The Trek of a Lifetime...

Although I did not personally participate in our recent Stake Pioneer Trek (June 30--July 2), I can attest to the countless hours (months) of preparation that went into this massive undertaking.  Aaron had direct responsibility to plan and prepare meals for 580 people for three days in the wilderness.  He made arrangements for a refrigerated semi-truck, priced-out/ordered, organized and loaded food, tables, cookware, and everything else necessary to feed an army.  Literally.  The logistics and details of this project were mind-boggling to me.  Aaron will be the first to say the Lord's miracles were evident throughout the trek.  He didn't even panic when he received a phone call from his next-in-command (stake YW president on his committee) who ended up in the hospital with an unexpected heart condition 36 hours before trek started and was unable to participate.  Somehow, Aaron had the help he needed when he needed it, expenses came in under budget, everyone ate their fill without excessive waste, nobody received food poisoning, etc. The details came together so beautifully it was astounding in every way.

I helped in small ways prior to the trek.  It took over 6 hours with the kids' help to fill 600 bags of trail-mix and then organize boxes for each ward within the stake.

Our entry way looked like the grocery store for a few days.

And while Anna wasn't quite old enough to join, she's been working to make her own set of pioneer clothes for future use.  We opted not to participate in 4-H this summer but she's been a trooper to put forth this effort regardless.

Way to go, Anna!

Gathering pioneer clothes and making cushion bucket seat covers were on the 'to do' list for Jantzen, Brinley and Tanner.  Everything the kids were allowed to bring (except for sleeping bag/pillow) needed to fit inside a 5-gallon bucket.  Tanner managed to get his sleeping bag/pillow inside as well!

Our ward had about 60 youth divided into 8 different 'families'.  Including leaders/ma's & pa's, we had the largest group in the stake at over 80 people.

Alison, Tanner, Jantzen, Brinley, Sariah

The timing of Jared & Stephanie's visit to the mainland was fortuitous because Alison and Sariah were able to join the trek adventure.  Jared cleared this via the Stake President:).

The youth and leaders met in the church parking lot bright and early to board buses to transport them 45 miles directly north.

Early on, the stake leaders ran into difficulties securing an adequate site to host a trek. The Bureau of Land Management would not allow such a large group to use public lands.  In the end, a member of the stake offered his cattle ranch (thousands of acres) to be used which proved to be a tremendous blessing.  There were three different trek routes utilized by the various wards (16-20 miles) with port-o-potties along the way.  Besides the food committee, the logistics committee had a tall order to fill.

Ma Patch (7 months pregnant and willing!) with Alison and Brinley.

Cade L., Parker W., Jantzen, Pa Peterson

It was reported that Jantzen had plenty of energy and pushed the handcart happily - no surprise.  He was the only participant to get a tick during the trek.  With plenty of medical personnel on site, very few incidences required their attention.  No sickness or major injury reported.  Again, quite miraculous considering the size of the group trekking during a record heat wave. 

Aaron was able to get a few pictures as the groups started out but he remained at base camp for full-time kitchen duty.  The semi-truck was parked some 4 miles away.  Preparation for each meal required an hour round trip because of such difficult-to-drive terrain.  Aaron drove our Yukon (along with others) to the semi, loaded up the food for a particular meal and then drove back to base camp.  It was quite the process.  Some meals were prepared on a ward level and others were prepared/served to the entire stake.  All of this was coordinated by Aaron/committee.  After his first sleepless night in our Yukon, Aaron had an epiphany and slept the cab of the semi in a comfy bed:).  Shh...don't tell.

Alison joined Brinley's group with Ma & Pa Patch

Tanner and Sariah were in the same family with Ma & Pa Woodfield.

Without Tanner's help, I'm not sure his group would have made it successfully.  His 'family' relied on the two older, stronger boys a great deal.

Sariah flashed a quick smile as they headed out.

All in a day's work.

Jacob C., Preston W., Pa Tomco

Alison and Brinley

Dora Jean R., Lisa C., Bishop C.

Ma Leatham, Teyha G., Tim T., Ezra R., Pa Leatham, Jaden S.

Plenty of games, ancestor stories, hard work, dancing & music, youth firesides, more hard work, spiritual pow-wows and great food.

A large potato farmer in the stake owns this helicopter and was invited to take aerial pictures during the trek.  One perk for Aaron - a special helicopter ride with a Down's Syndrome boy in the stake. 

When this group returned home, they brought plenty of dirt with them.  

It took several days to fully recover from the filth:).

Our car is still in need of a serious deep-cleaning.

As for this weary traveler, there was work yet to do when he returned home.  After returning supplies, transporting tables, taking a shower and sleeping in his own bed, all was right in the world once again.  It was indeed the trek of a lifetime...