# The Pony Express Reride: Did you know it’s running today? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 24, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273 "2024-06-24T15:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/21 "2024-06-25T14:46:13Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > The Pony Express seems like such an iconic and integral part of US history that I had assumed it must have operated for many years. Yeah, but the whole “wild west” was pretty ephemeral. Cattle drives really took place over \<25 years. The western Indian Wars were \<30. Weird how such a relatively brief period became so iconographic. Driving through Nebraska recently, we stopped at a rest area which was just south of the PE route. Neat, unexpected bit of history. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/22 "2024-06-25T15:04:00Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > And then it only lasted 18 months I feel like this is one of those facts I’ve “learned for the first time” over and over again, like my brain refuses to make it canon. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/23 "2024-06-25T15:17:46Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > The Pony Express started in St. Joseph, MO. Assuming this is the western edge of regular express-mail territory, how many settlements existed in 1841 between St. Joe and Sacramento? Well, where did the Pony Express transfer stations eventually go? It’s nearly impossible to have something like that without at least some local support. Someone had to build the stables and hostels where the horses and riders rested between legs, someone had to bring in food for the horses and humans, etc. You can support something like this from afar, but it gets much more difficult, very quickly: If, for instance, you haul in a wagonload of hay every few days to feed the horses, and a wagon goes a third as fast as a mail horse, then you need three times as many waystations to support those supply wagons, and the wagons need to carry feed not just for the fast mail horses, but also for the beasts pulling the wagons. The difficulty grows exponentially with the distance from the most remote waystation to some sort of established settlement. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/24 "2024-06-25T16:40:56Z")
TIL that the [priceless ‘help wanted’ ad was likely a hoax.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express#Famous_riders) “Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred,” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/25 "2024-06-25T16:50:29Z")
There are some Pony Express station remnants here in the west. Some are in the middle of BFE, and those that were in cities have either been converted to other building uses or preserved for history. With a 1,900 mile route there would have been over 100 stations. Wiki says there were 184 stations. I’ve seen a couple of them. All that was left were rock walls of a cabin or lodge, and those walls were maybe 2-3 feet high. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/26 "2024-06-25T17:15:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The difficulty grows exponentially with the distance from the most remote waystation to some sort of established settlement. Correct, but have you ever been across Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada where the PE traveled? Even today there’s very little farming along much of that route, meaning that all food and hay had to be transported long distances. Heck, in 1841 (the original date we were discussing), Missouri was the westernmost state. Fort Kearney in Nebraska, one of the PE stations, wasn’t established until 1848. The first stagecoach trip to San Francisco didn’t happen until 1858. I’m still not buying the idea of news being transmitted by word of mouth across the western half of the nation in 1841. Obviously, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/27 "2024-06-25T17:43:27Z")
It was a really cool mail delivery route that grabs the imagination. It was also impractical and expensive. 20 or 30 days reliably would have been as useful as 10 days. Luckily the Iron Horse was on the way. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/28 "2024-06-25T18:23:09Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Two weeks ago I was in Sacramento. There’s a statue there. And the actual terminus was the B.F. Hastings Building, which IIRC is across the street from the statue, or in that general vicinity. The building now houses the Wells Fargo Museum. > **[Pony Express Terminal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express_Terminal)** > > The Pony Express Terminal, also known as the B. F. Hastings Bank Building, is a historic commercial building at 1000 2nd Street in Sacramento, California. Built in 1852, it was the western endpoint of the Pony Express from 1860 to 1861, the period of the service's operation. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It now houses a museum dedicated to the history of Wells Fargo, and is part of Old Sacramento State Historic Park, itself a National Historic Landmark District. Th The... ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/29 "2024-06-25T18:32:05Z")
Has the pony made it to Sacramento, yet? I’m having trouble with the re-enactment maps. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/30 "2024-06-25T19:14:20Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > And then it only lasted 18 months, and it never was profitable. But _[Young Riders](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Riders)_ lasted for 34 months (profitability uncertain). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/31 "2024-06-25T19:43:56Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Has the pony made it to Sacramento, yet? I’m having trouble with the re-enactment maps. Not yet. It’s still in Nevada. It’s scheduled to cross the state line at dinner time tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/32 "2024-06-25T19:51:57Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I’m still not buying the idea of news being transmitted by word of mouth across the western half of the nation in 1841. Obviously, YMMV. Me neither. Have you ever played the telephone game? It can be VERY entertaining comparing the original message with the final that was received at the end of the chain. The message originally sent MUST BE the message that is received. Also, just because people do move about, it does not mean there is a preponderance of people moving west. Further, there would be very few people crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains, or the great western desert. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/33 "2024-06-25T20:05:06Z")
From what I can see, they are running pretty damn late. Still east of Austin. And that’s a long trip in a fast car from here. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/34 "2024-06-25T20:14:10Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > From what I can see, they are running pretty damn late. Yep, they’re going through some rugged landscape right now in Emigrant Canyon. And it will be a while before they get out to some relatively flat ground. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/35 "2024-06-25T20:14:28Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I was quite surprised the first time I learned this. The Pony Express seems like such an iconic and integral part of US history that I had assumed it must have operated for many years. Yeah, for some reason it always has to be taught, even though it was totally insignificant and even pointless. > [@Bullitt](#): > > THIS STATUE COMMEMORATES THE GLORY OF THE PONY EXPRESS, LOL- no glory. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/36 "2024-06-25T20:46:53Z")
Yeah, I chuckled at “glory” too. The PE is about halfway across Nevada now, at 1345 Pacific. [![](https://i.imgur.com/JLFv5ea.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/JLFv5ea.png) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/37 "2024-06-25T20:55:55Z")
@Gatopescado thank you for the invite, but I will not be able to travel tomorrow. My wife reminded me that we have dinner plans with an old friend. I’m now looking at driving to Sacramento. If they stay on schedule they’ll arrive at the statue @ 1630. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/38 "2024-06-25T21:55:42Z")
I just walked outside, and it looks like they are in for some pretty shit weather. Hope they got waterproof dusters. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/39 "2024-06-26T11:58:11Z")
And these guys ride 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273/40 "2024-06-26T12:23:04Z")
Here is the California list of stations and predicted schedule. [![](https://i.imgur.com/IL5mtV9.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/IL5mtV9.png) Source ➜ [http://nationalponyexpress.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-CA-Re-Ride-Schedule.pdf](http://nationalponyexpress.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-CA-Re-Ride-Schedule.pdf) I’ll be going to Sacramento on Thursday. I also plan to go to some of the earlier stations. It might be running late, but the website currently says it is on time. ➜ [Follow The Ride – National Pony Express Association](https://is.gd/ponyExpress) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pony-express-reride-did-you-know-it-s-running-today/1003273.md?page=3)