15 Mile Rescue Walk

So...last month Andy and I joined our daughter, Candice, and her husband, Andy (the younger), and a small group of people and went for a little stroll.  OK, it wasn't so little.  It ended up being 15 miles which is shorter than the original plan of 17 miles!  

  This walk was in remembrance of Francis Webster.  

If you are familiar with the Martin Handcart story, you know of the hardships this group of people went through in their trek from Iowa to the Salt Lake Valley.  They pulled all their possessions in a handcart through blistering heat, deep sand and rocks and because of an early winter, they trudged through deep snow and freezing winds, with little to eat.  If you'd like to read more about Francis and the handcart company you can go here.

I wondered why this walk was supposed to be 17 miles.  This is why:  Along the trek to the Salt Lake Valley, James Bleak, a member of the handcart company, became very ill.  He couldn't walk and decided he would stay behind.  Francis persuaded James to get on his handcart and he pulled him 17 miles.  Can you imagine pulling the weight of all your possessions plus a full grown man through the conditions previously mentioned?  The pioneers truly had a lot of faith and stamina to do what they did.

During our 15 mile walk, we stopped at a few places to rest, have water and granola bars, and to listen to a spiritual thought given by David Butler, a seminary teacher.  We went to "This is the Place" Heritage Park and pulled handcarts for 2 measly miles.   In our handcart was our lunch.  That's all, just lunch.  It was still tiring.

(Andy the younger and I pulling the cart.  Andy, the Elder, in the background. Do you like his walking stick? Candice, who was 6 months pregnant, chose to take pictures instead of "driving" the cart. )

Our trek ended at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.  It was an inspiring event to start off the General Conference week.

We had a good time visiting, laughing, and enjoying the beautiful Fall weather.  We gained an appreciation of the pioneers and could feel muscles that we hadn't felt for a while. 
During the last mile, Andy (my hubs) said that his right foot felt achy.   That was the only time he complained about it. 


We took TRAX and the bus back to where we parked the car to start our walk.  It was early evening by the time we arrived home.  
Andy took off his shoe and we both gasped to see his right sock soaked in blood!   I couldn't imagine what had happened to his foot.  I wasn't sure if I even wanted to look at it.




If you get squeamish about blood, bare feet or blisters, you may want to look away now. You have a choice.  I didn't. 

Don't you think it's weird that he couldn't feel that blister forming? We cut the bunched up skin off of the blister.   We have affectionately named this his "Pioneer" foot.  It's still in the process of healing even after 5 weeks and a penicillin shot for infection.  And no, he doesn't have diabetes. 

It makes us appreciate what the pioneers went through even more.  

(OK, how's that for a gross Halloween picture?)