Gonzo's go on Trek!

We received the calling back in January of this past year and asked if we would consider going on Trek this summer as a "Ma" & "Pa"....at first we were all over it. I have some friends that have gone and they raved about how great the experience was and how it was definitely life altering. So, the Gonzo's decided we were in. The Bishop told us that they were calling more couples than would be needed because there would for sure be some who would drop out. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to drop out....UNTIL we started having our mandatory monthly meetings. Holy Cow!

(I'm going to use Mandee's way of conversation on her Blog...it is so much easier to understand)

A: There is no way in heck that we can do this! 30 miles in 2 days....I can't even walk up the stairs without losing my breath..

L: Oh, we can totally do this...it will be a piece of cake! Let's just start working out now and by the time we leave, we'll be passing all of the other handcarts up!

The Gonzo's at 4am ready to Trek up a storm in our cute skirts!


Well those of you who know me, know that I do like to complain, it's a habit I'm trying to break, but I just can't! So, I just tried to have a positive attitude about the whole thing. But then, we get the list of what we need....I started reverting back to my complaining, only it was in my mind this time. To get 1 child ready for this is quite a task, but I had to not only get the Twinners ready, but myself and Leo. The YW were making their bonnets and skirts and they gave me a pattern to use so that I could do it at home (no one was suppossed to know who the Ma and Pa's were)...the YW Leaders told me, "Oh the patterns are so easy....it'll take you 10 minutes to make one skirt." They knew I didn't sew...and guess what? It didn't take 10 minutes...I probably spent a total of 8 hours making 6 skirts (2 for each of us)...I have to admit, they were pretty cute, although the pockets were on the knees instead of where they should've been.

Anyway...after much preparation we were ready. A few days before we were to leave, I tripped on the stairs and I before I got up, I sat there on the cement for a minute praying that my ankle would be twisted and that I would have to stay behind...but, it wasn't, it was better than ever.

So, we left on Thursday June 28th at 5am. We met at the Church and had a devotional with the youth and their parents. We loaded up on the 2 busses (Le Bus to be exact...never, ever, ever use this company!) Leo and I were fortunate enough to ride with our friends the Patterson's (reference to the Poo Poo in the Pool Party post below) and we made the best of what was suppossed to be a 6 hour ride up to Wyoming. Just up Parley's Canyon, Bus #1 pulled over, so we pulled over behind them, the bus was fuming smoke all over, the bus driver said that it has a habit of overheating on big hills....well, for the next 25 hills, we had to pull over and let the bus rest, so our 6 hour ride ended up being a 9 hour ride....BTW, this also happened on the way home...I hope our ward got reimbursed for some of the cost.

Once we got up to where we needed to be, we divided up into our families. Leo and I knew ahead of time which kids we had. We didn't really know them well, so we were a little bit nervous. But, it turned out that they were all great. We lucked out too, we had 3 super strong YM in our family, so they pulled the cart most of the time and me and the girls just pushed the cart, if you want to call it that.

DAY 1

The first day wasn't too bad...we only walked 6 miles to our camp. The tents were set up and we had a great Dutch oven meal provided to us by the Support Team of the Ward. We were all pretty tired though, I think the bus ride took a toll on everyone! So, we played some games and Leo and Dave Patterson had a circle of YM around them talking about who know what. Kimberly and I were trying to eavesdrop...but we were too tired so we just sat down and talked with some of the girls in our family.

Day 2

This was the HARDEST day of my WHOLE entire life....seriously. I would take being pregnant with Quadruplets on a hot summer afternoon with swollen legs and 70 extra pounds on me than to have to repeat this day of my life. BUT, it was one of the greatest days as well...This was the day that we hiked 18 miles up and around Martin's Cove. We left camp at about 7am and everyone's spirits were high, we had been leading in the front of the company the whole day before and our boys were determined to be in the front on this day. Partly because they had a really good pace and mostly because we didn't want to eat the dust of everyone else. Luckily we were chosen to lead again. It wasn't too long of a walk, maybe 6 miles to Martin's Cove. Once we got there we all thought, this wasn't bad at all...but then we saw that Martin's Cove was actually on the OTHER side of the mountain! At this point I was in survival mode...it was 100 degrees outside, we had on long sleeves, skirts, capris on underneath and were all skinky and sweaty. We saw the mountain we had to climb and it pretty much killed us all to get there. Once we got there it was amazing! It was amazing to see this very small area of grass that nearly 1000 people lived on so many years ago. It was also a very, very surreal moment. Martin's cove is at the bottom of a small hill and over the hill on the other side is where the handcart companies would bury their dead. As we walked over the hill it was a very emotional moment. There were couple missionaries at each point of the whole Trek who would tell stories of what happened at that particular landmark. It was here that we were told of the stories of what happened that winter. Once the Saints would wake up in the morning there were almost always some that had passed away over night. The men would carry the bodies over the hill and bury them as best as they could...usually that wasn't the case though, the ground was usually frozen, so they would lay the bodies and cover them with snow as best they could. The missionaries told us of stories of how as soon as the men would head back over the hill, the wolves would come down from the mountain and start eating their dead. Many people have asked over the years, "But why wouldn't the Pioneers have shot the wolves and then use their meat since they were starving?" We were told that this wasn't an option, the Saints couldn't phathom eating a beast that had eating their loved ones.

As we walked along this unmarked graveyard, I couldn't help but think of the pain that the Mother's felt. I imagined my 2 little ones...3 years old and 18 months. If I had lived back then, having to lay their little bodies in those shallow, frozen graves and turn and see the wolves, I wouldn't have been able to handle that. This was the most touching part of the journey to me. Those women were so strong...it is no wonder that they were born during that dispensation. Even though they were devastated, they picked up and continued to go towards Salt Lake.

After Martin's Cove we headed another 10 miles back to camp. We were all wasted but we ate dinner and played games until dark.

Martin's Cove and the Sweet Water River

Day 3

Our final day...this day when we woke up we packed up all our things and cleaned up the campground. We were looking forward to heading home and showering and seeing the kiddies. We headed out for the Women's Pull. This is a handcart pull up a LARGE and steep hill. Before we starting pulling the carts, the missionaries took the men aside as if they were going to war (I can't remember which war?) So, the women all took hold of our carts and headed up the huge hill with giant rocks scattered right in our path. As we pulled our carts up the mountain, our men were standing off to the sides with their hats over their hearts watching us pull, it was pretty touching....and VERY hard.

After the Women's Pull, we made our way over to the Sweet Water River. The leaders told us all to keep the noise down and not to talk at all as we crossed the river. It was quite emotional for some. To think we were crossing the river in 100 degree weather and looking forward to being cooled down. But on the other hand, to think of the Pioneers crossing in the Winter with water up to their necks, no shoes, and freezing conditions.....like the rest of the experience, it gave us just a small taste of what it must've been like.

After the river crossing, we were finishing off the trail over to the busses. We had one last resting spot to get some water and Leo sat down. When our little break was over, he wouldn't get up....he just stared into our eyes looking delirious. So, the trail leader called our Ward Medic and they drove Leo off to safety to take his blood pressure and all that fun stuff. After about 30 minutes, he joined us again...he and I couldn't help but laugh, I was suppossed to be the wimp in all this. He was the one that was so sure of himself (note: coversation at the beginning).

Well, we finally made it to the finish line and we couldn't have been happier. It was a great experience and I am so glad that we were able to participate in such an amazing event. As you can guess, the bus ride home was even worse....it took 9 hours among several stops and busses overheating. The next day at church we were talking to the Bishop, we told him to sign us up for the next Trek in 4 years....as crazy as it sounds. But hey, we are the Crazy Gonzo's!