A Modern Pony Express Ride Makes a Historic Stop in Dayton

By Katie Hasbrouck, Dayton Main Street

It isn't every day that a little piece of Pony Express history comes rolling down Main Street in Dayton. However, that's exactly what happened when professional cyclist Lachlan Morton and his EF Pro Cycling support crew made a stop in our historic town during an extraordinary journey retracing the legendary Pony Express route from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.

Morton, an Australian endurance cyclist known for taking on remarkable long-distance challenges, set out to ride the nearly 2,000-mile route in hopes of beating the historic Pony Express horseback record. Along the way, his journey has become more than just a test of endurance. It's also a tribute to the young riders who carried mail across the American West in the 1860s, connecting communities separated by hundreds of miles of rugged terrain.

And what better place to celebrate that history than right here in Dayton?

In front of the historic Union Hotel, the past and present came together for a special Pony Express mail hand-off. National Pony Express rider Petra Keller arrived with her horse, Riccio, walking him into the Pony Express yard before transferring the mail from the traditional Pony Express mochila to Morton, who would continue carrying it westward by bicycle.

Dayton Main Street volunteers were there to welcome Morton and his EF Pro Cycling crew, presenting them with Dayton Main Street T-shirts as a little reminder of their visit to our historic community.

The stop was also captured for the documentary being filmed about Morton's journey. A letter carried from the previous Pony Express station in Ely, Nevada, was read aloud on camera, and a new letter was written to continue the journey to Sacramento. It was a wonderful reminder of how something as simple as delivering a letter once connected people across the vast American frontier.

For those who call Dayton home, moments like these are about more than remembering the past. They're about keeping it alive, sharing it with the next generation, and appreciating the people who make our little town what it is.