Heritage Gateways

Back

Brent C (B.C.) Moore Journals

May 31, 1997

Location: Scottsbluff - 541 miles left, Nebraska - Location: 41:52:00N 103:40:00W Elevation: 3880 feet

Summary: Bayard to Scottsbluff -- The long, hot road to heat stroke; gold wedding bands.

Journal entry: Joe and I got up early to help Chuck and Dean. Joe helped me with Chuck, since Dean has family here this weekend to help with his team. Getting a team ready to go in the morning is quite a chore. The horses must be fed, watered, brushed, harnessed, and then attached to the wagon. Sometime during all of that, the teamsters must eat breakfast, go to the morning meeting, and get their families ready to go. I can see why they are as tired as the walkers at the end of the day.

The wagon train left the Bayard high school promptly at 7 AM and headed to Scottsbluff. We had over 200 walkers who have joined us for the weekend, many from Utah and some from Colorado and California. The day was very hot, and we were concerned that some people would suffer from heat stroke.

After travelling 15 miles, we stopped for lunch in a town called Minitare. I spoke with some of the folks who were helping serve us lunch. They are raising money to buy Christmas lights. Apparently, they call Minatare "the City of Lights" because it is aglow with lights during December. Some of the families figured that they had experienced enough heat and privation, and took a shuttle back to get their vehicles. Our last five miles were over asphalt, and it seemed like an oven as we pulled towards Scottsbluff. Amy went on ahead in one of the wagons while I stayed behind to help pull the handcart.

I had arrived in camp and finished watering and brushing Chuck's horses when Amy found me and showed me a surprise: two gold wedding bands. A local news reporter had interviewed us about our engagement and wedding plans, and our story aired on the evening news last night. A Scottsbluff jewelry store, Bentley and Donovan, heard about Amy's "prairie diamond" and wanted to help. So, when the wagons got into town, the news crew picked up Amy and took her to the jewelers. She came back with two gold wedding bands that will fit perfectly. We feel so blessed.

Hi, this is Amy. I just wanted to say that watching Heber get his mission call was amazing. He was so excited. I think he will do a good job. Jonathan Tyler got his mission call today. He will do well also. I wish them both the best.

I miss my mom. I haven't talked to her for awhile. Hi mom. I love you.