In the spring of 1985 we made a pilgrimage to the Walsh Home Ranch, where my grandmother first lived when she came to America. Her half-uncle, Paddy Walsh offered safe refuge for most of our family, who passed through the ranch at one point or another. Paddy became the single largest landowner in Lander County. When we first visited, I was surprised to discover the current Home Ranch owner, Jim Champie was cousins with folks I grew up with in Marin County. Mo Champie and Phil Bundschu were classmates of mine at Drake High School. He knew the names of our horses. Through him we also discovered another branch of the family we thought long lost. Apparently we were the only ones making pilgrimages to the ranch. I found this book far from home, while visiting a folklorist in the Sierra foothills.
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