A Week on the Roads

This past week we did not have a trek so we decided to check a few sites off of our "bucket lists".  We have always wanted to go to Mount Rushmore and after being on so many "pioneer" treks and serving in Nauvoo, Martins Cove has a great draw for us.  My Sister Sherry and her husband Richard Jensen are serving a mission at Martins Cove and so it was fun to see them and have a personalized tour and explanation of what happened there.  Martins Cove is all about the Martin handcart company.  Those people who pushed handcarts across the plains in 1856 with such a determination to join the saints in the Salt Lake Valley, sacrificed much for their religion.  We could feel it as we walked in these hallowed grounds, and we will ever be grateful to them.  Both Bob and I have pioneer ancestors so it makes these places all the more special.
Devils Gate is another landmark used by all the people who crossed the plains looking for a better life in the West.  It was beautiful, even though it has been an exceptionally dry year in Wyoming.

At Devils Gate

 We also went to Independence Rock where many of the pioneers had carved their names into the rock.  Also more modern carvings are found even though they are not suppose to deface the rock.  It was quite a steep climb, but we had to do it!  While we were up there a lightening storm was moving in so we descended much quicker than we went up as it is the highest point around and we did not want to serve as "lightning rods".

At Independence Rock Wyoming

Bob climbing Independence Rock

We made it to the top.  Here comes the storm!

Wednesday we got up early and walked into Martins Cove.  To see it you have to walk and it is about a 4 mile walk.  We had a very special feeling.

They have antelope at Martins Cove and a beautiful sunset

Martins Cove

Elder and Sister Jensen, Debra's Sister and Brother in law

  We then drove to Mount Rushmore and got there about 3:30 PM.  We were able to see and do everything there including the night lighting of the monuments and the patriotic program they do nightly.  It truly makes me proud to be and American and appreciate the sacrifices of so many so we could have freedom.  I only pray we can continue to fight and hold onto those freedoms that so many have given their lives for.  Mount Rushmore is in the Black Hills and they are beautiful.  Huge pine trees and lush vegetation.  Very windy roads that actually cross over themselves on wooden trestles.  There are several tunnels that as you go through they frame Mount Rushmore.

At Mount Rushmore July 27, 2016  Notice the Arizona flag up front.  They are in alphabetical order

 Thursday we got up and drove to The Badlands.  That is really an unearthly looking place.  We have never seen anything like it!  We hiked up to the steepest and highest peak I have ever climbed.  It almost made me dizzy as I looked over the side and held on for dear life.

Bob on the climb.  That highest peak to the left is the goal

Debra on a very steep climb

Bob at the top, Debra made it too but someone had to take the picture

Unbelievable formations.  No green in sight

 We then drove north to Wall, South Dakota.  We ate at Wall Drug, a famous drug store from the 30's.  I had never heard of it before we started planning this road trip.  It is a big tourist stop.  Sturgis, another thing I had never heard of, was beginning next week, but there were hundreds of motor cyclist on there way to it as we traveled.  We talked to many of them.  Some were pretty scary looking and some looked just like us, except for their "leathers", but they were all very nice.
Friday we went to Crazy Horse Mountain.  It isn't far from Mount Rushmore and is a Carving of Crazy Horse on a huge mountain.  His face is done and they are now working on his hand.  It is a monument to honor all Native Americans and is being done with private funds with no government involvement.  It was amazing.

Model of Crazy Horse Mountain

notice the cranes on top

We stayed in Casper Wyoming Friday night and then drove to Sixth Crossing and the Rocky Ridge Visitors Center.  This is a new visitors center for the Church and is all about the Willie Handcart Company and the rescuers.  We walked up Rocky Ridge in a crazy wind storm and we could only be grateful that it was not also a blizzard as the pioneers experienced when they walk up Rocky Ridge. It was much longer than we expected and we did not take enough water.  It was hot but we made it.

Debra on Rocky Ridge.  It was so windy I had to hang on to my hat!

We then went to Rock Creek Hollow which was 11 miles beyond Rocky Ridge.  I did not realize that after the hike up Rocky Ridge they had 11 miles to go to get to camp.  13 died that night and were buried at Rock Creek  Hollow.

Rock Creek  Hollow area

I love skies and Wyoming does have beautiful skies.  I love the sun rays breaking through storm clouds.

 We then got back to our "home sweet trailer" and dropped exhausted.  Sunday morning our missionary choir sang at 3 different wards and the missionaries that are not coming back next year (they have completed their 2 and sometimes 3 year mission) spoke.  It was a nice Sunday but a tiring one.  Overall, it has been a great week.

2-80 Year Olds on the Trail

Tuesday around here has become known as "Toilet Tuesdays"  That is when the Sister missionaries clean the port a jons from last weeks treks.  They are pumped and semi cleaned by a company out of Evanston and then we go in and do a thorough cleaning.  Half of our missionaries left this week because we only had two treks scheduled.  We had a trek so 5 of us sisters got to clean 66 port a jons.  That was a long and hot day, but the task was completed.  We then watered lawns and trees.
Wednesday found us welcoming the Cedar City Mountain View Ward.  They had 99 trekkers ages 2 years to 80.

Cedar City Mountain View Ward

 This is our first trek with little kids and it presented us with a lot of new dynamics.  The little kids energy never failed but the older ones were like us, tired after a long day of trekking.

They had ice cream at the end of a hot trek and this little guy was diving in!

Little ones playing in the dirt and having a great time.

Stick pull is always a favorite game they play.  I don't know if you can see the faces on these little girls but they were not about to give up!

Tug of war is always fun.  Notice the beautiful sky and the port a jons in the back ground.  TEE HEE

 There was also some crying babies, and frustrated parents.  Our medical issues were next to nothing as the kids would just go to their parents with blisters and complaints. We had 8 handcarts with actual families and sometimes 2 families to a cart.  They had built covers for three of the carts which came in handy for the little ones that rode some of the time.

four cute pioneer girls with their cart

hand cart trek moving out.  Notice how dry it is!

 Again we had no rain and it was HOT.  It set new records for heat up here.  Two of the days it was in the low 90s in the afternoon.  Thankfully there is usually a breeze to help with the heat.  We had the largest dust devil I have ever seen blow right down our trail and folks were grabbing their hats.  I am sorry I did not get a picture of it, but you will have to believe I thought it was a tornado!  We have a shade canopy we set up for the missionaries in camp as there are no trees anywhere.  As soon as it goes up it is super crowded with everyone who can fit under it!

Elder and Sister Barton sharing their shade with our feet in the air..

 This group used music everyday and it was great music!  They had guitars, ukulele, and violins and beautiful voices.  They were singing on the trail and dancing and playing games in camp.  This week we had no cows in our camps but did have the "remains" dotting the prairie.  We have a building on the ranch by the dairy bowl camp that is called "The Dance Hall of the Dead"  It is an old granary that is all boarded up.  It was quite the attraction for this group, young and old alike, and many were up climbing around it.  There is just a bunch of old sheep bones and wool in there that have been there for years.  Story goes that in a bad snowstorm they went in to get out of the weather and the door blew shut trapping them inside.  We try to keep the trekkers away, but it is just too much for their imaginations.

This little guy was running to catch up to his Mom after he came back to the 4x4 that I was driving and pointed at me and said, "I want to ride in that"  I sent him back to his Mom.  He was so cute.  He also liked checking out the port a jons.

The best man from our wedding, Bruce Haws, had his grand daughter, Kodi Bankhead, here at Deseret Land and Live Stock on a trek with their stake.  Unfortunately she was on the other trek this week on the other side of the ranch.  We tried to see her a couple of times but was not able to meet up with her till Saturday as they were coming in to leave.  Our report from the missionaries with her, Elders and Sisters Peart and Howard, was that she was a real joy to have on their trek.  She is a darling girl.

Elder and Sister Barton with Kodi Bankhead

 We attended 2 sacrament meetings today as my brother Elder Steven and Sister Doloras Higginson were speaking in their meetings.  They gave great talks.  Our pot luck dinner today consisted of 3 missionary couples and 2 guests.  It seemed very lonely as many are away for the weekend..  You can defiantly tell treks are winding down and we are all getting tired, but the Lord continues to renew our weary bones to go another week.

Fun With Family and Hot, Dusty, and Dry

We started this week with a fun visit from Bob's Mom, Evelyn, and his sister and brother-in-law Kaye and Sam Clemmons.  They came on Monday, our preparation day, and we had lunch on Mom at one of our favorite dives in Evanston, Rail Road Crossing.  We then took them on a wild ride in the 4x4 on some of the trails and by the ponds.  It was a bit much for Mom and after the ride she was ready to go back to Layton and rest.

Kaye, Debra, Bob, Evelyn

We had a great fireside that night about the second and third rescues.  It was about doing the temple work for those who died in the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. and then how the Saviors atonement saves us.
Our trek this week was with the Roy North Stake on trail 7 with Elder and Sister Ekins from Hinckley, Utah.  We had 140 trekkers and 12 handcarts to keep track of.  They were a great group.  They were so organized and kind.  It is so hot and dry and dusty, that it was a difficult week for most of the missionaries let alone the trekkers.  There was one trek with 625 trekkers and moving that many along in the heat is quite difficult.  It made me all the more grateful to have our "little" trek!  We had a couple of firsts as Bob did the Pony Express for his first time and I called my first Hoe Down.  Bob did a great job and I had a ball with the dancing!  The kids even had a great time and wanted to keep dancing till after dark.  We had the most beautiful sunset I have seen here but was not able to get a picture as I was standing in the back of the flat bed truck.

Bob with his horse "Sliver" for the Pony Express

We have had quite the time with the cows being in our camps and having to move camp.  It has become kind of a running joke with the missionaries, but this time we had no problem with the camps but we did get to watch as the cowboys and their 6 dogs moving the cows from one land to another.

cows are funny and move in single file

cowboys, dust, and dogs

On Saturday Heidi and their two kids Alea and Weston came to visit us for the weekend.  They flew in from Mesa early that morning and then drove from Highland where Grandma and Grandpa Christensen live.  We had fun taking them in the 4x4 through the dusty trails, playing Pickle Ball, pulling handcarts, walking the Bear River, playing games, and just being together.  Weston had just had his tonsils removed 11 days before and was still hurting, but we could see day to day progress.  They just left this morning, and we are already missing them.  There is nothing like the love of family and we certainly love ours!

Bob, Debra, Heidi, Weston, and Alea in the Trek Center

Alea, Weston, and Grandma in our "dust masks" in the 4x4

Weston and Alea Pickleball pros

Who says Grandmas can't jump?

After Family Home Evening Monday night with the missionaries, it began to rain!  It had not rained for over 6 weeks and it is so dry.  I am always especially grateful for it as we have charge of the lawn and trees.  I could not refrain from "dancing in the rain".  Sadly, I think we got about 100 big drops and then it quit!

100 drops of rain

Beautiful Wyoming skies

Parade, Shed, Wheels and Trek

The fourth of July in Wyoming is a blast, literally!  Fireworks here are legal, but first let me tell you about the parade.  Deseret Land and Livestock had a float in the Woodruff parade, and we missionaries pulled a handcart behind them with a few kids in it who threw candy.  Bob, Debra, and Debra's brother Steven Higginson (also a missionary here) played Come Come Ye Saints on our harmonicas as we marched along.  It was your typical small town parade with lots of horses, Rodeo Queens, a few floats, some old cars, fire engines, and old tractors.  After we ate in the park we listened to some really good cowboy music and cowboy poetry.  That night we went into Evanston to watch the fireworks that were exploding all around us and all over town.  They started before it was dark and continued long after we were back at the Ranch and in bed.

Bob and Debra before the fourth of July parade started

Steven and Bob ready to play their harmonicas.  Debra played but was taking the picture.  Woodruff Utah

two of the numerous rodeo queens

float with 3 calves, two dogs, and lots of sagebrush.

Our trek this week was with the Sandy Cottonwood Creek Stake with 200 youth and adults on trail 23.  We were with Debra's brother and sister-in-law Elder and Sister Higginson.  It was great to work with them and with this stake.  It was a 3 day trek instead of the usual 4 day trek, so on Wednesday when the rest of the treks began, we work around the Trek Trailer "Village".  Bob put up 15 sheets of 4x8 pieces of plywood, alone in the wind, to protect the new storage shed that was built last year.  Debra oiled and sealed 22 wheels with the help of another Sister missionary.  It took us most of the day and was hard labor.  We were ready to get back to trekking!

just a portion of Bob's "decorative" work

The wheels that Debra helped to paint

The shed, about 100 feet long and 25 feet deep

Thursday about 10 AM our trekkers arrived in cars.  This was our first trek we have had with them coming in cars instead of buses, so we got educated in parking vehicles on bumpy pastureland.  This was the first time this stake had come to DL&L and they were very impressed and will definitely be back in 4 years.  They were an amazing group with no complaints, no major health issues (which we are always grateful for), and really good food.  The people were the best and it seems that each trek just gets better and better!  The thought hit me hard with this group that trekking really is a leveling ground where we all look the same in our dirty pioneer clothing.  It  doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, a genius or not, a Doctor, Lawyer, Homemaker, Custodian,.............we are all just pulling and pushing to get up or down the next hill, and all working together and with the Lord's help, we can achieve anything. This women's pull was a bit easier, but they had only 3-4 girls on the carts, so it was good for them.

Carts lined up before the women's pull

Women's pull meeting before they began the pull

Sandy Cottonwood Creek Stake heading up one of the many hills on trail 23

We sang our "missionary anthem", as the missionaries have come to call it, in two different wards today. It is Sally Deford's  "To Those Who Came Before Me".  We sang at 9:00 and again at 1:00.  We are always so tired on Sunday, but attending church gives us a boost and gets us through the next week.  Debra directs the choir and it is amazing to see these Elders and Sisters, some who swore they could not sing, actually enjoying singing.  She saw this over and over again in Nauvoo so she was not surprised, but many of the missionaries are.  It has been a great week!

Tulips or Two Lips on the Prarie

Monday started with mowing lawns and sprucing up the area as Elder Durham, our area authority 70, was coming with his wife for two days.  Sister Durham was just released as a councilor in the General Primary Presidency and spoke in last General Conference.  They were very fun to have around.  Each missionary couple had an interview with them to see how we were doing and to learn more about us.  We had a big turkey dinner (like Thanksgiving) Monday night and then they did a fireside.  It was so good,.  He talked about charity and how we need it for ourselves and each other and everyone we serve and gave us a blessing that as we served we would receive the gift of charity in our lives.  He also talked about doubt not fear not for the Lord is in charge.  That proved so true for me this week as we trekked with the Fruits Heights Stake (350 people and 31 handcarts).  They loaded everything in their carts, tarps, buckets, table, poles and 4x4 for building their shelters, dutch ovens, sleeping bags and everything they had.  There had to be at least 400 to 500 lbs of gear in each handcart.  Some were piled 7 feet high.  The first day of trekking was trying to retie and hold all that stuff together over bumpy trails and badger holes.   The lead cart carried the American flag.

Piled high handcarts

They decided to have the girls pull all the carts and gear up the women's pull.  They had 5 girls on each cart and trail 14 has one of the hardest pulls.  It is 1.8 miles long and I confess I doubted they could do it, but do it they did! Another testimony as to how strong and determined these young women are and how I need to rely on the Lord more and doubts my own fears and trust in the Lord.
Their theme was Ohana (Family in Hawaiian) "No One Left Behind".

you will have to look at this sideways.  Their neckerchiefs

 This was our (Bob and me) largest trek yet and their 31 carts stretched for about 1 mile at times.  We had three missionary couples assigned to this trek, the Higginson's (Debra's brother) and the Calls (also Debra's relatives from our pioneer heritage).  Their food and games were centered on the Hawaiian theme.

You have to look hard to see the front of the group in mid to upper left

 There was one game they called tulips on the prarie that was quite a sight to behold.  The medical staff referred to it as face tag, Bob called it a combination of Wrestling and the Dating Game.  They all gathered in a circle and each boy and girl were assigned a letter or number.  One would sit in the middle and they would call out a letter for a boy and one for a girl and then they would try to kiss the one on the cheek that was running before they could get to the one in the middle and kiss them on the cheek.  It was crazy watching some of the tackles that took place all to try to stay out of the middle.  This has been a tradition for their stake at each of their last 4 treks.  No one had ever gotten hurt before but this one resulted in one broken collarbone, one concussion and one black eye (the collarbone and concussion were boys).  The young women that gave the young man the concussion was given the number 54 on the back of her shirt, a football line backer number, and she wore it proudly.  These kids were intense! We also had ?batman? on the trek.

Sister Barton with ?Batman?  You should have seen his sunburn whenever he removed the mask!

They had a great fireside on Friday night with Elder Gary Coleman an emeritus 70.  He spoke about our pre-existence with our Heavenly Father and how we are all fore ordained to be here at this time.  It was good to hear, and believe me we have strong youth both physically and spiritually
.

Elder and Sister Barton with Elder Gary Coleman

The wild flowers are beautiful right now, so much so that Ashlyn Wade (the 10 year old that was helping her Father with the port a jons) would pick flowers and put them in the urinals of the women's port a jons.

Wildflower bouquet in the urinal

She was a spit fire and an in-charge young lady. They named her as an honorary trail boss and believe me she could have run the whole trek.

Ashlyn Wade, 10 year old honorary trailboss.  The window says "pooped out", it was pulling port a jons.

These kids had no more than got on their 7 buses and headed out than the skies opened up and we had a MUCH needed rainstorm.  We are told there will be no more open fires until we get more rain.  So pray for us to get rain!