The Distance in a Horse-Drawn Cart

Most of Arrin's story takes place over a short journey. In a car you could easily make the trip in three or four hours (with no traffic). But they're traveling by horse cart through mountains.
I assumed it might take them three days at the most to reach their destination. But now that I realized the distance they have to travel, it would be at least a week (maybe more - I have to calculate a better number, especially since there's bound to be delays). One horse can't pull a cart almost 100 miles up steep mountain roads non-stop.

This story actually takes place in Magic-Earth's version of Yosemite National Park. Thanks to my summer job there, I already had some information about the first stretch of the journey. They start in Wawona and travel over to the valley. Back in the day, people would make that trip by stage coach. With several stops to switch out for fresh horses, it took about six hours. I think it's about 30 miles.


But the seconds stretch of the trip is twice that distance. And Arrin and her companions are not switching out for fresh horses. They just have the one horse. While Enrick is in a hurry to reach his destination, he does not want to take "public transportation" (for a very good reason).

If the trip takes a week or more, that means there's a lot I have to rethink.
For example, Enrick (one of the three main characters) wanted to make the trip because he thought it would be faster than waiting for someone to come to their aid. That made sense if the trip was only three days. But if the journey is closer to a week then he may not make that bet.
How will that fit then. Hmm.
Either I'd have to change the time frame for when help might arrive (which doesn't really fit with the workings of the people they're waiting for). Or I'll have to think of a very compelling reason that would convince Enrick to seek out this one guy in particular. Since he is in a rather desperate rush, that will have to be a very good reason indeed.
Unless there's some other solution that I haven't considered yet.

Bleh. Just when I thought I was starting to get out of the stickier bits of the story.
Plus, as usual, I really have no idea what's going to fill much of the second half of the story.


Blue-throated piping guan