Trekkies

How many people can say they have had a group of pioneer trekkers coming down their road, or their driveway?

Thanks to that youth group and their leaders who were all dressed up Pioneer-like and finished their trek at the ranch, I can now raise my hand in the affirmative to that question.

I've never been part of a Pioneer trek, or even seen one, so this was kind of cool for me to see.  This youth group of 40 or so kids, along with their leaders, started on the other side of the mountain.  They all had their own bucket with personal items and were assigned a handcart.  They went 26 miles.  It took them 4 days.  They made their own meals.  They slept on the ground with a (one) blanket (it gets super cold at night, especially up in the mountainsr) under the stars.  How COOL! 

When Spencer saw them, he hiked way the heck up the hill to meet them.  They asked if he wanted a ride.  What 7-year-old would say no?  Well, not Spencer; he hopped on and even got to hold the flag as they were coming in.  

I was wondering where he went - I didn't know that he had climbed up the hill - until I saw him riding right passed me.  

It cracked me up.

The trekkers met up with their families and they all ate a big breakfast at the barn.

A couple of evenings before this, the group had asked if someone from the ranch would come up on horseback and deliver a bag with a bunch of letters from the kids' families - Pony Express.  Weston hopped on Brownie and headed up the mountain.  He couldn't see them until he came over a ridge.  When everyone saw him and Brownie they cheered really loud.  Brownie spooked and tried to run the other way.  

The whole time that everyone was gathering and talking and everything, I was thinking how funny it was that none of us (our family, including Grandma and Grandpa) knew any of them - there were like 100 people - and yet we were all so comfortable together talking and what not (people were using our bathroom even).  We already knew that we had so much in common.  I love that about our church.