Anecdote of the Oregon Trail

Traveling back home to Jackson Hole, WY on along RT 22 which follows this part of the original Oregon Trail, aka the Morman Trail. I stopped at OT graves & monuments. The most poignant one for me was a grave marker for a little boy who died after pulling a rifle out of thge back of a wagon by the muzzle. The trigger caught on something, and the gun went off killing him.

I also stopped at Independence Rock near Casper, WY, scrambling all over its raw stone reading the names & comments engraved, sometimes with professional skill, others just roughly, each leaving the same message, “I came at least this far towards Oregon.”

From a distance I saw nearby the Devil’s Gate landmark, a huge cleft, a gorge, carved by the Sweetwater River into the mountains edge. Such landmarks were important landmarks of a traveler’s progress who often stopped to view or even camp nearby in these wild lands.

That simple predictable, but sporadic informal museum of sorts inspired my deep dive fascination into the Oregon Trail.

Diaries:

Diaries are like Time machines. The author transports you instantly to the days, hours, & minutes she was then living. Grok estimates 1 in 200 of the 400,000+ emigrants kept such records, resulting in roughly 3,000 personal narratives many probably available in today's internet world, but not easily available to me in 1990’s.

I can’t now recall the name of the young girl whose diary I read before my trip. But Sarah Raymond Herndon (Real Diary, 1865) was one of many. Later entitled Days on the Road describing her 1865 journey from Missouri to Montana, written nightly bedded under the protective wagon and later published in a local newspaper. Her account describes a relatively safe trip with families, contrasting with the diaries of many more dangerous journeys.

My curiosity drove further research until it blossomed into my eagerness to ride this Oregon Trail across Wyoming. Years later I would visit many historical sites around the world trying abysmally to imagine their earlier human life style, events & challenges. Seldom did I achieve any real insight, but the Oregon Trail was different. I could travel in the ACTUAL OT wagons ruts, perhaps on horseback, camp alongside the same creek crossings, smell the same dried grass & crisp air, hear the prairies ‘silence’.

Anecdote: a 3^rd OT rut: Mostly there are 2 parallel ruts worn deep into dirt by the heavy wagon’s weight, BUT across some portions of slab rock was a 3^rd, much, more shallow rut. This rut was carved by the lighter feet of the women & children who walked behind their wagon between the wagon’s ruts to lighten the wagon & oxen’s load.

Anecdote: Breathing their dust. Once (I can still picture it) riding my horses up a long gentle incline with a small mountain range to my right in a light breeze, I noticed puffs of dust rising gently from my horses hoods into the light breeze AND I thought to myself, “might it be possible that I am breathing in the dust that contains some of the actual sweat of the pioneers and their horses.?” if so, what a magnificent historical synergy. A true physical empathy now embedded in my flesh and bones.

Anecdote: Passing Coyote: One early evening after peddling in ruts, down an occasional dirt road and pushing my heavy bike thru wheel grabbing sand holes, I set up camp alongside, ironically, a modern rancher’s irrigation canal. Eating dinner in that pleasant solitude of a fading evening a coyote came casually loping along the other side of the canal, it stopped to look at me for a few moments that we shared and then quietly moved on. A special moment of between creatures offering no threat to each other; each sharing a moment of their life with the other. Too cool!

My Preparation:

My preparation’s research centered around: 

1) supplies for man & beast,

2) personal preparation & training,

3) thorough trail route research,

My preparation  would be exhaustive because in that 19980-90s pre-Internet era:

1) I had sole responsibility for myself & my 2 horses, and ….

2) for much of it, I would see no humans,

3) not know where the ‘few’ might be among the rolling landscape,

4) be traveling only occasionally on a nondescript ranch 2 track going ‘who knows where’

5)  and finally, far from well-trafficked roads ….. no cell phones then.

Supplies:

I no longer have what I assume, might have been my exhaustive detailed list of supplies that I would need. My supplies had to anticipate my isolated need and the horses needs.

Klondyke Gold Riiush’s Chilkoot Trail:

Such a similar list of supplies was demanded in 1896 at the top of Chilkoot Pass into Northwest Territories by the legendary Canadian Mounted Police (Mounties) who blocked the ‘gold crazed’ miners from across the world frantically traveling to the Klondike’s newly discovered Klondike’s goldfields.

They blocked both the Chilkoot Trail’s rigorous steep “Golden Stairs” and the nearby, easier Dead Horse Trail named for the deaths of 3,000 horses due to overloading, lack of feed, and harsh treatment by inexperienced, gold driven prospectors.

PIK of trail cutting right thru dead horse

Stationed at the top of Chilkoot Pass the Canadian (Mounted Police) demanded 2000# of supplies stacked at the top of the pass before entry into the NW Territories to insure the miner’s safety in the Gold Fields, if they made it that far across the mountains & down the Yukon River.

ONLY to be stopped by theover the Chilkoot Pass into the north Northwest Territories in route to the Klondike’s Goldfields.

Disgorging their supplies off great Seattle sailing ship’s at Alaska’s Skagway or Dyea’s long piers stretched out into the bay, these gold-rushers would make 20-30 heavily packed slogs thru thick snow covered forest trails to The Scales, then up the Golden Stairs (1,500 steps carved into the ice) to the top of Chilkoot Pass struggle multiple trips   

Monties Required List:

My OT supply list’s preparation would've been the precursor of my Chilkoot Trail trek & Yukon River Kayak paddle, Boundary Waters, Canoe Area (BWCA) 2 week paddle, and my exhaustive 60s and 70s world travel supply lists. Ultimately I planned for all eventualities I could reasonably imagine, hopefully anticipating both needs, dangers and solutions.

Ironically, those traveling the Oregon Trail well after it's heyday remarked of the litter of abandonned stuff thrown off the earlier Oregon Trail wagons at various points because they were too heavy: an iron stove, a dresser, an organ etc. etc. One particularly steep hill riddled with several horizontal impeding stone outcroppings was particularly inundated by this unneeded debris. Unfortunately, my Internet search today suggests the name of that hill is lost to history’s dustbin, but I clearly remember pushing my heavily loaded mountain bike up over each of those stone benches. Very hard work.

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FYI & curiosity: here is Grok’s compiled list of Mounties required supplies:

My OT supply list’s preparation would've also have been the precursor of my Chilkoot Trail trek & Yukon River Kayak paddle, Boundary Waters, Canoe Area (BWCA) 2 week paddle, and my exhaustive 60s and 70s world travel supply lists. Ultimately I planned for all eventualities I could reasonably imagine, hopefully anticipating both needs, dangers and solutions.

Ironically, those traveling the Oregon Trail well after it's heyday remarked of the litter of abandoned stuff thrown off the earlier Oregon Trail wagons at various points because they were too heavy: an iron stove, a dresser, an organ etc. etc. One particularly steep hill riddled with several horizontal impeding stone outcroppings was particularly inundated by this unneeded debris. Unfortunately, my Internet search today suggests the name of that hill is lost to history’s dustbin, but I clearly remember pushing my heavily loaded mountain bike up over each of those stone benches. Very hard work.

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Wealthier prospectors hired Tlingit or Tagish packers, who charged up to $1 per pound (about $27 in modern terms), while most carried their own goods. Avalanches, extreme cold, and exhaustion claimed many lives, with over 60 deaths in a single avalanche on April 3, 1898.

 

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Canadian Mounties required 2000# of supplies

During 1896–1899 Klondike Gold Rush over Chilkoot Pass, the Canadian North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) required prospectors cross Chilkoot Pass into the Yukon Territory  with a year’s supplies , often referred to as a "ton of goods," to prevent starvation in the remote Klondike.

The typically required 2,000 #/person evenly divided between food and equipment & clothing. Strictly enforced to protect both prospectors and the Klondike area from the famine that had nearly devastated Dawson City in the winter of 1896 often hit with -50°F (-46°C), and supply lines.

The list below approximates:

Overview of the Supply Requirement

Prospectors Carrie these supplies in stages, often making 30–40 trips over the 33-mile Chilkoot Trail, representing over 2,500–4,000 miles of travel as the steep terrain was unsuitable for pack animals.

(

Food Supplies (Approximately 1,000–1,095 #s)

Fundamentally provide 3#/day for 1 year focused on non-perishable, high-calorie items to sustain prospectors subject to manual labor and extreme cold.

Typical food list included:

• Flour: 400–600 #s (180–272 kg): bread, biscuits, and pancakes.
• Bacon: 100–200 #s (45–90 kg): preservable protein source for energy.
• Beans: 100 #s (45 kg): Dried bean’s protein and bulk.
• Rolled Oats: 50–100 #s (23–45 kg): porridge, a breakfast staple.
• Sugar: 50–100 #s (23–45 kg): energy and sweetener.
• Dried Potatoes: 50 #s (23 kg): Lightweight, for stews and soups.
• Dried Fruits: 50 #s (23 kg): (apples, peaches, etc.), vitamins, anti-scurvy
• Rice: 20–50 #s (9–23 kg): versatile carbohydrate source.
• Coffee/Tea: 20–40 #s (9–18 kg): warmth/morale; coffee especially.
• Salt: 10–20 #s (4.5–9 kg): seasoning and food preservation.
• Baking Powder/Soda: 10 #s (4.5 kg): leavening bread and biscuits.
• Evaporated Milk: 20 #s (9 kg): Canned milk: cooking and nutrition.
• Butter (canned): 10–20 #s (4.5–9 kg): preservable fat source.
• Miscellaneous (pepper, mustard, vinegar): 8 #s (2.3–4.5 kg): food flavoring

Note: Variations: personal preference & availability, but total weight was required

Clothing (Approximately 100–200 #s):

Clothing: critical in Yukon’s extreme weather. Durable, warm items

• Waterproof Blanket: 10–15 #s (4.5–6.8 kg): bedding against rain/snow.
• Wool Socks: 6–12 pairs, ~5 #s (2.3 kg): warm and dry feet.
• Flannel Overshirts: 2–4 shirts, ~5 #s (2.3 kg): cold weather layering
• Heavy Wool Underwear: 3 sets, ~5–10 #s (2.3–4.5 kg):  insulation.
• Mackinaw Coat Pants: 10–15 #s (5.6. kg) Heavy wool’s extreme cold.
• Rubber Boots: 1 pair, ~5 #s (2.3 kg): wet and muddy conditions.
• Heavy Mittens and Gloves: 2–3 pairs, ~3 #s (0.9–1.4 kg): cold hands
• Hat (e.g., wide-brimmed or fur-lined): ~1–2 #s (.5–.9 kg): sun & cold.
• Slicker or Raincoat: ~3–5 #s (1.4–2.3 kg): rain and snow.
• Misc. (scarves, suspenders): ~5 #s (2.3 kg): etc.

Equipment and Tools (Approximately 800–900 #s)

Tools, cooking gear, and camping equipment necessary for mining and survival. Key items included:

• Tent: 20–50 #s (9–23 kg): canvas tents were common.
• Stove (sheet iron): 20–30 #s (9–14 kg): cooking & heating; portable Yukon stoves
• Cooking Utensils (e.g., pots, pans, kettles): 20–30 #s (9–14 kg) 
• Eating Utensils (e.g., plates, cups, cutlery): 5–10 #s (2.3–4.5 kg):L Basic.
• Axe: 5–10 #s (2.3–4.5 kg): for chopping wood and building shelters.
• Shovel and Pickaxe: 10–15 #s (4.5–6.8 kg): for mining and digging.
• Gold Pan: 2–5 #s (0.9–2.3 kg): for panning gold.
• Saws (hand & crosscut): 10–15 #s (4.5–6.8 kg): cutting wood and building boats.
• Nails (6, 8, 10, 12 penny, 5 #s each): 20 #s (9 kg) : construction of shelters and boats.
• Rope: 10–20 #s (4.5–9 kg): For securing loads and climbing.
• Medicine Chest: 5–10 #s (2.3–4.5 kg): Basic first-aid supplies (e.g., bandages, antiseptics).
• Sleeping Bag or Blankets: 20–30 #s (9–14 kg): For warmth & sleep.
• Candles or Lanterns: 5–10 #s (2.3–4.5 kg):” for lighting in long winters.
• Matches (waterproof): 2–5 #s (0.9–2.3 kg): for fire-starting.
• Sled: 20–50 #s (9–23 kg): for transporting goods over snow.
• Miscellaneous Tools (hammer, files, chisels): 10–20 #s (4.5–9 kg):  mining & camps.
• Boat-Building Materials (lumber, tar): 100–200 #s (45–90 kg): build boats to Yukon’s Dawson.

Note:Misc discretionary: fishing gear, snowshoes, firearms, etc

1) My Supplies: While I had packed multiple overnight backpacking trips, my OT’s overnights would be 2-3 days longer & farther from other known humans. While an authentic experience, riding a horse and leading another posed different & more critical risks.

What if, I was bucked off and injured perhaps unable to walk out?

What if the horses get away across the prairie’s rolling landscape with all my gear?

What if a horse got sick or hurt?

Food: Choosing & budgeting food was relatively easy: simple, high carb, dehydrated, non perishable, simply cooked food budgeted for # of days plus an ~ 20% extra cushion.

Clothes: were also kinda straight forward. Of course, I had my cowboy costume: working cowboy boots, Levis, shirt (2), hat & traditional long yellow slicker strapped on back of saddle for rain. Extra Levis, shirt & jacket just in case. No need to change clothes … unless.

Shelter: My solo backpacking gear was high quality, light weight (for backpacking) & efficient; an extra tarp just in case.

Cooking: small backpackers cook stove & fuel, basic utensils,Titanium cook pot & lid, AND my large trusty Swiss Army knife with 20-30 mini-tools  which carried all over the world afterwards.

2) horses & horse gear:

a) The Horses:

Dan Mortensen, my horseman friend recommended Burt Seaton for 2 horses which I bought rather than rented for his liability reasons. 2 horses Burt assured me had been trained to pack and ridden so I could switch them out each day & spread the workload. He was wrong … and if he'd ridden & packed them, he knew it. But that's another story.

b. Horse Gear:

I had owned & ridden horses for several years before in various contexts including Teton Crest overnight dude ranch trips, mountain forest cattle gatherings, a day’s cattle drive and innumerable solo rides, so I had my saddle, saddle pad, bridle, halter & rope, etc, but now I would need special items

Anecdote: At one point on Oregon Trail (Guernsey Ruts (aka Oregon Trail Ruts State Historic Site) in a boggy swampy area OT wagon wheel ruts randomly criss-crossed each other as many wagons tried to avoid the water-pooled ruts of earlier wagons in the soft ground and find patches of more solid ground, a giant dense cloud of mosquitoes swarmed around me and my horses.

The moskies were too hostile to stop & unpack the mosquito spray. So, I simply spurred my horses & gave them the reins until we could out race the mosquitoes. My unforeseen fear at that moment was that the horses would explode in panic rather than just race forward.

c. Horse supplies:

My cowboy/horseman friend Dan Mortensen from whom I bought my 1^st horse, Russ, counseled me on the equipment I needed and how to use it.

Panniers, pack saddle and pack saddle pad: He loaned ma a pair of panniers (really big saddle bags) for my supplies. He taught me how to balance their contents, load them on the pack saddle and secure them with a diamond hitch knot and finally, how to lead a pack horse. I practiced often.

Hobbles: … keep horses close while they free grazed at night,. We prafcticed with those also.

Misc: Mosquito spray for biting horse flies, feedbag so grain’s not wasted on ground, shoe pick for hoof care and brush for nightly brush down.

Horse Feed: I carried horse feed (pelleted feed) even though I expected to find plenty of grazing grass along the Trail.  Nevertheless, while reconnoitering the trail, I securely secreted a cache of extra horse, feed, water etc. Just in case.

Anyway, I started the trail off on the

3) Researching the actual Oregon Trail route:

a. Old accounts, diaries and books:

Anecdote: my OT passion starts: Once upon a time while driving back to JH on US25 & St Rt 220 from somewhere, I stopped at several roadside Oregon Trail Grave Markers including that of a little boy who had died when he pulled a rifle out of the back of a wagon, catching the trigger on something causing the gun to fire killing him.

Intrigued with history, particularly that of our West, I was intrigued with their adventure started casually researching the OT and spoecifically in Wyoming.

A little later during several more mini-roadtrips I visited more Wyoming sites including Independence Rock’s, Devil’s Gate, AND the 2 notable large group tragedies: the Willie Handcart Company disaster (1856) and the Martin Handcart Company ordeal (1856). Both involved Mormon handcart pioneers and are among the most infamous tragedies on the trail due to their scale, loss of life, and harrowing circumstances.

1. Willie Handcart Company Disaster (1856)

Overview: The Willie Handcart Company, part of the Mormon migration to Salt Lake City, consisted of about 404 pioneers pushing handcarts loaded with supplies. They left Iowa City late in the season (July 1856), which led to catastrophic consequences in Wyoming’s harsh late fall and winter.

What Happened:

Delayed Start: The group’s late departure meant they faced Wyoming’s high plains in October, when early snowstorms were common.

Supply Shortages: Limited food and inadequate clothing left the group vulnerable. Handcarts, built hastily from green wood, broke down frequently, slowing progress.

Blizzard at Sixth Crossing: In early October 1856, near the Sweetwater River (close to present-day South Pass, Wyoming), a severe snowstorm trapped the company in deep snow at Sixth Crossing. Temperatures plummeted, and many pioneers, already weakened by starvation and exhaustion, succumbed to hypothermia and exposure.

Rescue Efforts: A rescue party from Salt Lake City, alerted by advance riders, reached the company in late October. Rescuers found survivors huddled in makeshift camps, some having resorted to eating leather or boiled grass. The group was escorted to safety, but not before significant loss.

Casualties: Approximately 68-77 deaths (about 17-19% of the company), with exact numbers debated due to incomplete records. Many died between Independence Rock and South Pass, with the worst losses at Sixth Crossing and Rock Creek Hollow.

Location in Wyoming: Key sites include Sixth Crossing (near Atlantic City, WY) and Rock Creek Hollow (where a mass grave was later marked). These are now part of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.

Why Notable: The tragedy highlighted the dangers of late-season travel, inadequate preparation, and the unique vulnerabilities of handcart travel (lighter but less durable than wagons). It remains a poignant chapter in Mormon history, with memorials at sites like Martin’s Cove and Rock Creek.

2. Martin Handcart Company Ordeal (1856)

Overview: The Martin Handcart Company, another Mormon group, numbered about 576 pioneers. Like the Willie Company, they left late (July 1856 from Iowa City), facing similar perils but with even greater loss of life.

What Happened:

Late Departure and Weather: Departing after the Willie Company, the Martin group reached Wyoming in late October 1856, encountering brutal cold and snow. Their late start was compounded by delays at Fort Laramie, where they hoped to resupply but found limited provisions.

Starvation and Exposure: Food ran critically low, with rations cut to ounces per day. Many pioneers, especially children and the elderly, weakened rapidly. Crossing the North Platte River near present-day Casper, Wyoming, in icy water led to immediate deaths from hypothermia and later fatalities from frostbite and illness.

Trapped at Martin’s Cove: By early November, a massive blizzard stranded the company at Martin’s Cove (near Devil’s Gate, WY), a small alcove offering minimal shelter. Pioneers burned handcarts for warmth, and deaths mounted daily from starvation, cold, and disease.

Rescue: Rescuers from Salt Lake City, already aiding the Willie Company, reached Martin’s Cove in mid-November. They found survivors in dire straits, with some too weak to walk. The rescue involved ferrying survivors across the Sweetwater River (a heroic act later commemorated) and escorting them to Salt Lake City.

Casualties: Estimates range from 145-170 deaths (25-30% of the company), making it one of the deadliest single incidents on the Oregon/Mormon Trail. The North Platte crossing and Martin’s Cove were particularly lethal.

Location in Wyoming: Key sites include the North Platte River crossing (near Casper, WY), Red Buttes | Bessemer Bend, and Martin’s Cove (near Independence Rock and Devil’s Gate). The cove is now a historic site with a visitor center.

Why Notable: The Martin Company’s high death toll and the extreme suffering at Martin’s Cove underscore the risks of overland travel, especially for handcart pioneers with minimal resources. The tragedy prompted the Mormon Church to reform migration practices, ensuring earlier departures and better supply chains.

Context and Significance:

Shared Factors: Both tragedies involved late starts, insufficient supplies, and early winter storms, which were particularly deadly in Wyoming’s high-altitude, exposed terrain (e.g., South Pass at 7,550 ft). Handcart travel, while economical, left pioneers with little margin for error compared to wagon trains.

Wyoming’s Role: Wyoming’s segment of the Oregon/Mormon Trail, with its river crossings, boggy areas (like those near Guernsey), and unpredictable weather, was notoriously challenging. The stretch from Fort Laramie to South Pass claimed many lives across the trail’s history (1841-1869).

pioneers or emigrants

At Independence Rock I crawled all over its bulging form searching out the myriad carved initials, dates and comments of immigrants for posterity and to announce to following pioneers that they had made it that far.

Not exactly sure when I formed the idea of traveling on horseback across Wyoming’s portion of the OT, but once I did the research and planning became full on.

I sought all authentic maps & sources including early diaries and more recent OT enthusiasts accounts, etc.including Orsen Scott Card’s “The Saints” focused on early history of the Mormon Church. My interest in the oft maligned Mormons was also born.

b. Pre-traveled much of the road: but not all:

Reconnoitering parts of the Trail my little Road Trek RV was my final research & planning element. I poked at different parts opf the Trail that I could drive into.

chose some parts randomly as I encountered them in my raodtrips just so I knew what I might encounter. Often I traveled ranch 2 tracks (basically 2 parallel wheel tracks) acoss the ranch lands.

I took, and I traveled the entire length of the trail to Wyoming that I could reasonably access which put me way out in the middle of the grasslands on dirt roads, often in the very original ruts of the Trail. In in those days there was still the occasional historical societies monument Oregon Trail markers, which subsequent scum stole. Sometimes, to keep moving, I had to build a little bridge of stones across creeks because my van lacked sufficient clearance.

Even this pre-trip RV travel was exciting. Often camped out with no trace of man other than the trail was visible quiet remote solitude still.

So this anecdotes before I made the trip, I had my friend Dan Morton food, I think he reminded me of a spare of panniers, though, hes a big saddle legs, so you throw on them a horse if you, and he taught me how to do that, how to pack and how to pack the horse, and how to pack bull horses, which I did.

d. The horses:

Then I went and saw a bird se and arranged to, I think, because he couldn't just rim it to me. His eyes though he was too gr written by a couple of horses, when I would use, he assured me to these horses were trained and well, qualified to be both written and be packed. He was wrong.

And if he'd written them by either the one, he knew it. But that's what else the story. Anyway, it was part of the free planninging I also, when I wrote it, made some cches along the trail, places where I could hide food and so forth safely.

I can't remember my container trying to container I used to, but I had something that I used. And so I did. I'm not even sure if I ever use, said Cast, although I'm sure I ran across them, my attraction to the.

Anyway, I started the trail off on the

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But I had something that I used and so I did. Not even sure if I ever use that cast, although I'm sure I ran into Frost them, my attraction. Anyway, I started the trail off on the.

Trip Execution: 3>4 day trips over several years.

I swing must to do the entire state and several disconnected three or four day trips over three or four years. I began the trip, I believe, an independence dr. Somehow it just worked.

Anecdote: Lost trail: I can remember being just out in on the middle of ranches and losing material, having no idea where it was. So I had to hunt around and find it. before I could move on. I'm not sure if that was with the horses or with the bcle so I think it was with the bike.

Anecdote: Rancher questions my tresspass: Very very easy with the bike. I also remember one time on up to a road on, and he was encountered by a rancher, and it goes was his rancher. He was a little bit noise.

He miles away so. So I was now contacted and I told him, I was contacted the whoever was the ahead of for responsible for branching Wyoming government got a hold of them and said, "I need a list of the rancers that around the York Trail. So I should contact them and tell them I'm gonna go through their alliance.

And so she said,Well, I don't have all of those handcuffs. She got thought was pretty damn dumb. At any rate, the ones she didn't have, I did send letters to. So I recounted my story to the student rancher, and he chuckles and said, "Well, that's fine, you come right on it, keep right on board.”

Anecdote: Responding rancher: I did chat with a woman rancher, and she said, "You're welcome to come, please. be very, very careful of fires." And I said, "I don't start fires, I use a little.

There are no old fires. and I close all gates and so forth, and she said fine, that's about the only contact. I' contact I got to my letter.

Anecdote: gunshots & James Dean: as I approached an isolated ranch house: 

Once when riding my bike down a hill towards a remote & humble ranch house, I suddenly heard a flurry of rifles shots. Half joking, I said to myself, “Maybe they don't like trespassers.”, but being bold and having no other way to go, I rode down to the house and the 2 boys target shooting. Often the westward OT crossed the modest number & sized creeks flowing generally N&S. Well, this ranch was situated on one of those creeks, quite naturally.

I met the ranching woman & boys surprised at this apparition suddenly peddaling into their front yard. We all chatted over glasses of water , me gazing around until I noticed that the main log ranch house had a smaller log addition attached, I asked about that log addition’s story.

The ranch wife explained to me that that the original homesteader had built the main building for himself, BUT ordered a ‘mail order bride’ from the East to share his life, happily ever after. Imagine from the bnustling populated sophistcated cities of the East to a remote, dead quiet isoalated life of hard work with a man you hardly knew. No Facetime romances then.

In anticipation of her arrival and no doubt top plaease & reassure her , he had added the smaller log attached building. Unfortunately, she was unimpressed by cloistered lonely wilderness, and soon returned back East.

Finally, I departed with many thanks for the water, chat & the history. A treat it was. But this Anecdote didn’t end that quickly.

Barely cycling back onto my dirt road, and here comes a old ratty blue ranch pickup. I stopped and he pulls up alongside so we can chat as folks do when you meet another in the boonies. My reaction was instantaneous & profpund (?) and I think to myself, “Damn, this is James Dean, the actor legend of my youth.” (Rebel Without A Cause)

His weathered face, his weathered cowboy hat, his clothing, his old ranch truck and the drawl of his voice. It was James Dean early scenes of straight out of his role in the clasic movie Giant with Rock Hudsion & Elizabeth Taylor. It was thrillingly erie. Later, I wondered why he was hanging out on remote praries. Fear of fame?

Anecdote: ‘Strangers Always Welcomed’ tradition: One morning I had gotten up with the sun, which of course one does when solo out on the trail I guess, so around 6 am I've had my breakfast of granaloa, dried apricots & water, packed the bike and cycled off down the road.

Coming over a rise into a hollow was a classic working ranche in these seemingly endless grasslands. So figuring it was the neighborly thing to do, not to mention I was crossing his ranch, was to drop in and say Hello, so I did. All ranch hands were having breakfast. I was immediately welcomed to the table , offerred breakfast & coffee, etc.We chatted for probably a half an hour about who-knows-what. They offered me any assistance, but I humbly Declined, saying I was trying to be totally self-sufficient so far. I Thanked them for their hospitality & permission to keep on traveling. Off I went.

But this experience epitomized the near universal ‘sustenance & safe haven’  given to strangers ‘just passing through.’ How many travelers have felt the humanity of this tradition as America fleshed out it vast frontiers over its few centuries. How many Shanes passed through such ranches.

Anecdote: Camp’s geenish-brown colored Pond’s water: One night, I camped near a pond with lots of good grass for my horses at the end of tiring day for man & beast that I could hobble nearby .

Unfortunately, I was out of drinking water except for a liter of fresh water I safeguarded & did NOT use until & if a dire emergency. My alternative was the greenish-brown swill in the swamp. Fortunately I carried a Katadyn water filter (my Thanks to) whose tubing’s screen tip I pushed into the swill and started pumping my fresh drinking & cooking water.

Anecdote: A drink of water & a short ride:  My last morning perched high on the Bear River Divide anticipating an easy run down the mountain side trail to the highway’s easy peddling. I was soon proven wrong. 

Almost at the bottom, the trail for whatever reason traverses up a couple of very steep small hills, so steep I could only push the bike up & over. Then finally on a dirt road transitioning out to Rt 30 North toward my day’s destination at the dinky townlet of Border on the Idaho Wyoming border. All told a 35mi day mostly on hiways.

10 milews south of Cokeville I stopped at a roadside home and asked for some water, graciously given when hubby drove up and offerred me a ride to Cokeville saving me 10 miles and a welcome rest. A 10 mile cop out, but I ghuess I needed it.

  

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The Northwest Mounted Police, known as the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), required Klondike gold rushers to bring a minimum of 2,000 #s (around one ton) of supplies before they could pass over the Chilkoot Pass. This "one-ton rule" was in place to ensure stampeders were adequately prepared for the harsh Yukon environment and would be able to survive the journey. The supplies included a year's worth of food, clothing, tools, and other essential items for gold mining and camping. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the required supplies:

• Food:
  .
  
  A minimum of 3 #s of food per day for a year was a significant portion of the 2,000 #s. This included items like bacon, flour, and beans. 
  
  
  
• Clothing:
  .
  
  Warm clothing, outerwear, moccasins, and boots were essential for protection from the cold. 
  
  
  
• Tools:
  .
  
  Pans, shovels, picks, and other tools necessary for gold prospecting and mining. 
  
  
  
• Other Supplies:
  .
  
  Blankets, towels, mosquito netting, medicine, first aid items, candles, and matches were also required.