September 13th, 2009

 

14.5 Miles

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!  I feel like I have accomplished a lot these last few months and then to do it at the age of 60 makes me feel good.  I have carrying a cranberry muffin mix with me since Iowa so I could eat it on my birthday, well today was that day.  Shirley whipped up the Dutch oven and baked me a little cranberry loaf.  It got a little dark on the bottom but I still enjoyed each bite.  She also made one of my soups, the one that is a potato, a can of corn that I have been saving since Iowa, a little onion and water and presto… you have a great pioneer soup.  So I ate very well today.

By the way, I believe that the added peanut butter protein is correcting my liver and bile problems, thank you dear Lord.  I sure don’t want to be hospitalized at this point of the trek.

I walked with a friend of mine all day today.  David Miller drove out from Salt Lake to be part of the trek and he was great company.  He pulled about seventy five percent of the time and I allowed him to have all of the experience that he wanted.  It was a great birthday present.  As a side note, his cousin rode the trail from Nauvoo to SLC on a motorcycle a few years back and she published a book about the journey.

I am only one days walk, about twenty miles, from Fort Bridger tomorrow and that is my last trade/barter or work place for me.  It is also my last mental line in the sand that I have that tells me how close to home that I am.  The closer that I get to the valley, the more emotional I become, because of all that I have gone through, I can’t wait to join family and friends for a wonderful reunion on the 26th!