When we last heard of Oregon Trail, it was getting a rebirth of sorts thanks to a new handheld game from the folks at Basic Fun! Toys. Indeed, I played the original version on the green-and-black CRT screens of my elementary school circa 1980-something, so the new game has an appeal (I’ve not yet played it). But for those wishing for a more true-to-life experience with the Oregon Trail, you can now pretend you’re an Oregon Trail settler who just spent six months “on the dusty, bumpy and downright grueling journey west” – and you won’t even have to die of dysentery to do it! For a limited time, those in Portland, OR can snag a ride in a covered wagon courtesy of Travel Oregon and Lyft Portland. It’s a rare chance to enjoy a wagon experience in the Rose City in honor of the Oregon Trail’s 175th Anniversary. Check out all the details below…
From the Official Announcement: August 28-31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., people can set out on their own Oregon Trail with a ride through downtown Portland in a traditional covered wagon. The Oregon Trail Experience begins outside the Oregon Historical Society building on SW Park Avenue.
Unlock limited-edition, Oregon Trail-inspired wagon icons in the Lyft app, and get a free ride up to $10to the Oregon Trail Experience by entering promo code OREGONTRAIL175 in your Lyft app. The Oregon Historical Society is providing free entry to the museum that day for anyone who takes a wagon ride. Each ride travels a pre-determined route for a total of 15 minutes. Not in Portland? You can still play along by simply entering code OREGONTRAIL to turn the cars in your Lyft app into covered wagons
Wagon rides are free, but Travel Oregon and Lyft ask that people bring two or more cans of nonperishable food to be donated to Sunshine Division. And if you can’t make it downtown, you can still get on board and experience the Oregon Trail by playing Travel Oregon: The Game.
The classic pioneer model wagon is operated by Vickie Leonard, of Wagon Train Excursions out of Pendleton, Oregon. Though moseying through downtown Portland is a first for Vickie and her wagon (along with mules, Gene and Mary), she’s been working with the Pendleton Round-Up for a number of years, where she is the president of the famed Pendleton Round-Up Wagon Train.
