FROM: Cindy Furse
PST
Hello from Team 2! We had a great night-time ride from Murray Park (about 4500 S State Street, Salt Lake City) to the Wyoming border. The mail came in an hour and a half late (1030 pm) but was passed off to Wyoming on time (630 am). It was one of the smoothest rides I’ve seen, with everyone working together. Because it was dark, and a road, the convoy of trailers with flashing lights helped protect the pony and rider from nearby traffic, though once we got out of town, there were hardly any cars. Um yeah… it was past midnight by then.
The half moon reflected in Mountain Dell Reservoir and East Canyon Reservoir was beautiful. Echo Canyon in the dark was pretty cool… the horse hoof beats ECHO several times actually, off the tall straight sandstone walls. Got a little lost between Henefer and Echo (a bridge was out), but thanks to cell coverage, figured it out.
My rides were at the top of Emigration Canyon, right near home, a moderately steep pull up a switchback. Hawk was running easily. Second was up by East Canyon Reservoir, pretty and even starting to get cold, on a slight downhill slope, and we spooked up a deer who made Hawk jump a little. Third was Echo, where it was pretty flat. The shadows from the chase car behind us, the cars on I-80 next to us (it was a frontage road), and the places without the shadows made Hawk uncertain about the road, but he did well all the same. Strong horse, that appaloosa. This is his 4th Pony Express.
Thank you to everyone on our team. When you take the Pony Express Oath (the original), you promise not to fight. Oh yeah. This team was great. Thank you to Patsy Lange, team Captain, for arranging the details, and her daughter, Jamie, for full support. Thanks to the several folks who drove trailers in front and chase cars, radio car, and more trailers behind. Thanks to Adam and Carl who helped figure out the way when we got lost, and Adam for driving my trailer forward for me each time. Thanks to all the various guys who helped swing that heavy mochilla up on my tall horse with ease. I think we are carrying 2 years worth of mail this year (2020 and 2021). I have a bruise on my knee from the larger mail pouch, but that’s ok. I can’t wait to see what the letters are this year!
And thanks especially to Hawk, who ran through the cool night, stretching out those long, strong legs, and playing with the chance to just run, run, run.
Go, Pony!
Cindy Furse and Blackhawk, Utah Team 2