The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America

California’s population increased during the 1950s due to the continuing trend to move west. In late November 1955 Annie and her animals were trucked into Alturas, California, a small, mountainous town in the northeastern corner of the state. This cold, inland town did not fit Annie’s vision of sunny California, and she realized she had much traveling to do before reaching the milder parts of the state. Low on money, Annie asked for a cell to sleep in at the jail, where she was warmly received. When the Alturas Chamber of Commerce heard about her stay, they invited her to see a Western at the movie theater, since she had never seen a “talkie” before, and she greatly enjoyed this new experience.

For the next few weeks Annie rode south, away from the mountains and toward Redding, hoping to get there before another winter storm. When she arrived on December 15, the town welcomed her warmly and gave her a room at a luxurious hotel. Annie was grateful for this gesture, as she had little money left.

TV personality Art Linkletter traveled to Redding to meet Annie. Like Annie, he came from humble roots, but he had found success through his TV interview and gameshow programs.