I know, I know. We took our road trip from Minnesota to Colorado to pick up our puppy at the end of March and I am just now getting around to updating our blog. What can I say... its been a busy spring and I have a lot to catch up on!
We started our trip heading down the Oregon Trail. The first stop was Chimney Rock inNebraska. Chimney Rock served as the most noted emigrant landmark along the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. Many emigrants on the trails noted in their journals that they knew they were headed in the right direction upon seeing Chimney Rock. Thousands climbed the rock to carve their names into the tower as they passed by. A covered wagon sat nearby. We discussed how hard it would have been to be one of the emigrants to leave most of their possessions behind and travel across the country to a place they have never seen, knowing that They would likely not see their family and friends they were leaving behind.
Not far from Chimney Rock (by modern travel at least) is Scotts Bluff. The bluff stands 800 feet above the North Platte River. We drove the short but steep summit to the top. The Mitchell Pass is the path through the bluffs used by emigrants on the trails west. Interestingly, 22 million years ago, the land around the bluffs was high plains. Bit by bit, the surrounding land was eroded away, creating the beautiful scenery of Scotts Bluffs seen today.
Our next stop was Fort Laramie. This fort played an important part along the Oregon and California Trails as the final stop for emigrants to resupply before heading through the Rocky Mountains. The military presence at the fort also served to provide protection to the emigrants along the trails.
I asked the kids to pose for a photo in the remains of this building. After I clicked the camera, I informed them that they were standing in the remnants of the base latrine. ;) We got a good laugh over it.
Just west of Fort Laramie, we stopped at a historical site where you can still see the ruts worn into the trail as the wagons wound they way up towards the South Pass. The ruts worn path in the sandstone are between two and six feet deep.
We travelled this portion of the Oregon Trail in one day. It would have taken emigrants on the trail weeks to make the same journey. As we stopped at gas stations to use the restroom or restaurants for a quick meal, as the kids played on their iPads to make the time pass more quickly, and I navigated our way with my iPhone, I thought about all the ways our trip was easier than those that made the journey nearly 200 years prior.
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