On our way back home from our visit to my cousin in Portland and
Vancouver Island B.C., we ran into this long distance time traveler and his
wife at Hood River. They had just dropped in off the Oregon Trail for a brief
respite and a pancake breakfast. Interesting couple, really.
They told me they had "jumped off" from
Independence early in May. "As soon as the grass was long enough for the
animals," was how Josh put it. "It was chaos," he noted
mentioning the thousands of people with loaded farm wagons moving on about the
same time.
I asked Alice how she like the Belgian waffles for
breakfast. "A lot better than our usual,” she replied. "Dry
bread and bacon consisted our breakfast, dinner and supper for months on end.
The bacon we cooked when we could obtain wood or dry buffalo chips for fire;
but when nothing but green grass could be seen, we ate our bacon without
cooking."
One of the highlights for them, had been making it to
Independence Rock by the fourth of July. "Being the fourth of July, we concluded to lay by and
celebrate the day. The children had no fireworks, but we all joined in singing
patriotic songs and shared in a picnic lunch."
I guess, time travelers being what they are, when you follow
the Interstate I-80, you never know who you might run into. Many of the
superhighways heading west follow portions of the pioneer trails. Interstate 80
has parts of the Oregon Trail, The Mormon Trail, The Pony Express and was the
first transcontinental highway. The Time
Travelers, you know somehow, that might make a good book or a movie someday.
… J
Love it, TB! I smiled through the whole post. Yes, that would make a good book. :-)
ReplyDeleteYears ago I taught a unit about the Oregon Trail. I always enjoyed it. We have a wood stove and I cannot imagine loading it up with cow patties :o
ReplyDelete:-)) Fun! I do like that photo of the chips.
ReplyDeleteI've probably told you I lived in Portland for 18 years - left just a few years ago. It always amused me when people would say the smart pioneers stayed on the Oregon Trail while the rest went south.
ReplyDeleteMany people drive by and miss the interesting history. Of course, an old social studies teacher wouldn't miss a thing!!!
ReplyDeleteI love history and drink in all I can...I think you do too! Hi to Mrs T and Lily:)
ReplyDeleteThe first time I read your comment I thought it said "I love history and drink all I can."
DeleteI really have no comment. I can't top that.
And just how did the Mrs. feel about you having your arm around Alice? You two look quite cozy and I see Josh giving you that sideways look! Good thing you didn't get shot!
ReplyDeleteMake my bacon a little crisp. Those travelors looked hardened off from their trip
ReplyDeleteHi Troutbirder, An interesting post indeed. As she said, sometimes, "we ate our bacon without cooking" ... now that's something to think about! :-)
ReplyDeleteOooh the thought of eating raw bacon makes me glad I live in the here and now. Seriously though, this was an interesting post even if the couple were dumb struck.
ReplyDeleteWe never appreciate how spoiled we are till we hear how it use to be. You sure got a lot out of that solid couple. Guess it was the friendly arm around her that loosened her up:))
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks for sharing a bit of the good old days with us.
ReplyDeleteThey've held up amazingly well !
ReplyDeleteFun post.
ReplyDeleteHaving traveled I-80 several times I still get into the mind mode of the history of the Oregon Trail when traveling it. There is info available on the individual families that rode the trail and the hardships that they incurred. I liked your couple that you talked with at Hood River. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteGreat read! I've been there to the Oregon Trail Museum. Those people who came west were hardy (and many plain fool-hardy) folks. I can't imagine our modern day people doing this, seems they take so much for granted and whine about that, too.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what those folks went through, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post TB. Very creative.
ReplyDeleteRemind me to never ask for directions when I'm passing through Minnesota.