Settlers’ possessions, not their children, rode in the wagons that carried settlement to the American West.
All able-bodied folks were expected to walk the trails in the great westward migration in the 19th and earlier 20th centuries.
Four Canadians from Alberta’s Peace River district took up the challenge of following, and in most cases leading, a wagon train through South Dakota’s Black Hills in late July. Aged 12, 13, 14 and 67, the four walked 70 kilometres over rugged terrain, in temperatures that reached 42 C.
Sleeping under stars, when rain didn’t drive them inside, avoiding snakes, bison and heat stroke and surviving one axe wound, the four took part in the International Bison Conference four-day wagon train.
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Dressed in period clothing, the boys looked the part as they climbed the rocky trails that crisscross Custer State Park.
“Grandpa surprised us with this trip. I guess he started planning this a year ago,” said Riley Emerson, 12, whose skill with a hatchet sent him to town for stitches on the third day.
Reid Toews, 13, doesn’t walk that much at home, but said he might start after the trip.
“At first I couldn’t image how settlers could just start walking for 1,000 km and not think that really strange. We didn’t walk that many, but after this I think I could do it,” he said.
Tannon Emerson, 14, said he couldn’t have imagined the countryside or getting up with the sun.
“The sleeping outside is kind of cool. But the sun gets up pretty early. You really have to work at avoiding it if you want to sleep in. By 7 you have to get up because you miss breakfast. Then you have pack up everything and the tent and move on,” he said.
“Settlers wouldn’t have had breakfast provided by (caterers) either,” he said.
Bob Balisky, the boy’s grandfather, is a farmer, businessman and bison grower from Debolt, Alta.
“We took part in the last (bison conference) event in Alberta seven years ago. I heard about this and thought it would be a great adventure for the kids. And maybe me too,” he said.
“You see country on foot and from a horse or wagon. You would never see as a tourist from a car. The Black Hills take your breath away, especially if you’re walking up them at 107 (F) in the middle of the afternoon,” he said.
