Road to Riches:

The Great Railroad Race to Aspen

Road to Riches was our first published novel.  A work of historical fiction, it is a "Western" and is based on the true story of an actual race to bring the railroad in to the mines of Aspen.  Perhaps more importantly, it was a book written in part by Cathy as a gift to her husband, Don. 

Released by Western Reflections, it is still one of our favorites.

            More historical than fiction, Road to Riches is a narrative tale of the proud men of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad as they raced against the Colorado Midland to become the first to reach Aspen in 1887.  By using actual newspaper accounts, archived company records, historical photos, as well as surviving handwritten telegrams to and from the construction crew, you can follow the fictional gang boss, Luke Ballister, as he works alongside the real people doing the real jobs, running one of the roughest crews in history–a 1,000 man multi-cultural railroad gang.  Laying track through rugged Glenwood Canyon and up the Roaring Fork Valley, they battle the elements, rockslides, race clashes and sabotage.

          Meticulously researched, the book also offers photographs taken during the actual project and copies of some of  the actual telegrams sent to and from the construction site.  Former Glenwood Springs resident and outdoor feature writer Cathy Clamp has joined forces with award-winning writer C.T. Adams to bring this well-known railroad battle to vivid life.  A must-read volume for railroad and Colorado history buffs.  

    "This entertaining novel is based on the famous 1887 railroad race to Aspen, Colorado.  The authors' historical research is first rate." Charles Albi, Historian, Colorado Railroad Museum.

   "An enthralling, original, deftly woven tale of cut-throat competition, backstabbing, war against the elements, amazing human feats and so much more.  Road to Riches is exceptionally well crafted and highly recommended reading."  Midwest Book Review

     "I enjoyed reading the book . . . it provided a different point of view than most historical texts and gave a feeling for the daily lives and thoughts of the men who built the railroad."  Jason Midyette, The Colorado Time Table, Colorado's Only Railroad Newspaper.

     "Carefully researched with a nice bit of romance in the midst, the novel will be particularly enjoyed by railroad buffs."  Sybil Downing, Denver Post

     "A lively account in novel form."  Donna Daniels, Glenwood Springs Post Independent

     "Contains no bad language and no loose morals, although there is a lot of loose rock involved.  Enjoyable . . . they stuck tightly to the facts.  I can, without reservation, recommend it."  Kendal Hemphill, Brady Standard-Herald

      "The authors breathe life into . . . names from history books, and have successfully balanced the human element with details of blasting and moving rock in a fast-paced story that will give readers a newfound appreciation for those hard-working 19th century individuals who connected all of Colorado."  Rocky Mountain News

       "The authors blend true-to-life events with a mix of colorful fictitious characters to create a story as grand as the railroad itself!"  HistoricRail.com

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Banner Photograph copyrighted to Timothy Klein and used with permission.