Through Time and the Valley is the story of a river--its history, its lore, its colorful characters, the comedies and tragedies that valley ranchers, outlaws, frontier wives, moonshiners, and cowboys have spun yarns about for generations. In an isolated piece of the West, the Canadian River stretched before John Erickson and Bill Ellzey as they began a journey through time and what the locals call "the valley." They went on horseback, as they might have traveled in a century before. For 140 miles they followed the course of the river from the Turkey Track Ranch to the redland prairies of the Oasis ranch, from Adobe Walls and the ghost town of Plemons to the little cowtown of Canadian. They talked, worked, and swapped stories with the people of the valley, piecing together a picture of what life has been like there for a hundred years, including tales of such real-life characters as Kit Carson, Quanah Parker, Billy Dixon, and Ishatai. A wry and delightful humorist, Erickson tickles our funnybone while touching our feelings.