Oct 14

We are home and mostly unpacked. The trip home was very eventful. We packed the motorhome on the tenth and secured the bicycles on the rack in front of the motorhome. The Honda was happy to be on the dolly behind us. On schedule we left at 5:30 AM on the eleventh and made good time until,,, just before reaching Casper a large deer raced across the highway into our path. We ran over the deer and the front bicycle which was knocked off. My German racing bike was not recognizable and I tossed it to the side of the road. The deer had its hind legs fractured including the hip and I pulled it off the road as well so it wouldn't be mutilated any further. I even talked to the deer and wanted to know what it was doing on the highway this early in the morning. There is some damage to the motorhome grill and the step is unusable. The dolly lost its hitchpin and a running light on the right front of the fender, and the Honda has some scratches with the front and rear bumpers catching most of the damage as well. We continued on after buying a new hitchpin and securing what was left of the second bike to the broken bike rack. After that we just kept traveling towards Bigfork. This whole episode delayed us for about 2.5 hours. The weather was just great and all the clouds vanished after we crossed from Livingston over to Bozeman. Since the hour was getting late, we stopped and mingled among parked truckers at the Conoco Truck stop for the night. We had a "fancy" dinner at the McDonald which is part of the Rocker facilities and then slept comfy until it was time for us to start again in the morning. About 8:10 AM we arrived in Missoula and fueled the MH at the Costco store. Bernice was so good in making something to eat for us while were on the road. It is great to travel by MH and have a semi kitchen, a bathroom and one can even walk back and forth for excerise. We got home about noon after we picked up our mail at the post office and had them resume delivery. The house looked just as we left it, but the apple trees and plum tree were a total mess. There was one apple left laying on the ground which the bears must have missed or were interupted. It will take a while to prune those trees after removing all the broken off branches.
This is the end of our Martin's Cove Mission blog.  Thank you for visiting this site and if you have any questions about our mission, please talk or write us.
Good by.

Oct 10Well, the time has come to pack up our belongings in whatever spot we can find in the motorhome or car. The car will follow us real close while on the dolly.
We have completed all of our work here on the homestead or at the missionary camp area. There was a little leak in of the fittings, but that has been overcome and all is working well.
The weather has moderated a little and there is even some sunshine. Bernice has gone to the pavilion fridge to see what was left behind by those who have gone home. She hit the jackpot with a lot of things which are now in our "ICE Box".
We will see all of you when we make the trip around family. Take care, stay healthy, The Gospel is True.
We are signing off from the Highlands of Wyoming, Mormon Handcart Historic Site, Martin's Cove.

Oct 7This week has been a whirlwind affair. So much to do and not much time. Well, the wells are done and I just have to make out my report to place in the records of Martin's Cove Historic Site.
However, during this week and the cold snap several hydrants in the missionary village have frozen and need attention tomorrow and the next day.
Several couples have been given an early departure because their service was no longer needed. The rest of us have to wait, to finish our work, and then let go on the eleventh, this coming Thursday morning. We are trying to make the whole trip in one fell swoop.
This summer the well at handcart parking gave us some problem with sand. I got a good crew together and we pulled the pitcher/hand pump, 32 feet, and then let down our submersible pump to 85 feet. We pumped for two hours and for the first half the water was deep brown. At the end of our pumping the water was crystal clear and tasted great. Then we reinstalled the pitcher pump and all is ready to go for next trek season. To sterilize the water for consumption I added eight half inch HTH pills to each well. That will keep stuff from growing in there.
Saturday we watched/listened to three sessions of conference which were wonderful and informative. It is great to have a new temple announced for Tucson, AZ and another place in Peru which I can't spell. The other announcement by our prophet was the changing of ages for our young missionaries. Young men are now eligible at eighteen and the young women at nineteen. That is a welcome change because we tend to lose a few during that first year out of school, high school that is.
Almost time to go to the homestead and be there when the "Music and the Spoken Word" starts. After the first session we will have our last potluck and this time it will be a real "potluck", everyone is cleaning out their fridges for the last meal together.
Later:
The potluck was a grand affair. Every type of food was represented. We took some home canned London Broil in a nice tasty sauce. It went real fast as did everything else.
Then we watched the afternoon session of the 182nd General Conference and went back to our "box". We also are using the fridge in the empty trailer next door which makes it easier for us. We have not yet received the new cooling pipes for our Norcold RV refrigerator. Don't know when they will show up, but we will not be here and the parts will have to chase us down.

Sep 30Well, September is almost over and with that our last 11 days at Martin's Cove have arrived. A lot of clean-up work is being accomplished with the cold season fast approaching. Pipes and water systems need to be purged, wells sterilized, new septic systems/ leach fields finished or prepared for the long Wyoming winter months.
The sisters in the humanitarian center are organizing their materials, finishing blankets, crocheting a baby afgan, making hats for cancer patients. A large shipment of blankets was delivered to a military base for processing to a hospital in Germany. These blankets are made to fit a hospital guerney and should keep our injured soldiers warm. During this upcoming winter, the missionaries who stay here will have ample work in the humanitarian center. This center has five sewing machines, one serger and one embroidery machine. There are at least twelve shelves of materials with no less than 3 yards per material bolt. Cabinets upon cabinets of yarns. All the materials have been donated by members or friends of the Church who then bring this material with them when they come to serve here. Some of the material also comes from neighboring stakes; Riverton, Rawlins and Casper mostly.
Our last combined (Willie Site and Martin's Cove) potluck was today and we all said a teary good-by to each other. Many friendships have been forged with some of them being long term. Some of us will probably never see many of the missionaries again while in mortality. The Grim Reaper will see to that.
It is time to start getting the motorhome ready for the trip to Bigfork. The nights are cool and the furnace comes on now and then. The days are still warm and school groups are coming to visit the Cove as part of their Wyoming history classes. A group of about ninety school children are expected during this week.
The Antelopes are in an agitated state during mating season right now. Every day we see fights for dominance and we don't seem to matter with our presence. They run into motorhomes, buildings and cars chasing each other and their "girlfriends." Sometimes it is comical and sometimes downright dangerous.
The local wolfpack, coyotes and cougars take their share of Antelopes for their food chain. We see evidence of that almost daily. Their cries, howls and barks we hear just about every night. The Antelope feels safe here at the Motorhome park so there is quite a number of them living here. Two bucks chasing each other came close to toppling Sister Gloschat as she was coming back to the motorhome from the pavilian.

Sep 24The final week of trek training has gone by the wayside. Over 200 had been scheduled to come, but only 178 came. One unit did not show up at all. Mostly the units schedule six or seven and then only half of those come to the training.
The well test pumped very nicely. At first I pumped lots of sand which is normal for a well that has been in slow operation, pitcher pump, which causes sand to accumulate at the bottom. After a few minutes the water cleared up and setting the pump at 85 feet the water drew down to 26.2ft and stayed there while the well delivered 30 gpm. The water is delicious.
Then I had to repair another hydrant that had a rusted out liftrod, and an irrigation valve at the homestead. This weekend I found another hydrant which seems to have a bad liftrod as well. I will find out this morning after our prayer meeting.
During this week our refrigerator went south. The cooling unit rusted thru and all the amonia and hydrogen escaped. Going on the internet, while I could, I found a manufacturer in Arkansa who had a unit for our Norcold in stock. Hopefully the mail or UPS does not take too long to get it here.
Also this week we got a call from Jim E. with the tale of three bears breaking down our apple trees on the home front. This has not been a good week for good news. Well, I guess, that finding a cooling unit was alright. All of our fridge stuff has been doled out among other missionaries and the pavilion freezer. We are doing without a fridge right now. I have never R and R'd a cooling unit before, but I will learn; I have no other choice.
Last Friday Bernice played for the trek-ers at the entrance of Dan W. Jones Cove. My part was to hold the umbrella for shade on the instrument and B. She also worked in the Humanitarian Center and onSaturday we had bathroom cleanup so that our trek-ers had clean bathrooms. B finished a baby blanket and made very nice placemats from left over cloth, too small for anything else.
The second year missionaries are leaving this week and we have two weeks left after that. Tonight we have HE at the Willie Site and Bernice is playing her violin for that. It is a long way to go for a HE, but they have to travel here every weekend and then some.
I have repented of my anger with the Lord for not watching my fruit trees better. I know that bears like apples, but they don'r have to break down the trees.
Also I ordered 3 chords of firewood for the "farm" from Lonnie Doige, 406-837-0547. I sent the check by way of Jim and it never got there before he left for Seattle and Oregon. We tried to intercept the letter and hopefully Jim got it arranged so our mail lady could drop it off at Doige's.
My right eye has something in it that I can't get out. May have to go and see one of those eye doctors this week.
Today we will repair another hydrant and then try to move our well pumping rig to another well.
Yesterday was our last Sunday with all the missionaries at the trek center. From now for the next two Sundays we will meet in the chapel and will have enough room. This coming Wednesday, the 26th, we will have our farewell dinner and lolts of tears will surely flow. After these six month or more, we have made friendships and they will be hard to leave behind.
Sep 28Our Monday H.E. was held at the Willie Site. For three hours we listened to missionary talents including a serious piece by Sister B. Gloschat. Half way through we had refreshments of all kinds including sausages in a neat sauce, lots of different types of cookies, and the ever present water. The Turek's came with us and that gave us a better evening. It was an evening of fun and travel.
On Tuesday worked in the humanitarian center and I worked to help Elder Ralph Ohm on the new sewer system. Wednesday was our P-day and it was the day to see the dentist and Ophtamologist. The dentist removed the roots of my left molar and scraped what little infection there was. The Eye doctor found a small amount of cataract in my right eye and that the viscous fluid was separating cleanly from a small part of the retina. Watch it! Not a concern yet.
Worked on pumping another well after removing the pitcher pump and down pipes. This well does not seem to be as strong as number #1, but the flow after pumping the collected sand out will be sufficient for whatever will be needed at the Cherry Creek Campground. We will continue to make a record of this well. One well, number # 4 has filled in with sand and I will try to pump the sand out to make a productive water source.
Last evening we decided to move our M.H. to a different spot after I took down the antenna. We moved next to trailer number eight and since we are sharing the fridge with them we are now closer. Have not heard from the company in Arkansas when they shipped our replacement cooling pipes for the Norcold fridge.
Time to get ready for work--------.

Sep 24The final week of trek training has gone by the wayside. Over 200 had been scheduled to come, but only 178 came. One unit did not show up at all. Mostly the units schedule six or seven and then only half of those come to the training.
The well test pumped very nicely. At first I pumped lots of sand which is normal for a well that has been in slow operation, pitcher pump, which causes sand to accumulate at the bottom. After a few minutes the water cleared up and setting the pump at 85 feet the water drew down to 26.2ft and stayed there while the well delivered 30 gpm. The water is delicious.
Then I had to repair another hydrant that had a rusted out liftrod, and an irrigation valve at the homestead. This weekend I found another hydrant which seems to have a bad liftrod as well. I will find out this morning after our prayer meeting.
During this week our refrigerator went south. The cooling unit rusted thru and all the amonia and hydrogen escaped. Going on the internet, while I could, I found a manufacturer in Arkansa who had a unit for our Norcold in stock. Hopefully the mail or UPS does not take too long to get it here.
Also this week we got a call from Jim E. with the tale of three bears breaking down our apple trees on the home front. This has not been a good week for good news. Well, I guess, that finding a cooling unit was alright. All of our fridge stuff has been doled out among other missionaries and the pavilion freezer. We are doing without a fridge right now. I have never R and R'd a cooling unit before, but I will learn; I have no other choice.
Last Friday Bernice played for the trek-ers at the entrance of Dan W. Jones Cove. My part was to hold the umbrella for shade on the instrument and B. She also worked in the Humanitarian Center and onSaturday we had bathroom cleanup so that our trek-ers had clean bathrooms. B finished a baby blanket and made very nice placemats from left over cloth, too small for anything else.
The second year missionaries are leaving this week and we have two weeks left after that. Tonight we have HE at the Willie Site and Bernice is playing her violin for that. It is a long way to go for a HE, but they have to travel here every weekend and then some.
I have repented of my anger with the Lord for not watching my fruit trees better. I know that bears like apples, but they don'r have to break down the trees.
Also I ordered 3 chords of firewood for the "farm" from Lonnie Doige, 406-837-0547. I sent the check by way of Jim and it never got there before he left for Seattle and Oregon. We tried to intercept the letter and hopefully Jim got it arranged so our mail lady could drop it off at Doige's.
My right eye has something in it that I can't get out. May have to go and see one of those eye doctors this week.
Today we will repair another hydrant and then try to move our well pumping rig to another well.
Yesterday was our last Sunday with all the missionaries at the trek center. From now for the next two Sundays we will meet in the chapel and will have enough room. This coming Wednesday, the 26th, we will have our farewell dinner and lolts of tears will surely flow. After these six month or more, we have made friendships and they will be hard to leave behind.
Sep 28Our Monday H.E. was held at the Willie Site. For three hours we listened to missionary talents including a serious piece by Sister B. Gloschat. Half way through we had refreshments of all kinds including sausages in a neat sauce, lots of different types of cookies, and the ever present water. The Turek's came with us and that gave us a better evening. It was an evening of fun and travel.
On Tuesday worked in the humanitarian center and I worked to help Elder Ralph Ohm on the new sewer system. Wednesday was our P-day and it was the day to see the dentist and Ophtamologist. The dentist removed the roots of my left molar and scraped what little infection there was. The Eye doctor found a small amount of cataract in my right eye and that the viscous fluid was separating cleanly from a small part of the retina. Watch it! Not a concern yet.
Worked on pumping another well after removing the pitcher pump and down pipes. This well does not seem to be as strong as number #1, but the flow after pumping the collected sand out will be sufficient for whatever will be needed at the Cherry Creek Campground. We will continue to make a record of this well. One well, number # 4 has filled in with sand and I will try to pump the sand out to make a productive water source.
Last evening we decided to move our M.H. to a different spot after I took down the antenna. We moved next to trailer number eight and since we are sharing the fridge with them we are now closer. Have not heard from the company in Arkansas when they shipped our replacement cooling pipes for the Norcold fridge.
Time to get ready for work--------.

Sep 10
This week we had frost for the first time since last spring. The temperature went down to 29F and the waterline to the motorhome got a little slushy. I started working on two pitcher pumps, replacing the down pipes and repairing the lift rod. Since I don't have a 25ft boom here, we had to lift the pumps and pipes with a backhoe which was OK but certainly a little backward.
Bernice had a lot of inventorying to do, bringing all the first aid stations up to date, practicing her violin for all the activities she would be involved in.
Tuesday we went to Rocky Ridge for a long climb and hike. We started at the lower monument where missionaries from Sixth Crossing gave a wonderful narrative of the Willie Rescue of 1856. We then started our hike which was only a five-plus mile? round trip. Some pulled handcarts with water jugs and knapsacks in them, while others just walked and visited. The rockhounds in the group could not help but bend over here and there for a looksee of a pebble or two, some even carried some of the mountain with them. On the Rocky Ridge we had our lunch and then a small program followed with continued stories of the rescue orchestrated by Brigham Young to "Go and Bring them In".
Wednesday was our Prep. Day and as always a trip to Casper and shopping for the next week. We had lunch with another couple, the Riding's from Logan,Utah, at a Chinese Buffet. We didn't know it, but they treated us to lunch. What a nice thing to do, now we owe them. That evening we drove the Sixth Crossing and had a fireside with Scott Lorimer covering the Willie Handcart company in detail. It was a wonderful and another full day.
Friday morning the Trek leaders started rolling in, setting up their tents and by 11:00 AM the training started. As part of the program Bernice played Church Hymns (Come,Come Ye Saints; I Need Thee Every Hour; I Know that My Redeemer Lives) at the entrance to Dan W. Jones Cove as the leaders filed past her into the cove. I held the umbrella to keep the sun off Bernice and the violin. We did that twice since we split the leaders into two groups.
At the dinner (6:00 PM) in the barn the "band" played and Bernice had a big part in that. At the close she was asked to play Millionair Holliday to a rousing applause. After dinner we had square dancing outside the barn. Square dancing was one of the pioneer highlights of the day since it relaxed the muscles after a long day of walking, pushing and pulling their handcarts.
Saturday morning breakfast at the barn started at 7:00 AM and then we settled in for more training until lunch at 1:45PM. All during this training we mingled with the leaders to answer questions or just visit about their home units and their plans for next year's trek. The training was well received and covered ALL aspects of trek-ing at Martin's Cove and the Willie Site, from snake warnings to dehydration, to camping, care of the handcarts, following BLM rules, preparing the young people in their home units for a perfect trek experience. Most units will have their young ones trek for a pioneer of the Martin or Willie companies. Some will be carrying a doll to represent their pioneer person. That also includes adults who walk for an ancestor pioneer.
The temperature moderated again with the ever present winds from the west.
Evening:
Don, Nola, Carol and Lynn are here. They arrived about 3:15 PM after they stopped in Rawlins for lunch. Just after they got here we had a tremendous rain shower and wind. The wind opened the rear ceiling vent and some water came in through the screen, the floor got a little wet, but not too much.
At 7:30 PM we had our home evening and it was a riot this time. About six couples had a skit about obedience and listening to instructions. After that we had to follow instructions a little bit at a time to finish a predetermend course. All this was followed by some cookies and no milk.
I checked out three more wells, determined the depth and static water levels. There is so much to do yet and the time is running down. Bernice worked on her knitting. She is trying to finish a baby afgan for the humanitarian center. It is very time consuming and especially when she makes a mistake and has to undo several rows.
We have been challenged to read the Book of Mormon in the next onehundred days. Time to go and read a few chapters.
Sep 12
Yesterday was a full day with visiting the Cove, telling stories of pioneer faith, obedience and enduring to the end, as we traveled the trails in the directors Kawasaki Mule. We had lunch at Handcart Parking and then Don, Nola and Bernice walked to the Cove (2.3 miles) and I (Fred) drove Carol and Lynn to the overlook monument. On the way we stopped at the Statues and I told the Statue story there. When we got to the monument Carol decided she was going to walk the back way to the cove. As she was leaving another rover came with three ladies who also wanted to walk the back trail. As it happened they were DUP's (Daughters of Utah Pioneers) and Carol had a great time walking with them.
One of the ladies was the author of the Relief Society lesson which Carol was to teach this coming Sunday in her home ward. The three ladies came to the Cove on their way to Lander for a DUP convention. Barbara and the third lady had been on a cruise with Don and Nola a couple of years ago. My, how small the world is when you are a member of the Restored Gospel and Church.
Just as we were coming to a close of our trip around Martin's Cove the sky darkened, the winds came increased in strength and some rain fell. It was enough to wet the ground and keep the dust down.
When we got home to Ranch 66 I found that the wind had knocked my antenna down and I needed that for the QSO (HAM appointment) I had with the pilot of a B-1 Bomber from Ellsworth AFB on 14,250 MHZ. I don't know what happened to the Bomber because he never showed up on frequency. However, I was able to make contact with KL7MVX (Alaska) and then with KD4FNI in Ozark, Alabama. Just as I was going to shut down Julio, KB2SDN, from New Jersey wanted to QSL and he told me his life story. We chatted for a while, exchanged information, said 73's and called it a night.
Today I have to find a pump which I will need to check the flow of two wells. It is not easy to do a job when the pieces or tools are not readily available.
Talked to Joe and Mike yesterday. Mike is trying to have his orders to Huachuka cancelled and Joe is in Tacoma doing what Inspector Generals do. He will be going home on Thursday.
Gotta run, wash needs to be checked.
Sep 15
Trek Leaders have been coming from all over the western states for their planning and information sessions required for stakes, wards and branches to participate in any trek-ing in 2013. It has been a rough two days, but all leaders are now on their way home with envelopes full of requirements and suggestions, and helpful hints.
I am in the process of test pumping two wells for a proposed future project. Lately I have been doing what I thought I had been called to do here in the first place. Repairing pumps, checking wells and doing everything that has to do with clean water. I still have not had the opportunity to check well tanks for reliability, but I have been training, in a small way, those missionaries who will stay here over the winter (called Polar Bears).
I believe that to be a correct name. The temps have been going down to the upper twenties during the nights, but reach into the 80's by afternoon under 40% clouded skys. Very little rain has fallen and when it does, Katie bar the door, it comes with buckets for about ten minutes and usually sideways. Mostly enough to wet down the cars and then the blowing sand will make sure that our vehicles look like we never wash them.
We have one more weekend, Friday/Saturday, of trek leader training and then we will be starting our shutdown programs. The second year missionaries will be leaving here the end of September and the first year missionaries on the 11th of October, or sooner if the weather threatens winter conditions for homeward travel. The first year missionaries came two weeks early this spring to get Martin's Cove set-up for the new missionaries.
We had Cameron and his wife come here for trek training. They are from Alpine, Utah and spend their summers/Christmas in Bigfork. Their daughter brings her Harp and we enjoy her talents during Sacrament meeting. It was good to see them, their smiling faces and enthusiasm for next years trek from Alpine, Utah.