Winter? Trek two, Fathers Day

Monday started out with one of the coldest days yet!  This is Spring almost summer in Wyoming! The blizzard and wind was so cold I was very grateful it was not 1856.  We pretty much hunkered down in our warm trailers while we rocked with the wind.  The snow packed onto the windows so deep you could not see out of them!  This was our preparation day, but we did manage to run to town before the snow hit.

June 12, 2017 Blizzard

The sisters made pull ropes for the carts a couple of weeks ago.  They are 18 feet long after we bend over the loops, braid and tape them. I have learned such skill here at Deseret Land and Livestock trek mission.

Debra in a pile of ropes

Tuesday was our usual "toilet tuesday"  The Sisters spray out the inside of the jons with a simple green concoction and wipe them down in preparation for the trekkers coming in on Wednesday.  This week was an especially cold Tuesday, but we had no snow.  We were just grateful the trekkers were not here on Monday or Tuesday.  The Elders move carts and port-a-jons to where they are needed for the trekkers coming in.

Sisters Theler, Call, Barton. McDowell on Toilet Tuesday.  Sis. Ekins is taking the picture.

This week we Trekked with Elder Jack and Sister Carolyn Theler on trail 6.  It is one of my favorite trails and the only one that actually gets into some trees.  It was perfect trekking weather in the low to mid 60's, but they had some pretty cold nights.  Their first night they woke up to ice on their stuff. We trekked with the Creekside, Layton Utah Stake.  They had 250 people and 19 hand carts.  There is still a lot of water on the ranch so we had several water crossings.  Unlike last week I was determined to keep my feet dry.  In large it worked.  Walking and wet feet tend to cause a lot of blisters.  This weeks group was much better because they took off their shoes and walked across and then dried their feet before going on.

Debra, Bob, Carolyn, and Jack Theler June 14-17

They played some of the funnest games I have ever seen.  They played an A frame game that looked so fun. I want Bob to build us one.  Save the baby, blindfold soccer, team tag, and the usual stick pulls, tug of wars, sack races, cross saw cuts, hatchet and knife throw, and relay races.  These are all meant to build unity and team work. It is so great to see these youth interacting with each other and having so much fun.  I just can't help but think that if they were home they would be on their electronic devises and not with real people.

Walking the A frame game

Save the Baby game

Trail 6 has a 10 mile, 4 mile, 10 mile, and final 4 miles. day. so it is a lot of walking.  It was great to see our "Valley Bays"  (That is what the Martin company called the boys and men from Salt Lake that rescued them) role up their pants and take all the handcarts across the water to keep the others dry. Chivalry is not dead, especially on trek!

Our " Valley Boys"  Layton Creekside Stake

On Saturday they left for home, Layton, at 1:00 and then the work of putting away, cleaning up trucks and side by sides goes into full gear.  We finished up, showered, and crashed.  Today we attended the Almay ward where two of our missionary couples spoke for Fathers Day.  The Calls and Thelers did a great job of talking about Fatherhood and the Priesthood.  

We have a killdeer bird outside our trailer.  She is sitting on 4 eggs and is very protective.  They build their nests in the rocks and they just seem to disappear until you walk up to them and then they puff up and come after you.  Their eggs are black and white spotted and look just like the rocks.

mama killdeer protecting her nest!

Happy Fathers Day to all the great Fathers in both of our lives.  We owe much to Fathers!