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Packing to go West
Traders are telling tails that the West Coast is a great place. They say there is good soil and plenty of land avalibable to farm, This means you can be your own boss. Once you releize that you don't have enough money to travel over seas, you save your money and wait untill you have enough to buy a wagon train and animals to along with it. Also you will need 5 months of supplies to put into the wagon. Once you have everything you need you start packing in mid april and your on your way. -
Independence, Misssouri
You and other Pioneer families take their wagons and meet at a convenient point. This point is Independence, Missouri. HTe is the westernmost U.S. town. Once everyone is ready to go the pioneers form "trainsL of wagons to form saftey. The land that you and others have to cross is unknowed to you. So usually most wagon trains hire a guide such as a fur trapper who has been west and knows part of the route. -
The Unknown
Once you and the other families set off, wagon drivers try there best to get to the front of the line of wagons. There is a long line and if your in the middle or back dust gets into you, your families, and your animails eyes. But trying to get to the front is difficult. Going to fast exhasts the oxen and mules that pull the wagons. Two miles per hour is what there comfertable speed is. Also no one can agree where to stop to camp or who to keep watch at night. Soon you will need a routine. -
Storms
All you see for 2 straight months is grass. THe jouney, is now exhausting and boring. The sun beats down and there is not one tree for shade. Out of nowhere, black clouds pile up to create severe stroms. Lightnign flashes make the animals bolt. Wind also rips the wagon covers off and bloes away tents. -
Buffalo
Watch out if you hear a noise like thunder! Because this is a herad of buffalo coming in your direction! Usually the buffalos are peacefully eating grass. Once the buffalos are caused to stamped there is no way in stopping them! You must move the wagons before everything in them including you and your animals are trampled on! Unless you know the right sopt to hit it is difficult to kill a buffalo. Yikes. -
Food is going bad.
After 3 or 4 months of being on the oregon trail, your food is gross. Theres stale coffee damp sugar moldy flour and bacon full of maggots is not appatizing. There is also no water left so when you come across a stream you drink it. That sour ting in your mouth, is probably buffalo pee. People are getting sick and dying from a water disease called cholera. -
Fords.
Fords are coming up everywhere. They are very dangerous though. The wagons are linked by cahins for safety, but strong currents could break that chain and snap and sweep the wagon away. To get across you one way you could cover the base of the wagon with buffalo skins and float over the ford. -
Oregon
You made it to Oregon! Now you bulid your own house and plow the fields around it so you can farm and start your life as a farmer. -
Almost done.
You must reach the West Coast by October before bad weather sets in and snow blocks the Rocky Moutains. If you don't make it through the rocky soon, you might not make it.
