Martin's Cove Site

May27I am on a continuing roll. I can hardly contain myself. It has only been a week since starting to write. The bus continued on to the Wyoming pioneer museum which was a treat. Many displays were hands-on or one could be seated in a pioneer wagon pulled by two oxen across the Platt River. The wagen was moved by hydrolics and made the "ride" feel real. Then on to Bessemer Bend where the pioneers ran into their first weather trouble. We had our lunch there and listened to stories taken from pioneer journals.
Then on to the Overlook where the pioneers could see the landmarks of Devils Gate and Independence Rock. It must have been a terrible ordeal to pull carts into a cold west wind mingled with snow showers. That overlook (for us) was a spot where the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, The Express Riders Trail and the California Trails came together. We think of a trail just that, a single wagon or handcart could go there. At times the trail was over five hundred feet wide and over the few years, before the railroad provided service, a half million people made the trek west. There were also those who provided mail service from the west to Kansas City and Independence. One Ephrahim Hanks made over fifty trips by horse from Salt Lake City to Independence, MO. He would be a life saving force when the Willie and Martin Handcart Company ran into trouble in October of 1856.
Then on to Independence Rock where a nice roadside park has been created by the Wyoming DOT. This landmark was to be reached by July fourth in order to miss the harsh winter weather over the rockies. Willie and Martin did not get there until the middle of October with the Hunt-Hodges Wagon train following to lend support if needed. And needed it was since all three companies totaled about 1100 people, in wagons and handcarts. The Simoen abandoned trading post was not sufficient to provide shelter for that many people in blizzard conditions. That is where Martin's Cove came in but nothing provided shelter and comfort to prevent about 200 people from parishing over the length of the journey because of lack of food and lack of shelter.
Then on to "Split Rock" another landmark which could be seen real plain from Devils Gate and Rattlesnake Pass. Wonderful, clear picture names for recognizable aim points. After we listenend to more pioneer stories we returned to Martin's Cove for a great dinner prepared by second year missionaries who stayed behind while we traveled by bus for most of the day.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent greeting visitors, telling them pioneer stories if they asked, and repairing equipment, mowing lawns, cleaning restrooms ( the cleanest restrooms this side of New York), manning posts along the trek route.
Thursday was a day set aside for treking over Rocky Ridge. Wednesday night it stormed, rained and snowed, and Thursday morning gave us low ceilings and 42 degrees. Our caravan, ten four wheel trucks and vans, got to within ten miles of the base of Rocky Ridge before bogging down to the rims on soggy roads. It was interesting to see how everyone was able to turn around on a narrow, single lane dirt road without damaging the BLM pride and joy.
This meant that we now had to make a thirty mile trip around the mountains to get to the other side of Rocky Ridge where the R.R. Hollow is located. That was the first shelter the Willie Company found after crossing Rocky Ridge, about ten miles down from the top. Grave memorials are at that location of Mormon pioneers and those who were going to Oregon or California. A luncheon had been prepared by the Willie Missionaries and while the wind was howling, snowy sprinkles, we sat or stood outside having a meal of beans, sloppy Joe's, salad and brownies. After that the Willie Group (sixth crossing) pleased us with a program of pioneer stories in a small grove of willows which gave some protection from the nasty elements.
After all was said and done most of the caravan stopped by Lander, WY to wash the concrete like mud off vehicles. On the way out we saw an operating gold/silver mine and the ramshackle housing in the vicinity.
It was another great day in following the saga of the 1856 pioneers on their way to Salt Lake City.
May28Another motorhome rocking, windy day on the highlands of Wyoming. A few days ago the wind tore away the UV protection cover on the right front wheel of our "Prairie Schooner", our home away from home. It is one of those white covers that is supposed to protect the tire rubber from ultra violet rays. We have mentioned this to the ranch bowboy and when he rides his horse looking for baby calves he might be on the lookout for this errant tire cover. It could be anywhere on this 200 thousand acre ranch. The wind has been coming from the west at a good 45 mile an hour pace, a few gusts now and then up to 56 miles per hour.
Today is a special day for the Wyoming Gloschats. It is Bernice's birthday and also our wedding day of one year ago. Our fellow missionaries have been very kind to us and wished us well in a kind of reception line. We are both feeling well, a few aches and twitches here and there which let us know that we are not spring chickens anymore.
Our work today consisted of (Bernice) making the top of a baby blanket and a loom hat. I dissembled a 5hp irrigation pump to replace the seal? and gasket?, install a flapper valve and a ball valve while water was gushing in. So I had my evening bath a little early, but the pump is back together and pumping with the old parts. Now we know that the seal/gasket we have are not the correct ones and new ones need to be ordered from Berkeley Pumps. We just hope that they still make parts for out-of-production pumps.
Tonight is home evening time and our home made instrument band is playing. Bernice will also play her violin with the band. She will be improvising. Most think that this is wonderful. I have my reservations. I will report tomorrow how "wonderful" it was.
Spelling and grama are not to be taken seriously.