Looking forward to our trip to the States in July!
We will be visiting many sites from the novel Express Desire, soon to be completed!
First, the Rancho de las Pulgas, which was the old 1795 Spanish land grant which belonged to the family of my novel hero Xavier Arguello, which today comprises most of the cities of Menlo Park, Atherton, Redwood City, San Carlos, Belmont and San Mateo (that part of the city which lies south of San Mateo Creek).
Map of the Rancho de las Pulgas ca. 1857
Rancho de las Pulgas, the Old Spanish land grant of my hero Xavier’s family in California
I was born in Redwood City, close to the home the Arguellos lived in, at the corner of Cedar and Magnolia streets in the city of San Carlos. We will see the marker on this site as well!
Later, I grew up in the redwoods in nearby La Honda. We will visit there, too. I’ve written about it in a previous post, Stagecoaches, the Peek a Boo Inn, etc!
We will then journey to Sacramento, where the current Old Sacramento served as the western terminus of the Pony Express. The Pony Express statue shown here is located at the corner of J and second streets and is kitty-corner to the Museum (which I don’t think I’ll be able to stay out of, either… My poor son…)
From here, the mail went aboard riverboat to San Francisco, except for the few times when the steamer was missed, then the riders had to ride all the way to San Francisco! Here is a monument to one of the steamers who carried the mail!
Thence East, following part of the trail!
We will wind up in Utah, where we will be hosted by the infamous Heartys, supporters of the Pony Express movement in Utah, (Patrick Hearty is the Past President of the Utah Pony Express Assn and Co-Author of The Pony Express Stations in Utah, a man to whom I am indebted for his assistance with my book, along with his lovely, long-suffering wife from whom I’ve stolen much time for Patrick to answer my multitude of questions!). We will go over the Utah portion of the trail, backtracking to Nevada,
Simpson’s Springs Station marker…
And this rather desolate looking Pony Express Trail Marker below shows the site of Rush Valley Station, where Aleksandra, my heroine, found shelter after she was first attacked by Indian arrows…
mmm.. don’t think it’ll look much like this in July! The Oquirrh Mountains & Lewiston Peak are shown in background. Great pics, thanks, Acidman 1968, wherever you are! Tried to contact you! Contact me please? Thanks!
from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/17004731 Credit to Acidman 1968!
Then Patrick is taking us along the trail on horseback through Hickman Canyon!
Hickman Canyon
After we leave the Heartys, we’ll return to CA the long way, through City of Rocks, where the baddie Vladimir finds himself in the story
after a ‘shortcut’…
By then we’ll have run out of time!
We will be hustling back to the Bay Area to fly out a few days later!
Thanks so much for reading! Hope to see many of you over there or when you come to visit in New Zealand!
