Family Pioneer Trek/Vacation 2011

Martins Cove, Wyoming  (Devils Gate Mountain in the background)

Back in April, I started pondering where we should go on our family vacation this year.  I wanted to do something memorable, something that would leave a great inpact on my family.  Also about that same time, we were having alot of trials in our family and I felt the urgency to pull our family together and to bind us together.

I decided to pray about our vacation, and pleased that we would know where to to go to help my family heal, somewhere to give us strength to face our trials.  The answer came very strongly......We needed to go on a pioneer trek to Martins Cove and to Sixth Crossing.

I approached Tim with this idea, and he immediately agreed that that is exactly what our family needed for our vacation this year.  It was interesting the responses and looks we got when we told people we were taking 3 teenagers on a pioneer trek and reenacting pulling handcarts.  Most of the responses were "why in the world would you want to do that?"  Honestly if it had not been inspiration I probably wouldn't have even thought about it.  But the Lord knew exactly what we needed as a family.

Preperation
There was alot to do to prepare for the trek.  I wanted to make it a spiritual, growing experience for the family.  I wanted to try to make it as authentic as possible, so alot of research went into preparing.

I researched pioneer stories, and pioneer topics on lds.org  .  We had several family members that came across on the ill fated Martin handcart copany.  James and Amy Loader were my Great Great Great Great Grandparents.  their daughter Moriah was my Great Great Great grandmother.  Her sister Patience Loader kept a journal and has written several documents about the trek.  Here is a link to read about the Loader family trek to zion http://www.handcarttreks.com/Documents/PATIENCELOADER.pdf 

My dad told me several stories about the Loaders, and I told them to Aubrie one day while we were in the car driving.  She turned to me and said "I wish Grandpa and Grandma could come with us so that we could hear the stories from grandpa himself."  I called them and asked if they would want to come, they were so excited to come, but have had some health problems and weren't quite sure if they would be able to....I told them that they would come!  We started praying for them that their health would be good enough to make the journey.  (and it was)

I got alot of my information off of the Martins Cove website (trek Leaders manual was very helpful in planning) http://lds.org/placestovisit/eng/historical-sites/mormon-handcart-historic-site
http://www.handcarttreks.com/MartinsCove/MartinsCove.html

Aubrie wanted to make her own pioneer bonnet and dress, so we went to the fabric store and she picked out  the cutest fabrics!  We made 2 sets of dresses, bonnets and aprons, and then made a set for grandma also

It was a great big project to say the least! but in the end it payed off.  Everyone was amazed that a 12 year old girl made her own pioneer clothes!

For the men we went to the local goodwill store and paid less than $10.00 for each outfit, cant beat that!

We did other things to prepare, we went and watched the movie 17 Miracles.  It was WOW! it really brought the trek experience into a reality.  I highley recommend that you all see this movie.  It is only in select theaters, but will be out on DVD within the next 6 months, it is a MUST SEE!

We also had a family home evening with grandpa and grandma and watched the documentary about the Willie and Martin hand cart company.  You may have heard the storries over and over, but for some reason when you see it, or watch it dramatized it really brings it home on how much they went through and suffered.

The Journey

We packed all our gear in our handcart (modern day of course it has a v6 engine and gets pretty good gas milage lol) and drove what seemed like forever away.  The thing that I thought about as we drove to Wyoming, is when the Martin and Willie handcart companies were stranded in the highlands of Wyoming they still had almost 500 miles left to go, which still took them several weeks journey.

I love this photo of Mike

Right as we were leaving out the door Michael informed me that he didn't have any shoes for the trek.  the shoes he has hurt his feet.  I thought "great! We don't have the money to go out and buy a new pair" what should we do? he should have got new shoes months ago and start breaking them in!
I said a little prayer and asked heavenly father to help me know what to do.  Immediately my prayer was answered.  A clear picture came in my mind of Weston's hiking boots that he took to Catalina 2 summers ago, and  I went down stairs in his room not quite knowing where to look, and I walked right to them. They were just the right size!
 I knew then that the Lord was already helping us on our trek!  I reflected on the many pioneers who had to leave their homelands and they really didn't have the money to cross the plains, but a way was made possible for them and their prayers were answered also!

Another thing that happened right before we left.  Tim tore his meniscus disc in his knee.  WE went to the Dr, and he told us that Tim should not go on the trek and that he would not be able to walk.  I told him that that didn't matter "We were going!"  The Dr looked a little taken back with my boldness, but I knew that the Lord would provide a way for us to go.  The Dr again told me this time saying "In my professional opinion  I am telling you your husband should not go."  I replied "He will go, even if I have to pull him the whole way....I have already sewn my dress and bonnet!)  And that is just what we did...We pulled him the whole way except he did walk Rocky Ridge.  The only bad thing is he ate alot of our daily rations (treats) while in the handcart haha

Zac and Mike pulled Tim most of the way, while Aubrie and me pushed

Another thing that happened right before we left was we had trial after trial.  I even wrote a post about trials in May.  I could not believe how much our lives felt like they were falling apart.  I knew that there was a force who didn't want us to go on this trek.  I felt in a way we were being refined for the trek.  that as we passed our trials it was like the pioneers as they made it through theirs.  (even though ours were not so bad)  We had more contention in our home than we have ever had!  It almost got to the point where no one wanted to be home because of  it.  I knew if we could go through this and make it, we could do just about anything! And we did!

One more major thing that happened right before we left.  Michael got a kidney infection.  He was in so much pain he could not even walk, or stand up straight.  He was given a priesthood blessing and was healed.

ok back to the Journey.  We got to Rawlins Wyoming about 12:45 am and checked into our hotel.  It was a 2 queen sized bed hotel.  We had Aubrie sleep on a cot and Mike and Zac share a bed.  We were all exausted and knew we had to get up early in the morning, and be refreshed for our long day ahead of us.  Well we got situated and settled in by 1:30 and for sume reason, I layed there, I was bone tired, and I just layed there!  I think the reason why I layed there is that I could hear mike keep saying "zac quit touching me, Zac move back on your side, Zac!!!"  Finally about 4:45am Michael sat up and bed and said rather irratated "I have not been able to sleep yet because Zac keeps touching me"  I told him to lay down and try to get some sleep, and that I haven't been able to sleep yet either, he just sat there, and finally layed down, I prayed a simple prayer....."dear Heavenly Father, I have not been able to sleep yet and either has Michael, please help us to be able to go to sleep."  Michael fell right asleep as well as me.  in the morning I asked Michael if he had been able to go to sleep, he told me that he prayed that he could go to sleep, and he fell asleep very quickly.  I told him I had also prayed for him, and that Heavenly Father had answered both of our prayers intantly.

We put on our pioneer clothing and went to eat breakfast and to the store for last minute things, you should have seen the looks we got! they probably thought we were a polygamist or Quaker family haha

We arrived at our campsite.  Earlier when I booked the campsite, I had told the sister missionary over the phone that my dad needed electricity for his CPAP breathing machine at night and asked if there was electricity, she said there wasn't any available at our camp site.  We had a small miracle.  Another missionary couple heard about the need for electisity and so they placed us stratigically in the campsite by the water pump and there was an electric outlet.  So my Dad was able to breath at night.  That was a tender mercy from the Lord for sure!

Aubrie helping Grandpa set up his tent.  It was the first time my parents have been camping in about 15 years

We got our camsite set up (in the wind none the less) actually we found out that what we would call a good swift wind, they call it a slight breeze in wyoming haha.  We are glad we set up in the wind, cause we felt pretty secure leaving our tent up while we went to the cove.  The camp host told us that just the previous week a tent had been picked up in the wind and flew across the mountain. So we set as many heavy things in the tent as possible.

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Grandpa, Aubrie, Tim in the handcart, Zachary, Lottie, Michael and Grandma in the rickshaw buggie

Cute as a bug!

the kids enjoyed pulling grandma and grandpa in the little bugggies

in front of Devils Gate landmark

The early travelers used landmarks along the way to help them get where they were going.  On of those was Devils Gate.  It was formed from a volcano and water got into little cracks or fissures and part of it fell away. The Sweetwater River runs through it.  It was quite the site to see!

Ma and Pa were caught restin' by the cabin.
No actually these cabins are used for the missionaries that teach you about the people who where stranded  at
 Martins Cove. As you came to the cabins they told you stories and answered any questions you had  

I like the abstract photo of me and the wagon

for months Aubrie and grandma had planned how Aubrie was going to pull her in the handcart, and here it is!

Aubrie and Zac square danicing

It was fun to square dance after a long day.  I was tired, but joining in with the dancing rivived me and it was so much fun.  Aubrie and zac were partners and Me and Mike were partners.

the "pancake flip"  Growing up as a child, it was the families favorite thing to flip pancakes.  Zac was the only one who was brave enough to flip them, he did a great job, non fell on the ground

Aubrie, Mike and Zac pullin Tim on the way to the Cove site

I think Tim had more fun on this vacation than any other! he got to be pulled the whole time.

Pulling a sick family member.....Can you immagine how hard it must have been to pull a sick family member.  first of all, the burdon of pulling was harder, cause you just lost one of your helpers, and then now you added their weight to the load.  Luckily Tim didn't weigh much, but the kids did cautch him eating thier rations of treats a few times!

The pioneer woman had to be strong!  Especially when they were widowed.  It must have taken alot of inner stregnth to carry on, even though you were tired, hungry and cold, but to see those same things in your children must have been even harder.  We can learn alot from the  pioneer woman.  She helps us to get through our modern day trials, and tells us that all things are possible with the Lord on your side.

Pulling Tim up the hill into the sacred Martins cove.  we all had to help. Zac did most of the mulling, and Michael did most of the pushing, Aubrie and I helped the best we could.  I t was uphill most of the way

We had to stop and rest, it really was hard work, I cannot immagine pulling a 500 pond handcart up this trail!

all tuckered out and we were only 1/2 way!  

only 1 person was not tuckered out! Tim

There was no way that my mom and dad could have made it up the hill to Martins Cove.  One of the tender mercies came when Iwent into the visitor center and explained the situation to the Missionaries, and they arranged to have a rover take my mom and dad up the back side of the cove so they could meet us there.  They said they normally don't take people all the way up, and that they would have to walk 2 blocks and some stairs to get there, I explained to them that wouldn't work because my mom has a bad leg and dad too. They did something extra special for us, they took them the wole way except for the stairs.

It was a great moment to share this experience with them (except for the constant swarm of mosquitoes that constantly were a trial to us)

While in the cove the missionarries talked to us about Amy Loader (who is our Great Grandmother) They let Aubrie read the story about her.  It was really neat to Amy's posterity talking about her in the area that she was over a hundred and fifty years later.  I am sure she and Grandpa Loader and Grandma Moriah  would be proud of us all there honoring them.

our family Title of Liberty  (I really am happy to be there!)

The Water Crossing.....Was interesting.  The water level of the Sweetwater river was up higher than usual because of the heavy spring rains.  They had just opened up the crossing the day before because of the swiftness of the current and how high it was.  Zac decided to go first.  The missionarries told us to hold onto the rope, and to not let go.  They said the current was strong enough in some places to knock your feet out from under you, and so if you were going across, you had to hold onto and if you did this, you could get across safely.


 Well Zac felt like he didn't need to hold onto the rope and he could swim it across all by him self. and so he let go....How ironic because  if you think of the rope like the Iron Rod or the gospel of Jesus Christ, isn't it interesting that some people have that attitude....that they don't need to hold onto he rod, and that they can make it on their own. 


Well Zac looked up and saw us yelling at him from the bank to go back to the rope, he had drifted down stream about 50 feet or more....Ironically when a family member strays from the path of righteousness isn't the loved ones who are yelling to them to grasp back onto the rod, and do we not do this even now to our kids and loved ones?  We are constantly trying to help them, to guide him back to the rope, but sometimes they think they can do it alone.  


Then Zac started swimming upstream to get back to the rope, he swam his hardest and nothing,  He was using alot of energy quick and going no where.  It is like this in life.  If you are still doing the same things even though you want to return to Christ, but you are not changing your lifestyle or anything that is keeping you from holding onto the "rope" you are not going to get anywhere very fast!


 I told him to swim over to the shore and then get out and walk back over to the rope and start over again.  he did this, and held onto the rope and made it saftly across.  funny thing is he realized that it was important to not let go because you will drift, and that the current all around you is swift and strong!  


Now if we could only see how this pertains to his and all of our lives right now!  
Getting out of the water and trying it again symbolized to me the attonement, Repentance, and starting anew.


It was a great experience and some day hopefully he and the rest of the family can look back and see how that was so fitting for this time in our life.  I really felt like this was great symbolism for our family and it was another tender mercy of the Lord to show us we have to be strong and hold on tighter than ever before!


If we held strong to the rope the current was strong but we made it in the end.  The current can symbolise the ways of the world, the adversary or anything that takes you away from Christ.  Yes the forces are strong all around us every day! but if we hold onto the rod, even if at times we are swept off of our feet, as long as we are holding onto the rod and not drifting away we will make it back to our Father in Heaven. 

Aubrie wanted to cross by herself, but Zac followed her "just in case" like a good big brother 

Aubrie was proud of the fact that she crossed all by herself!

Mike mentioned that the water was really cold, and it was July 2nd, he could only immagine how cold it was in October with ice chunks floating in the water.  Also the 4 boys who carried the pioneers across the same river in about the same spot were boys his age! that really made a impact on him

in this close up you can see that Michael also did not shave for  a month before trek.  He did that for me!

Ok I just have to say...I bet those pioneer boys didn't dunk (or try to dunk) thier poor dear sweet pioneer mothers....but this one did! I am yelling at him "don't you dare! dunk me!"  The water was really cold and gave you a shock when you got in. Luckily it was a hot day and it felt good.  Luckily our clothing did not instanly freeze to our bodies like the pioneers did.

One more lesson from the river...we crossed the river, then instead of walking all the way around to the other side to get back to our handcart, we crossed it again.  Zac carried me again across on his back.  this time I held onto the rope while he was trying to cross, this made it very difficult for him and he kept telling me to let go, that he could do it on his own, but I needed to have security in knowing that we would be ok.  The lesson I learned is 2 fold.  To trust in, and honor the Priesthood that it can help you to get back to Christ. The second lesson though hard for me to admit was that Zac is not a little boy anymore and that I need to trust that he will make it without my constant holding onto him.  That one is a tough one because I love my children so much and I do not want to loose anyu of them or have any of them drift away!

We all made it! (well except Tim didn't cross because of his knee)

PS I am not pregnant lol...I just like ice cream

The Woman's pull was Aubrie's favorite thing of trek.  We actually met a family at the river crossing from Idaho.  We asked them if they were going to do the woman's pull and they did, so the one set of missionarries called in and arranged for a missionary couple to come and do the woman's pull/ men's call out for our 2 families.  We all gathered together and the missioarnys talked to us about how during the trek there were men who died or were sick and their wives and daughters had to pull the cart without thier help.  They gave us a moment to say our good buy's and then the men/boys left us girls.  The sister Missioanry talked to us about how the woman had to be strong.  They had so many responibilities and it was up to them as mothers, and daughters to carry on.  They talked to us about how much influence young woman had on young men, and how we need to be strong and hold to our values.  We need to honor womanhood.

The men followed the Brother missionary to the top of a small sandy hill and they talked aobut honoring thier priesthood, and honoring womanhood, and how much women do for them, and how they should treat the woman in thier lives.

As we walked up the hill The Bronson  girls and me and Aubrie started singing hymns, it was easy at first, but as we started pulling uphill in the sand, it became very hard for us to pull.  We dug our heels into the sand and pulled with all our might.  Aubrie tripped and we lost our momentum, it was all we could do to stand there and not fall backwards.  The 10 year old Bronson girl ran back to help us....And I was amazed that just with her help even though she wasn't that strong, or big made all the difference and we were able to pull it on up the hill.

The men stood on the side, Silently with their hats on their chest to honor the women in their lives

After our exausting day pulling carts, it was great to just go back to camp and relax.  Little did we realize how bad the wind blows in Wyoming!  We had just prepared our dinner, and then a microburst windstorm came up and blew all our dishes and cups and food off the table.  We did manage to eat with one hand on our cup and the other on our plate!  After dinner Grandpa and Tim were so kind as to clean up the dishes

This photo shows how the wind was blowing, just look at my apron

Sunday morning we broke camp and then attended church at Martins Cove.  It was a really great experience.  I was really touched by the .  It was the 3rd of July and it was so great to be sitting there pondering what our ancestors really went through to give us the religious freedoms that we enjoy now in our life.  I am so thankful for my ancestors the Loaders that sacrificed all they had to come across with the Willie and Martin handcart group.  In Relief Society the lesson was on Feeling the Holy Ghost and acting upon the promptings of the spirit.  I raised my hand and tearfully expressed thanks to all the missionarries who had helped us on our trek so far, and had listened to the promptings of the spirit and were able to tell us stories that helped to stregnthen our testimonies.

Sunday we traveled to the Willie Handcart sight wich was about a 45 min drive from the martins sight.  We set up camp and the Bronson also came to do the Willie sight also with their family.  Sunday night we sat around the campfire and talked about our feelings and experiences up to that point and it was really neat to hear how much the kids had learned and how they felt about the trek and the pioneers.  I think the thing that I came away with is don't give up...Just keep going, and someday you will reach it to the Promised valley!  The mosquitos were so much worse here then at Martins Cove, they truely were a great trial for us, and as the kids complained about them I reminded them of the trials that the pioneers had to go through and that this is our trial to help us to remember what they must have gone through.

right before we did this river crossing, there were missionarries who talked to us about one of the pioneer men who carried the woman across the sweet water river through the frozen water all day, then came back for one more woman.  This woman refused to cross and go on any further, so this man picked her up and carried her across the river and into camp,  he then died that night from exaustion.  It was a really touching story about no greater love hath a man that he would lay down and die for his brother (or sister).  We were then given rocks to symbolize something we want to get rid of, like a rock, our burdons and sins are heavy and weigh us down, we were told to throw the rock in the river symbolizing handing it over to the lord.

Look at Tim....He is having a great time riding in the back!  by the way he ate all our beef jerky while riding in the back of the handcart!

This is the one time that Tim did get out and help with pulling the cart, It was flat and a good trail, after about 10 minutes he was ready to get back in the back and resume riding and teasing the boys, trying to make their time a fun one!

We went on a Faith walk.  Many of the pioneers lost family members along the journey and had to keep going without them.  What we did was to pull Tim and Aubrie away from the family and go on without them.  we could not talk to them, nor acknowledge them, for they were "dead".  They however could walk beside us and help push, but had to be completely silent.  Mike Zac and I started off, leaving Dad and Aubrie behind, I talked to them about scenerios where the young teen aged boys would have to be the "man" of the family and step up to taking care of the family, it was really humbling.  We then went up a significant slope, it was alot harder without Aubrie helping us push that is for sure, and then we felt someone pushing our cart, it was if a angel was helping us along our way ( I looked back and Aubrie was pushing us)  It was amazing how just with her helping it eased the load and was easier.  I can't help but think of reading several accounts from the pioneers of how they felt just when they couldn't go on, they felt like they were being pushed, or their cart was being pushed from behind yet there was no one when they looked back.

This is the longest Tim has ever grown a beard, Honestly I liked it alot, and was sad when he shaved

Orriginal wagon and handcart ruts from the Mormon/ Oregon trail,  this was on BLM land and was not part of the "trek trail" but isn't it interesting that you can still see the ruts this many years later!

The Horned Toad that Michael caught at Rocky Ridge

Mike carried the lizzard the whole 5 miles on his finger just like this!

At the Top of Rocky Ridge.  We could not take handcarts and so we walked up the hill, all 5 miles of it! Tim did great, we prayed that he would be able to make it.  This is called the "Trail of Tears" 13 people died after making it on the other side of the mountain,  it was a hard hill to climb without a handcart, I couldn't have imagined how hard it would have been to climb it with handcart!  When we reached the upper Monument Tim talked to the family about trials and how we can overcome them with the help of the Lord and we will be able to look back and be thankful for them, and see how they molded our lives