Travel Day with Comforts that we too often take for granted

After experiencing a little summer heat in the Wyoming valley for a few days, we left Riverton and headed for the mountains. While we started out with flat terrain, we soon headed up to higher elevations. We had blue skies, and we were reminded how blessed we have been to enjoy smoke-free air. Canada was troubled with wild fires this summer, and their smoke settled into the northeast United States. But the west enjoyed a smoke-free summer. We have been blessed! 

We stopped for diesel on our drive, and saw the biggest discrepancy between gasoline and diesel prices! Gas was high at $3.49 per gallon, but diesel was $1.20 more at a staggering $4.69 per gallon. That was ridiculous! This was one of our longest driving days of the summer, with 190 miles to our next destination. It was also the windiest travel day of the summer. Our drive took us through areas with permanent signs that warned us "strong winds possible next five miles." The electric sign over I-80 also warned us of 40+ mile-per-hour wind gusts today. We drove into a gust front that was accompanied by big rain drops mixed with a little ice.

To break up this long drive, we had some stops planned. The east/west section of Highway 287 runs right along the path that has been taken by travelers for hundreds of years. This was the route used for the Oregon Trail that brought settlers out west, the California Trail that brought gold-seekers, the Pony Express that delivered mail, and the Mormon Trail used by a religious group to get to Zion. Along the highway were historical markers that explained landmarks (such as the ice slough) that were used by those four groups.

Another historical marker explained that Split Rock was a landmark that could be seen for many miles. So this site guided the wagon trains and travelers along their routes. We could see that famous notch at the top of the mountain as we traveled our highway trail.

The historical markers had parking areas big enough for a motor home, so we took advantage of that to make stops to break up the trip. We climbed up the rocks near Split Rock, and could then look down over the parking lot. We also looked down over the path taken by around 500,000 people heading west during the 1800s.

A scramble up the rocks was a good break for a motor home driver that had been fighting the wind.

While this was the Split Rock stop, we couldn't see the famous notch from here. That mountain across the valley houses the notch, but we couldn't see the split in the rock from this angle.

Our next planned stop on this journey was at Muddy Gap. We parked the motor home, and un-hooked the pickup. Then we drove the pickup 13 miles down the gravel road to the Martin's Cove Handcart Visitor Center.

It was here that we learned a little of the history of the Mormon Trail. Members of the Latter Day Saints were fleeing religious persecution and were trying hard to get to their Zion in Utah. While making the long journey across this untamed wilderness was safer and quicker in a wagon pulled by oxen or horses, many of these pioneers could not afford that equipment. So migrating groups of Mormons were provided handcarts that they could load with their possessions and pull along the 1,300-mile Mormon Trail.

We both took a turn at pulling an empty handcart along a flat and smooth cinder path. But it's hard to even imagine how hard it would be to pull that loaded with all our possessions over rough mountainous terrain.

We counted close to 100 handcarts available at the visitor center that could be used for longer pilgrimages.

We went to the museum and also watched the film that explained more of the history of the handcart groups. While many handcart groups made the trip successfully, the Martin Handcart Company had the most trouble. A sign listed the names of the 575 people that started the journey in Iowa City under the leadership of Mr. Martin. They got a later start than would be optimal, and then an unusually early winter storm trapped them in this part of Wyoming with no food or protection. They camped at the base of a mountain that is still called Martin's Cove.

Without provisions, and exhausted from their travels, many of the travelers perished here. The long list of travelers include those listed in red that died on the way. For example, in the seven-member Ashton family that started in Iowa City, the 33-year-old Mother died, as did three of the children. About 25% of the people that started the journey in Iowa with the Martin Handcart Company in 1856 would perish on the journey.

They probably all would have starved to death if it hadn't been for the rescue parties that came from Salt Lake City. The rescue groups realized that a handcart company was delayed and must need help. The men from Salt Lake City brought wagon-loads of supplies and helped to get the survivors to their Zion destination. The spots where the rescue parties met the handcart company survivors were marked with granite pillars in the prairie.

It was warm the day we visited, but we still wanted to get a little exercise. Several different trails were available, and we chose the one-mile hike to Devil's Gate.

As we walked across the open prairie, we could see Split Rock miles away in the distance--just like the pioneers!

Denisa also had to stop to take pictures of the flowers that bloom in this high desert habitat.

The travelers on the Oregon/Mormon/California/Pony Express trails didn't actually go through this gap carved by the Sweetwater River. Just like Split Rock, it was another landmark that helped to relieve the monotonous days of flat prairie they endured during this part of their journey.

We learned a lot during our stops on the day's 190-mile journey. As we loaded back into our comfortable motor home, we felt like a couple sissies when we reached for the air-conditioner knob to cool us off as we rode in our comfortable leather captain chairs. We are certainly not pioneers! We are just wanderers, enjoying more of God's wonders as we enjoy the changing landscape around us. By the end of the day, we crossed the Continental Divide and went up more than 3,000 feet in elevation into the Snowy Mountain Range of Wyoming. We pulled into our reserved camp site in the Ryan's Park forest service campground, glad to feel the cool mountain temperatures and see the aspen. It's a no-service campground, but we wouldn't need air-conditioning up here.

Everywhere in the campground we could hear the whir of hummingbird wings. Feeders were discouraged because bears also love the same sugary liquid. While Denisa chased the whir of those tiny wings for most of our stay, the best picture she captured was in terrible lighting and at a great distance.

The sunset was lovely on our first evening in a new location. We were blessed by God's wonders over and over! We were also glad to be traveling in the comfort that we enjoy and too often take for granted.