City yoga lessons
by: Gina Schutz
The Donners Story
The Reeds were one of the few family's who had enough money to move to California. In April 15, 1846 three extended family's set out to find new abundant land. In a few weeks the Party decided to take the Hastings shortcut on July 20. They journeyed onto the trail learning that he is a fraud. On August 6, they came across a note on a stick from Hastings. He said he was sorry for not being with them to help guide and he was with another party at the moment. He recommended them to stay and wait for his return. So they did, for a week, they had a scheduled time to arrive in California and cannot waste another minute waiting for him. So they set off traveling through the Rocky Mountains, rivers and deserts. They were so close to reaching California but they first had to cross the Sierra Nevada. In the beginning of November they had gotten trapped by the numerous feet of snow on the mountains side. They were trapped there for four months, many dying of hunger, others resorted to cannibalism (only on the decease). But on February 18 they were rescued and 48 out of 87 people made it to California.
The vote
The women said no to taking the unknown Hastings shortcut, but their votes didn't matter. All the men declared to take the risky trail to California. The travelers trusted Hastings, the rookie explorer who wasn't even traveling with them, he just left instructions. So the people set off on the path to soon find out they had to cross steep hills and large forested mountains, a dry, hot desert in Ohio (in which they were extremely scarce of water for six days when he said it only be three) and had to pull the wagon with ropes up hills (Heavier than a car) and chop down trees that were to difficult to get around.
Grandmother and Grand-children
In the eyes of a Donner
Almost 90 of us walked slowly down the arid dirt path. My tongue was dry and the sun seemed to last forever. The few small children lay under the protection of the wagons shade, still dripping with sweat. Bugs flew off the Ox's visible ribs and clung onto their matted fur. The horses could no longer carry anyone, they just hesitatingly moved there hooves up and down the hard trail. People are thinking of killing the horses for food. It would save water and feed us, but then again we might need them for trading with the Natives. Reed stood ahead of all of us looking to the "HASTINGS GUIDE BOOK" to the road and its surroundings and realizing he was wrong. He should have listened to us women.
1800 vs Now
Back in the 1800s, they traveled by wagon, carriage or horse. Now days people ride in vehicles, bikes or public transportation (trains, buses, airplanes). Back then it would take around a month to get to California, now it takes 4-5 hours. To get to school or a market in the 1800s they usually would walk or take horses. They would have to walk to school even in harsh weather for many miles. But today, we take buses or cars and if we do walk its not usually for miles.