PIONEER TREK

With all the excitement about Kodiak being born, we ALMOST forgot about Trek...but not really.

The morning of the foaling, Dad and Dallin were getting ready to leave for the Pioneer Trek.  I snapped a few pictures before they left.

Dad was a Company Captain (over 4 families) and Dallin was a "son" to Troy and Joan Graf who were the Pa and Ma of his family.  Things went pretty smoothly and Dad and Dal had a good time.  They didn't get rained out like happened here five years ago, and the "ordeal" wasn't terribly hard, even though the ground was VERY hard for Dad.  

However, Dallin had a slight mishap.  As they were pulling the handcarts (11 miles on the second day), it was getting rather warm.  They passed some large fields that had the LONNNNGGG irrigation sprinklers on them, and Dallin and a friend couldn't resist running out there under the refreshing spray.  Well, in his great haste to beat his friend to the cool water, Dallin was running at a great speed and didn't see the bog of mud and water directly in front of him.  When his feet hit the mud they didn't release like he expected and he did a full body and face plant into the mire!  Disgusting!!  However, he just picked himself up, and "showered" under the sprinklers.  Sure wish I had a picture of that!!

While they were gone I was thinking about Dad and Dal and wondering what they were experiencing.  It made me think about Lehi and his family.  Now THAT was a trek!!  I hoped that Dallin was having a good attitude and making it a fun time for himself and others.

Dal got home about two hours before Dad.  It was nice to hear about his experiences.  I was so happy to hear that he and his buddy became the "british boys" the entire time they were there, always talking with their british accents, singing TONS, telling stories, and making all around them have a good time.  Dal mentioned that several people in their Company brought up at testimony meeting how much they appreciated the "british boys" and that they made it fun for everyone.  I was SO glad, and grateful that Dal could do this.  It's a great reminder that we can affect others for good or for "evil" -- do we help improve a situation by our being there, or does it become worse because of our negative input.

Dad had similar experiences, except he stayed out of the hay field, didn't face-plant in the cowpie, and doesn't know how to talk with an English accent.

But he enjoyed all the association with so many people there, and getting to visit as they walked, and walked, and walked.

These two men are a lot alike!!