It would seem my journey has come to an end, but it’s only a milestone. I finally completed my first rough draft, and (spoiler alert!) they did arrive at their destination. You knew they had to or I wouldn’t be here. They are my ancestors after all. But you don’t know how.

Many times, in the process I got sidetracked by research on one thing or another till I spent my whole writing time researching. So, I’ve come up with all kinds of additional important information that can be woven in so you don’t even know you’re learning about history along with enjoying a good story (I hope!).

Just this morning, I was trying to learn all I could about how the Mennonites built canals and dams and windmills to make this land on the Vistula Delta which is six feet below sea level productive and livable. I don’t know if I understand it all, but it is quite interesting.

Then, there’s a great trek taking place in America at about the same time – Lewis and Clark are trudging across the continent to find a waterway from east to west. Gertie and Isaac don’t know about that expedition, but they do know about a guy who set out to walk in the opposite direction across Siberia several years earlier!

The man’s name was John Ledyard. He was an American from Connecticut but was a corporal in the Royal Marines in 1776. He served under Captain John Cook of the British navy. In 1785 he sailed to Europe with the ambition of traveling around the world on foot! His plan was to cross Russia on foot, then sail to the northwestern coast of America, then walk across the continent from west to east.

Even though he received support from some major players in the world at that time – Sir Joseph Banks in London and none other than Thomas Jefferson in America – he did not get the support of Empress Catherine the Great who knew the folly of trying to cross the rugged terrain of Siberia on his own. She shipped him home before he even got started.

I’m sure his story circulated among the Mennonites who lived closeby in Prussia. I would think this made a deep impression on Gertie and Isaac as they contemplated walking to Southern Russia. They may have wondered if she could return them to homebase before they even got started. Perhaps that’s why they decided to wait as long as they did to start out. By 1811 Empress Catherine had been dead for almost 20 years, her son, Paul, came and went as the new emperor, and now her grandson, Alexander, was in power. Maybe he would be more understanding. He seemed to be standing behind the promises made by the Russian government to the Mennonite people regarding their settlement in the South Russian steppe.

It was now or never to take that first step. The free land promised to the Mennonites was going fast. They had to get there before it was all gone. They weren’t traveling through the treacherous Siberia, but people who went before said the pilgrimage was a difficult trip even for those who had horses and wagons and moving in a group. But to travel alone and on foot, they said it would be near impossible.

With all that encouragement, Gertie and Isaac stepped out in faith. Gertie was sure she must be insane to attempt a trip like this. We’ll see if she keeps her sanity through the adventures they encounter along the way, some expected, some completely unexpected.