The Cruise of a Schooner

In Short

Driven by a lifelong desire to cross the continent by land, Albert W. Harris sets out in May 1910 from California to Illinois in a custom prairie schooner. Joined in shifts by family, friends, and a rotating crew of companions, Harris navigates desert heat, treacherous mountain passes, and endless mud while tending to a team of faithful yet exhausted horses. Part pioneer throwback and part practical travelogue, the account records a rapidly modernizing American landscape where telegraph lines and emerging fruit ranches overlap with the old dirt trails of the frontier.

The Story

The journey begins in Southern California as Albert W. Harris fulfills an "air castle" concept he harbored since childhood: taking an overland wagon trip across the United States. Setting out from the settled valleys between Los Angeles and San Bernardino, Harris and his initial companions—a doctor and a cook named Bob—immediately face harsh conditions. Striking out past the San Bernardino Mountains, they enter the Mojave Desert, where blinding sandstorms, extreme day-to-night temperature drops, and scarce water test their resolve.

As they drag the heavy schooner through dry riverbeds and rocky canyons toward Nevada and Utah, the harsh elements take a heavy toll on their horses. One mare, Kate, suffers nosebleeds and near-blindness from exhaustion, forcing the party to rest in isolated outposts like Kelso and Las Vegas. Despite temperatures soaring past 120 degrees, the group pushes onward, admiring the shifting colors of the desert and meeting local homesteaders, Mexican railroad hands, and magazine canvassers in Mormon towns like St. George and Monroe.

The journey continues eastward through Utah's Castle Valley and over the Sevier Range, eventually reaching Grand Junction, Colorado. Here, the expedition’s composition shifts: the original companions head home, and Harris is joined by new partners, including his young sons and a veteran camper named Brad. Traversing Colorado involves navigating steep mountain roads where buggies must be physically lifted into the rocks to let the schooner pass, camping alongside cold trout streams, and trading unmanageable horses like the stubborn "Cyclone" to unsuspecting locals.

Pushing down from the Rockies into Nebraska, the trek turns into a race against autumn rains and failing animal strength. Harris faces the loss of usable horses, relying heavily on a dependable mare named Bess while leading lame stock behind the wagon. Negotiating bad roads, navigating around flooded rivers, and relying on local hospitality—and the surprisingly fluid exchange of personal checks in remote towns—the party maintains an average pace of twenty miles a day.

After traveling 2,492 miles over four months and four days, Harris reaches his destination: his personal farm in Illinois on October 4, 1910. The horses are turned out to pasture, the equipment is stowed, and within hours, Harris is summoned by business directly to New York City, bringing his western adventure to a definitive close.

How It Unfolds

The journey begins Leaving the lush groves of Southern California, the expedition immediately encounters a choking sandstorm before ascending the San Bernardino range into the Mojave Desert.

Testing the desert The party struggles through rocky canyon riverbeds and scorching heat, taking midnight baths in trickle streams and resting their suffering horses in small desert towns like Kelso and Las Vegas.

Crossing the Mormon settlements Moving into Utah, the travelers navigate steep mountain pulls to Poverty Flat, trading tales with local ranchers and taking pointers on the trail from residents in St. George and Monroe.

Traversing Castle Valley The crew marvels at the weird, castle-like rock formations guarding the desolate landscape, taking a crucial rest stop at Green River before making the hard push toward Grand Junction.

Scaling the Rockies With a newly configured crew, the wagon climbs high into the Colorado mountains, passing deserted mining camps and clearing narrow cliffside roads of oncoming traffic.

Trading stock on the plains Descending into Nebraska, Harris swaps troublesome horses for fresh ones, battles persistent mud and rain, and marvels at the informal economy of small-town check-cashing.

The final pull home Maintaining a steady twenty-mile daily average despite tired horses, Harris completes the 2,492-mile circuit, arriving at his Illinois farm just before being recalled to city life in New York.

The People

• Albert W. Harris (The Narrator): The mastermind of the expedition who wants to realize his childhood "air castles" of owning horses, farming, and traveling overland. He handles the driving, logistics, and animal care, remaining stubbornly persistent about keeping his original horses alive and reaching his goal on schedule.
• The Doctor ("Doc"): A companion on the first leg through the desert who manages camp packing and horse care. Though not an expert on equine diseases, his firm medical advice keeps the human crew healthy and free from illness despite harsh conditions and bad water.
• Bob: The camp cook and horseman for the western desert stretch, responsible for preparing meals, riding lead, and keeping up morale during hot, sandy drives.
• Brad: A veteran camper and skilled cook who joins for the mountain stretch, easily handling camp chores and humorously guiding stranded motorists past the wide wagon on narrow mountain roads.
• Norman and Pete (The Boys): Younger companions—including Harris's son—who join for the middle and late stages of the trip, providing lighthearted humor, catching fish, and laughing at the absurdities of horse-trading along the trail.
• Kate, Bess, Dixie, and Cyclone: The hard-working team of horses. Bess acts as the tireless, iron-strong foundation; Kate struggles through severe lameness and heat exhaustion; Dixie suffers neck sores; and the unpredictable Cyclone gets traded away after refusing to pull smoothly.

In Its Own Voice

"It was quite a grotesque sight to see three men trying to take a bath in such a stream by the light of the moon."

The party makes the best of a three-inch-deep trickling creek in the Mojave River canyon after a exhausting drive through heat and sand.

"He said that he found one of his men standing at a switch close to a rattlesnake that was just coiling up to strike him."

A Utah foreman relates a humorous local tale about a Mexican worker who refused to jump out of danger because the snake hadn't "rung the bell."

"He’s going to feed and rest Cyclone up and drive him to a buggy. My! but I would give a dollar to be there when he does it."

Norman collapses in laughter after Harris successfully trades off their most stubborn horse to a local trader without revealing the animal's temper.

What It's Really About

At its core, the narrative explores the fulfillment of a long-deferred personal dream against the backdrop of a changing nation. It captures a transitional moment in American history—1910—when the classic frontier experience of wagon travel was yielding to railroads, telegrams, and early automotive infrastructure. The text examines the practical realities of self-reliance, animal husbandry, and group camaraderie under physical strain. Beneath the simple daily travel log lies a reflection on the contrast between the freedom of open-air "gipsy life" and the fast-paced demands of modern urban civilization.

Why Read It Today

This travelogue appeals to readers who enjoy authentic historic Americana, outdoor adventure, and firsthand accounts of the early 20th-century American West. It offers a grounded, unpretentious voice that treats readers to the exact day-to-day rhythm of horse-and-wagon travel—from the practicalities of shoeing horses in 126-degree heat to the simple pleasure of fresh eggs bought from a roadside farmer.

The prose is unvarnished and straightforward, avoiding overly dramatic language in favor of observational humor and plain facts. Readers should note period elements typical of its time, such as casual characterizations of local ethnic workers and a somewhat casual approach to livestock trading. However, the author's warmth toward his companions and genuine affection for his hard-working horses shine through every entry. It remains a refreshing, understated document of a vanished way of traveling across America.