Rocks, Sand & Wind

Rocks, Sand and Wind. . Testing stamina and patience, the wagons were hurried to maintain constant motion across seemingly barren terrain. Facing trampled and scarce resources, the emigrants were often forced to wander miles off the established trail in search of water, wood and grass. , On the hillside ahead, see if you can spot the many smaller ruts next to the main ditch-like route. The smaller ruts often tell the story of a pioneer's search for resources or an attempt to avoid the dust, deep ruts and congestion of the main trail. , We are told that we must make fourteen miles before reaching water ... so over rocks, gravel and sand we plod along all day. Nothing indicates life except an occasional juniper tree. Where it gets soil or moisture was to us a question. ... after a hard day's work we of course were hungry but to cook with fire made of green sage brush with the sand driving into your eyes, ears and mouth, being mixed in our dough, eat and coffee was a task that we seldom want repeated. We finally abandoned the fire part and crouch into our wagons and nibble hard tack. -- Harriet A. Loughary, August 20, 1864 , Went eleven miles to Willow Creek here there was Plenty of water and had been Plenty of grass But it had been eaten off After leaving Willow Creek we went nine miles and Camped in Cedar hollow In the evening one of the wagons upset with three persons in the wagon no person badly injured Somewhat frightened Mrs. Wolford lost one tooth in a Fall One young lady concluded She was killed But after walking About for a While She concluded She was mistaken It was All a Fright Appearance of the country high and rolling -- George N. Taylor, September 20, 1853 , This morning we collected enough greasewood to get breakfast with, and left Well springs as soon as we could get off. Our road led over hills and ridges for twelve miles, to Willow creek. Here we found water in pools, but were not very dry, for it had rained on us all day. but to our great relief, when found plenty of dry juniper for fire wood, and it quit raining so that we could stand around large fires and get dry. This is a rich, grassy valley, about one-half mile wide. (The following day) we traveled thirteen miles. First up a long, steep winding hill to the top of the ridge, whenever hills and hollows all the way to where we found a dry valley with a pack of juniper. Here we stopped for the night. -- P.V. Crawford, August 30, 1851