When asked

how she came up with the idea of running a pioneer trail she replied,

"I was joking one day with my mom and dad. My Dad was talking about

the Pioneers who crossed the plains by walking, pushing and pulling handcarts

or by covered wagons. He told me that some of my ancestors crossed the

plains this way back in the 1850s and if our family crossed the plains

as modern pioneers we would use a golf cart since we drive one all around

our town. I said jokingly, 'and I'd run it.' Well I should have learned

that it was a great idea. A few months later he told me that a golf cart

manufacturer was going to supply the golf cart and my run was on!"

Rebecca is

a Georgia State Champion in the 1600-Meter, 12U girls, and she has been

running for 3 years. She is also the State runner-up in the 800M and in

Cross-Country. She is a member of the Peachtree City Running Club, competes

for the Peachtree City Flash Youth Track Team in Georgia, and runs with

the Atlanta Track Club. She runs a 5:40 mile, 2:35 800M and a 49 minute

10K.

Rebecca begins

her westward run this July from the banks of the Mississippi River near

Nauvoo, Illinois. The Trail crosses Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and into Salt

Lake City, Utah. Her father will follow Rebecca while she runs using a

new Yamaha sponsored Golf Cart. When she is not running, both will travel

about 12 hours a day on the cart. They plan to arrive in Salt Lake on

July 21 so Rebecca can get ready for her last 10K of the trip which starts

at 6:15 a.m. on July 24, 2002. It is the big founders' day race in Utah

commemorating the day the original pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley,

1847. After that race these "modern pioneers" will load up their

cart and weary bones and journey