Lone Mountain Stake Trek 2013!
Everyone was raring to go, even at 4 a.m.
As we drove up to the stake center in the wee hours of the morning and saw everyone dolled up in trek clothes, one of the girls said, "Oh yeah. We are a peculiar people."
The handcarts awaited the trekkers after a 4 hour bus ride up to Bro. Isom's ranch.
Each family had a banner to identify their handcart.
The first day was 12 miles of trekking with vignettes interspersed.
About 4 miles from camp, there was a 2 mile very long hill that grew even steeper at the end.
The medical team was at the top waiting with water and spray bottles to cool everyone off.
The first 4 wards were lucky enough to get some cloud cover for the hill, and though they still need to take a little rest. . .
. . . they were in great spirits and ready to go.
The last 4 wards weren't quite as lucky.
The sun was shining intensely and sweat was abundant.
One young man decided his feet had had enough and he'd go the rest of the way on hands.
Jaycie's family ended the big hill with a hug,
. . . and shoulder rubs.
Jaycie helped pull her family's handcart the whole time.
Benny loved her Ma and Pa Cook.
And the spray bottles.
She and Jaycie were in a trek medical movie that Jeremy put together.
Benny's most famous moment was getting hit in the face with water. . . refreshing!
The country we trekked through was so beautiful.
Benny's Ma and Pa Cook Family.
(Benny, Ashley, Rachel, Derrick, Alec, Tanner, Zoe, ?, Ma and Pa Cook)
Jaycie's Ma and Pa Madsen family.
(Jaycie, Pa Madsen, Rayne, Ma Madsen, Matt, Bryson, Hunter)
It was really awesome that Jeremy and I got to be there with Ben and Jaycie.
Jeremy was the best medical director ever and helped drill into everyone how important it was to drink and eat. The Ma's and Pa's carried his instructions out and we had very few sick kids.
The 2nd day was 8 miles, ending with the Women's Pull.
They went 4 miles out, stopped at a vignette, then headed back.
This is the women's pull hill on the way out. Little did they realize the women would be coming up in by themselves. It was very steep, and full of rocks and ruts.
You can see by the above pic that there were no clouds in the sky.
For 2 hours, those of us on the medical team sat at the top of the Women's Pull looking at completely blue skies with one lonely cloud sitting still above the faraway mountains.
There was no wind and it was extremely hot.
The forecast predicted that today would be hotter than yesterday.
The first group of women said a prayer after the men were taken away for the Mormon Battalion.
Immediately after they ended, a strong breeze came up.
The first 2 wards of handcarts came up in the sun, but the remaining 6 had cloud cover and a beautiful breeze.
The men are on the far hillside, watching they women ascend the hill.
A few women, waiting for the last handcart to be pulled up.
They weren't needed because there were already 17 girls surrounding the cart.
At the top, Sis. Tew spoke to the women and then the men joined us and we sand the medley "As Sisters in Zion/Army of Helaman."
The afternoon for the first 4 wards that did the Women's Pull, was full of games and square dancing.
This was a highlight for many of the kids.
(Even when Ryan showed up wearing his running shorts - he took Jaycie to prom and was king.)
Jeremy had to stay at the first aid tent all the days, but as always, he made it fun.
Those who were stuck there for a while, he taught the rock game that he made up as a youth in Jackson, Wyoming. One girl who learned the game saw him as we were getting ready to go home and she said she was going to teach it to everyone she knows.
While Jeremy held down the "tent", Nikki, Jerry, Scott, Jon and I were out with the trekkers, cooling them off and bringing kids in. . . and having a few adventures of our own. This particular ride up to our station was full of leaking water tubs and a pine tree that tried to kill me.
For the past 2 months, we've been having trek choir/orchestra rehearsal at our house.
All the hard work paid off. They were amazing.
Our cooking crew was amazing too.
There were almost 400 people who participated in this trek.
Go Lone Mountain Ward!
On the way home, Jon had Jeremy and I as passengers.
It was nice to be able to stop and check out an original house of the early settlers of that area.
It was extra fun being in authentic attire.
Jeremy and I tried to do a face like all the pioneers did because they had to hold still for so long to take the pic. It turned out pretty well, eh? No one can look good in a picture like that. . . except Jeremy. : )
