Pioneer Trek 2011.
Wait…2011? Wasn’t there a Northwest Pioneer Trek in 2004? And later on in about 2007? Yes!
This was my 3rd Pioneer Trek. But this time, instead of pulling a handcart, I was on the adult volunteer staff with 3 of my best friends, Braydon, Tripper and Justin. This was a little different experience in both good and bad ways. The other three leaders on our crew, Joe Malicoat, Davin Crowe, and Steve Nicklelson were all great as well. But starting Tuesday night of last week around 4:00 PM until about 2 in the morning on Sunday we worked…and worked…and worked tirelessly to make sure that everything went on smoothly. And although sometimes it got stressful and chippy, we made it through. There were definitely some highlight good moments, most of which I got on camera. But when the event was finally over, and I contemplated what we had just accomplished, I was more proud than tired. What we did was incredible! There were many other great leaders there too! Sister Malicoat, Brother and Sister Hullinger, Brother and Sister Nord, Brother and Sister Sears, Brother and Sister Babb, The Gilmans, Randy Cole, the list goes on and on. I learned so much in those days that I cannot possibly tell it all, and I wish I could tell all the hilarious experiences we had, but this post of pictures will have to suffice for my memory as you all see it.
I didn't manage to get a picture at the stake center, but see all this stuff??????
25 Wagon Bases
50 Wagon Wheels
50 Wagon Sideboards
25 Wagon Frontboards
25 Wagon Frontboards
25 Water Jugs
A 5 Gallon Bucket And A Large Waterproof Bag for Each Kid ...X300
All The Staff Cooking Supplies, namely Dutch Ovens, Stoves, About 30 Propane Tanks
6 55 Gallon Drums for Water
All The Food for 350 People for 3 Days
12 Porti-Johns <--- The Worst Part
I wish you could have seen the Semi Truck packed to the brim, full of most of these things, along with 3 other trucks with trailers full of the gear. There were 6 of us to unload it and bring it to this meadow to assemble it all day Wednesday, and what a feat it was...
This is Devil's Half Acre, Wednesday Evening around 8 when we had finished. We had to drill all the wagons together, sort all the families gear based on names from a master list, and put the wagons in families of 5 per each company, of which there were 5 :) try and wrap your head around that one, It was hard for me!
Dead tired, we set up a little fire and made some hot dogs, chile, whatever food we had :)
Davin cranked up the music in his car, Bruno Mars' "Talking to the Moon" and we all sang it super loud, the only ones for miles up there camping on Mt. Hood all alone. It was great :) too bad we almost attracted the coyotes, and definitely attracted the deer!
Sweet wood chopping action. Too bad the next night I broke the axe trying to separate a huge stump with a knot in it. Nice pic, Trip.
...nice face too... haha! That sums up the first day.
This was at about 11:30 or so at night, we all just crammed under an EZ-UP when it started to rain. Joe took my picture to remember the...er...tight quarters. Oh well, more body warmth.
This guy. Joe Malicoat. I want to talk about him for a bit.
5 years ago after he did a tour of duty in Iraq, he joined the church. I had never met him until the first trek meeting I went to before it started, but after 4 days of working with him, I feel like I've known him forever! The funny thing was that 5 years ago, Justin Baptized him as a priest in his ward, and Joe had forgot until Justin reminded him. It was like telling a kid you were his dad! Joe is a really interesting, hilarious, and upstanding guy. He served another year in Iraq in 2006 and has been in our Stake for awhile. He married Megan McCosland, or Sister Malicoat (I'll point her out later) and lives in Vancouver. He is such a stud! His Marine attitude was prevalent in the entire time we were working, he was all about logistics, getting things done, but always had time for a little bit of comedy. The thing you need to know about cotton eyed Joe is that he has a Tennessee accent, one that is really fun to try and talk in. So by the end of the week I myself was talking in a Tennessee accent, saying things like "it dodn't matter and knowwhatImean?" I really respect Joe for all that he has done, how far he has come, and his decisions he has made in the church. Haha he is like a grownup version of Tripper, which was weird and hilarious at the same time. Both converts but now really great guys, both like to poke fun, both really hard workers. He was really scary at times, he taught my how to properly hold a knife in a knifefight, and showed us a picture on his iphone of when he killed a cougar that was about to pounce on him when he was mountain bike hunting with a pistol, and he was holding it up as it was almost as big as he was.
Best memory of Joe came on the first day when the kids were getting sent down to Devil's Half Acre to start and Joe was walking down the hill after then, and he comes up to Justin and I and his wife and goes, "I had the best treat on the way down this hill! Some kid was just dropping spicy hot cheetos on the trail and It was like a little snack every time I found one!" He opened his mouth and had red cheetoh powder all over his tongue and we just lost it.
Anyways, we woke up and prepared for them to come, putting on our pioneer and rain gear as it had rained. There were deer eating around our heads in the night apparently, I was too tired to notice. Davin slept with an axe by him just in case!
The square jawed quad squad.
Best team picture!
J man and I put all the carts in the field in a line, re-setting all the gear before the kids got there throughout the morning. Unfortunately the grass was long and wet, and our feet were wet for almost the rest of the day!
Yeedawgie!
I found mah sister. She was a great looking pawhneer that's for sure knowwhatImean?
Hah! Trip found an awesome vest and some sweet spectacles at value village and was sporting them most of the time.
Justin and I sat at a road crossing for about 3 hours in the afternoon, making sure the way was safe. We were so bored that we wittled the entire time. Joe wouldn't let me wear my sheath knife on my suspenders since it wasn't vintage pioneer, so I made a wooden one just to spite him :)
Dessert of the trip! Peach Cobbler made in the Dutch oven by President Hartley and crew! Amazzzzing!
Ola, como estahs? Braydon didn't take a serious picture the entire trip.
Mt. Hood: It has it's name beacuse it creates a "Hood" of its own weather, a cap over the summit, what was very prevalent as we filled up the 55 gallon drums at the Chevron station at government camp.
I love Brother and Sister Nord.
I was feeling sick on the second night, the doctor had given me stuff for my sore throat which helped, but it was nice sitting around the fire and talking to all my favorite adult leaders, just laughing and having a ball. This was the highlight of my trip, we stayed up until 1 AM just laughing as all the child'n slept. I also discovered that I accidentally still had the forest ranger's orange vest, and it made me glow in the dark haha!
This is sister Malicoat, she is just as amazing as her husband. She was in charge of doing all the filming and photo taking. She is so funny, kind and sweet. We ended up calling her Ma at the end of it since she was basically the Ma of our staff family.
I glow! The campfire was accentuated by the fact that Sister Nord admitted to liking some rap music, and started singing, "Your a Jerk" as we were all shocked. Brother Nord quoted Marcel the Shell and I about died laughing as well.
Bro Nord and the Boys
The last day was all hard work. I had the unlucky duty the last two days to cart around the Porti-Johns with Randy Cole, a guy from the Dalles Stake who knew every rope knot in the entire world. I learned a lot about him.
Braydon wins the epic picture award.
By about 12:00 AM on Sunday we were dead tired, having finished loading the truck. I just wanted to go home and sleep. We got home around 1:30 and that was the end of the trek.
The end highlighted by some epic smoothies picked up at government camp, and a little facial hair to boot....
The trek was completely worth it. I learned that work sets you free, really it does. Working hard opens up doors to the inner understanding of yourself. By working hard you can achieve goals and push yourself harder then you thought possible. And all the thanks by everyone who was there gave us great feelings of accomplishment as well. It was just a fun experience!
