Overlanding the California Trail

REasley

Adventurer
Many of the trails used by the emigrants the great western migration are still there there and navigable. As the transcontinental railroad pushed west it quickly pushed the covered wagon aside. The trails became local farm and ranch roads and in remote areas they were abandoned all together. These are the routes we seek out.

I've been doing a little studying about the wagon trains coming coming west. It seems they were big on forming associations or companies for organizing and protection. This was an American trait in our early history. As settlers moved into the frontier beyond the reach and protection of the government, they would form these groups. Basically small governing bodies. The trait stayed with Americans until the explosive growth of the western movement, forced the government began to offer protection all thru the far west.

Most of the wagon trains coming west would be named for the organization, the organizer of the train or the place the train came from. Many had very interesting names like Badger Gold Hunters, Fayette Rovers, or Illinois Sucker Company. My favorite is the train my 3 great uncles came out on; The Social Band of Liberty.

In June of this year 5 Rubicons and loaded with 9 passengers and 3 dogs made a trek starting at a parting of the ways where the California trail left the Oregon Trail in south east Idaho and started south across part of Utah and then on to Nevada
 
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Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
Nice report and video. There was a rig shown that looked familiar. The white Jeep pulling the off-road trailer with the cage around the RTT. We had a setup like that with us a few years ago when we ran a big loop thru Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah then back to Idaho.


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RandyP

Adventurer
Nice report and video. There was a rig shown that looked familiar. The white Jeep pulling the off-road trailer with the cage around the RTT. We had a setup like that with us a few years ago when we ran a big loop thru Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah then back to Idaho.


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Yes ACE, that was me, RandyP. Oridavadah, Brett's adventure.
 
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