Miss Lillian's Postcards - Father is in San Diego

Sender: HM (Henry Maguire, Lillian's father)
Addressee: Miss Lill Maguire, 1902 G Terry Ave, Seattle, Washington
Postmark: San Diego, Cal.
Date: November 23, 1909
Image: Snowy Range, Near Trinidad, Colo.

On the postcard back is this description: The Snowy Range presents no scenery of the tremendous type, but frequently views wide in scope and full of beauty are seen. It is visible for miles as the train hurries along. It is eternally snow-capped - hence its name.

When I google Snowy Range Mountains, I learn that they are in the northern part of Colorado, while the town of Trinidad is in southern Colorado. I think they meant the southern Colorado Sangres mountains, which ARE near Trinidad. And are pretty snowy, at least, in winter. Plus, the train does go through Trinidad, while there are no trains near the Snowy Range mountains, that I could find.

Message:

Nov 23-09

San Diego Cal

I arrived here the 22nd. 

Oranges and Lemons look

fine.Their [sic] is fruit here

that, I never so [sic] before.

Clothing shoes and everything

else cheap as in St Louis

HM

Happy day, another letter from Lillian's dad! He has arrived at his California destination, San Diego, on November 22nd. We don't know when he left St Louis, but we do know he was in Albuquerque on November 20th. It took two days for the train to get from Albuquerque to San Diego in 1909! 

I love his comments on the citrus fruit, which would be a novelty for him, I'm sure. I wonder what other fruit he might have seen in San Diego that he never saw before. His comment on the price of clothing was also interesting. Prices in San Diego are apparently similar to prices in St Louis.

Of more interest is what took him to California. Since he is writing, I am guessing that Lillian's mother is still back in St Louis. And since things are new to him in San Diego, I feel that I can rule out a family visit. And assume that this is a business trip of some sort. Sigh. I wish I knew!