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=Anza Pioneers= toc

In January 2006, a group of six Williams College students (located in Williamstown, MA) journeyed from Nogales, AZ to San Francisco, CA along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. They traveled by running and biking, without the support of a motorized vehicle, and so they carried all their gear on their bikes and backs. The pioneers, all members of the cross country and track teams, had never heard of the Anza Trail prior to their trek, nor had they ever endured a biking and running trip nearly as long and arduous as this one. Yet they successfully completed their mission of retracing the steps of an 18th century Spanish colonizing expedition, and walked away with some of their most valuable life experiences.

They were the first group ever to travel the Anza Trail in its entirery on foot and on bike. Much like Juan Bautista de Anza's initial expedition created a path for others to follow, the group's pioneering journey provides a model for what the National Park Service hopes will one day be a widely traveled, continuous trail. For more information about the Anza Trail, reference the links provided at the bottom of the page.

The Pioneers
Grant Colin Bill Corey Rogo Stephen

The Story of How it All Began
Winter Study at Williams College September 22, 2005 The Final Draft of our 99 Proposal, with interjected post-trip reactions 

Journals and Pictures
Pre-Trip Thoughts Day 1 (30 miles): Nogales to Tubac Day 2 (60): Tubac to Tucson Day 3 (48): Tucson to Picacho Peak Day 4 (45): Picacho Peak to Coolidge Day 5 (45): Coolidge to Chandler/Phoenix Day 6 (50): Chandler/Phoenix to Sonoran Desert Day 7 (50): Sonoran Desert to Sonoran Desert Highlands Day 8 (64): Sonoran Desert Highlands to Muggins Mountain Wilderness Day 9 (45): Muggins Mountain Wilderness to Yuma Day 10 (65): Yuma to El Centro, California Day 11 (61): El Centro to Rt. 78/86, near the Plaster City Open Lands Day 12 (35): Rt. 78/86 to Borrego Springs Day 13 (33): Borrego Springs to Anza Day 14 (54): Anza to Murrieta Day 15 (58): Murrieta to Laguna Beach Day 16 (65): Laguna Beach to Brentwood Day 17 (22): Brentwood to Malibu Day 18 (17): Malibu to Mugu Point State Beach Day 19 (27): Mugu Point State Beach to Emma Wood State Park Day 20 (25): Emma Wood State Park to Westmont College, Santa Barbara Day 21 (day off): Rest Day at Westmont College, Santa Barbara Day 22 (57): Westmont College to Lompoc Day 23 (45): Lompoc to Pismo State Beach Day 24 (45): Pismo State Beach to Paso Robles Day 25 (63): Paso Robles to King City Day 26 (68): King City to Castroville, near Salinas Day 27 (27): Castroville to San Juan Bautista Day 28 (40): San Juan Bautista to Santa Cruz Day 29 (62): Santa Cruz to San Mateo Day 30 (32): San Mateo to San Francisco Day 31 (1340 total): Day Trip to San Francisco Thoughts after the trip

Essays Written by the Pioneers
Comparisons Between the 1775-76 Journey of Juan Bautista de Anza and the 2006 Journey of Six Williams Students Along the Anza Trail: By David Rogawski

Welcome Visitors: By Grant Burgess

Indian Givers: Interpreting the Friendship and Betrayal of the Yumas from the Journal Accounts of the 1774 and 1775-1776 Anza Expeditions and Personal Experience of the Anza Trail: By Stephen Wills

Evaluating Anza: By Colin Carroll

Catholic Missions Along the Anza Trail: By Corey Levin

Bill's Paper

The Public's Response
[|Noticias de Anza: Newsletter of the Juan Bautists de Anza National Historic Trail--see page 9] [|EphBlog Discussion] [|2nd EphBlog Discussion] [|Arizona Daily Star Article] [|Yuma Sun Article] Borrego Sun Article Paso Robles Magazine Pinnacle Article Hollister Free Lance Article [|Williams Record Article] Amherst Record Article

Frequently Asked Questions
How We Traveled The Things They Carried What We Ate Typical Daily Schedule

Any other questions? Want a copy of a picture? Email anzapioneers@yahoogroups.com

Links
http://www.nps.gov/juba/ http://www.therapure.com/anza-trail/anzamen.htm http://anza.uoregon.edu/ http://www.solideas.com/DeAnza/TrailGuide/ http://www.desertusa.com/magjan98/jan_pap/du_anza.html



Site Created: February 2, 2006

We are still in the process of updating this wikispace. Check back later, as we are continually transcribing journal entries and post-trip thoughts.

This site has been visited 45,264 times as of December 31st, 2006

The Anza Pioneers were sponsored by the Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona, [|Rio Rico Properties, Inc.], and [|Rio Rico Homes and Land, Inc.]