SCHELLBOURNE — The National Pony Express Association will bring its annual Pony Express Re-Ride event through the rest area near Schellbourne on U.S. Highway 93 north of Ely — a ghost town which once was a stop for Pony Express riders and the Overland Stage Line.
The approximate scheduled time for the horse to come through Schellbourne is Saturday, June 14, at 4:15 p.m. However, as horseback travel is unpredictable, the arrival time may be sooner or later than expected.
| Related Image: Chris Christensen rides a horse down White Pine County Road 18 in the Pony Express Re-Ride, June 25, 2024. |
The Re-Ride involves a 24/7 relay team of riders and horses following the historical path of the famed Pony Express. Riders will head eastward this year, from Sacramento, California, to St. Joseph, Missouri.
As for the Schellbourne stop in particular, “that location doesn’t change whether it’s eastbound or westbound,” Petra Keller, corresponding secretary for the National Pony Express Association, said.
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“We do have some locations that change. As the example in Nevada, when we go westbound, we go up Kingsbury Grade and go through South Lake Tahoe.” When traveling eastward, they head through the Tahoe town of Genoa.
“That Schellbourne area is where the ride teams out in eastern Nevada will do a lot of logistical things. They set up water for the horses and they set up food for the riders,” Keller said.
| Related Image: Chris Christensen rides down a hill on Nevada County Road 18 in the Pony Express Re-Ride, June 24, 2024. |
“We do carry a mochila, which is the traditional saddle bag that was used for the Pony Express. And we carry actual mail in it. That’s something you can order earlier in the year.” This year, they will carry around 1,200 letters to a USPS station in Missouri.
“The mochila that carries the mail also carries a GPS tracking device. So, you can follow the ride live on our website,” she explained. https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/
The ride involves plenty of logistics, Keller explained. Support drivers follow the horses and help riders stay on track.
| Related Image: Andy Boyer of Spring Creek is the ride captain for the Robert’s Creek section of the Pony Express re-enactment. |
“Each state does things slightly differently. They all have their own logistical parts as well,” she said. “Some of the states, like Nevada, have a lot of rural areas where you can’t necessarily follow the horse trailer. But we do have HAM radio support in Nevada. It’s the Sierra HAM Group that supports us across the entire state and is there for emergency calls, status calls as well and will help riders as they need.”
| Related Gallery: Gallery: Pony Express Re-Ride |
The National Pony Express Association will hold its convention at the Stockmen’s Casino in Elko on Sept. 5 and 6. It will include an open-house event at the California Trail Interpretive Center.