THE OREGON TRAIL (AND MORE)

We had a string of highlights yesterday on our way here to the town of Riggins — 30 miles to White Bird.

Leaving our two night stay at the Phillips Lake campground we thought of all that was so good about it. Driving a most scenic byway in Oregon showed us spectacular canyons, valleys, hills, snowy mountains, forests, and a BEAR! It crossed right in front of the van, looked our way and hustled to get across the road and into the forest. Susan said maybe a grizzly (because of its color I think) but I was skeptical of that. Asking a fellow at our market stop he said it was most likely a Cinnamon Bear as they do not have Grizzlies here. I have not heard of a Cinnamon but it was sure interesting to see. Unfortunately – no photo, but a good memory.

Another big highlight was The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Normally I feel that I am filled with museums, which is what this basically is, and will shun visiting another one. This was is fantastic.

I am a huge enthusiast of the Oregon Trail and along much of our drive I have been talking about it … imagine the pioneers with wagons crossing on rutted dirt trails, I always wonder how they fit all their stuff into those wagons, think about the sickness and death they met, it is hard to fathom all the work, fear and loss they suffered …. And on and on I went. So it is little wonder that I was so taken by the photos, models and stories depicted here that are so well done. \

This post will have mainly photos with very little more to say about each one. It is probably more for myself so I hope if you read this it will not be too boring for you ;’0.

Imagine thinking of these as “good roads”. We complain about a pot hole in asphalt.

Oxen were the best of friends for those working their way west. They were strong and could pull those overburdened covered wagons over land and through the rivers, did not tire easily, and would eat anything.

We all know about the “Indians” and how kind they were to white men and then became abused and exploited.

Of course I knew there was death along the hard trail, but I did not know the extent of just how much and how often death happened.

Here is to my question of the stuff they had packed so carefully to get to and to use for their new home in the west.

Even with careful packing for a brutal voyage across the mountains, many precious possessions had to be unloaded and left behind along the trail to make the travel lighter and more doable.

It was back breaking work for all.

One last photo for this entry shows an interesting thing about the crickets of the time…

My fascination with the Oregon Trail will of course continue and I will likely do more reading and looking for some old movies about those hardy pioneers – men, women and children. And the oxen. If you are at all interested in this historical and amazing trek, I encourage you to visit the Interpretive Center at Baker City Oregon.