2015 - 06 - 22: Day 8 of Scenic Destinations - second day on the wagon train

I awoke to the 6AM whistle and wake-up call.  I felt hungover from lack of sleep but pulled myself together to pack up and prepare for the day.

After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon I had the fun job of taking down a wet tent and folding and rolling it into a compact shape to fit into the tent bag. I discovered that I fared really well in the storm.  There were others who got soaked, some had to get up in the middle of the storm to refasten pegs that had come loose, some even had wet bags to deal with. 

wagon train and walkers 

At 8 am we had one more group meeting to cover some of the starting out events and then the horses were hitched and we got underway. 

I started out walking but the paths are muddy and wet with puddles after the rain.  The horse's pace is a brisk 3.3 miles per hour and that makes keeping up really challenging.  I decided riding in the wagon might be a better idea.  I admire the hardy people that continued to walk.  I watched them get wet as they walked through wet grass and got mud caked on their boots.  Some had wet mud right up to their knees. 

Sitting in the wagon there is time to chat and get to know the other folks in the wagon, or affectionately called your “wagon train family”.   We are the International wagon!  We have the Bridgewaters from the UK. Two families from St. Louis and Fran who I met yesterday who is our “big wheel” as she is a “returning pioneer”  and Vivian a lady from California and Duane our teamster.

With myself from Canada we are a “family” of 13.  Should we all be in the wagon at the same time it would be a might crowded.  Fran plans to walk the whole time and so does Vivian.   The Bridgewaters have rented 2 horses and plan to take turns riding.  That leaves 9 in the wagon.  The 3 children are in and out walking and “wagon hopping”.  

The children, are constantly in and out visiting.  They love the novelty of being able to get on and off of a moving vehicle!   It does not take long for them to make friends with children from other wagons and we often have guests in ours.

Ike and Whitey get a break too when we make a biffy stop 

10 AM is “biffy stop”.  A biffy is basically and open pit toilet on wheels.  It has 4 stalls but even so with 150 people needing to use the facilities it takes a while.  When everyone is done,  the biffy is raised up and the pit is filled in with dirt by the “biffy crew”.  The going joke is nobody wants to see their name on the KP roster for biffy duty. 

the chuck wagon 

12:30 the teams pull into a meadow where the wagons form a circle and we have a lunch break.  The horses have their harness and tack removed and then they are taken to get water and to have an opportunity to eat also. 

Lunch crew works quickly to prepare the ingredients for sandwiches.  Then everyone lines up and basically it is make your own sandwich from the buffet of items on the folding table that is part of the chuck wagon set up.  There was bread, sliced meats and cheese, sliced tomatoes, lettuce and pickles as well as carrot and celery sticks.   For those preferring peanut butter and jelly there was another table with those ingredients, which was popular with the children.   At the far end of the line there was fruit and a choice of fruit drink or water.

I had time during the lunch break to do some drawing and it is my hope to have several sketches by the time the week is over to depict life on the wagon train.

wagons on the plains

At the end of the lunch break the horses are once again yoked to the wagons and we file out and back on the trail.  

Another biffy break around 3 pm and then at 5 we pull into our camping field for the night.  The wagons form a circle and then we make camp on the outside of the circle.  

I am on baggage wagon duty.  This means I, and several others, unload all the bags from the wagon onto the grass where everyone then comes to get their stuff to set up for the night.  Unloading the wagon is sweaty work but it is quickly completed. 

Now I too can collect my gear (I have 3 bags, 1 for my tent, 1 for my bedding and the 3rd for everything else).  It is good to get the tent up to let the sunshine and the breeze dry out the wet nylon canvas. 

A couple of trips to the water wagon to refill water bottles and to get washing up water and I am done with duties and can enjoy the lovely evening.  I watch the “fire builders” prepare the fire pits.  I watch the cooks stirring enormous pots over the open flames.  I find the making of “milk gravy” to be fascinating. 

All of this naturally takes time and it is 8 pm before dinner is served.  The “servers” are set up in a line kneeling at the various serving stations.  It is obvious that extra serving tables are not part of pioneer life.  Tonight’s dinner is meatballs in milk gravy, green beans, boiled potatoes and peaches and cookies for dessert.  Drinks choices are juice, water or milk.  I figure this is a good time for me to get my milk. 

By now it is 9 pm and my lack of sleep last night is catching up with me.  I head to my tent where I get to give myself a sponge wash up before settling in for the night.  It is still light out, oh the wonderful long evenings of summer!

I hear the sounds of singing and the other entertainments but the sounds lull me to sleep.  

Renate Dundys Marrello 

2015 - 06 - 22

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