The Saragossa Stage: Hell on Wheels

A cub reporter story: A 50-mile reenactment ride on an authentic stagecoach may have been 40 miles too long. Would all the “lucky” passengers live to tell the tale.

It was 5:00 am on a chilly Saturday morning in mid-June. As per my instructions I arrived at a trailhead just outside of Forest Grove. The route had been well planned.

My name is Scott. I’m a cub reporter for a small-town paper.

It was a busy day at the office. I was eating lunch at my desk as I pounded the keys. I had a deadline to meet. The whole week had been crazy. One more day and I could ease into a relaxing weekend. My mouth was filled with the last bite of a tuna fish sandwich when the boss walked up to my desk.

“What do you know about stagecoaches?” he asked.

A quick swallow and a swig of cold coffee cleared my throat. “Saw a really nice one when I did the piece on Saragossa, that old west tourist town south of here. Thought I’d see about hitching a ride while I was there but didn’t get the chance.”

“Well then I’ve got good news for you,” he replied.

The boss handed me an assignment slip and continued. “Seems the owners of that very stage are looking to attract more tourists to Saragossa. They’ve organized a 50 mile stage line along the same route as the first…