff cheered and clapped. It was seriously something they will always remember. So hard, but so rewarding. The next night, after square dancing (on sore feet), they slept in temps 20 degrees higher than the last night. But rain took away the bulk of their third day there. They came home at 11 a.m. instead of doing pioneer-type workshops and games that were planned for that day.  A bummer, but no one really complained about going to a dry home, a hot shower and a soft bed.

 

This is when the men were called away from their families.

It was desert, but the cacti were a stunning backdrop, and the weather was great for hiking.