The Right Place at the Right Time

I know that most of the time it looks like I'm flying by the seat of my pants, but I promise you... a lot of work and research goes into this adventure!
I know that my timeline won't match up perfectly as the many wagon trains following the Oregon Trail, the California Trail and even the Mormon Trail had their own agenda... but everyone, at some point stopped at Fort Laramie in Wyoming.  And give or take, the landed here the first or second week of July.
Many of the diary entries and journal entries I read talked about being there to celebrate Indepenedence Day... I had to be there for that AND- I DID IT!!!
There is just something SO amazing about walking INTO history, like literally intersecting yourself be it time or place, touching, standing on or near things that reflect where we've come from.
I am emotionally moved when I stand on hallowed ground.  I am sensitive to the lives that came before me and to those who gave their lives on the same ground that I now walk on.  It's not lost to me.

On the 4th of July- I was at Fort Laramie.

The days prior to and maybe a day after, the pioneers allowed themselves time to pause.  And when I say pause, that doesn't mean they laid around all day- I'm not even sure they knew how to do that!
The women aired out the wagons, did laundry and prepared pies, cakes and cookies to share with others.
The men bought much needed supplies at the fort, made any repairs, purchased or traded livestock...
During "my" pioneer time (1840s- 1850s) Fort Laramie was not yet a military base.  It was a fur trading fort and the pioneers would see many teepees set up around the fort with Native American families that were there to trade as well.  I'm quite sure they were not as excited about the Independence Day celebrations as other were- or maybe they didn't know and just enjoyed the music and festivities.

So- I made cookies from an original pioneer recipe!!  It was originally meant to be baked over coals, but since there are still no campfires allowed, I had to find an oven version.  They turned out really, really good.  I shared them with my camping neighbors and campground host and ... well...they may not have known WHY they were getting odd shaped cookies with almonds and pumpkins seeds...but they accepted them just the same.
And no, I am not dressed in pioneer garb.  It's just me doin' my modern day trip back into history.  I get enough looks from being a six foot tall redhead, I don't need any more attention, thank you very much.
But I did my historical celebrating on my own- I take that back.  I shared my activities with the History Revisited group and they seemed to have a good time as well.  No cookies for them, but I did share the recipe. Lol!

I did miss my traditional Fourth celebrations of bbq and fireworks and family, but there was a rebel family just close enough that shot off a few so I could see them in the distance.  I'll have to wait on a grilled steak.

I am only days away from not only the half way point (Independence Rock) but also crossing over into Idaho and the South Pass.  This is the point in history, the groups all said their final goodbyes, most never seeing each other again.  California went one way, Oregon went the other.
There's still so much to see and I'm just as excited now as when I first began. 

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