FROM: Larry Carpenter, California NPEA
PST
I rejoined the Ride, or caught up with the Ride in El Dorado County, near Buckeye Road and Mother Lode Drive. It is not easy to keep pace with this Event. Riders are maintaining a speed of 8 to 11 miles an hour, but some don’t know this is a Recreation, and they ride with Passion.
The route has been developed over the years to avoid traffic bottlenecks, etc, and the Riders disappear down an access rode or onto a dirt road and reappear down a road ahead of you. It is a challenge to keep up with them, or get ahead of the Rider and horse.
I arrived in “downtown” El Dorado (Mud Springs in Pony Days) ahead of the Rider (Janet Kampf) and had time to socialize with the Radio Net Team and Jerry Leal (CA Ride Captain) and Melba Leal his wife and CA Board Member . The Outgoing Rider Davey “Doc” Wiser was saddling his horse and about to Ride. Before we could finish our conversations, Janet was seen rounding the curve and getting a shout from the crowd at Poor Reds across the road….35 minutes early. Shouts of “Pony Rider Coming” soon erupted. The mochila was exchanged and shouting “Pony Rider,” Davey a Veteran Rider (’83), spurred his horse and headed for Diamond Springs. Rich Tatman, acting as Escort pulled in behind him with a banner across the back of his pickup “RIDER AHEAD” and they headed up the two lane road and joined the evening commuter rush. Davey’s Ride is Short, but the mochila will continue on, his signature on a Cantina, and in 10 days cross the Missouri River and arrive at the Patee House.
Long Live the Pony Express.
Larry Carpenter, Member California Division.