FROM: Mary Cone
PST
The Keith County, Nebraska, Riders received the mochila from the Colorado Riders just south of Big Springs at about 8:00am MDT Thursday.
Weather was the word of the day…….hot and HUMID! It played havoc with the horses, as they simply ran out of gas as the day went on. Temps started out hot and just got hotter, with the “feels like” temp much, much higher that the actual temp. Stifling, hot, humid with minimal breeze. But, The Pony carried on…………..
We were able to have a presentation at Tri-Trails Park south of Ogallala at mid- morning. NPEA Stablemaster Petra Keller talked with interested people who came out to see The Pony. Nebraska President Lyle Gronewold chimed in, as well. Dean Atkin and Lyle Ladner, who are accompanying the mochila across the trail, were also in attendance. During the presentation, The Pony arrived and the mochila exchange was witnessed by the crowd. The instructional presentation was held under a big old cottonwood tree that generously shared its shade with everyone to make the event very pleasant. The excitement of the crowd was palpable as they witnessed the Pony in action. Many thanks to Petra for helping out in sharing the story of the Pony with the local people.
No huge troubles were encountered, but the heat simply slowed us up. We were about an hour- plus late getting to south of Paxton for the North Platte Riders to take over and continue on east.
Our Re-Ride group usually hauls the mail during nighttime hours, so this daytime ride was much anticipated. The opportunity to share the story of the Pony and do a daytime exchange at Tri-Trails Park was especially gratifying. However, this heat is a big trade-off to the cooler nighttime hours. Those old-time Pony riders did it all…………….WoW!! Long live The Pony!!
Somewhere just west of Hershey, the pinger evidently fell out of the mochila. When no pings were hitting on the website, the red flag went up and bloodhounds Dean and Lyle, with Petra guiding them from internet technology, went in search. The lost was found, miraculously still able to work, and it was reunited with the mochila a bit later and the pinger pinged again. A very unique and ironic picture, this old, old method of communication (The Pony) mixing with high technology in satellite tracking (the pinger).
Mary Cone, Keith County, Nebraska, Trail Captain