Running with the Saints: day 22-29

The time between posts gets further and further apart. Still, I have not given up on this project. I intend to see it through. I’m going to try something a little different with Bartlett’s entries. I’ve cleaned them up a bit more for readability. I’ve used my friend ChatGPT to give them an initial smoothing over. I’ve tried not to remove or add anything of significance. For the purists among us you can still find the original transcript and the original entries on the Church History Biographical Database.

Saturday, June 22

We set out at 7:30 AM and traveled about three miles when a group of Indians and some of our boys, riding horses, caused our loose herd to stampede, which overturned one wagon and broke its axle. Another wagon had a crushed wheel, and a third had a broken axle. We halted about four miles from Cold Spring to repair the damage near an Indian village. Some trading occurred, with us giving flour, bread, and sugar in exchange for moccasins, robes, and skins. We resumed our journey at 5 PM and camped by the Platte River after covering a total of nine miles.

Sunday, June 23

We started at 7:30 AM and made good progress in the morning. In the afternoon, we crossed several bad sloughs, which caused another stampede, breaking a wheel and injuring a woman and a man. We camped by the Platte River, having traveled 13 miles. Brother Hutchings, whose help has been indispensable, repaired the broken wheel.

Monday, June 24

We set out at 7 AM. The roads were good except for one bad slough. We had lunch on the west side of Bluff Fork, where the feed was good and we saw antelope. We ascended bluffs about 1.5 miles from the Fork, where the sand was deep and hard on the teams. We passed a child’s grave and camped at 6 PM by a creek with excellent water, though mosquitoes and an unhealthy smell were problematic.

Tuesday, June 25

We left at 7:30 AM and ascended bluffs with deep, heavy sand. After crossing several small creeks with cold, clear water, we had lunch by a creek about eight miles from our last camp. The sand was bad most of the way. We camped at 6 PM, two miles west of Bluff Creek, opposite an emigrant camp on the south side of the river. They reported good roads on their side.

Wednesday, June 26

We set out at 7:30 AM on a fine hard bottom road for several miles. The roads were sandy with some bluffs and small creeks. Another wheel broke near Rattlesnake Creek, where soldiers passed us and camped. We decided to stay put to avoid their company due to smallpox rumors.

Thursday, June 27

We left at 7:30 AM, traveling on a fine level bottom with good feed and roads. We crossed Rattlesnake Creek, a clear, swift creek, and dined at Spring Creek. We passed several alkali pools and crossed clear creeks, including Wolf Creek, a beautiful six-foot-wide stream. We camped near a high sand bluff.

Friday, June 28

We started early at 6 AM to avoid the heat in the sand. We doubled our teams at a high sand bluff and then traveled on good bottom roads. We reached Ash Hollow by noon, where Mr. Wilcox lost an ox to alkali poisoning. Some of us crossed the river for timber, which was deep. We camped at Quicksand Creek after a heavy evening shower.

Saturday, June 29

We left at 7:30 AM in the cool morning, with the teams moving briskly. The area was full of alkali, making nearly every pool undrinkable, and the ground was crusted with soda. Several tried to ford the river but failed due to the deep and swift current. We made one long drive of 17.5 miles along the Platte River and camped at 4:30 PM.

Saturday, June 29, 2024 (The Future).

I’ve continued to get out daily but the Saints are relentless. I am steadily losing ground and am currently 93.39 kilometers behind. They’ve travelled 563.52 km and I am trailing with 470.13 km. Their distance is really an estimate. It may be farther or shorter. Bartlett wasn’t consistent in keeping their distance recorded. I am trying not to burn myself out, avoid injury, and work on my overall fitness. I have other running goals and we don’t want to put those in jeopardy. On July 13th I’ll make a redemption run of the Sinister 7. I’m just 2 weeks away from that.

catch up

• Lakeland Circuit Review: Gorgeous, Gritty, and Worth It
• Running with the saints: days 56 to 73 and the end
• Canadian Death Race: enduring the suck with joy
• Running with the saints: days 52 to 55
• Running with the saints: days 41 to 51