The Trek - Part 3

After completing the women's pull we ate lunch, and were told that after much prayer and contemplation we would move forward on the trek with the reenactment of the events of Rocky Ridge. Before us lay a hill that at this point in the journey seemed almost insurmountable. I knew that the women in our family were fatigued from the women's pull, and that it would require all the strength we could muster to make it to the top. What a rush it was to finally arrive at the top, and to feel the rush of wind coming up and over the hill. This gave us all a great perspective on the beautiful landscape we were trekking through.

In short order we were on our way back down the hill, which I am not almost convinced was worse than climbing up the other side! We turned our carts around and lowered it down the mountain. There were more than a few times when I wondered whether or not we would lose our footing, and be drug down the hill,or worse, if we would lose control of the cart and send it careening down the hill onto the unsuspecting family in front of us that would have no means of escaping. [There was a safe distance between us, but I am pretty sure the cart would have made up that distance in pretty short order.] We were blessed to make it all the way down in one piece.

We quickly set up camp, and made preparations to make our dutch oven dinner of beef stew, biscuits, and peach cobbler. We all worked together as family to prepare and cook dinner, and boy was it delicious! After dinner we had a short fireside with the stake, and a dance later that night. What a welcome sight our beds were that night!

Friday was spent in pioneer workshops were we learned leather working, black powder riflery, pie making, played pioneer games, washed our hair, and participating in the "chicken chop". As I have grown up in a very outdoorsy, hunting family I have always had a respect for where my food has come from, but it was neat to watch as the youth of my family learned first hand how a cute little chicken in a pen goes from that to the dinner table. I know it is an experience they will all remember!

We had another wonderful fireside, and had the opportunity to go on a wonderful thing called a Pioneer Walk. Several members of the stake had been asked to portray a pioneer, and share some of their experience as they crossed the plains. What a humbling and touching thing that was to hear the stories of sacrifice and loss as the early Saints gave all that they had to journey to Zion. After the evening's events were completed we held a family testimony meeting, it was very neat to hear how each member of the family had been touched by the events of the Trek.

Saturday morning we made our way back to the Main Camp. As we set off that morning I can remember passing another company as they waited in line to joining the train, and I was overcome with emotion as I realized that this experience truly was coming to a close. It reminded me of the end of my mission. You tell yourself that you are ready to go, ready to see your family ready to be clean again (you get really dirty on a handcart trek), but when it comes right down to it, you aren't ready to leave. You want to stay there in your little bubble and enjoy all those things that you have become accustomed to. As we pushed along we all talked about how wonderful it was to have been together on the trek, and all the great things we learned. The last about 1 1/2 miles was all down hill, and I am convinced that was done just for me since I enjoyed going down hill so much! We had finally arrived back at Main Camp, and we were an hour ahead of schedule even!

The moral of this story is, if you ever have an opportunity to participate in a handcart trek, take the chance! Is it hard, more so than you would believe. It is worth it, definitely! I will cherish this experience always, and I will always remember the people that I met, the friendships that were started there, and the Spirit I felt so strongly testifying that this Church is true, and I am eternally grateful for that!