We Made It Home From The Trek!

Well we made it home from the Trek safe and sound. 4 years ago Ron and I had the opportunity to be be a "Ma and Pa" on our stake's Pioneer Trek. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, but I really enjoyed it. We are still pretty close to 2 of our "kids", when ever we see them they come running up and give us a great big hug. When I heard they were having another Trek this summer I wanted to go up and experience it again but on the other end of it, I wanted to be a "Fly on the wall" so to speak. I decided I could help with the cooking and still be a part of the experience but not have to walk . I made a great choice. I got to get to know some of the kids in our stake and had a terrific time. Ron really didn't have any assignments, just to mingle with the "families" and get to know more people in the stake. Bryndee was assigned to the Brobry "family". I know Michelle Broby pretty well and was excited for Bryndee to be assigned to such a great family. She really enjoyed herself, but seemed to be really quiet (more so than usual). I found out later she didn't feel very good, her legs were way sore, and she started coughing pretty hard so her chest was sore. I had forgot that the day before we left she had her first real practice with her cheer squad. They worked their tails off, with the main focus being strengthening their legs. So she was already on Advil before she even left for the hard hike. But after a while she started loosening up around her family and they got to know her. And by the way, the food was wonderful. There was no starving kids on this trek. :o}

It was so cold the first 2 days. We had 50MPH winds those 2 days, so needless to say we did not look too cute in our "pioneer clothes" with many layers on top. This is the only picture we got of Ron, Bryndee and I together. We look like we are just camping. Bryndee's hat got destroyed by the wind right when she got there so I gave her my hat. Because I had worn the hat already for 1/2 a day, and I have short hair my hair was awful. So I got to wear this fun bandanna on my head the whole time there. Aren't I a great mom sacrificing my beauty for my daughter? Bryndee ended up not wearing my hat because the wind kept blowing it off her head. I had to get a picture of Ron in his "goofy" hat. He insisted on wearing his hat this way, I don't know why? I think it was to get comments from the kids but who knows?
This is Bryndee at the hoe down. It was really fun to see the youth out dancing "pioneer" dances and playing pioneer games, like stick pull, hatchet throwing, candy making, and shooting guns. I never got the exact count on the miles the kids walked, I heard 18 miles and I also heard 22 miles. There was a point when the men in the families are asked to go serve in the Mormon Battalion and the women are left to pull the hand carts. This is a very humbling experience because this point in their hike is very difficult, the trail is very rocky and very steep and the women and girls have to pull by themselves and the men and boys stand off to the sides and have to watch. I was so proud of the girls they did great. Bryndee did not even complain. This is also so hard for the boys and the men to sit and watch their mothers and sisters struggling. After half the carts made it to a certain point the boys are asked to help the girls. It is amazing to see the desire these boys have to help and the gratitude the girls have for the help they receive. The picture above is a group of carts just crossing over "Rocky Ridge". This is the hardest part of the trail. It is a very steep and rocky mountain they have to push the handcart up and over. The only way to make it to the top is to really work together. It was so neat to be down at camp and then look up a see a mass of people and handcarts appear out of nowhere.
This is a picture of Ron and a couple of the men that were a big part is pulling this whole Trek off. This was such a great experience for Ron, Bryndee and I. I am so glad we were able to experience this together and I look forward to the experience I will have with my other kids.

PS.. Thanks to Rosalie and Tara for their help and willingness to stay with my kids, and to Shelley Conway for having Porter stay with Prescott. I could not have experienced this without your help. Thanks Again!!!!!