Pioneer Trek Random

There is so much RaNDoM in my life,
I have to focus on just one aspect...........
not the seven loads of laundry that need to be done, the 38 Sharpies and 4 buck knives on the kitchen table,
and the 16 clipboards, 4 bonnets and 8 bandanas on the counter.
I could use a good house fire right now!


Anyway........let's not think about all that.
Let's celebrate with that rebel Stacy

and let the RaNDoM roll forth!


* Here's some stats for you -
We had 385 kids on the pioneer trek,
78 Ma's & Pa's
and 75 support people.
What does that add up to?
538.
Yep, that's how many people we transported, sheltered and fed on the trek.


* All the kids were divided into groups of 10 and paired up with a Ma & Pa for the week.
They cooked, camped and trekked with their families.
They were all assigned a color and a number, so we could keep track of their gear (and them!)

* The cooking committee provided all the food for everyone.
The 39 families showed up each meal and picked up a bin that was labeled with their name.
On top of the bin in a protective plastic sleeve was the directions and recipe.
Inside the bin were all of the PREMEASURED and usually pre-cooked ingredients.
You have never seen organization like this!


The cooking committee then cooked for the 75 support people.
So besides the 120 dutch ovens that the Ma's & Pa's brought,
the cooking committee had an additional 18-20 that they cooked in.

* In addition to the NINE buses to transport the kids,
we had 2 Penske trucks, 2 refrigerator trucks and 3 pick up trucks that each had a 250 gallon water "bladder" on them.  We had several pick up trucks as well.  We also had several generators along to keep the refers going.  Evidently, we had apower washer there too, because one night, someone washed my car!

* One of the refrigerator trucks was BRAND NEW.
It only had 200 miles on it.
A kind person built custom racks to fit the dimensions of the truck and hold all of the frozen and refirgerated food.
The cooking committee loaded all of the food the night before.
At 8:15 the night before, we received this text-
"Disaster of unmangeable proportions.
The refer truck isn't working.
Repair man on the way.
He doesn't think he has the part.
I am going to throw up."

* Within 3 hours, we had a second truck and the first one was repaired.
No one threw up.
But we decided to take the second truck anyway.....just in case.
* The food was INCREDIBLE.
It was almost like being on a cruise.........with dutch ovens.
We had lasagna, peach cobbler, pulled sweet port burritos, chocolate bundt cake, chicken salad wraps, cheesy ham eggs, chicken pot pie, and strawberry trifle.
Not to mention that there was a snack bar that was open every night in case there was some crazy reason you were still hungry.


* We hiked 26ish miles in 3 days.


* No one broke a handcart or anything else for that matter.

* No one got sent home because of injury, illness or bad behavior.


* I saw two rattlesnakes.


* We filled a 24 foot truck with trash:
3,750 pounds of trash.

* Brian and I went with two coolers of Coke and Diet Coke in the back of our car.

We came home with none.


* We came home with everyone we went with.


* My own personal "stretch" goal was that no one die AT MY HAND!
I achieved my goal.


* Don't tell anyone,
but I would do it again.