Oregon Trail Ruts - Guernsey Wyoming

Last week we took some friends up to show them the famous Trail Ruts south of Guernsey. We have been up there dozens of times over the years, and each time I am struck by how difficult those traveling days along the Oregon Trail must have been.  

The trail itself was remarkable as it tied together the east and the west of the United States. Travel along the trail was mostly peaceful. Most tribes along the way simply allowed people to pass along what they sometimes called the Great Medicine Road. Life for the people of the plains and foothills was difficult enough without starting battles with all the passers-through.

The North Platte River runs a quarter of a mile north of the ruts pictured above. Travel would have been much easier to simply roll along a few yards from the river. The problem was - the river was big, unpredictable, and moody. The ground was likely much too soft for the heavy wagons to travel. So - they ran higher along the ridge overlooking the river. Harder but safer.

Eating on the trail was mostly the three Bs, beans, biscuits, and bacon. Throw in some rice, coffee, and dried fruit, and that was about it. Many think that the travelers dinned on wild game along the way. Some did, others tried, and most realized that would be an iffy proposition at best. 

It would have been tough, but what an adventure.

If you live in or plan to visit Wyoming, make sure you plan a trip to the ruts south of Guernsey.  

Writing Can be Hard Work - Or Sorry About all the Photo's of Me

Trying to edit one book, complete another and research a third may not be good for a writer’s mental health. But, that is what I am doing, not sure why. I have a backlog of several completed, first draft books that I need to edit, polish and just finish up. I remember reading once that writing can be the loneliest profession and whoever said it may have been trying to do too many things at the same time. Oh, and I attempt, often weakly to sell a few of my books also.

Pitching a book

 

It is so easy to get started then look up and several hours have passed. Unlike many writers I don’t do much during the regular work day. Guess my 42 year teaching career warranted some of the normal work day hours off. So when do I write? Three in the afternoon to whenever I decide it is time to quite, three to six hours most days.

Research trip? Sitting in the Oregon Trail Ruts south of town yesterday.

Walking, playing golf, gardening and photography take up many of my mornings, not a bad way to spent the early part of the day either. Not sure I could ever treat writing as a day job. I have written for many years, publishing my first stories more than 30 years ago. Now that I am retired I still write in the evenings and on weekends, same as I have done for three decades. Does that fall under the old adage, “you can't teach an old dog new tricks?”

Typical working morning for the old history teacher

Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom we can neither resist nor understand.

George Orwell.