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In my last blog , I shared Jim Bridger’s early history and ended with the building tension between he and Brigham Young. It occurs to me that ending the blog with the arrival of the US government might have been a bit premature. There are a few more details that must be explained before the government arrives. First, what was happening with the Natives in and around the area? Who were they and what did they think of all this invasion?  Chief Wa-ka-ra In and around the Great S

Let’s dig into Jim Bridger. A fascinating man, illiterate in English but fluent in all the things that made him one of the most famous mountain men. To start, I need to acknowledge two sources in my research about Jim Bridger. 

In the last historical blog about crossing unincorporated territories, I mentioned the mountain men. I will admit, I have a soft spot for these fellows. Theirs was always the ultimate in an adventurous life fraught with danger but independent and free of societal restrictions.

As a child of the west, I heard adults occasionally say, “That kid got an extra helping of ‘Try.’” I understood it as a compliment, even...

Hi folks! I’m going to interrupt my normal, history-based blogs to bring some clarification to my choice in titles. The books are...

We left off with what it was like to travel around Cape Horn on a sailing ship. But what about those who chose to travel over land? The...

Friday, August 1st was my, what the industry calls, “pub day.” The Gantlet and Kismet are now available.

In my blog about sailing around Cape Horn, I mentioned that sailing ships in the late 20th century and the 21st century are made with...

And what of the passengers on a California-bound ship in 1849? What could they expect? First class passengers’ fare was around $150...

So, what kind of people were sailors in the year 1849? The answer? A mixed lot. Typically, sailors were men who chose to make sailing...

Having grown up in a world where engines rule everything, the idea of being at the whim of the wind is hard for me to conceive. I’ve...

For this mountain girl, the idea of being surrounded by water for months is a pretty foreign concept. Perhaps was the case even for those...

We spend a lot of time thinking about it in our busy, 21st century lives - security or the lack of it. We have to watch and arm our...

Manuscript update: I’m happy to report that I have finished the manuscript for the newly renamed, “Zephyr’s Gantlet.” I now have it out...

It’s been quite a while since I last blogged and there’s a lot to catch up on. This blog will be less historical and more biographical in...

As eluded to in the last, I was led to this “what the…?" moment by a friend of the family who has traveled extensively in Nicaragua. My...

For many on the East Coast of the United States during the California Gold Rush, sailing around Cape Horn was a very popular option...

In our modern life of being able to communicate instantly, it is hard to imagine that historically, it could take as long as six months...

I’ve touched on the political and nationalism ambitions of President Polk when he took office, especially when it came to Mexico’s...

Most of you know that I’m an organic farmer (although I recently learned I can’t use the “o-word” since I refuse to be forced down the...