So, Dee Stratton, Ray Lund, and others, here is the finish of our summer
Adventure. We got home on September 2nd and have been
so busy I just didn't have time to finish the blog. So tonight I am
going to put a ending on our summer, kinda.
We had Trek Training for the groups coming in 2015.
We had almost 250 people come to the Ranch. Right now
we are booked 5 treks a week for nine weeks. We have only
two slots left unfilled. We are looking at almost 11,000 people
planning to come on trek with us next year! We have
the trekkers now we need the missionary couples to
help us with those trekkers. So SPREAD THE WORD!!!
It is a great mission and we would love to share the experience
with others.
We made 24 new carts this year and will probably build
even more next year to cover our needs. I have to say building
a hand cart is one of my favorite memories of this summer.
Now they are all tucked away in the Trek Center so
they can stay nice and dry until next summer.
This is one of two unfortunate mice that decided to walk into
a cement filler we had applied to the cracks. What a surprise
it was the next morning to find them STUCK! It was not
a pretty picture when they were removed.
The Trek Directors for the past two years has been the Pratts.
They worked hard and were released at the end of the season.
The scary part of this is Jeff and I were picked to be their
replacements. So, we were the dumbest Ordinance workers, then
the dumbest Coordinators at the Temple. We came on a Mission
and were the dumbest Trek missionaries and now we will be
the dumbest Trek directors also. What a legacy we have
left behind! This is a photo of the passing of the
Trek / Director Staff to Jeff.
Then the passing of the KEYS from Pratt to Cowan.
We love the idea that we will return to the D.L. & L.
We just wish we weren't the ones with the Staff, Keys and
Phone! Oh, Well, What more can I say?
This is a photo of Jeremiah's mom and dad, Jack and
Christina Greene. On August 26th they were traveling
to the Tetons and stopped to have a tour of the Ranch.
Jeff was busy with the Elders putting things away and so I
got to be the tour guide. They had a ball and I loved
showing off our "Play Ground" This is them in front
of SKULL ROCK, one of my favorite places on the trail.
On Wednesday Aug 27th, everyone else was gone.
Jeff and I stayed waiting for the rain to stop so we could
apply a sealer to the cement block walls of the trek Center.
We actually were glad because we got a call that the 24
Amish wagon wheels we had been waiting for had arrived in
Woodruff. So Jeff and I drove to get them, what a load
that was! They were put together inside that cardboard box
like a puzzle. We waited until Friday Aug 29th to unload them.
The Kennedy's and Nordgrens drove back up to help us
spray the building and they helped unload the wheels and
axles. We were so glad for the help.
That night Jeff and I drove up to Fort Bridger to the Mountain
Man Rendezvous. What a sight that was! Tepee's everywhere
and all kinds of interesting people. We loved the fact they
had a ATM machine, talk about being out of place.
Check out the handcart fire truck that is displayed at the Fort.
We think we should get us one of those at D.L. & L. It
would fit right in with our carts.
The next morning we loaded up and drove away. How
lonely we had been with all the other missionaries gone.
It was just us and the coyotes. Truly, they would yelp and
bark in the night, the afternoon, the morning. It was like they
were just waiting for us to leave. We were actually seeing
them right by our living area. Notice the shorts! Jeff was
so excited to wear shorts again. He only had the one pair and
for the next four days he wore them. By the time we
got home on Tuesday they were really pretty dirty.
This would be who I found in my shower when I got home,
how cool is that? I'm wondering who will be there
next year? I hope not Darth Vader.
We Stopped in Salina for four days to visit with Zach,
Katie and their four boys. What a fun time that was.
The whole family is really into climbing trees, except
Katie and Sullivan.
Quinn and Max slept in the Trailer with us and loved that.
We made Katie, Ollie, Sully and Zach sleep in the house.
Even Zach was up in the tree. He was working at hanging
a tree swing for the boys. What a fun Dad he is.
Jeff and the boys were enjoying a moment watching
Transformers. Check out Max's sox's!
I'm not even sure what this is! We enjoyed a afternoon
in the Richfield park. Life for us was very relaxing.
Today we went four wheeling up Beaver Mountain. On
the way home we encountered this 4 wheeler hookup.
I have to say it was a new way to transport a 4 wheeler.
He actually followed us all the way home to Cedar and
turned toward Enoch, so maybe we will see this sight again.
The leaves were beautiful and we enjoyed riding the
South and North Creek trails. It has been several years
since we were there. We saw about six elk and two Bucks, that
is always a bonus for us. And, no rain, that was different.
We are glad to be home and hope for more adventures in the
mountains before the snow comes.
I am off to Las Vegas tomorrow with my sisters and
next week Jeff will be off hunting deer with his
muzzle loader. This is retirement at its best.
