A Fairly Technical Account of Trek

Well, What an Experience! It was so fun and hard and wonderful. I went to be a helper and was consequently not entirely as completely surrounded by the pushing and pulling with your family handcart pioneer experience. I did walk all but a mile of the trek. We went to Riley Farms further east of here. It is in the beautiful rugged mountain desert region of southern California. Quite a few trees and lots of scrub.

The kids were divided into 3 companies at the Laguna Niguel Stake Center and received a colored bandana to indicate which company they were in. All they were allowed to bring was a change of clothing, clean socks, clean unders, and some amenities which packed into a 5 gallon bucket with a lid (the bucket was brilliant, it is water and dirt proof and also acted as a place to sit during firesides). They also brought sleeping bags and a 1 inch mat if they wanted. Later at a little welcome ceremony divided into families. All were dressed in pioneer garb including aprons, bonnets, hats and good walking shoes. They all boarded busses which whisked them off for an hour and a half ride out to Riley's.

When they arrived they unloaded busses and unloaded really excellently and authentic looking wooden handcarts. There were a Ma and a Pa and a big brother or sister (all adult leaders) for each family and about 6-8 kids in each family. There were four families in each company. Just before the handcarts were completely loaded, the extermination order was read by the governor of Illinois at the time of the saints freeing Nauvoo. Then the Mob showed up with masks and guns, shooting in the air and yelling. So, off we went! We trekked around 4 miles before we stopped for lunch. It was around 3:30 or so. We were all quite hungry. I must say that those turkey wraps were great! Starvation was never a key factor in our trek. I think it gave the kids the opportunity to truly enjoy the experience, not just be miserable! It was already very hot, dusty and dry. As it, was it was tough enough.

So we trekked another 4 miles or so and ended up at Mile High, a beautiful farm house with a grassy field and running water. We made camp on a grassy field, and had dinner, and family time on another sloping lawn. What a pleasant night! So many stars! So many bears in the dumpster, the dogs were going crazy. All that it lacked was fireflies and my True Love (who was home working diligently to get the bamboo flooring in before I got home).

In the Morning we breakfasted, packed up and moved out again. I spent quite a bit of time with the last family in the last company. They had some truly inspiring kids who were not about to let a lousy wheelchair, CP, Spinal Bifida or a set of crutches stand in the way of accomplishing great fetes. I with you could have seen the determination of Joey and Andrew! So I was with them quite a bit on that second day, assisting where I could but mostly just enjoying their company.


The terrain was fairly rugged, lots of ups and down. I think it was more difficult for the carts to go down, so much harder to control the speed and be able to steer.

We really only went a few miles when we were faced with a challenge. The train manager spoke to us about "Hole in the Rock" in southern Utah and the 200 or so missonairies who were called to make a faster easier route from east to west Utah. He discussed having to dismantle their wagons and lower them down a 1200 foot cliff to the bottom and how they carved a road out of stone (JohnE and I have been on that road a few times, down in Escelante). We then were faced with the task of lowering wagons into a 25-30ft trench and getting them back out. A huge line was made of the kids in the company and all the gear was taken out of the carts and passed down the line in and out of the trench. The last company actually had to pass Andrew down and out again ( I am so proud of our kind and willing young men for all the service they rendered!).

A good portion of that afternoon was taken up with singing and pioneer games. They had pistols, tomahawk throwing, 2 man log saw, archery, and Beth and I were in charge of slingshot. We hung balloons on tree limbs and the kids slung acorns and rocks to knock off, hit or pop the balloons. We gave points for each hit. We later headed out again and set up camp in an orchard. We had beans with little smokies for dinner. Porter Rockwell found our camp and at the beginning of his address told us that he needed to secure the area because the Prophet was on his way but that he had seen Three Fingered Stu around these parts. One of the audience asked if that was what we had eaten for dinner. Very Funny!
Well, Joseph Smith did indeed come and quietly entered from the back of the audience and quietly asked people he passed how they were doing, and told them how glad he was they could be here. It was very effective and very sweet. He spoke for a short time on his life and hardships and trials, but also of endurance and commitment. It was really well played. The actor looked remarkably like Joseph. Then we divided into companies and the stake leaders spoke to us about some of the miracles of the pioneers and the pie in the road. We then went to bed. I shared my tent with the stake YW leaders and we stayed up and talked and laughed. Fun! I had a really great time getting to know them! I do not envy them their callings!

In the morning, each family woke to find one of their family members had passed away in the night (this is figurative!) Either the big brother or the Pa were taken to a "Better Place" So We had a little memorial Service, sang some songs remembered the "Dead" ( the funny thing is that when the families were told, the common questions asked immediately following was, Where did they go? and What time is Breakfast?) So the families pulled carts together for a very short time and were stopped by a short visitation from Brigham Young reading his letter to the saints regarding the Mormon Battalion. Also the General who accepted the offer of 500 able bodied men to serve the US army in the Mexican war. So the Men were lined up and the women sang their song from the Youth Temple Jubilee--Farewell sweet soldier, to which the men sang their part back and the women sang again then anxiously left to pull carts. We pulled for roughly 15 minutes just down the road to where the women learned other pioneering tasks, like making butter, quilting, weaving, etc. Then was the time for the real women's trek. I was on a cart with 3 girls and a Ma. We went up some fairly steep hills, and down for a very long stretch, maybe a mile and a half total. We were so Awesome! But we really had a hard time controlling on the downhill. Suddenly a stream of men appeared and found their families and helped the women down the remainder of the hill. We rested and snacked on trailmix and Beef Jerky, and Gatorade. We had a very big climb ahead of us--"The Widow Maker."

I wish the world could see into this scene, and not just my very small scope. The widow maker is a very long, very steep hill; perhaps a mile or so. I have talked very little of all the service and kindnesses I witnessed, but if there were a place to discuss this, this is it. From the first company to reach the top, the bulk of the men ran back down that hill again and again to help the next family to reach the top. Sometimes there were so many hands on the carts and ropes, there was no room for all willing to push or pull. When the family arrived at a certain place on the mountain, the stake President stopped them, thanked those who had helped and told them that it was now the family's responsibility to make it the rest of the way on their own--probably half a mile, very steep terrain. Well, we pushed off, pulled off and just at the point we all were having a very difficult time, those who had passed on earlier in the day appeared as angelic help and pushed that family up the hill. ("I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!")

Then the Stake President spoke to us as a congregation in the barn. He spoke about the faith of our forebears in Jesus' Atonement.

When we reached the top of the hill, we looked out on the "Promised Land!" What a beautiful site, to look out at the cultivated fields and the beautiful buildings. To be part of such an effort!

Later that night we had a Ho-Down in the barn with live music and reels. The kids had a great time! Then was family time and bed (for some).

In the morning we had family devotional, breakfast, and then a "solo experience." Each person was given a little booklet with quotes, scriptures, and poinient questions. The sorts of things to bring your into the companionship of the Holy Ghost and discover how to improve and be more Christlike. It was perhaps the richest part of the trek. Then the families each had testimony meetings. There was a lot of tears and gratitude.

We lunched, had a group picture with the carts and then loaded into busses again. When I got home, I found my true love just finishing the floor!!! I don't know which I was more excited about, seeing him or having the floor done!

And you know what is even more exciting? I have had zero calls for work all summer and then the day I get back, Ba-Da-Bing I have had 3 calls!!!