PLATTE COUNTY – Neither sleet, nor hail, nor rain, nor NOAA storm warnings stopped the progression of mail being delivered via the National Pony Express 2024 re-ride.
The annual event commemorates an iconic part of American History from 1860 – 1861,
a short but important period of our history demonstrating grit, determination and plain hard work could accomplish any mission, including shortening the delivery of mail between the hub of business and travel along the Missouri River (St. Joseph, Missouri) and the hub of business and goods on the west coast (Sacramento, California). Previous to the Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express Company’s improved mail service (Pony Express), mail deliveries took over 30 days. With the ever-increasing number of people on the West coast and pioneers still heading West on the Oregon Trail, there was a burgeoning need for better, quicker communication between the East and West. The Pony Express was born and proved its worth on its first ride in April 1860, delivering the mail 1,800 miles from St. Joseph to Sacramento in just 10 days. Just over two months later, U. S. Congress authorized construction of the transcontinental telegraph line. When it was completed, there was no more need for the pony express, and the last run of the Pony Express was in November 1861.

Today, the National Pony Express Association, in cooperation with the United States Postal Service, re-rides mail across the Rocky Mountains from St. Joseph to Sacramento in mid-June. Volunteer riders ride along roads and cross-country as close as possible – and sometimes right on – the original route of those brave pony express riders of long ago. This year, the event began June 17, with the mail scheduled to reach its destination on June 27. Riders across Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming have ridden non-stop through rain, wind, hail, and – at one point before reaching the Nebraska/Wyoming hand-off, according to the re-ride’s stablemaster report (available on nationalponyexpress.org) – the riders had to adjust to conditions and re-route because of road closures due to storm damage.
After a successful handoff, an 80-mile, 10-and-a-half hour stretch of the ride took place under the direction of ride captain Stephanie Goulart across Goshen and Platte Counties. This portion was run in two-mile legs with transfers of the mochila (the specially made over-the-saddle mail bag) in less than a minute. Most of the ride was under the cover of darkness, and with humid, post-storm clouds hanging low, the light of the full moon was hidden.
Going cross-country with such low visibility slowed the group down at some points, but they were able to make up for it at others. They reached the checkpoint in downtown Glendo at 4:30 a.m., just 30 minutes behind schedule, to hand off the mochila (which is signed by most of the riders at the final group checkpoint) to ride captain Gynette King. Endurance rider Brandy Eggeman began a 15-mile stint from Glendo to the River Bridge near Orin Junction, and by the time King’s group reached the Douglas checkpoint, the mail was on-time.
Throughout most of Wyoming the ponies were ahead of schedule, reaching the border at Utah on Sunday. The scheduled arrival in “Old Sacramento” is 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

For more information, see the official website for the re-ride, www.nationalponyexpress.org.