Modern Travel

This past weekend, my husband and I rented a car and began the journey to northern Utah to see our daughter and to attend a mission farewell for a niece of my husband's. We had A/C, comfortable seats, windows, and snacks. Even music to help keep us awake.  Everything we needed to begin a 7-8 hour trip. I thought as we sped past the Nevada deserts and over mountains, I'm so glad that we didn't have to travel in a buggy or wagon like the pioneers did. Then I thought back to a story my Dad shared about when he and his brother were in Wyoming looking for work--this was back in the 1920's, before he was married. His older brother was injured on the Cable Mountain in Zion National Park on the old saw mill. It was a long way to a doctor and they had to travel by buckboard wagon to St. George. His arm was cut on the saw and was bleeding badly. He lost a lot of blood and passed out numerous times, was given priesthood blessings, and finally made it to where he could get medical help, which was below the standards we have today. But much later my Dad was gone when his brother died and it took a couple of days to get home because he had to travel by horse and wagon, so he missed the funeral. I thought how sad that would be!

Here I was in a nice automobile, going 75 mph and thinking it was a long way to sit there! I can't even imagine how it must have been, being miserable in the heat of the day, going at a such a slow pace, having to sleep out under the stars and then get up and continue the next day. As I stopped at places to eat along the way, grabbing convenience foods, I wondered what they would have eaten back then. They had no way to keep anything cold, so it was probably something like bread (which was most likely dry and/or stale), beef jerky and stuff like that. I had ice in my drink and was sad that it melted too fast, making my water lukewarm quickly. They were lucky to have water to drink and it was definitely not iced! It makes me so glad that I live in this day and time, with all the things we are blessed with. Home at last, sleeping in a nice warm, comfortable bed, indoor plumbing, showers, etc. Our lives are so blessed!! I'm grateful for my heritage, but I'm very happy to be alive today.