| Spencer Fehlberg and Tanner Ewell pull the handcart up the hill. |
Along with about 160 other people a week ago, I was off to central Wyoming to experience being a handcart pioneer. It was to be four days of fun, sweat, dirt and wind.
Sponsored by the Huntington LDS Stake, the youth and adults from the northern part of the county met early Wednesday morning to board the bus for the long trip.
After traveling through Vernal, Craig, Colo. and Rawlins, Wyo., the buses did a drive by at Independence Rock before arriving at Martin’s Cove and the beginning of the actual trek.
After being assigned to a group and picking up a handcart, it was off to our campsite. Pulling and pushing a handcart through sand and over rock is not as easy as it may appear. The only mishaps were blisters and a sprained ankle.
We visited the actual cove where LDS pioneers went for shelter from the elements, we visited Devil’s Gate where the Sweetwater River cuts through solid rock and crossed the Sweetwater River with our carts. We looked for snakes and finally on the last day a rattler came out to greet us. We let it slither away, and all had a good time learning to square dance.
Antelope live in Colorado and Wyoming like pot guts live here in Emery County, they are everywhere. They often came through camp and through the group on our walks.
We dressed each day in our own interpretation of proper pioneer clothing. I found long pants and long sleeve shirts to be a minor nuisance. It was the hat that I really disliked; I am just not a hat person. The ladies wore long skirts, long blouses and bonnets.
Finally, just because my family had a nickname of TJ and seven dwarfs, I want it to be known that I would them put up against anybody in a handcart race. Spencer Fehlberg, Tanner Ewell and D’Lee Gardner may be small, but they have heart. Throw in Jake Clement, Barbie Powell, Rebecca Taboca and Tamra Luke along with TJ Gordon and we will take on all challengers.
Despite having gone showerless the entire trip, the bus ride home was uneventful except for that small little detail at the railroad crossing by the Carbon power plant. I do not know what that driver was thinking as the arms bounced off the top of the bus, but we all arrived safely home.