by Rinker Buck
media
coverage of Rinker’s trip by, 400
pioneer publications in, 111–12
See also specific person or organization
Meeker, Ezra, 166–68, 168, 169, 170, 175, 253, 328
Meeker Markers, 169
Meldahl, Keith Heyer, 371
Melde, Merri, 391, 392, 393, 394, 409
Melville, Herman, 20
memories
and Rinker’s flashbacks/memories of his father, 191, 192–96, 201, 238, 332, 333, 356–60, 372, 381, 414
Rinker’s views about, 97, 388
Mennonites, 66
methamphetamines, 134
Methodists: as pioneers, 110, 371, 411
Mexican mules, 39, 41, 42
Mexican War, 41
Middleton, Joseph, 287
Midnight (Buck family shepherd dog), 80
Midway Pony Express Station (Nebraska), 185–89, 188
Minden, Nebraska: Rinker’s stop at, 169–75
Missouri
jumping-off towns in, 39
mule breeding farms in, 38–40
See also Independence, Missouri; Jamesport, Missouri; St. Joseph, Missouri
“Missouri” mules, 34, 35, 38–39, 40
Missouri River
jumping-off towns along the, 51, 77
and Rinker’s dreams of Oregon Trail trip, 7
Rinker’s travels along, 54
and “seeing the elephant,” 19
wildflowers by, 125
Mitchell Pass (Nebraska), 231–32
Mitch’s Café (Farson, Wyoming), 341, 348
Moore, Jim, 185–86
Moore, Martha, 126
Moran, Donna, 373–77, 378, 379
Mormon Pioneer Trail, 269
Mormons
beginning of travels by, 112
at Burnt Ranch, 313–14
culture of, 281–82, 283, 303, 372
and demand for wagons, 71
ferries operated by, 233
handcart disasters (1856) of, 269–71, 284–85, 300, 301, 312
handcarts of, 283, 284–85, 286, 296, 300
in Idaho, 372
impact on Oregon Trail of, 263, 267–68, 269, 271–72, 281–86
at Independence Rock, 279
at Martin’s Cove, 270–71, 281–86
Nick’s meeting with, 281–86
as reenactors, 272
Rinker’s meeting with, 281–86
and Rinker’s views about religion, 309
at Rocky Ridge, 300–301
Sage Creek Camp of, 300–301
and Schuttler wagons, 76, 268
in Wyoming, 262–72, 279, 281–86, 296
See also Peery, Lavora; Peery, Sam
“mover” wagons, 68–70, 71, 110
Muddy Creek Ranch (Nebraska), 220, 226–27, 228
Muir, John, 166
mules
advantages of, 35, 36–37
behavior of, 36, 82, 86, 91
benefits of, 35–36
breeding of, 32–33, 35, 38–40
canals and, 42–43
drivers’ relationship with, 37, 91–94
economic impact of trade in, 39–40
and expansion of American west, 36–43
harnesses for, 91
history of, 31–43
hitching of, 84–86, 85, 87
horses compared with, 4, 32, 35–36, 43
hybridization of, 32–33, 35
ignorance about, 31
image/reputation of, 36, 37–38, 42–43
importance in American history of, 31
instincts of, 36–37
Mammoth jack, 33–34, 35, 38–39
Mexican, 39, 41, 42
in military, 34, 35, 42, 43
“Missouri,” 34, 35, 38, 40
as pack animals, 39
price of, 39
“putting,” 212
reputation of, 36, 37–38
and Rinker’s dreams of Oregon Trail trip, 7
Rinker’s research about, 31–44
role in Oregon Trail travel of, 1, 4, 40–42
as social animals, 399–400
and tongue-relievers, 57–58, 58
trains and, 392–95
See also mules, calling of; mules, Rinker’s; specific mule
mules, calling of
and driver-mules relationship, 91–93
purpose of, 90–91
See also mules, Rinker’s: calling of
mules, Rinker’s
and Big Blue River crossing, 140, 146–50
at California Hill, 206–7
calling of, 26, 88, 92–94, 127, 149–50, 198, 199, 207, 208, 212, 222, 237, 306, 361–62, 363
cattle guards and, 244–45, 246
and daily life on the trail, 118, 127
Donna’s (Moran) calling of, 375
driving lines for, 87
and driving styles, 121
in Hiawatha, 98
and hogs incident, 154–55
and launching of Oregon Trail trip, 82, 86–88
Mattie’s (Stevenson) calling of, 298
Nick fondness for, 95, 119–20, 127, 149–50, 154–56, 160, 189
and Nick-Rinker relationship, 84–85
Nick’s special caring for, 400–401
and plans for Oregon Trail trip, 26
problems with, 119–20
and Rinker’s emergency backup plan, 59–62
at Rocky Ridge, 399
role in Rinker’s trip of, 1, 59–62
selection/purchase of, 43–44, 48–51, 120
trains and, 392–95
“triple-tree” hitch for, 85
water for, 185, 188–89, 272, 307, 329, 335, 338, 339, 350, 368, 381
weather and, 126, 153–56, 159–60, 331
See also Beck; Bute; Jake; Ropp’s Mule Farm
murder: along Oregon Trail, 279–80
Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply (Casper, Wyoming), 260, 262
Murphy Wagon Company, 71, 72
Name Rock (Wyoming), 278
The Narrows (Nebraska), 151, 171–72
National Guard, 169
National Historic Landmark, 281
National Historic Trail, 5, 312, 317
National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (Baker City, Oregon), 398
National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (Casper, Wyoming), 257, 258
National Oregon-California Trail Center (Montpelier, Idaho), 52
National Park Service, U.S., 6, 252, 269, 317, 410
National Register of Historic Places, 88
national/state park system
development of, 167, 344–45, 346–47
See also National Park Service, U.S.
Nebraska
farming in, 201–2
and modernization of Oregon Trail, 56
original Oregon Trail ruts in, 5
as park-rich state, 346–47
pioneer wagon trains in, 7
Rinker’s Oregon Trail trip in, 150–52, 153–65, 169–76, 177–90, 191–202, 203–10, 211–21, 222–32
Rinker’s plans for traveling through, 228
sandstorm in, 197–201, 202
Turner and Allen’s Pioneer Line in, 159
weather in, 151, 152, 157, 159–60, 164, 187, 197–201, 202, 209, 221, 228, 231, 232
Nesmith, J.W., 111
New Deal, 167, 344–45
New England Magazine, 103
New Hope, Pennsylvania: Buck family’s crossing of bridge in, 141–43, 144, 145–46, 194
New York City: meeting between Rinker and his father in, 357–60
New York Times, Rinker’s story in, 194–95
New York Tribune, 103
Nez Perce Indians, 100
Niagara Canal Company, 70
Nick. See Buck, Nicholas “Nick”
Nickerson (H.G.) marker, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 328
North Alkali Creek (Oregon), 381
North Platt Valley Museum (Gering, Nebraska), 193–94
Nyssa, Oregon, 385
Oak, Nebraska, 173
OCTA. See Oregon-California Trails Association
O’Fallon’s Bluff (Nebraska), 17, 174, 197–99, 201, 202
Ohio Statesman newspaper, 111
Old Independence Road, 151
Old Oregon Trail Highway, 17, 386
Old Oregon Trail Road, 373, 375
Ole’s Big Game and Steakhouse and Lounge (Paxton, Nebraska), 195
Olive Oyl (Nick’s terrier)
and Beck as runaway at Midway Station, 189
in Black Hills, 237
at Burnt Ranch, 319–20, 321, 323
at California Hill, 205, 207
and Casper stopover, 260, 262
and Cindy and Donna, 374, 376, 377
corgi attack on, 319–20, 321, 322, 323
and daily life on trail, 151–52, 328, 405
and early days of Oregon Trail trip, 90, 94, 98
in Farson, 340
in Hiawatha, 114
at Independence Rock, 275
and launching of Oregon Trail Trip, 86
at Martin’s Cove, 285, 286
at Marysville, 137, 138, 139
at Muddy Creek Ranch, 227
and Nick’s return to the East, 406, 408
Nick’s walking with, 164
in Oregon, 398, 406, 408
at Pacific Springs campground, 335, 336
and plans for Oregon Trail trip, 27–28, 50
at Robb Ranch, 184
and runaway mules at Fort Fetterman, 246, 249, 250
RV incident and, 124
and selection of Rinker’s mules, 50
sleep of, 28, 98, 202, 336, 377, 398
at South Pass, 333
at Split Rock, 289, 290, 291
and Stevenson children, 298
and weather on trip, 126
and Windmill Lane visit, 97
100th meridian, 185, 186, 229
Oregon
eastern, 383, 384, 387, 392–95
as end of the trail, 384
highway system in, 55, 386, 391–92, 396
image of, 383, 385
Nick’s activities in, 404–5
Rinker in, 381–82, 383–95, 396–408
Rinker’s solo drive into, 380–82
scuttled wagons and parts in, 383–85
weather in, 385, 396
Oregon Buttes, 330
Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA), 4–5, 168–69, 170, 204, 206, 253, 256, 258, 269, 289, 317
Oregon City, Oregon, 18, 385
Oregon Department of Transportation, 386
“Oregon fever,” 111
Oregon Slough (Wyoming), 315, 321, 322
Oregon Trail
castoffs/debris along, 40, 115–18, 235
as cattle-driving route, 56
as commercial and military road, 167
creation of, 38
cutoffs and branches of, 55, 89
death/casualties along, 4, 162–64, 177–81, 182, 183–84, 213, 271, 279–81
early names for, 4
economic impact of, 40, 52, 172
end of, 4, 6, 384
first baby born on, 111
first known crossing of wagons on, 100
first marker for, 151
first mass crossing of, 109
Fourth of July on, 327
graves along the, 5, 180–81, 252–58, 271, 280, 413
history of, 55–56
importance to western expansion of, 15–16, 40
irony of, 352
last documented crossing of, 7
length of, 4
maps of, 6, 89, 151, 169, 173–74, 175, 197, 202, 236, 254, 269, 312, 314, 315
markers and monuments along the, 4–5, 166, 167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 182, 190, 198, 215, 237, 272, 288, 289, 300, 311, 312, 386, 387
modernization of, 16–17, 29, 55–56, 89, 90, 229, 236
Mormon impact on, 263, 267–68, 269, 271–72, 281–86
motivation of pioneers on, 29–30
as National Historic Trail, 5
number of immigrant travelers on, 2, 73, 112
number of wagons crossing, 385
obstacles along, 19, 29, 174, 202, 236
“original,” 174
overnight spots on, 174
preservation of, 4–5, 17, 167, 168, 172–73, 187, 188, 253–54
public amenities along, 346
purposes of, 56, 167
reclassification of portions of, 269
reenactors and, 7, 55–56, 58, 272, 303
rerouting of, 412–13
Rinker’s dream about, 3, 21, 81
Rinker’s research about, 14–17
“road ranches” along, 2–3
role of mules on, 1, 4, 40–42
role of wagons on, 100–101
“ruts” on, 55
spiritual history of, 394
tourists on, 6
and wagon manufacturing, 71, 73, 74
Whitman’s popularization of, 103
See also specific topic or expedition
Oregon Trail Memorial Association, 168
Oregon Trail Motel (Baker City, Oregon), 398, 405
Oregon Trail Museum (Baker City, Oregon), 403
Oregon Trail Museum (Scotts Bluff, Nebraska), 168
The Oregon Trail (Parkman), 14
Oregon Trail Restaurant (Baker City, Oregon), 398
Oregon Trail, Rinker’s trip on
benefits of, 414
completion of first big leg of, 169
costs for, 386, 387, 388, 400, 401
daily life on, 118, 127, 151–52, 164–65, 175, 189, 190, 328, 356, 375–76, 379, 396, 405
driver for, 87–88, 93–94
early days of, 86–98
emergency backup plan for, 59–62
end of, 387, 391, 396–408
final camp on, 397–98
first accident on, 222–28, 224
friends travel on, 373–77
and getting lost, 288–92
inspiration for, 1–2, 6–7
launching of, 64, 82–88
media coverage of, 400
mistakes made on, 174–75, 202, 210
motivation for, 1, 14, 30, 97, 189, 190, 372
motorized support for, 193–95
Nick’s desire to go on, 24–25, 26–27, 28
Nick’s feelings about, 336, 350, 405, 407
and Nick’s plans to return to Maine, 28–29, 156–57, 160–62, 165, 336
and Nick’s return to the East, 405–8
plans and preparations for, 6–8, 17–20, 26–29, 30, 45–54, 57–62, 82, 228–29
problems during, 118–25
and Rinker’s crazyass passion, 20, 82, 335, 381, 416
Rinker’s delusions/doubts about, 21, 82–83
and Rinker’s dreams of trip, 1–7
and Rinker’s return home, 414–15
and Rinker’s solo drive into Oregon, 380–82
Rinker’s views about, 152, 414, 415–16
role of mules on, 1, 4, 59–62
seating arrangement on wagon for, 87
simplicity of life during, 127
See also specific person, incident, or location
Orr, John, 216
Orr, Nancy, 216
Osage Indians, 214
outfitters, Missouri, 7, 56, 74, 115, 117, 118, 120, 342. See also specific person
Overland Mail Company, 185, 186
Overland Mail route, 185
Overland Trail monument, 1–2
Owyhee Lanes and Recreation (Homedale, Idaho), 380
Owyhee Mountains (Idaho), 379, 380, 381, 385, 386, 409
“Ox-Mobile,” 168
Ox-Team Days (Meeker), 167
oxen, 159–60, 167
oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), 274, 277, 287, 291, 306, 329, 332, 367
Pacific Springs campground (Wyoming)
Rinker at, 334–37
Rinker’s travels to, 320, 326–27, 328, 330, 331–32, 333
–34
Pacific Wagon Road Act (1857), 313
“packing cubes”: Rinker’s retrieval of, 331–33
Palmer, Joel, 115–16
Panic of 1837, 51, 73, 109–10
Parkman, Francis, 14, 29–30
Parting of the Ways Trail, 338
Pawnee Indians, 16, 105, 163, 214
Peery, LaVora, 302–4, 305, 307, 308–10
Peery, Sam, 302–4, 305, 307, 308–10
Pendleton Round-Up (Pendleton, Oregon), 404–5
Pennsylvania: Buck family covered wagon trips to, 8–9, 10, 11–12, 12, 13, 63, 79–81, 80, 141–43, 144, 145–46, 191, 194, 202, 332, 372
Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and Dumb, 252, 253
Petersen, Bill, 169–75, 182, 193, 197, 204, 306, 330
Petersen, Nancy, 171, 175
phantom pain, 192–93, 356
“Pikers,” 78
Pioneer Line transportation, 157, 158–60
“pioneering spirit,” 79–81, 80, 146
pioneers
castoffs/debris of, 115–18
derivation and connotation of word, 101–2
families as, 100–101, 102
and frontier development, 109–12
as helping others, 110–11
initials of, 354
motivation of, 190
outsupplying of, 115–18
paradoxes about, 204
popularity of, 111
publications of, 111–12
religion and, 110, 255, 371
rugged individualism of, 204, 314
weather and, 126, 130
women as, 102–3, 108–9, 181–82
See also specific person or wagon train
The Plains Across (Unruh), 14, 132–33, 214
Platte River
benefits offered by, 178
casualties along, 163, 180
cholera and, 177–79, 370
Clark’s description of death along the, 180
descriptions of crossings of, 131–33
dumping near, 118
and First Whitman Crossing, 106, 107, 109
Platte River (cont.)
The Forks on, 176
Frink’s views about, 131–32
and inspiration for Rinker’s trip, 7
Mormon ferries across the, 268
and Nick’s return to Maine, 28–29
and obstacles along Oregon Trail, 174
Peterson’s comments about, 173–74
problems along, 55, 178
Rinker’s travel along, 175–76, 177–90, 191–202, 203–10, 211–21, 222–32, 233–42, 243–51
Scott’s journal about, 179–80, 181–82
turbulence of, 130–31
Turner and Allen Pioneer Line and, 159
water of the, 179–80, 254
weather along the, 129, 131, 187, 197–201, 221
and western development, 345–46
Whitmans travel along the, 103, 106, 107, 109
Platte River Road, 4, 29
Platte River Valley
aesthetic appeal of, 181, 182
See also specific site
Plum Creek Cemetery (Nebraska), 182–84