15th Annual Pony Express Reenactment, 2009

Rider news updated as it happens at the start of this page, or follow the links to other information.

5/17/09
On October 26, 1861, an editorial notice appeared in the Sacramento Bee newspaper, signaling the end of the Pony Express:

“Our little friend, the Pony, is to run no more. “Stop it” is the order that has been issued by those in authority. Farewell and forever, thou staunch, wilderness-overcoming, swift-footed messenger! For the good thou hast done we praise thee; and, having run the race, and accomplished all that was hoped for and expected, we can part with thy services without regret.

Rest then, in peace, for thou hast run thy race, thou has followed thy course, thou hast done the work that was given thee to do.”

Uncanny. 148 years later, I could not have said it better.

To me, our reenactment was wonderful, imperfect, exciting, exhausting, exhilarating, too brief, and, I think, successful. In short – very much like the Pony Express we were re-creating!

As predicted, we learned much to improve next year. Yet we should remember how far our “little” event has come in a short time. No one was injured, and many smiles were seen. We created golden memories for ourselves, and those who witnessed us.

Thank you ALL who rode the Pony (or helped the Pony run!), got it done, and got the mail through! You make me proud of my association with you.

Most Sincerely,
Matt (& Belle, too!)

Matthew Midgett
Rider Coordinator
2009 MBHA Pony Express Reenactment

5/13/09
Hello Fellow Pony Rider!

Well, the day is getting close. I want to share another Pony Express story with you, but first a couple of things to help me out:

1. MBHA provides handsome metal "Pony Express Messenger" replica badges to all riders. If you have ridden before, we ask that you use the same badge you were given then. IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST YEAR RIDING, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT A BADGE CAN BE RESERVED AND GIVEN TO YOU AS YOU COLLECT THE MAIL BAG AT YOUR ASSIGNED ROUTE ON SATURDAY (David Kronick, MBHA vice president and escort vehicle driver will hand it to you.) The commemorative badge is yours to keep.

2. It is very important that each rider (and any outriders) leave their rendezvous station on schedule and arrive on schedule at the next station connection point. If you have any questions about your schedule, please contact me ASAP. The schedule has worked very well for many years (thank you, Wayne Miller!). It is timed so that riders may alternate between a fast walk and a trot. You may certainly gallop as well, if you wish. The important thing is to carry a timepiece of some sort and keep an eye on your progress. The next rider will be waiting for you! We ask that each rider get to the station point 20 minutes before they are scheduled to ride, and be prepared to accept the mail as soon as it arrives. IF THE MAIL ARRIVES EARLY TO YOU, YOU MAY LEAVE YOUR STATION EARLY.

3. Dave Baird of T Circle Ranch Tack & Repair Shop has volunteered to add some additional tie-downs to the Pony Express Mail pouch (it is a medium-sized leather saddlebag). You will need to quickly attach the bag to your saddle. Usually Dave Kronick. myself or an outrider will help you with this. Each case is somewhat different, but you will find a convenient way to tie it on.

BY U.S. POSTAL REGULATIONS, THE MAIL BAG MUST NOT LEAVE THE POSSESSION OF A MBHA-REGISTERED RIDER AT ANY TIME.

4. David and Nancy Kronick have again volunteered to provide a motor escort for the entire 33 mile route (THANK YOU BOTH!). They will help keep riders on track, and have water, a first aid kit, etc. on board the official "Ponymobile". In addition, a marked Citizens on Patrol COPS car will accompany Tina, Dan, Kim and Ken along the trail near Pioneer Town Road.

5. All riders and outriders are strongly encouraged to gather at Becky Vowles' big barn at the east end of Pioneer Town between 12:00 and 12:30 p.m. We will ride as a group down Mane Street PROMPTLY AT 1:00 P.M. as part of the Historic Reenactment program. The ride will be informal-parade fashion (no running). At approximately 1:15 p.m., the final rider will bring in the mail, and then join the group for VIP photos near the Post Office at approximately 1:30 p.m. (any reenactment gunfire will be located well away from the riders and their horses). THIS IS AN HISTORIC EVENT. DON'T MISS IT! If you are unsure about riding your horse down Mane Street (a wide dirt road), feel free to ride around it and join up near the Post Office for photos.


AS ALWAYS, PLEASE CALL ME AT ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS, CONCERNS OR SUGGESTIONS!

Matthew Midgett
Riders Coordinator
2009 MBHA Pony Express Reenactment
(760) 363-7226

4/19/09
Dear Fellow Pony Express Rider,

Well, you made our riders breakfast a success... THANK YOU!
We had a record number of attendees (representing many groups and organizations, including the Desert Riders, and Morongo Valley Trail Riders) , and significantly, a record number of registered riders and outriders for the May 16th Reenactment.

I am always amazed by how all of you work together to coordinate the registration process.

A very special thank you to Karen Lowe of the Morongo Trail Riders for stepping in and being our "Guest Registrar"! Aside from her congeniality, maybe the best thing is that she has very legible handwriting.
All riders should have received a copy of the PONY EXPRESS RIDE SCHEDULE. This outlines each ride segment and time of departure and arrival. If you failed to receive one, A COPY IN WORD FORMAT IS ATTACHED FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD.

If you know of someone who wishes to participate and did not register today, please remind them that they can still register to share a route segment, or join us as an outrider. We don't want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this historic event.

Sincerely,
Matthew Midgett
Rider Coordinator
2009 MBHA Pony Express Reenactment
760 363-7226

4/17/09
Hello Fellow Pony Express Rider,

Some riders choose to ride from their trailer (or home), to their mail pick up point, on to the delivery point, and then back again -- making a round trip ride.

Others prefer to trailer with another rider (or riders), and "leap frog" along their routes; one rider drops off the other to do his or her route, drives the trailer to the delivery point, and then they reverse for the next stop.

Both ways work fine, and you should choose what works best for you.

Just had a very nice call from Richard Kerr "Lucky Sumtyms" from the Mojave Muleskinners.

He let me know that the link to the Muleskinners on the MBHA web site (I think I provided the info!) is incorrect. Should be: www.mojavemuleskinners.com And if we will contact Cateleen Capps "Cutter" through their web site, she can add a link to MBHA there.

Richard and the co-president of the Muleskinners, Jim Capps "Captain Ball", will be meeting with Greg and Terry of Pioneer Town this weekend to go over the encampment plans. Greg and Terry will be out of town that weekend, so the Muleskinners will be in charge of town during the weekend encampment.

Traditionally, the "Law Dogs & Ladies" do an extensive show on Mane Street at noon on Saturday, but Richard thinks they have been informed of our plans to ride through at 1:00 p.m. (to about 1:30 p.m.) I HOPE GUNFIGHTERS FOR HIRE WILL CONFIRM/COORDINATE THIS.

Richard says there will be camping all along Mane Street, from Pappy and Harriet's to the Bowling Alley, but that they will arrange it so that we can safely walk horses (mounted) past the Bowling Alley as the Pony Express riders group parades to the Post Office. The lone rider with the mail will have to adapt his ride to the circumstances.

Richard said the Muleskinners are VERY happy the MBHA Pony Express is participating with them on this exciting event; there will be a number of interesting activities, vendors, etc. --

I am planning on meeting with the Gunfighters for Hire at Pioneer Town on Sunday, April 26th at about 3:30/4:00 to discuss plans for the "robbery", etc. You all are welcome to join us if you like.


Here is some related contact info:

Jim Capps "Captain Ball"
President, Mojave Muleskinners
(714) 815-6958

Cateleen Capps "Cutter"
Web Mistress, Mojave Muleskinners

Richard Kerr "Lucky Sumtyms"
(760) 808-0348 cell

Tom Boring
Gunfighters For Hire
367-2550

4/14/09
A reminder: Our riders meeting is this coming Sunday the 19th at 10:00 a.m. All riders are encouraged to attend -- and we hope you will elect to help carry the mail!
To accommodate Postal regulations, and to provide insurance during the ride, all those actually carrying the mail must be MBHA members. A special rate of $25 will cover the ride and include a year's membership.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to be a part of history.

PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THE MBHA PONY EXPRESS RIDERS BREAKFAST THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH, 10:00 A.M.

followed dream ranch
50210 aspen drive, Morongo valley

Registration Fee: MBHA members $10, Others $25 (includes 1 year MBHA membership)

We will gather together to look at the route map and select your preferred segment (based on distance and terrain), enjoy the fellowship, and eat breakfast! Although there is no organized ride after breakfast, feel free to bring a horse and take the trail to Big Morongo Canyon, or other local destinations.

PLEASE RSVP BY END OF DAY THURSDAY to this email or (760) 363-7226 !

If you are unable to attend, please call Matt ASAP @ (760) 363-7226 to discuss your route segment preferences, etc.

Directions from Palm Springs: Take Indian Canyon Drive north to I-10. I-10 west to Hwy 62 north about 12 miles to Morongo Valley. Just as you are leaving the commercial area of Morongo Valley, take Valley View Road left ½ mile to Aspen Drive. Left on Aspen Drive to first driveway on right – 50210 Aspen Drive. (Approximately 25 minutes).

Directions from Yucca Valley: Take Hwy. 62 (29 Palms Hwy) to Morongo Valley. Watch for North Star, then Palo Verde. Next right is Valley View Road. Go right on Valley View ½ mile to Aspen Drive. Left on Aspen Drive to first driveway on right – 50210 Aspen Drive. (Approximately 15 minutes).

PLEASE CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS, ETC.

(760) 363-7226 SEE YOU THERE!

4/6/09
Hello Fellow Pony Express Riders,

As this is our 15th Anniversary Reenactment, and a Memorial Tribute to former Palm Springs Mayor and great horseman, Frank Bogert, the City of Palm Springs would like to participate in our ride on May 16th.

This is a great gesture on their part, and a nice acknowledgement of our organization.

Sharon Heider, Parks Superintendent for the City, would very much like to ride with us. Her horse is out of the area at this time, and she would like to ride a "loaner" horse. It would be fine if the owner wished to ride along side Sharon, during her segment. I asked about her experience level, and she answered "old"! Well, she has ridden a great deal during her lifetime, both English and Western, and is now taking training in polo!

PLEASE CONTACT SHARON DIRECTLY IF YOU CAN HELP US OUT WITH THIS!

Sharon Heider
760 902-0662 (cell)
760 325-8281 (office)

Email:
sharon.heider@palmsprings-ca.gov

3/24/09 Frank Bogert Dedication
Dear Fellow Pony Express Rider,

It is with great regret that I inform you that our 2009 Pony Express Reenactment Honoree, Frank Bogert, passed away late last night (Sunday, March 22nd).

Frank was a very special man, and a great friend of the horse riding community. Indeed, this is the end of an era, and a loss to our entire region.

The MBHA Board of Directors has announced that the 2009 Pony Express Reenactment will now be dedicated to Frank Bogert as a Memorial Tribute.

It is a blessing that Frank knew of our intentions to honor him. He was very gracious in his acceptance.

I know you join me in keeping his family in your thoughts and prayers.
If you have spent any time in Palm Springs, you have heard the name -- Frank Bogert. Born in 1910 (!) he came to the desert community in 1927 as a dude wrangler. The son of a successful cattle rancher, Frank grew up on horses. He competed in rodeos, led countless trail rides, and developed and managed the dude ranch that later became the prestigious Thunderbird Country Club. He was integral to the development of Smoke Tree Ranch. Frank helped define early Palm Springs as a "Western" destination, and has continued to defend that notion ever since.

Frank devoted a dozen years serving as Mayor of Palm Springs, guiding its growth during challenging times. His philanthropic and cultural contributions are far too numerous to mention. Frank is a member of the Charros, an elite group of Mexican gentlemen riders, who have presented him with their highest honor -- The Golden Spur Award.

In 1938, Frank organized a trail ride patterned after the Rancheros Visadores. That first ride from Palm Springs was up Morongo Canyon to Morongo Valley, and on to Yucca Valley -- following very nearly our current Pony Express Reenactment route. Still going strong, the ride now takes place in a different area of Southern California each year.

He is a top professional rodeo announcer, former Hollywood stunt man in Westerns, and a serious collector of western riding gear and artwork. He has been a tireless defender of the Desert Empire's cowboy heritage. To many people, Frank Bogart represents the quintessential desert cowboy. A life sized bronze statue of Frank aboard a bucking bronc decorates the front of the Palm Springs City Hall.

It is our great privilege to announce that we will honor him this year by dedicating the 15th Anniversary running of the MBHA Pony Express Reenactment to Mr. Frank Bogert.
Sincerely,

Matt

Matthew Midgett
Riders Coordinator
MBHA 2009 Pony Express Reenactment

3/9/09 Encampment news
In addition to riding your portion of the Pony Express route, all riders are also invited to participate in a special event later that day in Pioneer Town:

This year's reenactment ride really will be special. As some of you know, a scheduling conflict prevented us from participating with the Pioneer Town Posse, as in years past. However, Gunfighters For Hire have come to our rescue (in more ways than one!)

Gunfighter's For Hire (www.gunfightersforhire.com) is a volunteer group performing Old West reenactments on Mane Street in Pioneer Town the second and last Sunday of the month (April-October). On May 16th, they will not only attempt to steal the Pony Express mail (dastardly!), but a second contingent of their members will ride in to save the day (hurray!)

We will ride our designated Pony Express route segments (carrying actual U. S. Mail) from Palm Springs to Pioneer Town, just as in the past. However, once we get to Pioneer Town, there is a new way for us to participate:

Since there will be an historic reenactment encampment in Pioneer Town that weekend ( see www.mojavemuleskinners.com ), we will adjust our entrance into town. All Pony Express Riders (and any outriders who wish to participate on their own) will gather at the Big Barn (east of town) by 12:30 p.m. At 1:00 p.m., we will ride, informal parade fashion, down the portion of Mane Street not being used by the historic encampment. We will pass in front of the bowling alley, and ride to the Post Office. We will wait near the Post Office for a few minutes, as an announcer lets the crowd know the mail "is a com'in" -- ridden in by our fellow rider (and MBHA President) James Verret. As he passes the bowling alley on Mane Street, Gunfighters For Hire outlaws will attempt to ambush him, and others will ride in to his defense. He will successfully complete his mail run to the Post Office, where we will be reunited, greet dignitaries, and pose for group photographs (approximately 1:30 p.m.).

All "shooting" will be limited to the area in front of the bowling alley, well away from our horses waiting down by the Post Office. Pony Express riders will not have to race down Mane Street. We will walk (more or less!) our horses along Mane Street to the Post Office.

We will discuss the Pony Express ride in detail, as well as assign the riding segments, at our Riders Meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 19th. Please spread the word, and invite your friends to join us for this very special event!

If you have any questions, please give me a call at (760) 363-7226.

Thanks!

Matthew Midgett, coordinator
MBHA Pony Express Riders

HOWDY, FELLOW PONY EXPRESS RIDERS!

We have A date for our Pony Express Reenactment 2009: Saturday, May 16th

Our riders' meeting will be held at Followed Dream Ranch (same as last year-- with breakfast!) at 10:00 a.m., Sunday, April 19th. As before, our route will take us from the Palm Springs Main Post Office, through Morongo and part of Yucca Valleys, to Pioneer Town.

The May date was selected because it will allow us to be part of a big historic encampment reenactment that weekend at Pioneer Town. We should benefit from the additional publicity, and it will be great fun to be part of living history. Dave Kronick has already lined up three sponsors for our ride, and is looking for more. It's an excellent publicity opportunity for any business or organization. You can reach Dave at 760 662-9025 Because of the slightly later-in-the-year date, we are considering starting the ride earlier (6:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m.) to help beat the possible heat. That would put us into Pioneer Town about 11:30 or so. We still plan on delivering the mail, as a group (as many as can participate) to the Pioneer Town Post Office at 1:00 p.m. Your ideas on this are welcomed, please let us know what you think! We will again have a motor escort along the entire route (thank you David and Nancy Kronick!), as well as police escort along Pioneer Town Road.

As always, we hope this will be a community wide event -- all riders are welcome to participate. As before, anyone officially entering (carrying the mail) must be a Morongo Basin Horsemen's Association member (for insurance purposes); unofficial "escort" riders may accompany the rider without cost. Like last year, current MBHA members are asked to pay a $10 rider fee; non-members pay $25, which includes MBHA membership. All official Pony Express riders must have completed membership/rider forms in order to participate.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN US!

Please feel free to contact me at any time with your comments/suggestions.

Matthew Midgett
Rider Coordinator
760 363-7226

Pony Express Art Contest
WANTED
All Artists, Dead or Alive!

The Pony Express rides again and the MBHA needs talented artists to design the 2009 Pony Express stamps. Winners will receive recognition for their work and the stamps will be submitted to museums across the United States. The 2009 Pony Express Art Contest is open to all artists. All artwork must be the contestant's original creation. The artwork must call attention to the Pony Express rider, the desert environment, or Pioneertown. Entries may be dropped at the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce. Final entry date: March 16, 2009. Contact: Sukulina Das 365.2653 sukulina@gmail.com or David Kronnick 760-365-6364 kronick29@yahoo.com Contest rules and examples of all previous year’s stamps are available here.

Images from Rides Past

May 10th, 2008 Pony Express Ride

May 12th, 2007, Pony Express Ride

TheReal Pony Express
A Tribute to American Rugged Individualism

The relay of mail by horse and riders ran between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California, a distance of almost 2,000 miles. Delivery was an impossibly fast 10 days. Fresh horse were required every 10-15 miles and fresh riders every 75-100 miles. A one-way trip would use 175 horses. Horses traveled an average of 10 miles per hour. A rider’s day consisted of galloping continuously for 10 hours. Once a run started it did not stop. Riders continued even at night when the only illumination came from the moon or flashes of lightening.

The Pony Express ran for 18 months, from April 3, 1860, to late October 1861. The official end of the Pony Express was when the telegraph was completed October 24, 1861. The Pony Express was a brief, but colorful chapter in the Old West. It captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. Reliance on the ability and endurance of the individual riders and horses is a part of "American rugged individualism."

The Pioneertown Pony Express is sponsored by the Morongo Basin Horsemen’s Association. 2009 will be the 15th Annual Pioneertown Pony
Express Reenactment. This year it will run from Palm Springs to Pioneertown.

“No matter what time of day or night his watch came on, and no matter whether it was winter or summer, raining, snowing, hailing or sleeting, or whether his “beat” was a level straight road or a crazy trail over mountain crags and precipices, or whether it led through peaceful regions or regions that swarmed with hostile Indians, the pony rider must be always ready to leap into the saddle and be off like the wind! There was no idling time for a pony rider on duty. He rode fifty miles without stopping, by daylight, moonlight, starlight, or through the blackness of darkness – just as it happened. He rode a splendid horse that was born for a racer and fed and lodged like a gentleman: kept him at his utmost speed for ten miles, and then, as he came crashing up to the station where stood two men holding fast a fresh, impatient steed, the transfer of rider and mailbag was made in the twinkling of an eye, and away flew the eagle pair and were out of sight before the spectator could get hardly the ghost of a look.”

Mark Twain was traveling with his brother, and was very eager to actually see the Pony Express in action. After all, it was the marvel of the age. He wrote:

“The couriers had managed to streak by in the night, and so we heard only a whiz and a hail, and the swift phantom of the desert [!] was gone before we could get our heads out of the windows.”

After several disappointments, one day the driver on the overland stage shouted back to the passengers, “Here he comes!”

“Every neck is stretched further, and every eye strained wider. Away across the endless dead level of the prairie a black speck appears against the sky, and it is plain that it moves. Well, I should think so! In a second or two it becomes a horse and rider, rising and falling, rising and falling – sweeping toward us nearer and nearer – growing more and more distinct, more and more sharply defined – nearer and still nearer, and the flutter of hoofs comes faintly to the ear – another distant whoop and a hurrah from our upper deck, a wave of the riders hand, but no reply, and a man and horse burst past our excited faces, and go winging away like a belated fragment of a storm!

Funny. For a relatively short era, and a comparatively limited population, the west – or the “West”, certainly spawned a vast number of legendary characters. Many of which live on even today in popular culture.

Some, though, have disappeared (like the pop diva who got into all the trouble recently – what is her name?) into the sands of time. It is shocking to think that Pony Bob, the most decorated of the Pony Express riders (remember him? 380 miles in 36 hours…against all odds), died in a cold-water flat in Chicago, all but forgotten.

Another such example is Broncho Charlie Miller. Ever heard of him? At one time he was as famous as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie put together. He was on “The Jack Parr Show” when he was 102 years old. “What’s My Line?”, too, and all the rest. He headed up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade many times.

Charlie Miller had been a Pony Express rider. And that made him forever newsworthy. Like a United States Marine, once you are a Pony Express rider, you are always one.

On his last (105th!) birthday, the New York newspapers declared Pony Express Rider Broncho Charlie Miller as “spry and chipper as ever.” He was in a wheelchair then, but the nurses at Bellevue Hospital rolled him out for an interview. He was telling the old stories. Charlie Miller said he’d known Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok. He’d seen Annie Oakley shoot. He claimed that he had shaken Lincoln’s hand, and met Jesse James and Sitting Bull. But the greatest thing he had ever done, he repeated, was ride with the Pony Express.

Here is how Broncho Charlie Miller remembered entering service as a Pony Express rider:

He had heard about the grand venture (everyone had), and one day, walking along E Street in Sacramento with his father, Miller saw a riderless horse gallop past. Someone identified it as a Pony Express mount. Miller and his father raced to the Pony Express station to find that the rider had apparently been shot [according to the Pony Express Museum, only one mail pouch was ever lost, and one rider killed. Location, date and names have never been verified.] There was no relief rider.

“Can’t anyone else ride”, asked my father. ‘Hell yes!’ said the station master. ‘But he’s got to be a real rider, and he got to know the trail from here to Placerville. The next rider will take it from there to Carson City’.

“My father’s eyes met mine. Not a word was said. He lifted me up and put me astride the fresh horse that stood wait’in for his rider. ‘He knows the trail’, he said to the watching men. And to me, ‘Ride like Hell, son.’

“And I was away, carrying the pouch for the Pony Express. I’ve never done anything more important in my life.” Charlie Miller was eleven years old. [The Museum says that most riders were around 20; to quote: “Youngest was 11. Oldest was mid-40’s. Not many were orphans. Usually weighed around 120 pounds.”]

At the end of his long life, well-wishers were sending up to fifty letters a day to the old man, many simply to “The Last of the Pony Express Riders.” The post office, maybe in deference to his role as a rider, somehow got the letters to Bellevue.

America loved Broncho Charlie Miller. He had not been on the back of a horse for a while, but when he was 102 – just to show his critics and some smart-aleck reporters – he snapped a cigarette out of a volunteer’s mouth at thirty paces with a cattle whip. There were dozens of slack-jawed witnesses.

When he was EIGHTY-TWO, he rode an old horse named “Polestar” from NEW YORK CITY to SAN FRANCISCO to bring mail across the country and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Pony Express. People stood in the streets and cheered to see this funny old man sprung right out of the nineteenth century, loping along on an obviously old horse. “Both man and horse seemed to be smiling,” the papers reported. Miller always found good stabling for Polestar, and usually just bedded down beside the horse. Polestar had to be reshod a dozen times along the route.

The Pony Express was founded to provide the fastest mail delivery service between the east (St. Joseph, Missouri), and the west (Sacramento/San Francisco)-- as a way to draw public attention to the "central route" in the hope of gaining a million-dollar government contract for the Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company.
At the time, the only other regular mail routes were a water route from New York, across Panama by pack mule and on to San Francisco by boat; and the "Southern" or Butterfield route from St. Louis and Memphis to El Paso, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Both took weeks, while the Pony Express carried mail across the country in 10 days or less. The first westbound Pony Express trip took an astonishing 9 days and 23 hours! On average, the Pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day.

Ultimately, the owners spent more than $750,000 on the Pony Express and had a $200,000 deficit. The company failed to get the million-dollar contract because of political pressures and the outbreak of the Civil War.

But the Express triumphed in proving that a central land route could be maintained from coast to coast in all seasons. This resulted in the final route of the telegraph (October 1861) and Transcontinental Railroad (May 10, 1869) following, essentially that forged by the Pony Express. The Pony riders truly did trail blaze, riding all alone, the migration West.

183 men are known to have ridden for the Pony Express, including "Broncho" Charlie Miller at age 11.

Riders were generally paid $100 month.

Johnny Frey was the first westbound rider from St. Joseph; Billy Hamilton was the first eastbound rider.

At any given time, around the clock and 365 days a year, there were two riders on the trail; one headed east and one headed west. Weather, Indian uprisings, etc. did not matter to the Express. The mail was carried in relays with each rider covering 75 to 100 miles. In that distance, he would change horses at relay stations spaced 10-12 miles apart. The horses would average 10 miles per hour and each rider changed horses 8 to 10 times.

The grand endeavor lasted just eighteen months...


'Twas a day of pride and glory
In the hist'ry of old Saint Joe
When the first brave Pony rider
Started west so long ago...

From "The Pony Express Riders"
by
Mrs. Mable Loring, 1913

On January 27, 1860, William H. Russell sent his son and business associate, John W. Russell, a brief but profound telegram:

HAVE DETERMINED TO ESTABLISH A PONY EXPRESS TO SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, COMMENCING 3RD OF APRIL. STOP. TIME TEN DAYS.


In order to accomplish this amazing feat, about 119 stations dotted the approximately 1,966 mile long trail between St. Joseph Missouri and Sacramento. Every 75 to 100 miles was a "Home Station" where a rider could actually rest for a short time before starting back in the other direction. Each rider covered a route between two of these stations, changing horses on the average of six to eight times (approximately 12 miles) going in both directions.

A schedule, as exacting as that of a railroad timetable, was set up, and each rider was under rigid orders to keep it -- day and night, fair weather and foul. Allowance was made for nothing, not even attack by Indians. Their motto was, "The mail must go through. Period". And it did, with a very few, rare cases. (Remember, only one rider was reported killed on duty; and only one mail bag failed to reach its destination).

As published in the St. Joseph Weekly West, the schedule for the first run of the magnificent Pony Express was as follows (highlighted Home Stations):

Marysville.....................................12 hours
Fort Kearny..................................34 hours
Fort Laramie.................................80 hours
Fort Bridger.................................108 hours
Great Salt Lake...........................124 hours
Camp Floyd................................128 hours
Carson City.................................188 hours
Placerville...................................226 hours
Sacramento................................234 hours
San Francisco............................240 hours
WITHOUT STOPPING

Kindly also remember that prior to this foolhardy notion, ANY communication between the two edges of the country took several WEEKS.

Where did the idea for the Pony Express come from?

In some sense, the Pony Express was an advertising gimmick. The real goal was to prove that the “central route” was viable -- throughout the seasons of the year – for an eventual freight and stagecoach service… and the lucrative government mail contract that would go with it. (As it turned out, the route proved so viable that the telegraph, and later the railroad, used it – undermining the need for a stage mail route altogether!)

But where did the idea originate?

Alexander Majors was one of the partners in the venture. Though each of the three men had an essential role in its development, the inspiration for Russell, Majors & Waddell’s Pony Express probably came from Majors.

Here is the story:

It was a feat that would have been familiar throughout the American West of the mid-nineteenth century. Horsemen knew it on the Plaza in Santa Fe and they knew it, too, on the edge of the Missouri frontier.

It was a series of heroic one-man cross-country rides made in the early 1850’s by Francis Xavier Aubrey, a contemporary of Kit Carson’s in Santa Fe. Aubrey, described by Frank Root and William Connelley in The Overland Stage to California as “a man of pluck and indomitable energy and perseverance”, was a near mythic figure in the American West of the time. Today he is all but forgotten, but Root and Connelley’s 1901 assessment of Aubrey’s horsemanship concluded that “not one man in 100,000 had the physical endurance to perform the seemingly impossible task.”

Using a relay of horses, Aubrey at first made the run from Santa Fe to Independence, Missouri (about 800 miles) in two weeks. It was a trip that oxen hauling freight normally did in two to three months. Aubrey then shaved that time to eight days. He arrived in Independence so exhausted that he could not dismount from his horse. But Aubrey was not satisfied with this personal best. His next trip, which would set horsemen talking across the country, was completed in only five days and 13 hours. (That's an average of about 6 miles per hour -- but remember, he was not riding on roads, or even improved trails like we enjoy at Blackrock or Pioneer Town. Much of the time he was bushwhacking... for five days straight!)

The extraordinary accomplishment of Aubrey (he made his famous five-day ride for a thousand-dollar bet, and was later stabbed to death in a bar fight in New Mexico) truly impressed Majors, the future Pony Express partner. He wrote in his diary at the time: “Changing mounts every one hundred to two hundred dangerous miles that separated the old Spanish City [Santa Fe] from Independence in an unheard of time. It nearly killed him, and he slept for 24 hours after making the run.”

Years later he wrote, “This ride, in my opinion, in one respect was the most remarkable one ever made by any man. The entire distance was ridden without stopping to rest…At the time he made this ride, in much of the territory he passed through he was liable to meet hostile Indians, so that the man who attempted to ride 800 miles in the time he did took his life in his hands. There is perhaps not one man in a million who could have lived to finish such a journey.”

A dour Bible reader little given to exaggeration, Majors was not commenting on something that he had heard about second hand. Majors knew Aubrey during his years of freighting, long before the Pony Express was even an idea. “I was well acquainted with Aubrey, and did considerable business with him. I met him when he was making his famous ride, at a point on the Santa Fe Road called “Rabbit Ear”. He passed my [oxen] train at a full gallop without asking a single question as to the danger of Indians ahead of him.” Majors made it a point to know this hardy fellow.

In truth, Majors told his future partner William Russell (to whom he always gave credit for the concept of the Pony Express), that the idea of a cross country ride business was “not a sound one”, and never thought it would make any money (even as he wrote out his investment checks). But we know that in the back of Major’s mind, he remembered galloping Francis Xavier Aubrey and the knowledge that was indeed possible for a good rider on a very good horse to cover a lot of ground. Aubrey had not only conceived of the notion, he had personally proved it.

It was a dream worth pursuing, and Majors and his partners made it a reality.

Their legacy lives on in you.

Matt

The presence of outriders is actually historically correct. The Pony Express was so admired, that many folks simply wanted to accompany a Pony rider in order to gain bragging rights. But the Pony Express was very fast, and most such attempts were left in the dust!

During the Paiute Indian Uprising there is a well-documented instance of outriders becoming involved with the Express for safety reasons…

At the worst of the Uprising, the Express appealed to the people of Sacramento for help. An Ad was printed:

“Will the people of Sacramento help the Pony in its difficulty? We have conferred some benefits, have asked but little, and perhaps the people will assist. Can anything be done in your city towards paying expenses to furnish arms and provisions for 25 men to go through to Salt Lake City to take and bring on the Express? We will guarantee to keep the Pony alive a while longer”

Yes, it was that dire. And the community did respond. The Pony Express was important to everyone. And the Pony never interrupted its service, thanks to the amazing dedication of its riders.

On June 9th, 1860, a party was formed to rebuild the many stations destroyed in the Uprising, and assure the Pony Express would be able to carry on. On June 16th, the party met up with westbound Pony Express rider Howard Egan. With Egan was William H. Streeper, riding along and carrying “heavy mail” (added mail and small packages) for a shorter distance (his run was just from Diamond Spring to Smith’s Creek, Nevada). Streeper rode a saddle mule named “Muggins” and a used a couple of pack mules as well. And we are told that those dedicated and trustworthy mules managed to stay pretty much up with the Pony Express mustang used by rider Egan. Maybe the mules had heard about the Paiutes!

Naturally, all those riding along with our Reenactment on the 16th should exercise caution and good sense. And mules are welcome.

Historians of the Pony Express usually compare it to ancient Roman and Greek mail couriers, or the mounted messengers of Genghis Khan, in establishing the tradition of a cross-country mail service via a fast relay system of riders.

However, the custom of using a mounted courier in the American West was really not inspired so much by ancient tales as by the practice in Colonial times – even the expression “pony express” had been used in the 1700’s colonies.

To the intrepid 1800’s pioneers and miners depending on this fragile link to “home”, the Pony had even more recent and local origins. The 19th century American writer and early Californian, Joaquin Miller, left this account of the days of the Forty-Niner’s and the development of such speedy mail delivery:

“The Pony Express idea was a great feature in the gold mines of California long before anyone ever thought of putting it on the plains. Every creek, camp, or village had its Pony Express-like ancestor which ran to and from the nearest office. At Yreka we had the Humbug Creek Express, the Deadwood Camp Express, the Greenhorn, and so on.

“The rider was always a bold, right, young fellow, who owned the “line” – horses and all, and had his “office” in some responsible store. He crowded an immense deal of personality into his work; would die in the saddle rather than delay ten minutes over the expected time [Take that, Fed-X!] He was, of course, always a dashing rider and blew a small bugle as he raced up and down the creek at a plunging rate. He used three blasts of the horn, after the custom of the London postmen. Then a Whack! and a Bang! at the cabin door meant a letter for this or that claim, as the rider flew down the trail under the trees.

“And then hats in the air! Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! Whose is it? Which one of the dozen or so men at the long sluice boxes is to hear from his wife, mother, or waiting sweetheart? This one starts to get it – that one, then the other. They look at one another hastily, and then one of them springs up to snatch his precious letter. Away, over the boulders with a bound, with the pay for the letter clutched in his fist! [You paid both to send and to receive a letter in those days!] He grasps the letter, and away flashes the spirited pony, with another blast of the horn!”

The reporting might seem kind of quaint to us today…after all, we only need make a single “click” on a “mouse” to send an email letter literally around the world in a moment. But to these hardworking, lonely men, the touch of a letter from a loved one so far away, delivered less than 10 days after its sending – was a miracle and a balm for the homesick heart.

Russell, Majors & Waddell took the example of the mining camp courier; combined it with the astonishing feats of Xavier Aubery; and came up with the very American concept that history has embraced as the Pony Express.

Their vision rides on with you!

HOW IT WAS

When the Pony Express began, riders were equipped with a horn to blow to announce their arrival at a relay station (just as the mail delivery fellows had done in mining camps before the Express came along). But horns appear to have been eliminated almost immediately. Within weeks of the start of the Pony Express, the riders had been stripped down to the absolute essentials. Speed was everything, and unnecessary weight on the back of a fast horse was the enemy of speed.

These light horsemen were paid $100 to $125 per month (about $2500 today). This included board and was good money (if and when the riders were paid. There were some problems with cash flow…) That may have been some of the allure for young men on the frontier where an unskilled laborer might make a dollar for a 10 to 12 hour workday; and even a skilled carpenter would be lucky to earn $2 or $3 a day. Riding for the Pony Express was an exciting thing to do. The risks, however were considerable, and the rigors of the ride brutal. As an old man, rider Nick Wilson remembered, “Our pay was too small for the hard work and the dangers we went through”. But for the rest of his life he always worked the fact that he had been a Pony Express rider into any conversation.

William Campbell, who lived to be 96, recalled his route in Nebraska between Valley Station, about 11 miles east of Fort Kearny, and Box Elder Station, 3 miles west of Fort McPherson. A bullwhacker who had been hauling supplies to Pony Express stations, Campbell at six feet and 140 pounds was too tall and too heavy for The Pony. But by December, 1860 – about 8 months into its business – the fast mail service was having a hard time getting riders to stick with the job. And so Campbell got to ride.

“Driving slow oxen seemed pretty tame compared with jumping on spirited ponies and going full tilt along the old trail, past the emigrant trains and freight outfits, or even bands of Indians. I was 18, and craved such excitement…”

Campbell, like many of his old colleagues, told few wild stories of Indians or desperados. His chief complaint, like so many of his contemporaries, was the weather and the physical rigors of riding.

“Once I spent 24 hours in the saddle carrying the mail 120 miles to Fairfield with snow two to three feet deep and the mercury around zero. I could tell where the trail lay only by watching the tall weeds on either side and often had to get off and lead my horse. There was no rider to go on at Fort Kearny, so I went on to Fairfield 20 miles away.

“It was hard work for my brave horses to wallow through some of the snow piled three feet high, and drifts over our heads in places. At night I just had to trust to the instinct of the horses.

When it had been 24 hours in the saddle for me in weather like that, I tell you I was pretty stiff.”

MARK TWAIN ON THE PONY EXPRESS RIDERS

Mark Twain was fascinated by the Pony Express. Almost obsessed with it. But I guess everyone was – even European royalty (Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were particular fans… it’s why they contacted Buffalo Bill Cody and asked for the famous Jubilee-year command performance of his Wild West Show – it included a Pony Express reenactment).

The world wanted to know every detail of the Pony Express, and Twain provided them. His colorful portrait of the Pony rider during the second (partial) year of business, reflects some changes in the operations. The riders, according to Twain, were unarmed and lightly outfitted – emphasizing speed:

“Both rider and the horse went “flying light.” The rider’s dress was thin, and fitted close; he wore a “roundabout” [collarless shirt], and a skull cap [similar to a jockey’s cap], and tucked his pantaloons into his boot tops like a race rider [jockey]. He carried no arms – he carried nothing that was not absolutely necessary, for even the postage on his literary freight was worth five dollars a letter. He got but little frivolous correspondence to carry – his bag had business letters in it, mostly. His horse was stripped of all unnecessary weight, too. He wore a little wafer of a saddle [not much padding for riding 100+ miles at a time!], and no visible blanket. He wore light shoes, or none at all. The little flat mail packets strapped under the rider’s thighs would each hold about the bulk of a child’s primer [school notebook] they held many and many an important business chapter and newspaper letter, but these were written on paper as airy and thin as gold leaf, and thus bulk and weight were economized.”

We suggest you dress comfortably and safely (anyone under 18 MUST wear an approved helmet); but hope you will get into the spirit of the times – within reason (pantaloons?)

BUFFALO BILL CODY AND THE PONY EXPRESS

Although Wild Bill Hickok was a legend, his friend William Frederick Cody, whom the press dubbed “Buffalo Bill” when he was just 22, eventually eclipsed him in fame. It was a time when being a celebrity was a rare thing. Not everyone thought they could be one, and the public attention paid in the mid-19th century to the few who reached those lofty heights is difficult to comprehend in today's era of celebrity over-saturation.

The excitement, adventure, and color of the American West was made for a character like Cody; who seemed to embody all the virtues the grand landscape demanded.

He started very young.

While still a boy, Bill Cody met Alexander Majors, then one of the partners in a huge freight operation, and eventually a co-founder of the Pony Express. At the young age of 9, Cody, against his mother’s wishes (and common sense), left home to herd cattle for Russell, Majors & Waddell (the company from which the Pony Express emerged just 5 years later), for $25 a month. The next year he got into a tussle with a local bully and stabbed the much bigger boy in the leg. Afraid of the boy’s father, Cody ran away with a wagon train carrying supplies in Fort Kearney, Nebraska.

When he was 11, his father was killed while delivering an anti-slavery speech. In May of that year, Cody became, according to a story in the Fort Leavenworth newspaper, the “youngest Indian slayer on the plains”. He was working on a cattle drive (please remember, he was just 11!), when the cowboys were surprised by an Indian war party, who quickly killed three of the men. As the remaining cowboys tried to escape on foot along the riverbank with Cody – by far the youngest and smallest –in the rear, the Indians came upon them. Without hesitation, Cody raised his rifle (“It was as big as he was”, a witness said) and killed an Indian. The lad became an instant hero. Apparently he enjoyed the feeling.

It was on this same trip that Cody made the acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. They met after a loud, burly and unkempt member of the wagon train crew who enjoyed picking on the 11 year old Cody, hit the boy in the face one night at dinner. In retaliation, Cody threw a pot of boiling coffee on the man, who came after him, intent on killing the kid. Hickok intervened (he was really good with his fists). It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Cody served two tours as a Pony Express rider. In the spring of 1860, already a hardened frontiersman at 14, he approached the station keeper at Julesberg, Colorado and asked for a job. Cody had some previous experience delivering messages between wagon trains headed for Utah, and he was hired for a (comparatively) short run of 45 miles between Julesberg and Mud Springs, Nebraska. Cody successfully rode the route for two months, until he got word that his mother was gravely ill, and he returned to her. When she recovered, Cody again applied for a Pony Express rider position, and was assigned to one of the toughest routes – between Red Butte and Three Crossings in Montana. That trail was 76 miles long and lonely. There were hostile Indians and road bandits along the way, and the rider had to cross the North Platte River, which was typically 12 feet deep and riddled with quicksand. But Cody was determined to succeed.

While some of Cody’s exploits may have been the creations of dime novelists and later, publicity agents, there is no doubt about the courage and dedication he showed while in the service of the Pony Express.

After leaving the Pony Express, Cody became an Indian scout for the army and soon became renowned as an expert frontiersman. While working as an army scout during the Civil War , and again from 1868 to 1872, Cody accepted many assignments no one else would take. He once rode 355 miles in 58 hours, through dangerous Indian territory and with no trails to follow, to deliver important dispatches. “Just like working for the Pony”, he shrugged. His reputation as an expert rider, fearless Indian fighter, and exceptional marksman continued to grow. But it all began when he rode for the Pony Express.

Eventually, his fame would spread throughout the world with his Wild West show. It was an astonishing 45-year-long career. For many years, Cody performed during the winter and continued scouting for the army in the summer. By the end of the 19th century, Buffalo Bill was one of the most recognized men in the world. And his great show always incorporated a Pony Express Reenactment, complete with ambush and escape.

Cody continued to perform in his Wild West show until he was 71; although he sometimes had to be helped onto his horse backstage. He died virtually on stage in 1917, and his family received condolences from Kings, presidents, generals, and even Indian chiefs. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called him “an American of Americans”.

But as he lay dying, Cody said, “remember that I was a Pony Express rider.”

THE PONY EXPRESS OATH

There are many stories of the personal heroism that was almost routine among the loyal personnel of the Pony Express. The mail had to go through, and practically no circumstances, no matter how difficult or grave, dissuaded the riders from performing their duty.

Then, as now, Pony Express riders were a breed apart.

Soon after the start of the Pony Express service, the fame of the riders began to spread throughout the country. They were considered a very special class of citizens. As stories about these swift, brave riders circulated, their image became bigger than life. Newspapers praised them and built them up to the level of epic heroes.

Much was expected of the riders, both in terms of their duty and in their personal life. The company asked all its associates to deport themselves in a manner befitting the importance of the task. In fact, every employee of the Central Overland California Pike’s Peak Express Company (the proper name for the Pony Express!) was required to take the following pledge:

I [name], do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while I am an employee of Russell, Majors & Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language; that I will drink no intoxicating liquors; that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm; and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employer. So help me God.

No wonder they were special.

We have come a long way from such expectations…

(And you are free to enjoy a post-ride beer at Pappy & Harriet’s!)

MM

Raymond and Mary Settle, in their book, Empire on Wheels, had this to say about the Pony Express:

“The Pony Express was a romantic, glorious yet brief incident, which although it proved nothing except that it could be done, is eminently worthy of remembrance. Even though the amount of mail it carried was relatively insignificant and out of proportion to the fame it achieved, nobody begrudges it the spotlight. The tattoo of the flying hoof beats, awakening the echoes by day and night along the two-thousand mile stretch of boundless prairie, lonely canyon, and mountain slope, wrote into the body of strictly American folklore such a romantic tale of youthful grit as is given few peoples to possess. It has been the source of a thousand tales of daredevil courage, and will continue to make its contribution to that thrilling body of literature which concerns itself with stark courage and dauntless enterprise.”

Fine words. And if they deflate the legend some, they also pay a sort of grudging homage to it. If the Pony Express wasn’t great, they would not have bothered to write about it at all. And perhaps it was, in the end, just a stirring footnote to the story of the West.

But what I hope for myself and for you, my fellow Pony Express riders, is that we come to feel the ghost of the Pony on our ride. The uniquely American expression of independence and derring-do. While most people are sleeping or watching television, you will be reenacting history – and at the same time making it. In this era of serious discord in nation and life, we are living testament that some history is worth remembering and honoring with action.

You and your mount will be breathing life into a zephyr, which my dictionary defines as “the west wind personified”. But which I interpret as the real life collision of history and the present.

Be safe, have fun, and remember that you are doing what only a very few have ever done.