After a stormy night including wind gusts up to 46 mph, we awoke at the Quivey Ranch this morning to calm skies. The smoky air birthed a rich red sunrise. I peeked out our RV window to see horses grazing in the nearby paddock. With a cup of tea in hand, I soaked in the serenity of the moment.
Our host, Dennis, offered a morning tour which we quickly accepted. We drove for more than an hour on bumpy section line roads in his 1996 pickup. His fields stretched over hills and flatter lands. We stopped to help a neighbor load hay into his truck; though dressed in shorts and sandals, Skip stepped up and threw a few bales. My favorite…we passed a hundred year-old log cabin that captivated my imagination. I wondered about those early settlers returning to their cabin after a long day in the fields.
Crops, cows and calves fill Dennis’ days which is quite a change from the twenty plus years he spent as a loan officer in Bismarck. His love for the land and pride in his cattle were evident. Helping neighbors with farm work and sharing a cold beverage with RV’ers like us ensures community and connection. Dennis’ dogs Katie and Yanni are constant companions.
We encountered an unexpected bump today—the refrigerator and freezer in our RV quit working. Once we hooked up to electricity instead of propane, colder temps returned. Nonetheless, a repair guy is coming tomorrow morning.
Having arrived in the afternoon in Casper, WY, we experienced the bumpiest journey in our day trekking across the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon. We followed the actual trail the pioneers etched into the earth. The deep ruts in the trail yielded teeth-rattling and bum-bouncing jolts. The guide explained that hundreds of wagons would stretch for endless miles. Those at the back trudged through clouds of kicked-up dust. Death was common on the trail, especially when fording wide rivers. What a precarious life the pioneers lived as they pushed west for the promise of a better life.
After a dutch oven camping dinner near the trail ride, Skip and I returned to our RV, nicely chilled by the air conditioner. I am feeling grateful for electricity and AC. I’ll choose a fifth wheel over a covered wagon any day.
Love your travels. The Oregon Trail and Westward Expansion has always fascinated me, as well. Good luck with the refrigerator! Happy trails, you two.
I agree about the westward expansion. It was humbling to watch a movie about the emigration and realize how easy we have it now. Those pioneers were courageous, tenacious people who sought a better life in the west, and for those who survived, they found their promised land.