The reunion's Monday night activity was a horse-drawn wagon ride and chuck wagon dinner in Soldier's Hollow. This is where the 2002 Winter Olympic cross-country skiing games were held. The family of 43 people, ranging in ages from 93 to 3 months, loaded up on two wagons and headed up the skiiing trails to a little cove for dinner.
Justin, Juma, and I were all in the second, smaller wagon, as were all but one of the children, but most of the family was in the bigger wagon, hauled by two giant horses. The larger wagon rounded a bend in front of us, and we chatted happily (some of us nervously) as we plodded along. Justin commented how very long our trip across country would have taken if we rode in one of these wagons, and we told Juma about how some of his I-don't-know-how-many-great grandparents did just that.
Suddenly, we head the horses in the first wagon neighing, and the people screaming. We came from behind some trees to see the other wagon rolling backward, out of control, down a small a hill. Gruesome scenes passed through our imaginations--so I can't imagine what the people in the runaway wagon felt. The hitch had come undone at the crest of a hill, detaching the wagon from the horses, sending about 30 members of the extended family rolling down off the path and into a field full of pot holes. Thankfully, the wagon came to a stop after about 50 yards of uncontrolled rolling and bouncing. It stopped 20 yards from a ravine. Screams were heard; tears were shed; swear words were said. But no one was hurt.
I don't think many of the Beckhams will get near wagons or horses again any time soon.
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