The Conestoga Wagon

David and I have remarked that we admire the folks who traveled across this land in Conestoga or plain covered wagons or less. These were not water proof, travel on a good day was 15 miles, the food could not have been grand.  If a person was ill would there be the energy to care for them as well as manage one's own chores and feed one's self?  Setting up camp, caring for the animals, preparing some food for the evening meal and likely the next day's food would take several hours. We know there were no showers, no facilities at all.  Each day the land would show itself with new flora and fauna, terrain, water or no water, animals and indigenous peoples. The healthy young men and women would be the most likely to survive the trip for it was arduous. The two of us understand more fully such a trip for we find this has called on us to show tenacity, grit, bluster, and courage, even resorting to humor.. 

This tale brings up the stories of the Bataan Death March and the story "A Town Like Alice", was built upon.  Yes it is the young who are most likely to survive such expeditions.  We are fortunate that we have at hand many tools of the modern age to smooth out our trip.