FROM: Carol Hunt, Schellbourne Re-riders, C/E Nevada
PST
We are to get the mail, Father’s Day night, while everyone else is nestled in their beds, The Schellbourne Re-riders camp at our favorite ranch in Ibapah, UT, Duane Hicks beauriful “spa,” complete with green grass and trees! Tom Love and I and Eva Jensen were the first to arrive, and were greeted by State President, Ron Bell and friend. ( Steve ? ). They had gotten somewhat sketchy directions, but persevered and found the camp, ten miles north of Ibapah. Other riders started arriving. Ride captain, Gene Ockert, All the usual suspects, Wendy Anderson, Tony Zamora, kids, grandkids, Doc Chris Christensen who would be riding his 35th year, complete with a new hip he had done Feb. 1. I could mention Tom Love had a right total knee replacement this past December. They both have been doing really well, and out riding and conditioning their horses. “Doc” is 82 years old, I believe, tougher than a badger, which there were plenty of those on the trail, and they gave way to “Doc.” National President, Lyle Ladner also showed up in time for some still warm leftovers.
We got news the mail would be 1 1/2 hours late, so it looked like most of us could get 4 or 5 hours of sleep! But, no…not with excited riders! Zamora insisted the mail would be early, and rousted everyone out to break camp and go to the Pony Express Monument at Ibapah and wait for the Utah riders. We went, but then continued about 20 miles out to the Goshute Indian Reservation where we would take the mail across “Tippets.” We also opened the gates at the five cattle guards. Then just try to get any sleep! Tom is a HAM operator, so we could hear how the mail was advancing through Utah. Those riders are fantastic, and can make up time, so anything could happen. Finally, as the very first hint of dawn appeared here came a truck. The riders were on their way. They had gotten the mail about 3:45 a.m. Tom rode first aboard his palomino Tennessee Walker gelding, Johnny. I was supposed to drive to our switch off point, but Tom passed me in those still dark minutes, Johnny jumping over menacing badger holes!! I just couldn’t drive faster. I didn’t want to throw the other two horses around on that washboard, hole-ridden trail. Tom was waiting for me. He put the Mochila on my Missouri Fox Trotter, Eagle, and away we all went. It was still pre-dawn darkness. I was holding a flashlight to watch for the MANY badger holes. To try for fast time was not meant at this time. Finally got to Eva, where she boarded her big powerful paint mare, Sosi, and took off. It was now light enough, and Eva took off and made up time and passed off to the Christensen’s, father, son, and grandson. We stopped by the turn off to Rock Springs, highest point along the entire XP trail at about 8,000′. Trucks had to go around another trail to get back to where the riders came off Rock Springs. We regrouped with the wonderful riders from Pahrump, who brought six Paso Fino horses. Tom organized the riders to head up the road over Schellbourne Pass, then Schellbourne Station on highway 93, where breakfast was waiting. The mail had gotten there just in front of us, but I didn’t see a waiting rider. Finally a recruit from Pahrump got the mochila, about 9:00, and away they went west at full gallop. (Need I mention it was a youngster??) Our group had to drive around the Egan pass to get Eva located to where we would get the mail. This has got to be one of the three top prettiest parts of the trail. It was a two hour wait, but finally mail arrived and was passed off to Eva, The HAM operators who were to follow the ride didn’t show up. So there was limited communication, except for Tom. We drove around while Eva and Sosi shot across a three mile trail. We barely got there when they came galloping in. What a great, strong, willing horse!! Eva was all smiles as mochila was passed on. We watched Anna Hoge, age 17, take off at a strong gallop. We then headed for where the riders for White Rock come out. After that, Tom helped line out the riders across Long Valley and the horrible wash! Some of the Schellbourne group had gotten a bobcat donated and had went out on the trail and cleaned up a few spots. Thanks to them for their effort. “Long Valley” must be as wide as it is long, because it seemed like the other side was a long time getting there. It’s also a steep, rocky climb to the top called the “Mavericks,” and gets steeper at the crest. That’s where our dodge of many years lost the challenge to the trail. The 4 wheel drive went out, and Tom must have mentally gotten the rig to the top, where there was no response out of the transmission. We got parked, and waited 2 1/2 hours for the riders to reach us. The Paso’s were fairly well spent. We passed along information that there was a solar flare storm of the sun, and all the HAM’s went out of commission. They packed up and went home. We had no HAM/jeep following the group, so in the worst, most desolate part of the trail, we had only each other and our will to get the mail through to the Top of the Diamonds, Overland Pass, where there would also be no one waiting, except the Pony rider. “Doc” Chris’s grandson made the trip to the top, and passed off the mochila estimated 8 p.m.
We got really lucky. The truck tranny oil had cooled, and Tom got us off the mountain safely. We went past the Bald Mountain Mine, and we kept going, and going, and going, and finally went back to Eva in her truck and asked her if she’d ever been on this road??? We kept heading south. Saw three big, fat badgers crossing the road. I thought they were nocturnal? Also saw a herd of antelope and some wild horses.That made it a fun ride. We finally got to Hwy 50, and turned toward home. A shower and bed was a welcoming end to a very long 155th re-ride.