Posted December 2, 2022

"Well, I would have to agree that 'Thorntonton' doesn't make a great name!" Emeline laughed. "That would explain calling it Kalispell!" Well, from the sound of it, Kalispell was likely a native word...she'd have to look into it when they got back.

"We're headed next to Carson City, right? It was Averill's account of Kit Carson, 'Prince of the Gold Hunters', that was part of Andrew's inspiration for coming west...I suppose he had the soul of an adventurer, if not the constitution."

Andrew had had big dreams, but neither of them had counted on disease to be the biggest enemy they would face.

"I'm intrigued to see the city named after such a man, I can't imagine tramping around the mountains without knowing just where I'm going, and I'd certainly never survive!"

Posted December 4, 2022

"Him and Fremont did some travelin' as I've heard tell, but to be honest, I know little of his exploits other than the Capitol is named after him. So's the valley she sit in Carson valley. Used to be Eagle Station til fifty-eight. That I do know But that's about all."

Most of what he did know about Carson City he picked up in Virginia City while he was there. He had been in Carson many times, it had a history early on with some pretty rough characters, but no more than Virginia City, which had lost out to be the Territorial Capitol. Rough and tumble times they were.

His thoughts turned to the earlier part of the conversation and he said; "I just had a thought, maybe the town's already done some sorta celebration, and, by the time we get back it'll be way late in the summer, if not early fall. I mean we'll have other things to consider, our child, the cattle 'n horses, getting settled in. Maybe come spring or summer."

Posted December 8, 2022

"Well, we don't have a time set in stone, and we can always find a reason, if not just create our own." Even celebrating the ranch coming to life, or the birth of their first child, or just because, was event enough! "But I think you're right, it might not be something we can carry off until next year anyway." Emeline shrugged. "Besides, we might not be able to get a circus to come out anyway!"

It was fairly late in the year, and she wasn't sure if they'd be able to get anyone now anyway. But they could start planning for next year, and that would give them time to figure out what all they wanted to do.

"Speaking of time, isn't it time we get ready for the next part of our adventure?"

Posted December 10, 2022

"It really is nice." Smiling, Emeline sank into the seat beside her husband, feeling a bit as though the luxury was meant for someone else. "It's much better than a wagon, and walking."

It was hard to believe that she'd actually walked a good deal of the way from home to the Dakotas to take some of the weight off the animals pulling the wagon, and at the time she never would have imagined that she'd be on a train, sitting on soft seats like this.

"It's so beautiful here," she commented, staring out the window. "Different than home, although not so much as the plains are. I believe I could be happy forever in the mountains. The ocean was beautiful, but the mountains...call."

She knew that sounded silly, but she knew that Barnabas would understand.

Posted December 10, 2022

"Mountains, yes, At one time, I'm told it was forested much like Kalispell, but the need for lumber for the mines, and for the town took down a lot of the trees across the the valley from the foothills all the way across and down the side of Sun Mountain, where Virginia City is perched." He explained, "But it still has a beauty."

The Reno pulled her cars out of Carson City and began the route along the Carson River, then veered up and began the climb to American Flat. The train would make a wide loop around the Mill and the area around it with housing and other buildings and continue the climb to Virginia City.

"Pretty big, huh?" He asked as they looked down on American Flat.

Posted December 11, 2022

Gazing out the window, Emeline nodded. "It's beautiful," she murmured, although it was a different kind of beauty than Kalispell had. "Isn't it interesting, how places can be so different, yet are beautiful in their own way? I guess people are like that, too."

Her attention turned to Barnabas' face, and his expression as he looked out at the countryside. The man had a true fondness for the land here, and he was proud to show it off to her.

With a chuckle, she took his hand and squeezed it. "It really is beautiful. I'm afraid if I was to show you my home, I'd have nothing more to point out than, 'Oh, there's Brown's Mercantile, where I worked all summer to buy my family a stereoscope for Christmas, but then a big storm came through and the roof needed repair. And there's the livery, where I first saw a Morgan horse, and wanted to have one of my own..."

Grinning, she looked up at Barnabas. "It's really nothing special."

Posted December 12, 2022

"I'm sure is was special at the time." He said, "all places we have been for any length of time are special, to one degree or another. Each has memories and a fondness no matter what else may have occurred there."

That was true for him, he could not really assume it was the same for everyone, but he knew Em, and that would be true for her. Of course, that was an assumption on his part.

"Now we begin the climb through Gold Hill and on up to Virginia City, You'll be able to look out in place to see the vastness that lays to the east. There are some places, well, a whole lot of places were you can see a hundred miles, maybe five sets of mountain ranges." He pointed out, like some tour guide. Then he chuckled. "Hard not to let you know what's coming, and I want you to know that it will be loud, loud day and night, as the stamp mills run round the clock.

And not just them, but saloons, restaurants and plenty of businesses are open round the clock as well. The mines are going with three shifts, so the town never sleeps, not even on Sunday."

Posted December 14, 2022

Gazing out the window, Emeline shrugged. "Those places aren't special so much as...comfortable and familiar. I'm not saying that I didn't love it, but the ranch...I know it will not only be familiar and comfortable, but beautiful and dynamic as well."

The low gorge they were going through gave way, opening to the view that Barnabas had spoken of, and Emeline gasped. It was stunning, going on seemingly forever, and was almost dizzying.

But only a few seconds later another shift in the terrain along the tracks blocked the view again.

Looking up at Barnabas, Emeline smiled. "That's amazing! It's so vast and beautiful! A hundred miles?" It was incomprehensible, yet she'd just seen it!

Posted December 14, 2022

He smiled, That view is available from town as well, we have a couple tunnels to pass through the last takes a bend when we come out and then we roll into town." He paused, "We pass Saint Mary's, the Catholic church, by way of a n open tunnel I guess you'd call it and then the depot. You'll see how it looks like everything goes straight up Sun Mountain, which it pretty much does."

"At one time they said there were forty thousand souls in Virginia City, but I figure that was exaggerated some. Of course that was after the initial boom, so maybe. I know when I was here the estimate was twenty-five thousand, a mite bigger than Kalispell, but not quite San Francisco."

They came out of the last tunnel and made the curve passing a stamp mill and heading into last leg, and as he had said rising up on their left was Saint Mary's. Just ahead would be the depot and the last stop.