Letters of Encouragement to the
Pioneers
Apr
3 - May 23 | May 23 - Jun 30 | Jul
1 - Jul 15 | Jul
15 - Aug 13
July 15 - August 13, 1997 July
15, 1997
a 'RedMono' wrote:
I have enjoyed reading your daily journals so much. You
have inspired me many times and I have cried as I have read
them.[...]Thanks for sharing with us your adventures along
the way. Everyone in Salt Lake is really looking forward
to your arrival. However, they have roads and canyons closed
so that you can come into town without the traffic. So,
they are encouraging people to wait til you get to Hennifer
or to see you on the 22nd at "THIS IS THE PLACE " park.
I heard yesterday that there are going to be so many people
at Hennifer that they might be turning them away outside
of town because they won't have a place to park. On July
12, Don wrote: I am a professional photographer who took
his family for a week on the Mormon Wagon Train in Wyoming.
I have about a dozen photos on my web site of the handcarts
and wagon train at South Pass, Big Sandy Crossing and Simpson's
Hollow.
Karen wrote:
Hi, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I have wanted for
years to visit the sites of the graves of my early pioneer
ancestors and a few years ago was able to take a trip to
Utah to do that. One disappointment was that I had no records
showing the exact gravesite of Jacob Foutz. Today, while
browsing your site, I found that information! I can't tell
you how excited I am, I have contacted the Pioneer Trail
State Park and am awaiting a call from their historian to
tell me if Jacob's grave is one of the known and marked
ones. I hope you will continue to keep the site active even
after the trek is over, there is so much information that
I have not yet had time to look at, no telling what else
I may find out!
Thank You! Karen
Kathy Dench wrote:
I just returned from a brief trip from Loveland, Colorado
to Salt Lake. I had dreamed of just happening upon the modern
pioneer train traveling along the prairie but knew that
the chance was very slim. However my friend and I received
a very special blessing. I asked her to make a rest top
on 11 July and she just happened to take the Fort Bridger
turn off. As we neared the Fort it was clear that we were
driving directly to the camp. Oh, how our hearts soared!
I liken it to how members of the Pueblo group must have
felt when they were united with other saints. The spirit
in this Fort Bridger encampment was strong and brought tears
to our eyes. [...]
July 16,1997
Nancy wrote:
I have followed this Journal all along from day one. I
want to know how things are going, what is happening out
on the trail, and all that is interesting to hear about.
However, I have concluded that your "Wagon" train consists
only of walkers. Every once in a while there is mention
of an outrider and that a walker rides in a wagon. Educationally
speaking, is this wagon a support vehicle wagon, or is there
actually covered wagons in this "Wagon" train? I have yet
to read anything about any of the pioneers who drive these "wagons" if
there are any.
I will be out there this weekend to join the "wagon" train,
and come home with my husband, who by the way has been with
the "wagon" train the whole distance. I'm not talking just
from Council Bluffs, I'm talking from Montrose. I would
have liked to been told about these "Wagon" drivers and
outriders also. There are some very interesting people there
and each has a story that should have been told... I'm very
disappointed in the journal entries that have been written,
and more so about the many, many stories that haven't been
told. I am sure the walkers are very wonderful people, and
I give them all the credit they deserve for walking the
distance in all the conditions they had to endure. My sincere
prayers are with them all. There are others there also,
and they deserve all the credit too for doing what they
needed (wanted) to do. I believe the world would have enjoyed
meeting them too. By the way, tell Russ Leger "Hello" for
me. You did recognize him every once in a while. I know
Russ as we rode across Iowa last year together along with
the other Ox Bow Company people. WHERE ARE THEIR STORIES?
Margaret, I will look you up when I get there. I do want
to meet you and introduce you to my husband and the other
marvolous people you have missed these past 3 months. See
you Saturday or Sunday.
Nancy Silsby
Lyn Ryder, Niwot, CO wrote:
On July 16, Renee Gardner of Ogden, Utah wrote to thank
those responsible for producing the web page and to encourage
Margaret to write a book. I wholeheartedly agree. I saw
the train in Guernsey, WY and shortly after, found and started
reading the journal entries on the web site. Margaret's
writings, especially, have touched my heart in such a way
that it is difficult to describe. Her descriptions of events
and the joys and pain of them, along with her vivid accounts
of the land being crossed, have made me more aware of what
it must have been like for those who went before.
As a member of the Oregon-California Trails Association
(OCTA) for a number of years, and some 25 odd years before
that studying 19th century American West history, the sense
of what it must have really been like to travel west under
the difficult conditions just did not hit home like it has
through Margaret's journal postings.
It seems to be such a difficult thing to go through now,
and I am struck by the thought that Margaret and all the
rest are free to walk away from it all and go back to their
1997 world; those who came before could not...they had no
realistic place to go back to...the trail beyond was truly
an unknown - never having been seen by them. What courage
it must have taken then, and I dare say that for the ones
out there now, it is a remarkable and courageous undertaking.
I salute all who have participated in this re-enactment.
As for Margaret, it would be an honor to meet her someday.
If she reads this, I implore you, Margaret, please do not
deny a book you would write to those of us who have gained
so much from reading of your experiences. We would gain
so much more through a book, and of course, for your family
and descendants, and that of the church's history, it would
be such a wonderful thing. You have such a way with words.
Please write it for us - for those who could not go on the
journey except through your writings.
And I hope that at the top of Immigrant Canyon you will
be the one to push one of the handcarts over the edge -
as a wonderful symbol of fortitude, courage, dignity, and
dreams for the future, as well as in honor of the lady in
1847 who did the same. In a way, I hope that this (if it
is done) is kind of private among those of you who have
gone all the way - the spectators would maybe be in violation
of a kind of special ceremony.
Best regards,
Lyn Ryder, Niwot, CO
July 19, 1997
Thomas wrote:
Welcome Home! Bienvenidos!
Robyn wrote:
Hi guys! First I want to say that I have enjoyed reading
about this re-enactment daily. Thank you for all your hard
work keeping us in touch.
What has happened to the Sekiguchi family though? I hope
all is well with them. Just wondering.
Julie wrote:
Hi Margaret!
It was funny to hear of the Big Fish that got away. Sure...
some fish story huh?? Might I suggest that the person
driving the fish, decided later that is that it is not
really worth keeping. It would certainly be a souvenir
that would cost more to up-keep than it was worth when
they got it! (Souvenirs are suppose to be low maintenance
things right?) A T-shirt makes much better sense.
Pass along to Wendy that I think it quite admirable and
original of her to shut her eyes while traveling to and
from the showers the other night with her EYES CLOSED? How
about borrowing her some of those horse blinders for next
time, K? (Might be kinda tough to find them in her size
is the only problem!) As for the shower/locked door experience?
All I could do was laugh! It was embarassingly funny...
Three... Two.... One... YOU'RE NEARLY DONE!
Tell the troops a big good luck
"So long and thanks for all the fish" (Douglas Adams) :) always
Julie
PS. Have a great (back to reality) life EVERYONE! You have
made this a wonderful experience for all of us who were
not along the way.
This is to all of you "Behind the Scenes" people.
(I don't know who you are but... YOU know who you are!)
There has obviously been months and months and months and
MONTHS of time put into this project, whether it be at a
computer terminal somewhere down in Southern Utah dealing
with all the cyber-ins and outs, OR whether it be along
the trail hauling big blue porta-potties around!
I just think and wonder, what is worse? Wading through
the mounds and mounds of red tape rolling out like royal
carpet in front of you, OR walking or driving a team or
driving a vehicle along through the dust, rain, cold, heat,
and mosquitos for the last 3-4 months. Since some of you
have done both, well, what CAN I say, you are an amazing
troop!
Now, just like 150 years ago, there are those critics,
and there are those negative pessimists... (wait a minute
here, is that a double negative?? Ah well, you know what
I mean don't you!) The procedure that you need to do now
is as follows: First, as soon as July 25th rolls around,
you find a large pile of dirt or sand. Next, you roll around
in this dirt. After that you find the nearest green lawn
and turn on the sprinkler that is on the lawn. Run through
the sprinkler until the dirt all over you is mud-like. Finally,
roll around in the green lawn. Repeat all steps as many
times as you need! This is the victory celebration for accomplishing
a very great thing. As for any who still may be in "critic
mode"? Ahh, they are probably just jealous. :)
To one (and more) like myself, IT WAS WORTH IT!!! IT WAS
EXCITING, FUN AND GREAT!
Have a great (real) life, (now). This is Julie signing
off from a computer, in a room, in a house, in a city, somewhere
in Texas. In July, Chad wrote: Margeret: if this ever gets
to you Joann and I want you and Art and your children and
all the walkers to know that our thoughts and prayers are
with you, and that we continue to think about you and the
trials and the trains and the trails often each day.
July 21, 1997
Jerri wrote:
Dear Margaret Thank you so much for your thoughts on the
train. I'm Jerri Johnson with Dutch Oven Delight - dinners
through Wyoming. I know it wasn't funny then but as I read
about the day of missing lunches I recalled it also. We
didn't know anything about it until that night as Alice
and Clyde would take the lunches to you. Out truck wasn't
off road friendly. (At Willow Springs after the rain I figured
we'd just become permanent fixtures there. We weren't able
to leave until after 12 and were hoping we'd beat you to
the next camp spot and be able to set up and fix dinner
before you got there. In fact - diversion - as you guys
would pull out of camp and take the porta potties with you
we would wave in desperation, knowing we now had to fend
for ourselves. That day "the urge" hit and there was not
a place in sight. I noticed that the campers had lots of
potential and went "tracting". After knocking on the third
door and getting no response I just did a Goldilocks things
and went in. I was sure they wouldn't mind. I did the leave
the lid up as I noticed it was the home of a bunch of men
and that's the way I found it. Back from diversion. We fixed
over 200 Kaiser sandwiches that day, packed them in boxes
and handed them over to Clyde and Alice. Clyde really "gently" called
me on the fact that they were 50 sandwiches short (just
the amount that would have been in one box). It's still
a mystery to me, along with who fired the shot heard round
the world, what happened to them. Sorry. Clyde bought some
from Little America to make up for the loss. Quite a guy.
He always was looking out for youse guys.
Anyway, thank you for sharing the time with us. I regret
that we were so busy with meals we didn't get to mix with
the train as we would have liked to. Earl kept us up on
things and introduced us but getting up at 3 am, fixing
meals by the light of the Blazer, packing up, calling in
supplies and waiting for them to arrive, unpacking, and
fixing food kept us all way busier than we had ever anticipated.
While I didn't have the kind of spiritual person to person
experiences you did, I was always amazed that we had enough
food (fishes and loaves testimony) and that when our beastly
truck broke down time after time we were someplace that
it could be taken care of. The Lord loves us.
We look forward to seeing you entrance into the valley
tomorrow. I know you won't be seeing this for awhile and
will be an after the fact message, but we join with all
of you in your triumph. Thank you again
Jerri Johnson and the Dutch Oven Delight Crew.
July 22, 1997
John wrote:
Glad no one was hurt too badly. Accidents do happen and
for this long endeavor you and all participants did a wonderful
job with safety. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE TREK!!!! Sorry I
could only meet up with you at Ft. Laramie. You did an outstanding
job in organization and execution. Besides the bonus you
gave the LDS you also improved the outlook to Living History
one thousand fold. It is an honor to have met you and witnessed
this grand program. One again: WELL DONE!
Sincerely,
John C.F. Luzader
Living Museums of the West
Carol Lee Hawkins wrote:
After following the trek from the beginning, I just couldn't
let the modern pioneers enter the valley without following
you. What luck! Within four hours of landing in Guatemala
City I found a kindly webmaster in the Office of the Archbishop
of Guatemala. Of course, I had to share the site with my
new WWW friends. They loved hearing about the reenactment
and the possibilities for education.
This office is using the WWW to share with the world the
personal accounts of Guatemalans who were tortured during
the war.
What a wonderful, small and marvellous world on the internet.
Greetings to my buddies...Kathy, Maggie, and Tracy.
Congratulations for enduring to the end...celebrate.
carol lee
Kathy responds: I made the
journey from Cedar City and my computer to SLC to cheer
the pioneers as they entered the valley. Margaret threw
her arms around my neck and with relief in her voice said,
'Oh it was soo hard, it was soo hard.' Amy and BC strode
in together pulling a handcart. Osamu and his family walked
in behind their wagon, relieved to make it. Bre Cornell
looked like she was in pain riding in the wagon but she
had a smile as wide as Utah. In the crowd, I missed Wendy
and Danny, but as the pioneers trekked past, I recoginzed
so many of the people that have become so much a part
of our lives. What a joy.
I heard estimates that over 50,000 were there. Many of
the pioneers had tears in their eyes as they covered those
last few yards. It was a wonderful experience. Over the
next few days, we'll begin the job of reorganizing the
site. Thank so much for such a wonderful experience -
and for all that you have done for the site!
What a celebration.
We miss you.
July 24,
1997
Roddas wrote:
I have read with interest the ongoing saga of Amy and BC.
Can anyone share with us the origin of the button story
and the accompanying rules???
Lois wrote:
I hope that in your re-organization of this website, you
will leave ALL of the journals available for a few weeks.
I did not know about your site until about the middle of
June, and I would like to be able to go back to read the
earlier journals when the writers have completed today's
entries, or have their 're-caps' finished.
When the train came into the valley, I was excited about
the possibility of having 'our' journalists interviewed,
so that I could see them 'in action'. I guess the TV stations
were not aware of how well-known they are, or they would
have interviewed them instead of some of the others.
I'm going to be lost without those journals to begin each
day. They even sparked my desire to find out more about
the trip my great-grandmother made. I was thrilled when
I found all the resources available on Heritage Gateways.
I found a journal of Harry McCune, who was traveling on
the same train as my ancestor, and now have many incidents
to tell my grandchildren of the adventures of that group.(Grandma
wasn't any better about keeping a journal than I am.) By
her recording the day when she left Liverpool, I also found
which ship she had sailed on, etc. Thank you so much!!
CSIMMING wrote:
Thank you for your web efforts,for I have really enjoyed
the site. I was on the train from June 1 - 7 and had a great
time. My photographs and memories have been reviewed several
times, but this was a very important link to keep track
of what continued to happen to the people I met. It was
a needed connection for me. I know the Casper Tribune is
going to becoming out with a book on the wagon train. I
also read where there was no plan to publish the Internet
journals. I was just wandering how long the site was going
to have the journals on it? I would like to print off some
of my favorites. If you decide to pursue a project on publishing
these or require any photos, etc., please do not hesitate
to contact me. I would like a copy of the work or add to
the contribution if you need anything. You know you might
be able to have people donate to publish...I know I would.
Thanks again for all of the time and work that went into
this site, as I know I am just one of many who found it
a daily respite. YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB.....!!
July 25, 1997
Norman wrote:
To absolutly everyone involved in both the cybertrek and
the real trek Thank you thank you thank you thank you and
a million more thank yous to all of you.
My wife and I were able to meet the wagontrain at 4 of
its camps. We met and talked with many of you and felt of
your wonderful spirit. It now brings tears to our eyes whenever
we see pictures on the news its wonderful! Thanks to Margeret
for her journal entries PLEASE write a book. Please leave
this website active for the year se we can remember this
feeling.
Thanks again
July 27, 1997
Debra wrote:
This message is for Margaret Clark,
Margaret,
I wanted to take a few minutes and express to you again how grateful I am
to the wonderful service you have provided to everyone. I spoke to you in
camp on Sunday, when you were camped several miles on the other side of Farson.
I expressed my gratitude to you for your willingness to write such spiritual
and personal events and place them for all the world to see. I feel more
than double that gratitude now that the trek has successfully reached its
destination.
My husband cooked for the last five days of the trek. I
was able to join him on the the final Saturday and Sunday
of the trek. [...] Thank you for your wonderful gift in
being able to relay the feelings and messages of this wonderful,
miraculous event.
July 28, 1997
Christine wrote:
Dear Margaret,
I have got to express my deepest gratitude to you for the last few months
I have been able to share with you. I have can not remember feeling this
way , such intense emotions, as I read some of your daily trials and your
funny experinces on the trail. I ached to be with you on the journey, but
in a way I was. [...] I have become better through my brief association
with you on the internet. You will be forever in my best of memories[...].
All my respect and love, Christine
Sandra from Maryland wrote:
Dearest Margaret,
Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the efforts you put into your
journal. I followed along every day. Somedays there wasn't a post and then
after 2 or 3 days they would pop up!
The last few days of the trek, I could hardly wait to read
your entries to know of your feelings as you were ending
the trek and arriving in Salt Lake. I finally got them today
(Monday, July 28). (Don't know if they were posted earlier
as I had to wait over the weekend when I got back to work.)
I have laughed and cried as I have read some of your posts.
I have printed some [..] stories for one dear lady friend
who does not have access to the internet. When I hand them
to her, she is so happy to get them, she holds them next
to her heart like it was a treasure and says, "THANK YOU!".
You will probably never know how many lives you have touched
with your journal. You made us feel as if we were there
or as close as we were going to get! Your descriptions of
EVERYTHING were just beyond words. What a great writer you
are!
Welcome back to the real world and THANKS MILLIONS.
Dick and Nancy wrote:
Thanks so much to all of you who have helped us to enjoy
the experience of your trek west. It has been a thrill to
read your writings and to visit you along the trail in person.
This has certainly been an exciting time for us all. You
have really done an outstanding job. May you be blessed
as you "adjust" to the rat race of the 1997 world. As of
this writing there are no journal pages of your feeling
as you entered the valley and your experiences in Salt Lake.
There are many who were at the park and watched your parades
who were thrilled for your triumphant experiences. Please
be sure to "complete" your journey on the Internet for us.
It would even be interesting to have an entry about your
swing back into the modern world. Thanks again for all the
extra time you took to share your experiences.
Virginia Starling (with the handcarts) is my sister. What
a wonderful example of strength and courage she has been
to our family. We are all so proud of her.
D'Ann and her family wrote:
We so much enjoyed this site, following everything from
Day 1--so much so we traveled to SLC so we could cheer when
they arrived at the monument.
What we need is for everyone uploading journal entries
to give us their impressions of July 22nd!
I can't believe this was all dropped mid-stream.
July 29, 1997
Karen wrote:
Dear Heritage Gateways:
Now that the reenactment trek is over, our family would like to thank you
for a job well done. Our daughter was on the trek all the way from Nebraska,
and thanks to your great website, we were able to keep up with the progress
of the train. You did a superb job in coordinating everything to make the
modern trek relate to the original, and to bring it all home to us out
here in the world.
Aug 1, 1997
Mike wrote:
Modern Pioneers,
This is a open letter to those who have been a part of the 1997 re-enactment,
especially those who shared their journals with us. It has been an inspiration
to follow your stories [...]. Even though you had some more modern conveniences
than the early pioneers, walking across the pioneer trail shows your pioneer
spirit. I know the experience will remain with you over your lifetimes.
I was not able to be with you, but I followed you via the Internet. [...].
I primarily followed the journals of Margaret Clark and
BC (and Amy). It is an inspiration to follow your progress
and growth. When you get time, review your journal entries
and reflect on the growth you experienced. I would hope
that as time goes on you could share more with us. Best
of wishes to Margaret as you return home to your family,
those who love and support you. Best wishes to BC and Amy
as you prepare to be married in the temple. Best wishes
to all those who were a part of this great re-enactment,
those that participated, those that served, and those the
grew, as you all return to your lives.
[...]Mike Vail
August 2, 1997
Kimber Herterich from the wagon train wrote:
Well I think one of the scariest moments was when I was
driving from Casper Wyoming to Independence Rock. I had
followed the walkers that day with water and a place to
lie down. They had no other support that day because the
bus was having troubles and the support wagon went with
the wagon train. Well I was fully loaded several times,
having to send people ahead to the next camp with shuttlers
taking support vehicles forward. The water vehicle ran out
of water and the bottles I carried came in handy for walkers.
I felt very needed that day. I was so happy to be able to
offer weary walkers, especially my own a place to fix blisters,
rest and not get behind and drink the water I carried. The
most special job I had that day and other days when I followed
the walkers was to wait at the porta potties each time we
passed one and take the walkers who had stopped for a quick
break back up to the group. On some days the walkers had
so far to travel that they would not even stop for a break.
The porta potties would travel ahead of them and stop on
the side of the trail. As the walkers passed if you needed
to stop you would stop and the rest of the walkers would
keep on going. One of my jobs was to wait and when everyone
was finished drive them up to their handcart or group that
they were walking with. There were some who insisted on
walking and said they would catch up. Some were determined
not to ride in anything that had an engine. Anyway after
a very long day, we headed back to Casper to do some laundry
and buy new shoes for Orrin and Rebekah. They had both grown
or wore out two pairs of shoes by now. We finally finished
the laundry at about 9pm and were heading for Walmart. Praying
that we could find shoes quickly, we were blessed and did.
We headed out of Casper at about 10:30pm and we headed straight
into a storm. I was driving on a very narrow road, it was
not like a freeway with light. It was desolate to say the
least. I was going along and the lightning was flashing
and the thunder was pounding and the rain was pouring down.
As I drove I was also looking at a map. The children had
fallen asleep quickly after a long walk that day. Dinner
was a quick 99 cent Whopper.
As I was driving huge semi trucks were passing me, I guess
I was to slow for them. When they would pass me the water
would shoot up on my windshield and temporarily blind me.
I could barely see the road in front of me, with all the
rain and darkness. When the lightning would flash it would
give me a split second view of my surroundings. I was pulling
the trailer and could see a flapping shadow from the lights
behind me it was the tarp covering the stuff in the trailer.
I was trying to figure in my mind how we were going to sleep
in wet sleeping bags. I knew they were getting wet from
the flapping that was going on. I couldn't stop and fix
the problem either. Well this was quite the scarry moment.
As I drove down the road I realized that my original plan
of camping at Independence Rock was not going to happen.
The weather and my not knowing these roads was going to
slow me down. With the added fear of lightning and thunder
I was pretty scared. I began praying. Not to much further
I saw a sign of a town comming up. I looked on my map it
was a half way mark between Casper and Independence Rock.
I decided to take the exit when it came and look for someplace
to sleep safely until the morning. Well the only thing in
this town was a RV park and a small gas/market. I pulled
into the RV park. By now the rain had slowed down, but it
was very late. I saw lights on in the office and as I drove
closer I saw familiar vehicles and trailers. Lots of them.
Camp jacks and other were camped here. I knocked on the
door and was greeted by a young man. His parents came to
the door.. I asked if I could pitch my tent on the grass
out in front near the entrance and they said yes. The wife
looked out to the truck, and asked me if I would like to
sleep in a trailer. They had a couple trailers that they
rented out. The price was right $15.00. I drove over to
it and went in. YUCK, but what was my choice? I could set
up my tent and take a chance of setting it up on an ant
hill. I chose to take the children in and gather what dry
sleeping bags I could find and crash for the rest of the
night.
We woke to blue skies and sunshine and the trailer really
looked worse. I told the children at least it was dry. It
wasn't dirty just very old and run down. We actually had
running water and flushing toilets, it was heaven. We took
showers and caught up with the wagon train and on we went.
Kimberly
August
13, 1997
Terry wrote:
It was a pleasure getting to visit with one and all this
year. I hope that those who didn't get a chance to participate
remember this celebration should run for the next 20 years.
The trail is looking healthy in our area and we all learned
a lot about what can be done without damage to the trails.
I'm hoping to see more groups coming out and getting a chance
to walk in their ancestors' footprints and touch their memories
in manners which they hardly dreamed of. See you on the trails.
Terry
|
