2 more days! Are you ready? I am not.

The wagons are packed up and loaded.  Everything is ready to go to Happy Jack.  But I've got nothing new to tell you.

Read the older posts.  Check us out on facebook.  Pack your stuff.  Check your lists twice.  Get lots of sleep.  And I will see you at the equipment check Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. at the Stake Center!  ANY Stake Staff and ALL Ma's and Pa's are needed and wanted to help at the equipment check.  Please bring your supplies that night too! 

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - KEY to a good Trek is WATER and good SHOES/ hiking socks - 3 days!!!

Check out this article HERE. 

And this one HERE.

If you can't take the time to click away, let me sum up.  When exercising, you can lose a quart of water through sweating.  While hiking, drink regularly – every 15 to 20 minutes take in approximately one glass of water to replenish what you are losing.  When you feel thirsty, you are already on the way to dehydration. So, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Avoid soda before and during your hike or backpacking trip. Caffeine is a diuretic and will contribute only to depleting the water that you already have stored in your body.   The rule of three states that you can live three minutes without air, three weeks without food, and just three days without water.  Hydrate before you start your trip.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

SIGNS of dehydration:

• Thirst
• Loss of Appetite
• Dry Skin
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Head Rushes
• Dry Mouth

EFFECTS of dehydration:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased respiration
• Decreased sweating
• Decreased urination
• Increased body temperature
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Tingling of the limbs

If you see any of these signs, please contact someone on the Trek Medical Staff.  We will all be well taken care of. 

There will be plenty of water to drink on the trek, so no worries.  Just make sure all the youth in your family is drinking even if they don't want to.  It is a must!  Happy Hydrating!  (Make sure your pee is clear and then you are ready to start the trek!)

A note from "Aunt" Jackie - 4 days to go!

I am suddenly flooded with ancestor papers. As I get them organized, most people have the right idea of a name, a little biography and a short story. HOWEVER, there are a few that are handing in "books" of information. I have skimmed through these and highlighted or underlined what they can use  
so please let the Ma and Pa's know that for their ancestor activity to stress that   

• first to give the youth a few minutes to read their info and look for my markings and
• then to share it by telling, not reading it.

 Just a short story, if they are one of the ones with a stack. Nobody wants to hear someone read a stack of papers.  Anyway, I am finding this highly interesting reading all their info!  Thanks for your help.

Jackie

Don't forget Aunt Jackie and Captain Reber are great resources to call on during the trek.  If you are stopped and want to invite a guest to share a pioneer story with your family, keep them in mind.  Every Ma and Pa should have turned in their Trek for a Pioneer form to Sister Anderson or Aunt Jackie.  It is not too late!  Do it and bring it to the Equipment Check - Tuesday night.  

On the trek, every Ma and Pa will receive an envelope of their family's Trek for a Pioneer forms.  You may break up the day, the bathroom stop, or even wrap up the night with a family circle and let one or two of your family members share their stories.  YOU (as the Ma/Pa) decide when it is best to share these stories.   

POST EDIT:  A NOTE FROM PAM- On Thursday, there is some significant time spent waiting. We have several ideas for activities to fill the time, and sharing ancestor stories is one of those. It fits well with everything else we're doing that day. You may want to do it in more than one session, just be sure everyone shares.

5 days to go and some thoughts

Dear Ma's and Pa's,

You are about to adopt 12 - 13 young men and young women into your lives on this Trek.  I wanted to pass along some thoughts.  None of us know what is going on in everyone's lives at this particular moment, but one ward is hurting right now and I am sure others are too.  In a recent exchange with a Ma she says,

• "I just wanted you to be aware of the situation just in case and also because some of the youth from our ward might need a little extra love, everyone's a little traumatized right now.  Thanks for understanding and for the prayer..." 

It doesn't really matter what the situation is, we all need and want love.  We have these amazing youth in our lives for 4 short day and 3 long nights.  I know all the Ma's and Pa's are ready and well trained, but I wanted to share these thoughts and words with you.   Good luck and "ALL IN!" as we do our last minute preparations for this trek.  Thank you for your time and talents.  I love you all and am looking forward to our upcoming adventure!

Seat Cushion - 6 days

 Don't forget to save a comfy seat for yourself!  Making a cushion for your bucket is TOTALLY allowed!  You will be sitting on this for dinner, breakfast, morning devotionals, evening firesides, etc.  It is worth your time to figure a cool way to do this.  There is no right or wrong way, but I simply cut a foam pad in a circle and then created a fabric cover with elastic around the bottom.   My seat cushion was packed inside my bucket and then came out when I needed it.  Good luck and many happy bottoms!

Soap on a Rope - ONE WEEK UNTIL WE LEAVE!

Hand sanitizer on the trek is great, but every now and then you need to wash your hands.  An old pair of nylons cut with a bar of soap put inside and VIOLA!  Soap on a Rope!  Now tie this to your 5 gallon water jug and you have a hand washing station.  The other 5 gallon jug will be used for powdered drinks (Gatorade type) added to your water.  If you want more help with this simple project, look HERE. 

I was up at 5 a.m. this morning watching the sun rise and working on a trek project thinking that this time next week we will be in our pioneer clothes and ready to reenact part of our pioneer heritage.  WOW!  What a great experience we are all in for!  I hope you are all excited!  ALL IN!

ONE WEEK - until equipment check

Based on the current forest conditions please get the word out to the Ma's and Pa's if not already done that we will be needing to use propane stoves and not open fires.  You will be cooking 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners.  Keep in mind that you are allowed to bring a lantern or two, too.  Plan your propane accordingly.  THANKS!