For some must push and some must pull and some must count some must sleep. We all have to do our part I guess. Today we visited the Mormon Handcart Site in Wyoming. It was incredible, it is right near Martin’s cove and the sweet water crossing. The stories of those handcart companies are absolutely unbelievable and the feeling was there. Once again the church did an incredible job putting together a site where you could learn some history, feel the spirit and experience a little taste of what those pioneers did. We started out by watching a little movie on the handcart companies and then we went on a trek. We got a handcart and loaded it with our backpack full of snacks and a couple bottles of water. We each had seven “stations’ and rotated through. We had 3 pullers, 1 pusher, 1 counter and 2 riders. Rachel fell asleep about ½ way in and took a little nap in the cart. We decided to make an “odometer” like the pioneers did by tying an orange sack around one of the spokes and had someone count it every time it got to the top of the circle. We walked 1817 revolutions, we estimated each revolution was 12.5 ft for a total of 22712.5 ft or 4.3miles. It took us almost 2 hours. It was incredible. The kids loved it – surprisingly enough because it was hard work. About half way through we got to a fork in the road, one way was a great big hill the other was the road back to the visitors center. I wanted to go back to the visitors center and Rick wanted to go up the hill. We weren't’ sure where the hill went but guessed we would have to come right back down it. We took a vote and up the hill we went. Sometime my family is truly crazy. We got to the top, turned around and went back down and took the other fork back to the visitors center. But I am glad we pulled the hill, it was the hardest part of our trek and it gave the kids a chance to really struggle and feel a little bit more like the pioneers would have felt.
As we came in the missionaries gave each of the little kids a book that they carried around to the different places at the site and got stamped. If they collected enough stamps they got a little necklace to take home. The kids loved running around collecting the stamps and I loved hearing the stories. I couldn’t help but think what a wonderful place to have a family reunion. At one point we saw a couple who were older – not super elderly- but maybe 60’s pulling a handcart together. It really touched me- which surprised me. I realized that they were out there by themselves and choose to participate in this experience that was obviously physically taxing them. They weren’t doing it with their kids or grandkids or as a ward activity or anything. I was impressed. I pictured my parents out doing that and it hit me that even if that wasn’t my Dad’s idea of an afternoon of entertainment he would have done it 150 years ago because just like the pioneers they have the faith and testimony that would have driven them to Zion.
We took a couple hours longer than planned at but it was so worth it, I would have liked to stay the rest of the day and longer. We left around 6:00, with a little more than 6 hours left to get home, ½ bag of marshmallows and a 12 oz bottle of Gatorade, the rest of the day wasn’t looking to appealing. I was hoping the kids would all crash and sleep for a couple hours. No such luck. The are higher than a kite driving us crazy. Rick put on his headphone and is doing his best to block them out. Taylor and Dallin are reading and trying, sometimes unsuccessfully to ignore the younger 3 who are building forts in the back bedroom and pretending they are cats meowing and rubbing up against Taylor and Dallin. I have to say the boys are doing a better job of ignoring the “cats” then I would. On one hand I am glad the kids are having fun and getting along so well but all the noise and commotion is hard for Rick to drive with and isn’t making my headache feel any better.
No comments:
Post a Comment