When I was a kid, we sang a song in school about the Sante Fe trail, totally different than this. It was very slow, and in a minor key. All I remember was singing,

"Plod along, plod on the Sante Fe Trail
Plod along, plod on the Sante Fe Trail"

It may be the most descriptive, authentic, un-romantic line ever to be written in folk music.. :-)

Jerry