"Burnin' daylight by the bucket full, but love, we're in no particular hurry. We got us a ways to go yet." He said after getting her into the Surrey. He jogged around, snatching up the ground anchor and releasing it from the halter. Two fine draft animals stamping the hooves, ready to go.

Barnabas got in, snapped the reins and with that pop of leather, Mister and Missus Pike were on their way to their grand adventure which had been planned down to the last detail by Barnabas, well in advance of the actual day of the trip.

"Get comfortable, there water in the skin hangin' on yer side, and some jerked beef betwixt us. Headin' west, girl, headin' west." He didn't even look back as the drove out of town. They would follow the old wagon trail that some of those headed for Oregon had use, and riders still used. It would take them a bit north, past the Redmond place, between Lost Lake and the Evergreen ranches, up into the mountains then down the other side. Open plains, water and game for the biggest part of their trip west. He explained all of that to her as they drove along.

"West suits me just fine!" Emeline smiled widely as they set out on their adventure, 'west' giving her a small clue of what their destination wasn't! And she was glad for that...there was nothing particularly back east, save her family, that she was interested in seeing, at least not so much as those things that lay to the west, further into less-explored and 'civilized' places.

So then her mind began to wander, as she wondered...and the possibilities were exciting, no one any better than the other, and truth be told, he could have arranged camping behind the cafe and she would have been happy, to be with him and have him as part of her life now.

"Clara made us some treats, too, and I've cooked on the trail, so we'll feast!" In a way, it really wouldn't matter what they ate, there was something about being in the fresh air that made meals somehow better...well, when you were on the trail of choice and not necessity!

"I wouldn't mind trying my hand at shooting some sort of game," she commented, "nothing so big as a buffalo, of course, nor so fast as a rabbit, but maybe if we come across a crippled elk?"

"Oh, over the first part o' this trip, there'll be opportunity a plenty fer ya to hunt game. Garonteed." He said. After that, well, 'spose there'll be cafe an' rest'ront food to be had, but we'll get by." The pace for the time being was a brisk trot, and it would vary, though running the pair would only happen in an emergency. Which may or may not happen.

'We got us some time ta be out here in the wild, seein' what nature has ta offer. Likely there'll be some sites to compare with the falls at the ranch, but they won't have the same feel as home, nor as much beauty. Fact is, there jest ain't no place like home, and we ain't even moved in yet, but, all in good time, all in good time. Fer now we can enjoy what's presented to us." He gave her a wink as they began the climb.

"I can't wait to see the house finished," Emeline declared, "it's going to be so wonderful to have our own place, it's a dream I've had for some time..."  One that had been snatched away, but was now being returned ten-fold.  "And I can hang my elk antlers on the wall...Oh!  Or maybe we can make a chair with them!"

Um, no, she was not going to have antler furniture in her home!  But it was fun to tease.

"This really is an amazing country, and I'm excited to see more of it."  In truth, one thing she really wanted to see was an ocean, be it Pacific or Atlantic, she couldn't imagine so vast a body of water.  But the Pacific Ocean was quite a ways away, so that would have to wait for a time, until the children they didn't yet have were grown and moved out.

"It will be an adventure!"  It wasn't as if there were any major towns between here and Spokane, so Barnabas was right that they would have some good time together, but hopefully not too much excitement.  "Then we will be home and starting a completely new adventure!"

An adventure she said, and that is exactly what it was going to be. And the hunting aspect, she could have her chance almost any time as they pressed forward. With plenty of daylight left, they could make good time, although it was going to take some time to reach the destination he had in mind.

"I reckon that it'll be a new adventure. You kin purdy much count on that. Not that I see life as gettin' wild an' woolly up to the ranch. I just think life together oughtta be real interestin', if not excitin', well, time ta time. Raisin' cows, and horses, an' kids'll be a real task, but I gotta say, it'll shorely be worth it, ever' minute of it."

"I guess it depends on 'adventure'," Emeline mused, "just learning how to run a ranch sounds like a good adventure, there's so much to consider." Of course, he'd likely thought out all the logistics to do with feed, calving, shelter, medicine, water, more that she'd never even think of, and then the details of running the household, some she was familiar with, and others, such as bookkeeping and dealing with seeing to the needs of the hands...

It was going to be discovery for them all, but she at least had experience running a business, so she knew she'd catch on pretty quickly.

Time passed quickly with planning and idle chatter, and then the lengthening shadows and chill creeping into the air told them it was time to look for a camp. At least they didn't have to worry about supper, and coffee was easy enough to make, she could do that while he tended the horses and set camp, and she knew they worked well as a team.

With camp set, dinner on the fire, and the fading daylight of day one, Barnabas 'Pronto' pike surveyed his new life. Not so different than his old life really. He had spent many a night on the trail here and there throughout his history, yet there was one major difference, Missus Pike. Now, everything was different in that he needed to think for two.

He walked up to her as she tended the pot hanging from the iron rod. "Ya know Missus Pike, as of today, you 'n me, well, we're free of what we left behind. The ranch, in good hands, the cafe, also in good hands, our worries boil down ta have supper an' fightin' off the chill." He put his arm around her. "I expect we'll tend to both shortly."

"Jest wanted you to know thet I love you. I'm glad of our union, an' ever-thing that'll come our way as a result of it. Fact is, wouldn't have it any other way." He smiled, "But, I plan to show you a time, a time we'll remember the rest of our days."