A WAGON TRAIN SUPER HIGHWAY by Marisa Masterson

 

Can anything called rat or mouse be good?

The mouse trail? The mountain pass that was a common part of the Santa Fe Trail in the 1850s and 1860s was called the Raton Pass (Mouse Pass). It was steep and frightening. No wonder it needed a makeover. 

The pass received that makeover in 1865/1866. A man named "Uncle" Dick Wootton paid to have it graded and smoothed. After that, it was up to the travelers to pay to travel on the 1866 version of a super highway.

Wootton built his house by the start of the pass. He put up a gate, turing the Raton Pass into a toll road. (Supposedly, he received permission from the Colorado legislature to do this.)

Wagons and buggies paid $1.50 each. Horsemen were charged twenty-five cents. The native peoples passed the gate for free.

Would this charge be enough to make wagon trains on the Santa Fe trail choose the Cimmaron Pass instead? If the train was large and if the travelers wanted to cut off the extra 100 miles that the Raton Pass added, perhaps it would.

I am building this into my next book as the reason my heroine does not make it to Colorado like she plans. We'll see what she does to find a way to Fort Morgan, Colorado like she needs to.

I am desperate to find my uncle. He has the map. How will I find Pa's buried stash without it?
Two things keep me from traveling on the wagon train that will take me to Fort Collins and to my uncle who is stationed there. The wagon master refuses to take on an unmarried woman with no father. The second is my younger sister.
--from the journal of Patience Mallory

HOW DOES THIS DETERMINED WOMAN BECOME A WIFE HEADED TO ARIZONA INSTEAD OF TO COLORADO?

This is a sweet Christian historical romance. If funny animals and feisty pioneers offend you, I suggest you avoid this book. If you love humorous and inspirational books, this one is for you!

 

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