<WBR>Last summer my sister and I took our parents' motor home on a meandering six week trek from Oregon to Maine and back again. One of the places we visited which left a lasting impression was a National Historic Landmark and State historic site near Guernsey, Wyoming called "Oregon Trail Ruts". There is a photo and mention of this site on Wikipedia<br>
<A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail_Ruts_(Guernsey,_Wyoming">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail_Ruts_(Guernsey,_Wyoming</A>). It is one thing to read about the challenges facing the Oregon pioneers; it's quite a different perspective to actually see the marks preserved in stone where heavily laden wagons struggled to cross through a rugged and desolate country as they climbed toward South Pass. The ruts cut into the sandstone four to six feet deep in places and one can just imagine the physical effort required to get each wagon up and over this ridge. The Wyoming park service has created a very well done interpretive walking trail from the parking area up to the wagon ruts (with a number of strategically placed benches all along the route). We stopped at several other areas near the Platte river where portions of the trail are still visible, but this was by far the most awe inspiring. One of the things that struck me was how narrow the tracks were...a pretty small container for the whole of a family's worldly goods<br>
<br>
There is an interesting interactive site that gives an online overview of
the Oregon trail at <A href="http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html">http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html</A><br>
<br>
Carla<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Stephenie Flora <slflora47@msn.com><br>
To: 'or-roots mail list' <or-roots@listsmart.osl.state.or.us><br>
Sent: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 3:31 pm<br>
Subject: Re: [or-roots] 1852 correction<br>
<br>
<div id=AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd>
<STYLE> @#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} #AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd p.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd li.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd a:link,#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline;}#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd a:visited,#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline;}#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd p {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd span.EmailStyle18 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:"Courier New"; color:black; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none none;}@#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}#AOLMsgPart_3_1a78828f-974e-4f4e-9894-7d8361f1b2bd div.Section1 {page:Section1;}</STYLE>
<div class=Section1>
<div class=MsoNormal><F ONT face="Courier New" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">With 10,000 emigrants coming to Oregon in 1852 and another 50,000 going to California more than one emigrant commented on the desire for some elbow room. It was the worst at the beginning of the journey because everyone was trying to leave around the same time. There were times the dust was so bad that one diarist commented that he could hardly see his wheel oxen. And then when it rained they suffered through mud bogs. They were definitely traveling in each other’s pockets.</SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Courier New" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> </SPAN></FONT></div>
<div> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div id='MAILCIAMA034-5c5549bb4dd7d4' class='aol_ad_footer'><br/><font style="color:black;font:normal 10pt arial,san-serif;"> <hr style="margin-top:10px"/><b>A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. <a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220439616x1201372437/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62"> See yours in just 2 easy steps!</a></b></font> </div>