Sand and Sagebrush

Once Charles arrived, the family headed south in the wagon through miles of virgin pines. The journey from Bend to the Fort Rock Valley was about seventy miles. It took several days. Johnie rode on the wagon seat beside his uncle Charles. Loie and Henry walked along side the wagon on a road that was rocky and dusty. Loie rode on the back of the wagon at times to rest her feet, but the ride was bumpy. The jolt of the wagon wheels hitting the rocks on the road was uncomfortable,so mostly she walked with Henry On the third day of the journey, the landscape abruptly changed from pine forests to an immense juniper desert. Miles and miles of sagebrush grew everywhere. Small cabins and wooden shacks dotted the harsh desert terrain. An edgy worry began to enter Loie’s thoughts. She remembered the lakes and rivers of Wisconsin where she had grown up. It was lush, green countryside with farms covering the land. Even their home in Oregon City had tall, green trees and bubbling streams to fish in. This barren land had none of those elements. “No rain or mud,” Loie said to herself on the fourth day of the journey. She desperately wanted to remain optimistic. That morning the sun beat down on the wagon when they entered the Fort Rock Valley. Loie saw a huge red rock off in the hazy distance. The rough rock formation, shaped like a half moon, had once been a volcano. A large lake covered the valley in ancient times and after the volcano erupted, the water dissipated over the years leaving the sandy, fertile soil. A closer look at the massive formation showed the wave action still imprinted on the rock. “At last!,” exclaimed Loie, “Our new land is in sight!” She shaded her eyes from the sun and pointed to the huge landmark. Loie was determined to fill herself with hope just like Charles and Henry. They rested the horses as they looked around the immense valley Henry lifted Johnie off the wagon seat and on to the gritty ground. Johnie toddled out into the soil, but his legs tired quickly and he came dragging back to the wagon. Henry gave him a drink from the canteen and put him back up next to Charles. Then Charles snapped the reins, and continued the animals through the sand and sagebrush. He headed the wagon three miles west of Fort Rock to the acres that were claimed for Henry and Loie. They traveled between successful green, alfalfa fields, and acres of brown, untouched soil. Loie was disturbed by the harsh, flatness of the land that surrounded her.