TREKKING

If a picture paints a thousand words, well, then here's a short novel:

Trek 2010: A Pioneer Odyssey

In the beginning Michael and I were clean, pressed, and pioneer power-dressed to impress.
No make-up, no hair-spray, convening at the church at 4:45 a.m., I was truly leaving civilization behind.

After a six-hour drive we reached our destination: the Mormon Handcart Visitor Center at Martin's Cove, Wyoming.
Lovely views (especially when I'm home, looking at them on a computer screen).

It was fuh-reez-ing cold!
Okay. Maybe "freezing" is a slight exaggeration, but it was extremely chilly, with terrific winds that drove us all to search for warmer wear, including my winter hat (which, by the way, did nothing to improve my heretofore non-hair sprayed hair do).

And the walking began.
Sing with me now: Pioneer children sang as they walked,

and walked,


and walked,


and walked,


and walked.


They washed at streams

(crossing the Sweetwater River)

and worked
(wending our way to the actual Martin's Cove site)

and played.
(the plastic lizard I left as a surprise for one of my Trek daughters. I also came prepared with rubber spiders, mice, and snakes which I shared as special--yes, surprise--gifts throughout the camp).

At night they camped,
(singing around the campfire each night)

and danced
('though I am one exceedingly proficient square dancer, I ended up in the super-dunce group--of which Lane was a part, incidentally. No one could master the art of even walking in a straight line, let alone dance with a partner! At one point I looked around and saw one young man ripping his shirt off and swinging it around his head, another young man doing the disco next to the poor, sweet sister missionary who was trying to lead us, and Lane pretending to ride a horse with his friend Cody, galloping sounds and horse commands included!)

and prayed.
(not really praying, here, although we did a lot of that! We also started seeing Lane hang out with our Trek family a lot more, since he and one of our cute Trek daughters really hit it off well together. They ended up spending lots of time together after we got home, too, until--alas--she had to return home to Colorado.)

Can you figure out which one she is? Don't be fooled by the hot babe with the ringlets. That's just me, wearing one of the three wigs I brought and wore on Trek.

Wigs or no, three days of wind, sun, sweat, and dirt certainly transformed us into bathing (as in "needing one badly") beauties!


Despite the dirt and grime, and my sincere reluctance to ever spend that much time in the great outdoors, this was a great experience. Memories were made, lessons were learned, and friendships were strengthened. My testimony of obedience was strengthened. Lane, who never talks about such personal things, told me ways that his testimony was strengthened. And Michael was just plain thrilled to a) get to be outside, b) have a Trek experience with his son, and c) have me away from any form of shopping for three blessed days.