Deanna Most who went overland went to St.Joseph, MO or a similar point and then joined a wagon train. Some started with a wagon, others on horseback, many took boats down the Ohio R amd then up the Missouri a ways. They would have to afford supplies or work for them. But they did not need to travel alone. There were thousands of others from the east coast who made the trek, probably 99+% in some kind of group. The vast majority had no open hostilities with Indians. Larry In a message dated 12/7/2007 7:39:17 AM Pacific Standard Time, dsmith57701@adelphia.net writes: > I'm trying to accept that a man from Utica, went overland to Calif. How? If > he went on horseback, he needed a change of horses often. He needed food and > water for a terribly long time. He surely fought off Indians in 1851, so > what am I missing? > ************************************** Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)