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Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]>
Mon, 23 Nov 2020 12:49:59 -0800
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I've become dissatisfied with the organization of this site, primarily 
because I did not have a comprehensive plan when I started it.  I had 
thought to map out and discuss all the locations mentioned in Twain's 
travel books.  I immediately drifted away from that by starting out with 
his North American tour, which is not found in any of his books other 
than a brief mention in Following the Equator.

Next, I was curious about all the places he didn't mention traveling 
west in Roughing It.  I went so far as to include a section on his 
crossing "The Great American Desert".  Twain's reference to this desert 
is limited to the Forty Mile Desert, the remains of Lake Lahontan and 
the Carson Sink but the region originally referred to much of the Basin 
and Range province of western North America.  Also, I've noted all the 
Pony Express/Overland Stage stations he passed by and may have stopped 
at however briefly.

Anyway, to remedy my dissatisfaction I'm working on  a time line of his 
travels.  I'd been relying a great deal on David Fears' Day by Day but 
the on-line version can be difficult to use.  It is sorely lacking in 
indexing.  What really prompted me, however, was working through the 
index in Rasmussen's Critical Companion, trying to find all the 
locations I'd overlooked so far.

In the time line I've so far noted the dates of most of his journeys and 
some of the brief stops he made.  It does not have a link to the site as 
yet but it is accessible at https://twainsgeography.com/simple-timeline

Just thought I'd let you all know what I've been up to.

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