"Stations were built at intervals averaging fifteen miles apart. A rider's route covered three stations, with an exchange of horses at each, so that he was expected at the beginning to cover close to forty-five miles - a good ride when one must average fifteen miles an hour"
About this Quote
The sentence performs a neat double move. On the surface, it’s a matter-of-fact description of how the system works. Underneath, it’s a calibration of toughness. “A good ride” sounds modest, but the phrase “when one must average fifteen miles an hour” tightens the screw. The rider isn’t simply traveling; he’s meeting a quota. Bill sells stamina through timekeeping, recasting heroism as endurance under a stopwatch. That’s a modern kind of masculinity, closer to industrial performance than to folk legend.
Context does the rest. Cody became famous by packaging the West for audiences who wanted thrills without mud on their boots. This quote fits that project: it’s a behind-the-scenes glimpse that makes the spectacle feel authentic. He’s not shouting; he’s testifying. The subtext: the frontier wasn’t just won by daring individuals, but by systems that could move information faster than anyone else. Speed becomes power, and power becomes destiny.
Quote Details
| Topic | Journey |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Bill, Buffalo. (2026, January 17). Stations were built at intervals averaging fifteen miles apart. A rider's route covered three stations, with an exchange of horses at each, so that he was expected at the beginning to cover close to forty-five miles - a good ride when one must average fifteen miles an hour. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stations-were-built-at-intervals-averaging-33543/
Chicago Style
Bill, Buffalo. "Stations were built at intervals averaging fifteen miles apart. A rider's route covered three stations, with an exchange of horses at each, so that he was expected at the beginning to cover close to forty-five miles - a good ride when one must average fifteen miles an hour." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stations-were-built-at-intervals-averaging-33543/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Stations were built at intervals averaging fifteen miles apart. A rider's route covered three stations, with an exchange of horses at each, so that he was expected at the beginning to cover close to forty-five miles - a good ride when one must average fifteen miles an hour." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stations-were-built-at-intervals-averaging-33543/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.



