I'm looking at the computer clock, which is still on pacific time, and it says it's only 10pm, but I'm very tired!
Today we woke up at Mary's house in Topeka, and the girls swam for a bit, then we packed up and had a late breakfast, then took off for Independence, Missouri.
In Independence, we went to the trail museum, where I learned that Independence wasn't just the jumping off point for the Oregon trail, but also for the Santa Fe trail and the trail to the California gold rush. The museum was laid out in a neat way, with different paths leading down the different trails, at the same sort of junction points that the real trails had.
I really love the trail history. In the movie that they showed at the center today, they talked about how the pioneers followed the trails that the mountain men made, and that the mountain men followed the rivers. In the interpretive center in Oregon, they said that through the Blue Mountains in Oregon, the pioneer trail was one that was built on the trails that the Native Americans used to travel.
When we stayed at Emigrant Springs state park, which was within view of I-84, which pretty much follows the Oregon Trail, I liked to think about all of the different uses for the trail, and all the different people who used it, and who still use it, carrying trailers full of merchandise now, instead of supplies for a new life, but still, it's being used.
After our stop in Independence, we moved on to Columbia, where we met Edwin, who is Mary's brother, and then went to have dinner with two more of Edwin's siblings and spouses and niece. The girls had a fine time catching fireflies and playing outside, and it was very nice to talk to everyone.
Tomorrow we hit the road early in hopes of making it to Louisville as soon as possible. I had the girls shower and pack tonight, and they have clothes set out to go in the car, but at 7am, when I'm ready to leave, the plan is for them to wake up and walk downstairs, then go right back to sleep. The other morning when I tried to wake them up as little as possible before getting in the car it didn't quite work, so I'm trying to have them do even less tomorrow morning. If this doesn't work, I may just give up and have them get up and actually help in the mornings!
Posted by Rachel at July 1, 2004 12:03 AM