Howdy, CAVEAT: To many, this will only be just bunch of figures. But to the Northern Trail enthusiast, it may give perspective. I have previously posted from various overland to CA diaries - more from the Southern routes than the more popular Northern - via South Pass - routes. This time I thought it might be fun to interpolate George STEWART's The California Trail," and describe a NORTHERN route and distance traveled. Again, a map of the area will be helpful - not critical though..I hope my little Mile Post gimmick helps - not confuses:-)) Before we start, guess how FAR we will travel from Independence, MO, via South Pass, to Sutter's Fort/Sacramento? OK, wagons Ho!!:-))). 1). . Mile Post 0 - Independence, MO While the overland emigrant used both St Joseph and Council Bluffs, the more conventional point of departure was Independence,MO. So we will leave from there It's early Mayin the year of your choice:-)))). Our first 50 miles are over the ole Santa Fe Trail. When the trail forks, we keep to the right. 2. Mile Post 100 - Kansas River Ferry After traveling six days and 100 miles, we reach the Kansas River where ferries, early on, were maintained by the Shawnees and Delawares. This leg was just a little shakedown - a learning experience. We have to repair some stuff; learn to handle the team and wagon - settle into a routine. 3. Mile Post 320 - Platte River From the ferry we shift from west to northwest. We're probably going to find that this two week leg was the most pleasant of the entire trip. Nothing spectacular, but it is mid- may and the rolling country, emerald grass and wild flowers are beautiful. At length during this 220 mile leg we reach "the coast of Nebraska." According to Stewart,"[T]he phrase is a translation of the French 'la cote de la Nebraska,' in which 'Nebraska' serves as an alternate for Platte, and 'cote' is a term to indicate a line of bluffs along a stream,i.e.- the analogy between the prairies and the sea. 4). Mile Post 455 - South Fork of the Platte For about 10 days we travel west along the Platte's south bank. Now, we are getting into the real west. Things are getting a little arid - a real change for those of you used to cultivated fields and lush forests. We see a few Indians. Also, every now and then, we hear the cry, "Buffalo!" As we reach the ford at the South Fork, it really looks scary. The river has to be "anywhere from six hundred yards to a mile and a half" wide. As someone said,"To enter the water was like taking your wagon out to sea." As a matter of fact, the river was rarely over two feet deep.:-)) 5) . Mile Post 635 - Fort Laramie After fording the South Fork, we angle toward the North Fork of the Platte and follow it along. It's June and the country has become, except in the bottoms, more brown than green - but our animals seem to thrive on the vegetation.. Also, more Indians and buffalo. We pass a bunch of famous places such as: Ash Hollow, Lone Tree, Courthouse and Chimney Rock. We were lucky and it only took us 12 days to pull into Fort Laramie. We find a store or two and pick up a few supplies and make some needed repairs. We have been on the trail for 40 days and have traveled 635 miles. 6). Mile Post 765 - North Fork of the Platte River After Laramie, the road gets a little rougher and for 130 miles we don't follow too close to the river.. It will take us about 10 days to get to the upper crossing. We pass the Black Hills, which are neither large or grand enough to be mountains - sorta colorless because of pines and cedars. The upper crossing was tough, but unlike a bunch of folks, we had little trouble fording - no loss of animals or people, either. 7). Mile Post 815 - Independence Rock It took us three days and 50 miles to reach that famous "great gray mass of rock, like a stranded whale, rising above a broad valley." The trip to Independence Rock was short, but tough. Have water problems, especially with the animals.I think we pass a place called Poison Spring - lots of alkali flats, which some folks scrape and use, like saleatus, for baking. 8). Mile Post 915 - South Pass Now we pass into the valley of the Sweetwater right in the middle of Rocky Mountains. This assures us of water, grass, easy grades and an occasional buffalo and antelope. Also some neato sightseeing - Devil's Gate, Split Rock, Sweetwater Rocks and Ice Slough. After we left the stream, it was an easy day's climb to the famous South Pass. As Stewart says, "Here, at the summit of the Rocky Mountains, the very bvackbone of the continent, the grade was easy, and the pass itself was more like a broad plain, so level that you were never sure when you crossed from the Atlantic to the Pacific watershed." TO BE CONTINUED:-) NOTE: Let's take a break - got a long trip ahead:-) Our conclusion will be along - probably tomorrow, Bob Norris in Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>