Anticipated departure time: 7 am-
Actual time- 7:30. Not too bad!
The kids were excited and full of energy. As for me, I was exhausted, tired and just really glad to be finally on our way.
Places to visit: Martin’s Cove
We started out singing a hymn and then having family scripture study. After a quick rest stop at Rock Springs we made it to the Mormon Handcart Historic Site in Alcova, Wyoming.
We watched a short 10 minute video introducing us to the story of the Martin Handcart Pioneer Company and then we were off. We put the baby in the back of a covered wagon, and trekked up the the 2.3 miles up to the cove. The last 1 mile up, we weren’t aloud to take the wagon, so we went the rest of the way by foot.
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It was an amazing experience to see the place where the pioneers sought refuge from the storm. Afterwards, we went and saw a monument of 4 boys who helped to take many of the suffering and week saints across the sweetwater river. I was caught off guard as I saw the statues and wept with amazement at what 4 19-year-old teens were willing to do.
We spent much longer than we had anticipated at Martin’s Cove, so we raced through the remaining sites to see. There was the Blacksmith’s shop, museum, a really neat pathway with 3D sculpted artwork, and a visitor’s center. For each place we visited, the kids got a stamp, and because we visited all of them, they were given necklaces made from actual pieces of a pioneer handcart.
We didn’t arrive at camp until almost sundown. We raced the clock as we set up camp, and tried to organize all the massive stuff that we had packed. It was a good thing we brought along our good camp light… we needed it!
Good first day! But we are really hoping to get to camp a little earlier in the future!
Animals discovered: Antelope and Jack Rabbit and Gardner Snake.