Plata Panacea

Today is day one of a pretty epic adventure. Over the next 35 nights we’ll be joining 20 other Airstream travelers as we make our way along what remains of the Oregon trail.

I didn’t really know much about the Oregon trail until we started planning for this.

The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile wagon route stretching from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon. Active from the 1840s to the 1880s, it served as a vital gateway for hundreds of thousands of pioneers migrating westward, fundamentally changing the American West.

Route & Geography
Total Distance: Roughly 2,170 miles across prairies, deserts, and the Rocky Mountains.
The Path: The route passed through six modern-day states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon.
High Point: The trail crossed the Rockies at South Pass, Wyoming, at an elevation of 7,550 feet.
Travel Time: The journey typically took about five months, averaging just 15 miles per day.

We wanted to give our Airstream Classic a name with a tip of the hat to the pharmacy and all it has provided us over the years. We started with “Silver Cure-All” but wanted it to have a better ring… we ended up with “Plata Panacea”. Plata is spanish for silver with a double meaning for money. So Plata Panacea it is.

We’re happy to have a young newlywed couple watch over things while we’re gone so I think everything is set!Read more