The first Nevada rider takes the mochila in Woodfords at 2:50 p.m. Thursday.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
Nevada's Pony Express Re-riders made good time getting out into the Silver State's interior, arriving at Sand Springs east of Fallon at 6:07 a.m. Friday, 23 minutes ahead of schedule, nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride reported.
The next stop is Cold Springs with an estimated arrival time of around 11 a.m. at just after 10 a.m., according to the geo tracker.
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After spending most of Thursday often hours behind schedule, a swift ride along the old Pony Express Trail made up the time and the mail was on time as it headed north to Carson City.
According to the tracker, the annual Pony Express Re-ride galloped north along Foothill and Jacks Valley roads, transferring the mochila in Genoa at 4 p.m., just an hour after the anticipate time of arrival.
By 4:30 p.m., the rider was already in Jacks Valley and on the way to Carson City where the scheduled stop was 6 p.m.
The California rider arrived in Woodfords at 2:50 p.m., almost two hours behind schedule, to transfer the mochila containing the mail.
“The Pony hit a snag with a possible lost rider and the GPS has been acting up for us to see things progress on the map as we’d like,” according to the National Pony Express Association.
National Pony Express Association Corresponding Secretary Petra Keller was in Woodfords on Thursday.
“Define trouble,” Keller said when asked about the ride. “We don’t have anybody in the hospital.
Corning, Calif., rider Mickie and her horse Hobbit made good time on the last leg of the California ride from Pickett’s Junction.
“It was good, but it was a long ride,” she said of her second year participating.
Traffic was backed up on Jacks Valley Road heading north around 4:30 p.m.
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As of 10 a.m. Thursday the National Pony Express Re-Rider was traveling along Highway 50 southwest of Strawberry, Calif., and trying to make up some of the time lost Wednesday night.
According to reports from the trail, a rider lost their bearings on the trail and was 82 minutes late arriving in Folsom around 7:42 p.m. It was scheduled to be there at 6:29 p.m.
“The Pony hit a snag with a possible lost rider and the GPS has been acting up for us to see things progress on the map as we’d like,” according to the National Pony Express Association.
The rider was reported in Placerville at 1 a.m. and was reported arriving at Sciots Camp just over three hours behind schedule.
“Trees have been shielding the spot device to impede its connection with the satellite,” the association said at 10:10 a.m. “That’s why some pings are missing this morning.”
The California riders are tackling some of the most mountainous terrain along the trail and as of Thursday morning had yet to crest Echo Summit into the Lake Tahoe Basin. The rider was anticipated to arrive in Woodfords at 1 p.m. to turn over the mochila to the Nevada riders. As of this morning the last indication was that the rider would arrived at 4:12 p.m. Arrival in in Genoa is usually two hours later, but with the mail running behind riders might spur their mounts to make it by 5 p.m. When they get there expect a quick exchange as riders try to make up time.
Each year, the National Pony Express Association commemorates the legendary 1860-1861 Pony Express mail service by organizing this cross-country relay. Riders in authentic attire carry a mochila filled with commemorative letters, honoring a vital chapter in U.S. communication history.
This year’s journey spans 1,966 miles and continue 24/7 on horseback, following the original mail route to St. Jo., Mo., with arrival expected at 7:30 p.m. June 21 at the steps of the Patee House.
The ride will be carried out non-stop through California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. The public is invited to follow the riders via GPS at https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/, attend local send-off and arrival events, and share photos on social media using #PonyExpressReRide2025.