Westward Ho

Tonight we are in Dubois, Wyoming, about an hour east of Grand Teton National Park.  Most of today was spent exploring the vast emptiness of Wyoming.  I had no idea it was so empty...clearly rivaling west or south Texas.  However, the scenery was breathtaking.

Part of our travels paralleled the original path of the massive westward migration along the Oregon Trail (which here was also the California Trail, Mormon Trail, and the Pony Express).  The sign to the left shows that we are approaching the crossing for all four trails.  We also visited Independence Rock, an important marker on the Oregon Trail, and Martin's Cove.  Martin's Cove is the site where a large contingent of pioneers pulling handcarts were trapped by cold weather and died.  The handcarts were used by those that could not afford a covered wagon or other means of moving household belongings.  I can't possibly imagine trying to walk several thousand miles across the country  pulling my belongings on a handcart.  Let me restate that without qualifiers, I can't imagine walking several thousand miles period.  Yet, over a roughly 40 year period, nearly 400,000 people marched across Wyoming.  Most of them made it.

Tomorrow we move on to Grand Teton National Park.