Haupt Homestead: April 2009

Trekking in Florida may be different than trekking in Utah BUT.... it is still challenging. It was always HOT during the daylight hours even with all the beautiful trees because the humidity follows you where ever you go. The sand gets in your shoes and causes blisters. There is no excape to the sweaty-wet feelilng. Then at night it dropped 40 degrees & the wet humidity felt so cold. Yep! It was tough! You have to give us full credit for what we accomplished. (And notice that it was not in an "orchard" but rather on a 400+ acre tree farm. We followed trails around and around - covering 23 + miles in 2 1/2 days- 13 miles on the second day.)

We may not have had hills and rocks but we had SUGAR SAND and plenty of it! Check out the trails we crossed. Yep. That's soft sugar sand at the bottom of the photo. The owner of the tree farm used a back-hoe to create "fire breaks" which became our trekking trails. The surface of the sand was so soft & very uneven. The handcart wheels would sink several inches in the sand as the youth pushed & pulled. (Our stake president asked the adults not to help them do the pushing/pulling unless absolutely necessary. He wanted them to have the "experience" of it all.) Wylee took this picture of my family trekking along from the "woods". He had to hide in the woods so as not to be seen. (the stake had a photography crew that took many pictures and also will make a dvd for us.)

I'm the the person right at the rear end of the handcart -trudging along with my head down watching the path. I had to really watch as I took each step because of the loose sand. It made for difficulty foot-placement as I walked because of my "old lady feet." Westlee presented me with a "walking stick" to take to help me "make it to the end." I was grateful I was inspired to go to my foot doctor and have her wrap my bad ankle/foot in a "soft cast" prior to the trek. I really needed the extra support or surely my tendonitis would have left me "dead" on the side of the trail. One of my "niece's" ended up being carried on top for more than half of the distance. She had blisters on her blisters and just could walk anymore. I was so amazed at the strength of the youth. They never complained.

Here I am at the end.... over joyed to have reached our destination - "Salt Lake Valley". Westlee found me right away and we celebrated with a "victory hug."