I have traveled the Oregon Trail many times in my day. From various mistakes I have made in the past, I have learned different procedures to take in order to prevent bad things from taking place. I have also learned many techniques that have helped me along my journey. I hope to share these steps of advice with the new travelers of the Oregon Trail. If these steps are followed, the ride is assured to be much safer.
Important Steps To Take 1) Do bring plenty of money. There will be many different stops along the way where you can trade. It will be important to get new tools and belongings on your way to help you. You can also trade for food. You may run out of food on your trip so it will be necessary to have money as a side plane.
2) Do bring a riffle. It will be important to have a riffle for protection. There will be many dangerous obstacles along your way. You may have Indians or other men who stand in your way or wish to fight.
You may also have animals such as buffalo that you can hunt and make great use out of. A riffle will definitely come in handy in your travels. 3) Do bring lots of water. Water will help you to stay healthy along your way. You can easily get dehydrated on a trip like this. Water is better then any drink because it helps you to maintain your body the best.
Water will nourish all of the people on your wagon and keep them in good conditions. 4) Do bring basic medicines. It is easy for your fellow members to get ill on this long and harsh journey. You will face deadly weather conditions and many diseases along your way. While traveling there will be no close destinations to stop and recover the sick at. Nor will you have time to take breaks in order for the sick to get well.
The medicine will help them get better as you continue to travel. 5) Do bring basic tools. You will go through various things where tools will be extremely useful. You may get stuck in the mud after a downfall near The Great Basin. You will need tools to help you work the wagon out of the mud. You may also need to fix parts of the wagon in case pieces break through the rough journey.
Tools will help you to go farther on this adventure. 6) Do bring clothes for different weather conditions. You will see rain, sleet, snow, and sunshine on this trip. It is necessary to have a heavy coat as well as a pair of shorts with you. If you do not have these items hypothermia or dehydration may be a risk for you or your fellow members. A variety of clothes will keep you protected from all sorts of weather conditions.
Important Steps Not To Take 1) Don’t bring too many people. The wagons are very small and you have a long journey ahead of you. It is important to give space for the members in your group to manage themselves. If the members in your group are cramped then you will have a very uncomfortable ride. 2) Don’t bring lots of clothes. The wagon dose not have room for lots of extra clothes.
It will be easier to manage with two or three sets of clothes per person. Fashion is not a main priority here, -staying alive is. Having tons of clothes would make the ride more confusing and messy. You will need to save room for more important items then clothes.
3) Don’t ignore your sleep. Sleep is important and all members in the wagon need it. If you ignore your sleep you will not have the energy to take care of your duties. You can also get sick if you move to quickly without rest. Perhaps sleeping in rotation will save time and also keep all members well rested. 4) Don’t make unnecessary stops.
If you make to many stops along the way you will never reach your destination in good time. If you are constantly stopping for meaningless reasons you will not be helping yourselves what so ever. Only stop for things that are important and things that will benefit your journey. 5) Don’t make much contact with Indians. The Indians along the Plate River may be a bit hostile to know that you are coming. The Indians once got along with pioneers such as you.
The Indians would trade with the pioneers in the past. Eventually the Indians realized that the pioneers would be continuously traveling through their territory. The Indians do not wish to have people invading their space so try to stay clear of them. 6) Don’t journey into unfamiliar areas. It is important that you follow the path along your way. You have much land to cover so if you head in the wrong direction you will likely end up in the middle of no where.
Once you are lost it will be extremely hard to find your way back. You will also be wasting precious time and heading no where. Don’t take any detours or travel off of the beaten path.