The Pony Express Rides Again
Keeping the history of the Pony Express alive is truly a remarkable endeavor. Members engage with the community through personal interactions at schools, museums, parades, and public presentations, sharing the rich history and enduring legacy of the Pony Express. You can easily spot the Pony Express riders in their distinctive red shirts at various parades and historical events across Nevada. This past Thursday evening, a re-ride progressed through Lyon County along Hwy 50.
The Pony Express Re-Riders transported mail on a monumental journey of nearly 2000 miles, spanning from Sacramento, California, to St. Joseph, Missouri. This incredible ride occurs around the clock, allowing them to complete the trip in just 10 days. To ensure tracking and safety, they carry a GPS device (the SPOT tracker) in their mochila, which sends a “ping” to a satellite every five minutes. This information is displayed as a Pony Rider Icon on an online NPS Map. In the late afternoon, I managed to catch up with the Rider and relief crew along Highway 50 in Dayton, NV, which was a fantastic experience. The exchange is quick, one Rider dismounting from their pony, moving the mochila, and placing it on the next pony. There is a team of four persons that assist with the transition to keep everyone safe and the ride moving smoothly. The ride started slowly in California, running approximately two hours late. However, the riders were back on schedule halfway through Dayton. One Rider shared that she has two ponies, and they are experienced endurance racers, which helped get the ride back on track. Each Rider was escorted by local law enforcement for safety and awareness, and commuter travel was mildly impacted as drivers slowed to watch the Rider and experience history.
