Questions And Answers

Following are sections to the most common asked questions

about the Fort Seward, Inc. wagon train. You may find the

answers to many of your questions on this page:

• Family To Expect • About The Wagons • About Pioneer Clothing And What To Bring • About The Saddle Horses • General Wagon Train Questions • Travel And Accommodations • Tips From Past Trail Riders

Fort Seward, Inc.

Covered-Wagon-Train.com - Annual Family Wagon Train

Family To Expect

Q: IS THE WAGON TRAIN FULLY CATERED, OR DO THE PARTICIPANTS TAKE PART IN SOME OF

THE NEEDED DUTIES/EVENTS TO MAKE IT WORK?

A: Like the pioneers, our wagon train is necessarily a community. We are all dependent upon one another. All trail riders are assigned to a

wagon as their home base. Families are kept together. All members of the "wagon family" are expected to participate fully in the activities

of their wagon.

We cook our food as a group over open fires and everyone has to be a part of this. A "K.P." chart (usually a copy is posted on the chuck wagon and Biffy Latrine) organizes the entire wagon train community into crews, chosen to perform all the necessary daily chores-- cooking, serving food, chopping wood, carrying water, clean-up, latrine duty, building fires, etc.

Q: I’M COMING WITH MY SPOUSE AND KIDS. IS THE WAGON TRAIN FAMILY FRIENDLY?

A: The staff performs a supervisory role for safety's sake and to help maintain family friendly authenticity. No one is over-worked and all

seem to enjoy working together.

This is a family affair and some families do not believe in the consumption of alcoholic beverages, therefore, the storage and consumption of alcoholic beverages will not be tolerated in or near the wagons, within the wagon circle, or on the day-time trail. Those who find access to alcoholic beverages at campsites, will be expected to keep their social moments respectfully quiet. Those who do not wish to abide by the rules of dress code and alcohol consumption are in violation of the spirit of the ride and will be asked to pack up and go home!

About the Wagons

Q: WILL WE HAVE TO WALK ALL THE TIME, OR CAN WE SIT IN THE WAGON?

A: Unless you are a full time saddle horse rider, your registration reserves your seat on a wagon that will be assigned to you. You can

stay on the covered wagon most of the time if you wish. The teamster (wagon driver) may ask you to walk if there is a portion of the

trail that gets difficult for the horses. This doesn't happen very often. Every year we have 2 or more participants that never do ride the

wagons, they walk all the way. The choice most of the time is up to you.

Q: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED TO A WAGON FOR SEATING?

A: Approximately 10-12, depending on the size of the wagon. Some wagons we use are larger, some smaller.

Q: ARE THERE SEATS IN THE WAGONS, OR DO WE SIT ON THE FLOOR, SHOULD I BRING A CUSHION?

A: All our wagons are the wider flared box pioneer farmer wagons. They have two board seats running along both side walls. Some

seats have a slight cushion some don't. You may bring a small cushion to sit on if you wish, but the cushion will be your responsibility

to keep track of.

Q: CAN OUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS BE ASSIGNED TO THE SAME WAGON, OR WILL WE BE DIVIDED UP ON SEVERAL

WAGONS?

A: If your registrations arrive in the same mailing envelope, or were made together as a group online, we will try to keep you

together. If you wish to be divided up, be sure to request that fact with our Registrar when you register. If your registrations were sent

in different envelopes, or at differant times online, and you want to share the same wagon, you'll need to let the Registrar know which

names you'd like on the same wagon.

About Pioneer Clothing and What to Bring

Q: WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR PERSONAL CLOTHING AND NEEDS FOR THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: If you haven’t already, be sure to print yourself out a copy of our Handy Packing List.

Q: I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEW. WHERE CAN I GET CUSTOM SEWING OF PIONEER CLOTHING DONE?

A: You can check with your local stores that carry fabrics on bolts. They often have a bulletin board or a list of folks who do sewing in

your area. Some home sewers are very reasonable in price. Also, you could check search engines like Google.com with these keywords:

"Custom Pioneer Clothing". You can also visit Amazon.com or Etsy.com and put in keywords “Pioneer Clothing” or “Renaissance

Clothing” in the search there, to find a number of options of custom sewn and even ready to ship items. Make use of your favorite

search engines and you just might find a place near you who will sew something up for you too!

Q: WHERE CAN I GET SEWING PATTERNS FOR PIONEER CLOTHING?

A: Try looking in pattern books like McCall's and Simplicity. Look in the costume section there are usually “Centennial” patterns

there. Also if you are talented with sewing, often times a dress from the wedding section of the pattern books have pioneer like or

renaissance styling, that can be suitable with a few minor alterations.

Q: WOULD A SIMPLE PLAIN BLOUSE WITH A PLAIN COLOR LONG SKIRT WITH A TIE OR ELASTIC WAISTBAND BE OKAY

TO WEAR?

A: Yes. You can add an old brooch, shawl, or apron to give it a late 1800's look. Some clothes we have in our own closets may work fine

with a little added accessories or alterations.

About the Saddle Horses

Q: CAN I BRING MY OWN SADDLE HORSE, AND/OR DOES FORT SEWARD RENT SADDLE HORSES FOR THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: A limited number of saddle horses will be allowed on the wagon train. Fort Seward, Inc. does not rent out saddle horses. However,

upon your request, we will supply a list of private individuals who do. Horse rental is a private agreement between horse owner(s) and

person(s) renting. Veterinary costs, if any, are the responsibility of the owner(s) and person(s) renting. Be sure the horse you are riding is

covered by liability insurance, as Fort Seward, Inc. does not provide liability insurance coverage on private owned saddle horses. This is

very important to check out with your renter, you don't want to get caught paying legal bills if the horse you are renting, as an example,

kicks a person and causes injury.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO TAKE CARE OF MY OWN OR RENTAL SADDLE HORSE DURING THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: Consider bringing your own grooming equipment such as brush, curry comb, etc. A good halter and a good lead rope. Some trail

riders use a “halter bridle combo” during the week, which allows the removal of the horse’s bit and reins only, when in camp. A fly

spray for your horse. Hay will be made available (a hay fee maybe required if hay prices are high at the time). Make sure your saddle

blanket and cinch are freshly washed and cleaned to reduce the chance of sores to your horse.

Bagged feed such as oats or pellets are not provided. If you wish to bring feed, you will have to carry the feed to your tent location and to the baggage trailer daily. For that reason we recommend that you measure out the feed your horse will need during the week. Line the inside of a duffle bag with a plastic garbage bag and measure your feed inside to keep dry in case of rain. Use two duffle bags if to heavy to carry in one. Bring along the coffee can or plastic cup you measured your feed with, so you can measure out the same for feedings. Most paper or plastic feed bags will rupture in the baggage trailer so use a cotton canvas or nylon duffle bag available at stores where camping supplies or army surplus can be found. Duffle bags can also be home sewn. Since we'll probably be traveling 75-85 miles, we recommend that you have your horse shod for the wagon train. West Nile is also in North Dakota, so make sure you have your horse vaccinated for that, as well as other common horse diseases. For those who bring their own horse from outside of North Dakota, State Law requires a certificate of health, a negative Coggins test, and a brand release.

Q: I'M COMING WITH MY SADDLE HORSE, CAN I SIT ON THE WAGON IF I GET TIRED OF RIDING HORSE?

A: Your horse is your responsibility. If your horse is gentle you could try offering it to another trail rider to ride in exchange for their

seating space in their wagon for a time. However, Fort Seward does not provide liability insurance for saddle horses. Be sure to have

good liability insurance coverage on your horse before you come on the wagon train. Consider bringing a friend along, you both can

take turns riding in a wagon or riding on the horse.

General Wagon Train Questions

Q: I UNDERSTAND WE ARE TO MEET AT THE FORT SEWARD PARK, WHERE IS THE PARK LOCATED?

A: The Park is in the NW part of the city on the crest of a grass covered hill overlooking the city. The old fort is gone but some of the

cellar areas of the buildings remain. There are sheltered picnic tables there and historic marker. It's address is 1100 5th Street Northwest

(look for signs). Click here for a Map of Jamestown, ND.

Q: CAN WE USE OUR CAMPER DURING THE WAGON TRAIN, OR IF I COME BY VEHICLE WHERE DOES IT GET PARKED AND

WILL THERE BE PARKING FEES?

A: You'll need to tent, campers are not allowed on the Fort Seward wagon train. Your camper or car can be parked with the other

participant vehicles at a designated Jamestown outdoor parking area, and will be patrolled by the Jamestown Police Department at

random times. There is no parking fees charged.

Q: DO WE NEED TO BRING OUR OWN PLATES, CUPS, SILVERWARE?

A: We provide plates, cups, and plastic knives/forks/spoons.

Q: WHAT IS USED FOR A REST ROOM, IS THERE ONE, OR DO WE HAVE TO FIND A TREE TO HIDE BEHIND?

A: We have a portable 4-stall "Biffy" latrine, and we provide toilet paper. There will be a "Biffy" break while on the trail in mid-morning,

during the Noon stops, and mid-afternoons. The "Biffy will also be available at the Evening Campsite.

Q: WHAT SHOULD WE PACK, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING?

A: For a helpful packing list, download to this .pdf file from our website: Handy Packing Check List.

Q: WILL FIRST AID BE AVAILABLE?

A: We know this is modern, but for our safety, we do have a vehicle follow us during the wagon train with First Aid supplies, and a

driver trained in First Aid.

Q: I HAVE MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS NEEDS, WILL COLD STORAGE BE AVAILABLE FOR MY MEDS? A: All medical conditions and particular medical needs must be included on a statement with the registration form. Proper medications and other precautions are the participant’s responsibility during the wagon train week. Please state if your medications require being kept in a cooler, and we will make arrangements for that with our First Aid Person.

Q: OKAY, WE'RE REGISTERED FOR THE WAGON TRAIN. WHAT ARE YOUR HIDDEN FEES, AS AN EXAMPLE, AM I GOING TO

HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR DESSERT OR A PLACE TO PITCH MY TENT?

A: We don't have "surprise" fees for you to pay. You don't need food, eating supplies or toilet paper. But bring your favorite treats or

snacks to eat and we have a Pioneer Barter night. People bring small homemade craft items or souvenirs from their state to "Barter" with

the other trail riders, a fun and noisy event that lasts for about a half hour before campfire program, as we all get to trade our "goods"

with each other. The day and time for "Barter Night" will be announced during the wagon train. Otherwise, you have the cost of getting

here and getting home. You'll need camping items, and clothing similar to the late 1880's. Blue jeans were available then.

Q: WILL THERE BE SOUVENIERS AVAILABLE DURING THE WAGON TRAIN,SHOULD I BRING ALONG SOME MONEY?

A: Yes, we have a Cook Book, shoulder patches, songbooks, post cards and offer T-shirts for a donation. Near the end of the wagon train

a quilt and a few novelty memory items will be auctioned off for the highest donations to Fort Seward to the wagon train participants

and volunteer staff only. You do not have to buy any of these items if you don't want to.

We are non-profit, our registrations fees do not cover all the wagon train expenses, but we want to keep the registration fees low for

families, so the donation auction helps defray some of the expenses. So, you may want to have a check, Visa, Mastercard, or Discover

credit card along if you decide to donate for an item.

Also, during the trail you may have a chance to buy some treats if we happen to get near a town, so you may want some cash with you.

For one person $20.00 maybe more then enough to have along (some in change for pop machines, etc. if/when we get back to the

modern world) and a couple of check blanks in a plastic bag (to keep them dry if it rains).

Q: IF WE NEED TO CANCEL OUR REGISTRATION, CAN WE GET A REFUND?

A: Each refund is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on what has already been rented or purchased for your

reserved spacing. A minimum office charge at the least, will be charged for cancellation prior to June 1st. After June 1st will not be so

good and would heavily depend on the arrangements that were already made for your registration including rentals, purchases and

contracted commitments made in behalf of your registration, most of which will be impossible for us to return for credit. However, a

partial refund maybe possible. Refund request must be received in writing. Please realize that the board only meets about 6-7 times a

year, and may not meet for up to 4-8 weeks once your request is received, so please be patient.

Travel and Accommodations

Q: WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT jAMESTOWN, ND, LIKE MOTELS, HOTELS, CAMP GROUNDS, TAXI SERVICE,

SITE SEEING, ETC? WE'D LIKE TO ARRIVE A DAY EARLY, STAY OVER NIGHT AND JUST LOOK AROUND.

A: You can get that information by visiting this web site: http://www.jamestownnd.com

Q: WHEN I ARRIVE AT JAMESTOWN, ND, I WON'T HAVE MY OWN CAR, IS THERE A TAXI SERVICE, OR WILL A COVERED

WAGON PICK ME UP?

A: Sorry, our covered wagons do not provide taxi service. To get around Jamestown, ND and/or to the Fort Seward Park. We do know

of two Taxi Services: Jamestown Taxi Service 701-252-4200, and Last Leg Taxi 701-320-2456.

It maybe possible that some of the major Motels or Hotels in the city provide shuttle service if you stay with them. Check on the

Jamestown, ND web site for available Motels and Hotels in the city. You may want to call some and check room availability and ask if

they will shuttle you from airport, or bus terminal, or back and forth from the Fort Seward Park. http://www.jamestownnd.com Check

under the "Community" Tab for list of Hotels/Motels and other places the coummunity has.

Q: I WANT TO COME ON THE WAGON TRAIN, BUT HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PLAN THE TRIP THERE AND BACK. WHAT

SHOULD I DO?

A: Sorry, we can't help much with trip planning, other then during your trip on our covered wagon train. But, you may want to check

your local yellow pages, or ask some friends or family members to recommend a Travel Agent to plan your trip to Jamestown, ND and

back home again. A Travel Agent can make the necessary arrangements for you. They will of course require a fee to do so, but you

should have a well planned trip with arrangements made for you as to flights and/or busing if desired, car rentals, places to stay, places

to dine, and approximate costs.

Q: MY TRAVEL AGENT IS HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A FLIGHT INTO JAMESTOWN, ND. IS THERE AIR SERVICE TO

JAMESTOW, ND?

A: Yes, flights to Jamestown, ND can be made direct to/from Denver, CO. Visit this website for current flight information to the

Jamestown Airport: http://www.flyjamestown.net/

The Jamestown Regional Airport is served by United Airlines, with service provided by SkyWest, utilizing a CRJ-200 50-passenger

regional jet. United Airlines/SkyWest features eleven round-trip flights every week to and from Denver International Airport,

connecting you from anywhere in the world, to fly in for the Fort Seward, Inc. covered wagon train!

Tips From Past Trail Riders

~Make sure your tent does not leak BEFORE coming on the wagon train. Our brand new one got us pretty wet.

~The little wire stakes that come with tents do not work well, they pull out very easy when windy/stormy. Buy some heavier V-type

stakes or the heavy long nail type of stakes and bring a hammer.

~Don't forget duct tape, great for tent fixes.

~Food is great, do not come on the wagon train and expect to loose weight!

~I lay a cheap poly tarp that is bigger then the floor of my tent, inside my tent. Sleeping bags and duffle bags lay on top. If hard rain,

pull up the corners of the tarp and keep your gear dry. Wet clothes and sleeping bag is not fun on a cool summer night.

~I bring the extra large size garbage bags. If it looks like rain my duffle bags goes inside them to keep my gear dry.

~I line my duffle bags with a garbage bag and put my items inside the garbage bag part. The duffle bag keeps my garbage bag from

tearing a hole in, and the garbage bags keeps my sleeping bag and clothes dry.

~Bring a couple pair of gloves, easy to drop and loose a pair.

~Don't forget to bring a jacket like I did. Some evenings and day times can be cool.

~They are not kidding, use plenty of chapstick. Being outside most of the day is hard on lips. Bring sunscreen lotion too.

~Do not bring brand new shoes unless you want brand new blisters on your feet. Use something broke in and comfortable.

~If it looks like rain, I remove the top fly on my tent and lay a poly tarp over the main tent. Then I put the tent fly over the top of the

poly tarp and use good tent stakes to fasten the tent fly too. Plastic hook and wire stakes do not hold in windy conditions, v-like stakes

hold better.

~We kept dry with this method. I use a poly tarp over the tent if it looks like rain. 2-3 foot pieces of Parachute cord tied to grommets and

then tie them to heavier tent stakes helps to keep the tent dry during a summer rain storm.

~Bring an extra set of batteries and a bulb for your flashlight. Yes, the bulbs burn out, especially if you drop your flashlight!

~Several have told us they forgot to pack their toothbrushes. So, don't forget your toothbrush.

~Blowing up an air mattress takes forever, pack along a hand pump for doing that, can find those in the camping sections of department

stores.

~Bring a few small toys, cards, and games for the younger children, maybe a magazine for yourself, in case it rains and you need to stay

inside your tent for a while.

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NEXT PAGE ~ BACK TO TOP

Questions And Answers

Following are sections to the most common asked

questions about the Fort Seward, Inc. wagon train.

You may find the answers to many of your questions

Family To Expect

Q: IS THE WAGON TRAIN FULLY CATERED, OR DO

THE PARTICIPANTS TAKE PART IN SOME OF THE

NEEDED DUTIES/EVENTS TO MAKE IT WORK?

A: Like the pioneers, our wagon train is necessarily a community. We

are all dependent upon one another. All trail riders are assigned to a

wagon as their home base. Families are kept together. All members of

the "wagon family" are expected to participate fully in the activities of

their wagon.

We cook our food as a group over open fires and everyone has to be a part of this. A "K.P." chart (usually a copy is posted on the chuck wagon and Biffy Latrine) organizes the entire wagon train community into crews, chosen to perform all the necessary daily chores--cooking, serving food, chopping wood, carrying water, clean-up, latrine duty, building fires, etc.

Q: I’M COMING WITH MY SPOUSE AND KIDS. IS

THE WAGON TRAIN FAMILY FRIENDLY?

A: The staff performs a supervisory role for safety's sake and to help

maintain family friendly authenticity. No one is over-worked and all

seem to enjoy working together.

About the Wagons

Q: WILL WE HAVE TO WALK ALL THE TIME, OR CAN WE SIT

IN THE WAGON?

A: Unless you are a full time saddle horse rider, your registration

reserves your seat on a wagon that will be assigned to you. You can

stay on the covered wagon most of the time if you wish. The

teamster (wagon driver) may ask you to walk if there is a portion of

the trail that gets difficult for the horses. This doesn't happen very

often. Every year we have 2 or more participants that never do ride

the wagons, they walk all the way. The choice most of the time is up

to you.

Q: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED TO A WAGON FOR

SEATING?

A: Approximately 10-12, depending on the size of the wagon. Some

wagons we use are larger, some smaller.

Q: ARE THERE SEATS IN THE WAGONS, OR DO WE SIT ON THE

FLOOR, SHOULD I BRING A CUSHION?

A: All our wagons are the wider flared box pioneer farmer wagons.

They have two board seats running along both side walls. Some seats

have a slight cushion some don't. You may bring a small cushion to

sit on if you wish, but the cushion will be your responsibility to keep

track of.

Q: CAN OUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS BE ASSIGNED TO THE

SAME WAGON, OR WILL WE BE DIVIDED UP ON SEVERAL

WAGONS?

A: If your registrations arrive in the same mailing envelope, or were

made together as a group online, we will try to keep you together. If

you wish to be divided up, be sure to request that fact with our

Registrar when you register. If your registrations were sent in

different envelopes, or at differant times online, and you want to

share the same wagon, you'll need to let the Registrar know which

names you'd like on the same wagon.

About Pioneer Clothing and

What to Bring

Q: WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR PERSONAL CLOTHING AND

NEEDS FOR THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: If you haven’t already, be sure to print yourself out a copy of our

Handy Packing List.

Q: I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEW. WHERE CAN I GET CUSTOM

SEWING OF PIONEER CLOTHING DONE?

A: You can check with your local stores that carry fabrics on bolts.

They often have a bulletin board or a list of folks who do sewing in

your area. Some home sewers are very reasonable in price. Also, you

could check search engines like Google.com with these keywords:

"Custom Pioneer Clothing". You can also visit Amazon.com or

Etsy.com and put in keywords “Pioneer Clothing” or “Renaissance

Clothing” in the search there, to find a number of options of custom

sewn and even ready to ship items. Make use of your favorite search

engines and you just might find a place near you who will sew

something up for you too!

Q: WHERE CAN I GET SEWING PATTERNS FOR PIONEER

CLOTHING?

A: Try looking in pattern books like McCall's and Simplicity. Look in

the costume section there are usually “Centennial” patterns there.

Also if you are talented with sewing, often times a dress from the

wedding section of the pattern books have pioneer like or renaissance

styling, that can be suitable with a few minor alterations.

Q: WOULD A SIMPLE PLAIN BLOUSE WITH A PLAIN COLOR

LONG SKIRT WITH A TIE OR ELASTIC WAISTBAND BE OKAY TO

WEAR?

A: Yes. You can add an old brooch, shawl, or apron to give it a late

1800's look. Some clothes we have in our own closets may work fine

with a little added accessories or alterations.

About the Saddle Horses

Q: CAN I BRING MY OWN SADDLE HORSE, AND/OR DOES FORT

SEWARD RENT SADDLE HORSES FOR THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: A limited number of saddle horses will be allowed on the wagon

train. Fort Seward, Inc. does not rent out saddle horses. However,

upon your request, we will supply a list of private individuals who do.

Horse rental is a private agreement between horse owner(s) and

person(s) renting. Veterinary costs, if any, are the responsibility of the

owner(s) and person(s) renting. Be sure the horse you are riding is

covered by liability insurance, as Fort Seward, Inc. does not provide

liability insurance coverage on private owned saddle horses. This is

very important to check out with your renter, you don't want to get

caught paying legal bills if the horse you are renting, as an example,

kicks a person and causes injury.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO TAKE CARE OF MY OWN OR

RENTAL SADDLE HORSE DURING THE WAGON TRAIN?

A: Consider bringing your own grooming equipment such as brush,

curry comb, etc. A good halter and a good lead rope. Some trail riders

use a “halter bridle combo” during the week, which allows the

removal of the horse’s bit and reins only, when in camp. A fly spray

for your horse. Hay will be made available (a hay fee maybe required if

hay prices are high at the time). Make sure your saddle blanket and

cinch are freshly washed and cleaned to reduce the chance of sores to

your horse.

Q: I'M COMING WITH MY SADDLE HORSE, CAN I SIT ON THE

WAGON IF I GET TIRED OF RIDING HORSE?

A: Your horse is your responsibility. If your horse is gentle you could

try offering it to another trail rider to ride in exchange for their seating

space in their wagon for a time. However, Fort Seward does not

provide liability insurance for saddle horses. Be sure to have good

liability insurance coverage on your horse before you come on the

wagon train. Consider bringing a friend along, you both can take turns

riding in a wagon or riding on the horse.

General Wagon Train

Questions

Q: I UNDERSTAND WE ARE TO MEET AT THE FORT SEWARD

PARK, WHERE IS THE PARK LOCATED?

A: The Park is in the NW part of the city on the crest of a grass covered

hill overlooking the city. The old fort is gone but some of the cellar

areas of the buildings remain. There are sheltered picnic tables there

and historic marker. It's address is 1100 5th Street Northwest (look for

signs). Click here for a Map of Jamestown, ND.

Q: CAN WE USE OUR CAMPER DURING THE WAGON TRAIN, OR

IF I COME BY VEHICLE WHERE DOES IT GET PARKED AND WILL

THERE BE PARKING FEES?

A: You'll need to tent, campers are not allowed on the Fort Seward

wagon train. Your camper or car can be parked with the other

participant vehicles at a designated Jamestown outdoor parking area,

and will be patrolled by the Jamestown Police Department at random

times. There is no parking fees charged.

Q: DO WE NEED TO BRING OUR OWN PLATES, CUPS,

SILVERWARE?

A: We provide plates, cups, and plastic knives/forks/spoons.

Q: WHAT IS USED FOR A REST ROOM, IS THERE ONE, OR DO WE

HAVE TO FIND A TREE TO HIDE BEHIND?

A: We have a portable 4-stall "Biffy" latrine, and we provide toilet

paper. There will be a "Biffy" break while on the trail in mid-morning,

during the Noon stops, and mid-afternoons. The "Biffy will also be

available at the Evening Campsite.

Q: WHAT SHOULD WE PACK, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING?

A: For a helpful packing list, download to this .pdf file from our

website: Handy Packing Check List.

Q: WILL FIRST AID BE AVAILABLE?

A: We know this is modern, but for our safety, we do have a vehicle

follow us during the wagon train with First Aid supplies, and a driver

trained in First Aid.

Q: OKAY, WE'RE REGISTERED FOR THE WAGON TRAIN. WHAT

ARE YOUR HIDDEN FEES, AS AN EXAMPLE, AM I GOING TO

HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR DESSERT OR A PLACE TO PITCH MY

TENT?

A: We don't have "surprise" fees for you to pay. You don't need food,

eating supplies or toilet paper. But bring your favorite treats or snacks

to eat and we have a Pioneer Barter night. People bring small

homemade craft items or souvenirs from their state to "Barter" with the

other trail riders, a fun and noisy event that lasts for about a half hour

before campfire program, as we all get to trade our "goods" with each

other. The day and time for "Barter Night" will be announced during

the wagon train. Otherwise, you have the cost of getting here and

getting home. You'll need camping items, and clothing similar to the

late 1880's. Blue jeans were available then.

Q: WILL THERE BE SOUVENIERS AVAILABLE DURING THE

WAGON TRAIN,SHOULD I BRING ALONG SOME MONEY?

A: Yes, we have a Cook Book, shoulder patches, songbooks, post cards

and offer T-shirts for a donation. Near the end of the wagon train a

quilt and a few novelty memory items will be auctioned off for the

highest donations to Fort Seward to the wagon train participants and

volunteer staff only. You do not have to buy any of these items if you

don't want to.

We are non-profit, our registrations fees do not cover all the wagon

train expenses, but we want to keep the registration fees low for

families, so the donation auction helps defray some of the expenses.

So, you may want to have a check, Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit

card along if you decide to donate for an item.

Also, during the trail you may have a chance to buy some treats if we

happen to get near a town, so you may want some cash with you. For

one person $20.00 maybe more then enough to have along (some in

change for pop machines, etc. if/when we get back to the modern

world) and a couple of check blanks in a plastic bag (to keep them dry

if it rains).

Q: IF WE NEED TO CANCEL OUR REGISTRATION, CAN WE GET A

REFUND?

A: Each refund is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will

depend on what has already been rented or purchased for your

reserved spacing. A minimum office charge at the least, will be

charged for cancellation prior to June 1st. After June 1st will not be so

good and would heavily depend on the arrangements that were

already made for your registration including rentals, purchases and

contracted commitments made in behalf of your registration, most of

which will be impossible for us to return for credit. However, a partial

refund maybe possible. Refund request must be received in writing.

Please realize that the board only meets about 6-7 times a year, and

may not meet for up to 4-8 weeks once your request is received, so

please be patient.

Travel and Accommodations

Q: WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT jAMESTOWN, ND,

LIKE MOTELS, HOTELS, CAMP GROUNDS, TAXI SERVICE, SITE

SEEING, ETC? WE'D LIKE TO ARRIVE A DAY EARLY, STAY OVER

NIGHT AND JUST LOOK AROUND.

A: You can get that information by visiting this web site:

http://www.jamestownnd.com

Q: WHEN I ARRIVE AT JAMESTOWN, ND, I WON'T HAVE MY

OWN CAR, IS THERE A TAXI SERVICE, OR WILL A COVERED

WAGON PICK ME UP?

A: Sorry, our covered wagons do not provide taxi service. To get

around Jamestown, ND and/or to the Fort Seward Park. We do know

of two Taxi Services: Jamestown Taxi Service 701-252-4200, and Last

Leg Taxi 701-320-2456.

It maybe possible that some of the major Motels or Hotels in the city

provide shuttle service if you stay with them. Check on the

Jamestown, ND web site for available Motels and Hotels in the city.

You may want to call some and check room availability and ask if they

will shuttle you from airport, or bus terminal, or back and forth from

the Fort Seward Park. http://www.jamestownnd.com Check under the

"Community" Tab for list of Hotels/Motels and other places the

coummunity has.

Q: I WANT TO COME ON THE WAGON TRAIN, BUT HAVE NO

IDEA HOW TO PLAN THE TRIP THERE AND BACK. WHAT

SHOULD I DO?

A: Sorry, we can't help much with trip planning, other then during

your trip on our covered wagon train. But, you may want to check

your local yellow pages, or ask some friends or family members to

recommend a Travel Agent to plan your trip to Jamestown, ND and

back home again. A Travel Agent can make the necessary

arrangements for you. They will of course require a fee to do so, but

you should have a well planned trip with arrangements made for you

as to flights and/or busing if desired, car rentals, places to stay, places

to dine, and approximate costs.

Q: MY TRAVEL AGENT IS HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A FLIGHT

INTO JAMESTOWN, ND. IS THERE AIR SERVICE TO JAMESTOW,

ND?

A: Yes, flights to Jamestown, ND can be made direct to/from Denver,

CO. Visit this website for current flight information to the Jamestown

Airport: http://www.flyjamestown.net/

The Jamestown Regional Airport is served by United Airlines, with

service provided by SkyWest, utilizing a CRJ-200 50-passenger

regional jet. United Airlines/SkyWest features eleven round-trip

flights every week to and from Denver International Airport,

connecting you from anywhere in the world, to fly in for the Fort

Seward, Inc. covered wagon train!

Tips From Past Trail Riders

~Make sure your tent does not leak BEFORE coming on the wagon

train. Our brand new one got us pretty wet.

~The little wire stakes that come with tents do not work well, they pull

out very easy when windy/stormy. Buy some heavier V-type stakes or

the heavy long nail type of stakes and bring a hammer.

~Don't forget duct tape, great for tent fixes.

~Food is great, do not come on the wagon train and expect to loose

weight!

~I lay a cheap poly tarp that is bigger then the floor of my tent, inside

my tent. Sleeping bags and duffle bags lay on top. If hard rain, pull up

the corners of the tarp and keep your gear dry. Wet clothes and

sleeping bag is not fun on a cool summer night.

~I bring the extra large size garbage bags. If it looks like rain my duffle

bags goes inside them to keep my gear dry.

~I line my duffle bags with a garbage bag and put my items inside the

garbage bag part. The duffle bag keeps my garbage bag from tearing a

hole in, and the garbage bags keeps my sleeping bag and clothes dry.

~Bring a couple pair of gloves, easy to drop and loose a pair.

~Don't forget to bring a jacket like I did. Some evenings and day times

can be cool.

~They are not kidding, use plenty of chapstick. Being outside most of

the day is hard on lips. Bring sunscreen lotion too.

~Do not bring brand new shoes unless you want brand new blisters on

your feet. Use something broke in and comfortable.

~If it looks like rain, I remove the top fly on my tent and lay a poly tarp

over the main tent. Then I put the tent fly over the top of the poly tarp

and use good tent stakes to fasten the tent fly too. Plastic hook and wire

stakes do not hold in windy conditions, v-like stakes hold better.

~We kept dry with this method. I use a poly tarp over the tent if it looks

like rain. 2-3 foot pieces of Parachute cord tied to grommets and then

tie them to heavier tent stakes helps to keep the tent dry during a

summer rain storm.

~Bring an extra set of batteries and a bulb for your flashlight. Yes, the

bulbs burn out, especially if you drop your flashlight!

~Several have told us they forgot to pack their toothbrushes. So, don't

forget your toothbrush.

~Blowing up an air mattress takes forever, pack along a hand pump for

doing that, can find those in the camping sections of department stores.

~Bring a few small toys, cards, and games for the younger children,

maybe a magazine for yourself, in case it rains and you need to stay

inside your tent for a while.

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