15 mile day.
Why do we do this to ourselves, you ask?
Good Question. Maybe we like pain. No pain no gain right?
Or maybe we just wanted to enjoy dutch oven meals and the fabulous square dancing.
Common sense says, "You're crazy, don't do that."
But boy, when you're through, something else tells you otherwise.
We didn't experience even an ounce of what true pioneers experienced, but we gained something.
I actually found out that the trail we were on was the original Oregon Trail and also the Pony Express trail. Imagining thousands of hopeful families, looking for a better life out west made me feel immense gratitude. People gave up something good for something far better, and I have directly benefited!
I do not have Mormon pioneer heritage, but I still feel part of the heritage and legacy of faith they left behind.
I walked for Mary Inger Simonsen, who is my great great grandmother on my father's side. She traveled from Denmark when she was 10-years-old, and at age 16 married my great great grandpa Niels Christian Thomsen, where they settled in Minden, Nebraska and farmed the land. I imagined their Trek across the ocean, then across the country. The uncomfortable conditions, disease, illness, the sacrifice of it all.
Why did they do this?
Somewhere in their hearts, they knew they wanted something better for me. For their posterity.
That is why we do this. To remember their sacrifice.
Our group were work horses! They didn't want to slow down. They wanted to speed up!!!
We neighed like horses...It was fun!
Never before were we so grateful for SHADE and PB&Js!
A few could not walk the final day because of blisters and heat stroke, and it was sad to leave them behind. I can't imagine leaving anyone behind!
We enjoyed some delicious dinner finished off with some dutch oven bread pudding. Wow. Everything tastes better in the wilderness.
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