It has been a few days since I have posted since I have been spending a lot time trying to learn how to type properly and working some rather long shifts at odd jobs.
Handcart Trek: 14th Ward Rocky Ridge
This trek was made in the time we were first in the 14th ward. A year later we did the trek again with the stake.
This was a very memorable trek for all of us as it was so difficult for Loren. The first day was OK but the second day was a very memorable one because of what Loren had happen to him.
We started out the first day from Mapleton at Miner's home. We all met there to check in our gear and make sure everyone was properly prepared. We went in four vans that were all alike. All 12passenger white extended vans. We drove up to Heber and then on past Coleville to a rest are there. We got out near a lake and stretched before continuing on. We also stopped near the Wyoming border and the again at a couple of cities in Wyoming. We stayed the first night at 6th crossing campground. We set up our tents and then cooked our supper meals. We had a campfire program and rent to bed.
The next morning we went to the actual area of the crossing and talked about some of the experiences that the pioneers had at that crossing, From there we could see where the trail went up the hill toward the area called Rocky Ridge. From thee we went back to the campground and back onto the main highway and traveled on it for a few miles until we went onto a dirt road and traveled 15 miles across the hugh plains to where the trill from the river met the ridge. We unloaded the carts from the trailers and loaded all of our gear. We went down to the historical marker and one of the senior missionaries told us about a few if the experiences that the pioneers had experienced as they crossed this area.
After we had loaded the carts and made a rest (bathroom) stop for the group we started up over Rocky Ridge. We had quite a few carts and it was really fun to see them all lined up and going up the road. I went ahead and then would drop back as needed do that I could get pictures of all of the various groups. It was a long hike up the hill and the youth were quite excited so it went quite fast but as they trekked further the pace slowed down quite a lot. We had determined not to eat a lot that day and it was because of that decision that we had the experience that was so dramatic for Loren. We had traveled for about 11 of the 14 miles when Loren's blood sugars dropped and he refused to eat anything since the rest if the group wasn't having anything. He struggled for the last three milled and when we got to the campground fir the night and had our tents set up he wandered off. Marie saw him go and was worried abbot him. Sister Wendy Dahle and Bishop Creer came with us and it became obvious that he was not thinking clearly. Finally I went to take him to the ground and Bishop was right there on him with me. He later told me that he knew we would have to force him to stop but he was just waiting for me to make the first move and then he joined in to help. We made Loren eat a few skittle candies and then after a few minutes he was again OK. We were thankful that Wendy was there and had experience with diabetes and told us what had to be done. After Loren was able to eat that night he was OK but it had really scared us and we were a lot more careful for the rest of the trip to be sure he had enough to eat. We stayed there for the night and had another campfire program and did some singing before retiring for the night.
The next morning we loaded onto the buses and traveled to Martin's Cove and after an orientation agin loaded the carts and pulled the carts to the cove. We had Brother and Sister Scott, who were members of our ward and had recently served a mission there, talk to us about the area and some of their experiences while serving there. We then went on down to the river crossing and pulled the carts to the first campground where we were scheduled to stay for the night. It was after the water crossing that Loren spotted the first of four rattle snakes that he would see while there and at some of the other stops. After we had unloaded the gear some of the youth took the carts back to the main visitors area and they saw another snake, in fact jumped over it since they didn't see it until they were already almost on it as I remember. Loren was agin there for that. We had another campfire program that night when some of the trine apart straw hats were burned. The wind from crossing the plains after rocky ridge had literally torn them to shreds and they were not much for wear after that. It was a great evening and I remember that a storm had also come in for a short period that night while putting up the tents but soon left and made for a great evening.
The next mooning we went to a couple of the other historical spots near Martins's Cove. I cant' think of the names of them right now but remember them to be where Loren saw another snake making it the fourth one of the last two days. We went to a large rock where the pioneers had carved their names into the rock and that last snake was up sunning on that rock. It was fun to climb on that rock again as we had done a few years before when we had gone there as a part of a wry camping tip. (That was the year Tia had attracted so many ticks to herself.)
We traveled home that day and ended what would go down in all of our memories as a very special event filled with moments that would effect our testimonies for the rest of our lives. Those of us that went on that trip were Marie and I and Brittany, Loren and one other special person that would later become part of our family Rachelle Morey.
Handcart Trek: Mapleton Stake Rocky Ridge
The year after the ward trek we were also blessed to go again with the stake. Marie, Brittany and I went that year. Loren had experienced his trek and knew he didn't need to do it again. I went specifically as the photographer and Marie was with the food group. The trek was different in that we went to Martin's Cove first and then to 6th water and Rocky Ridge. There were some other experiences that we had this time that were different from the year before in that we had a special fireside on the way to the cove where President Allen talked to us from the Stake Presidency. We also had to pull the carts three miles further when we went to Rocky Ridge as the State of Wyoming had put some heavy restrictions onto the treks to prevent as much travel over that area. We still had a very special experience and again I think I walked 25 miles instead of just 17 like everyone else since I would backtrack lot so I could take pictures of the carts and people with each of them. There were a lot more with the stake trek and thus they became stretched out for over a half mile or so from the front to the back which meant that I was covering a lot of area just to go back and forth to get images of everyone at the various spots of interest along the trail. It was a great experience and a life changing one for me as a photographer. I was using my A1 Canon camera while also shooting a 60D Canon digital camera that belonged to one of the other stake members. I shot 14 rolls of film through my camera while shooting over 800 images with his digital camera. I came home and ordered my first digital camera the 10D Canon which was the first of three that I have bought since that time. It was so much easier to use and I didn't have to fill my pockets and backpack with rolls of film while shooting an incredible number of shots. We had a great experience that year as well and were able to build our testimonies even more from the additional stories and experiences of that trek. The pioneers truly suffered a lot more than I think I could have and I am thankful for the lessons learned from each of these treks.
