Pony Express Commorative Re-Ride

Last Tuesday saw us up end away early, bound for our next sop at Robideaux RV Park in Gering (next door to Scotts Bluff), Nebraska.  The trip was unremarkable, except for our discovery that the charge line connecting our Chevy Equinox to the fifth wheel was not adequately charging the car’s battery. That’s a huge disappointment, because it means that we have to stop every couple of hours and let the car run for 20 minutes or so to keep the battery charged. 

The drive was beautiful, though, this part of the country is green and lush, with rolling hills in all directions.

Robideaux RV Park is one of our favorite stops.  The park is exceptional.  The grass is lush and green, and every site is level concrete with a concrete patio and picnic table.  And that’s not the best part.  There is a lovely several-acre playground and park where dogs can run and run and run!  It’s a treat to have a nice place for the m to exercise, and park personnel are friendly and helpful.  

About a mile or so from the park is Scotts Bluff National Historical Site.  We had tried to visit the site the first time we stayhed here, but I caught a bug of some sort and wasn’t up to a visit.  This time, though, we planned to stay an extra day to explore the attraction.   So, on Thursday after doing the obligatory laundry and shopping, we stopped by to see what we could expect.

Have you ever heard of Reride?  We had not, but when we approached the visitor center we noticed a number of cars and lots of people standing around…not what one would expect at 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon.  We pulled in and inquired…What’s going on?  We quickly learned that we were just in time to witness the reenactment of an important part of the Nation’s history.

But let me explain.  Beginning in 1860 and continuing for about 18 months, mail was carried back and forth between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California by the Pony Express.  Our history books include tales of the riders and the challenges they overcame to keep the mail moving on schedule, and many a western movie featured exploits of these riders.  

Beginning in 1960, according to the volunteer who was briefing us, the National Pony Express Association has sponsored annual Re-Ride, a commemorative retracing of the pony express route over a 10-day period.  Covering 1,966 miles across eight states, the riders travel 24 hours a day until the mail is delivered to its destination.  Letters are carried in a leather mochila placed over the horse’s saddle and over 750 riders participate each year.  Each rider travels 10 miles at an average pace of 11 mph. Each year, the Re-Ride travels in a different direction.  This year, the riders went from west to east.  We were told that on the original Pony Express route, each rider traveled 100 miles, changing horses each 10 miles.  The commetorative Re-Ride differs in that each horse and rider travel only 10 miles

We were so fortunate to arrive at the Scotts Bluff Station location at Mitchell Pass not only on the day the rider was to come through, but within an hour of the expected arrival.  As we waited, several horse trailers arrived, and the pony designated for the next leg of the journey was unloaded.  

Within a short time, a beautiful palomino and his rider arrived.  The exchange didn’t carry the drama we see in the movies, but in short order the mochila was transferred to the waiting horse and the rider mounted and cantered away.  I believe her destination was the Chimney Rock Station location.  We were so blessed to be able to witness this reenactment of such an important piece of our nation’s history.