Summary

Chapter 6, The Rainbow Cross

This chapter traces the Pilgrim family’s earlier life in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the desert of northern New Mexico, where Papa was known as Preacher Bob. Like other hippies, the Pilgrims and their young children arrived in the area and answered an ad for someone to be the caretaker of a large piece of land. They learned later that they were dealing with log rustlers and that the land actually belonged to actor Jack Nicholson, who had bought it after filming Easy Rider in the area. They got rid of the rustlers and led others to believe Nicholson had hired them to care for his property, where Pilgrim erected a large cross near their cabin. During an intense storm, lightening struck the cross and sent a fireball into the cabin, injuring Rose but not seriously, and...