Ten Shoes Up

Angus is a 1880s cowboy riding and hiding on Ten Shoes Up, a 10,000 foot mountain straddling the border between New Mexico and Colorado. He rides straight-legged, with a slack rein, always on the lookout. Angus doesn't talk much except to Tucson, his bay gelding. Men admire the way he sits a saddle, and women wonder if he's going to dismount. As he rides into a new town, any fool can see he's well-armed, confident, and riding a fine horse. He's often taken for a scout or a trapper, or an outlaw. Some say his coming down off "his" mountain was reluctant. Others say it's about time. Angus's worldview depends on the horse he rides, the trails he follows, and the rivers he crosses. He lives by his own code-Hold true to nature, hide your misery, stay out of sight. In his early twenties, he's on a mission and struggles to resolve issues he thought were buried with his young wife. His life bears little likeness to today's frenetic culture. Still, what happens to him parallels choices made by many young people today. While the West is no longer wild, today's culture owes much of its footing to men like Angus. Angus and Tucson are the same story-the onrush of civilization and its fated codes that clash with deeply held beliefs.