
There are so many things that will be needed to make the trip. Pumpkins will rot, meat will be attracted to by animals, and these are only a few of the problems. Our group has had many debates. For example, what to bring and how many to bring. We settled on a prairie schooner. Schooner means sailboat. People thought that the wagons looked like sailboats when they would drive along the horizon. Most settlers carried a rifle and hunting knife for killing and dressing animals. This is only some of the equipment our group has settled on. Gimlet, ax, hammer, shovel, whetstone, oxbows, 6 axles, 2 kingbolts, 5 spokes, 1 wagon tongue, 5 heavy ropes, 2 chains.On the trail we will need many different kinds of food. I had no idea that we would need this many items on our trip. Especially food. Here is a list of what we will need on our trip and how much we will need. We will need flour (600 lbs.), bacon ( 400 lbs.), coffee (60 lbs.), baking soda, corn meal, hardtack, dried beans, dried fruit, dried beef, molasses, vinegar, pepper, eggs, salt, sugar (100 lbs.), rice, and tea (4 lbs.). And this is only a some of the food. This is a portion of what we will and have picked up and the Mercantile store. I have heard that this is what many other wagons and groups are taking with them as well. One thing that suprised me was how many of each item we were going to need. I had no idea that we were going to need a dutch oven, kettle, skillet, reflector oven, coffee grinder, teapot, butcher knife, ladle, tin tableware, water keg, matches. These are typical things to find in a home, but it seems like a lot to be bringing on the trail. I am pretty sure we will be having a heavy wagon.