How wide would a trail be

[gmw]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Perhaps you could convey that by using a different word, such as "track" or "road", rather than "trail"?

Similar thoughts went through my mind. My earlier suggestions were based on the idea that a "trail" or "track" both suggest paths that are not in constant use; paths that aren't well maintained and without enough traffic to wear away the grass between the wheel ruts and the branches reaching in from the sides. Whereas "road" gives the impression of something that is used more often, that has probably worn away a lot of such growth (and may even be maintained that way). Perhaps that's a lot to read into the words, but without additional clarification that is the impression I would take from them.

As a reader I wouldn't interpret much difference between "trail" or "track" in terms of the type of path.

[VydorScope]

I wonder would just a saying " a wide trail" work instead? I do not want to use "road" or anything that modern reader might associate with asphalt or concrete.

[HarryT]

That seems like a safer thing to do.

[morriss003]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Just enough that they get the picture and are not thinking of a walking path because later 20-30 soldiers are going to be on the trail and our hero is going to be face with a fight on that trail. None of that works if a person thinks he is following a game trail or something like that.

I think Harry's right. Try using words that suggest the width rather than a measurement. "I ran across a track a small wagon could traverse easily."

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by morriss003

I think Harry's right. Try using words that suggest the width rather than a measurement. "I ran across a track a small wagon could traverse easily."

As I mentioned above, I can not say "wagon" as the hero would have never seen one before. I think I will just do "a wide trail" and let imagination take over.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Just enough that they get the picture and are not thinking of a walking path because later 20-30 soldiers are going to be on the trail and our hero is going to be face with a fight on that trail. None of that works if a person thinks he is following a game trail or something like that.

If the character has never seen a wagon trail, he would not have the words to describe it. He would liken it to something he could relate to. It might well be a game trail or a large animal trail that he relates it to. But a trail so large that he could lay across that trail and it would span the space between his feet and his shoulders, or something like that.

Furthermore, if he likened it to a game trail or a large animal trail, he might well shudder or at least wonder at how strange an animal that could make such a trail could be.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

If the character has never seen a wagon trail, he would not have the words to describe it. He would liken it to something he could relate to. It might well be a game trail or a large animal trail that he relates it to. But a trail so large that he could lay across that trail and it would span the space between his feet and his shoulders, or something like that.

Furthermore, if he likened it to a game trail or a large animal trail, he might well shudder or at least wonder at how strange an animal that could make such a trail could be.

There is also the fact that the wagon would leave behind ruts so that the character who had never seen a wagon before would marvel at the strange animal tracks that were left behind in the dirt. We all work according to our own frame of reference. When the Conquistadors came to the America's I understand native tribes thought at first that they were seeing a half-man/half-horse creature as they had no frame of reference (the horses now in North America are descendants of horses that the Conquistadors brought with them) to tell them any different.