Pony Express trots through 157th year, locals ride

Although the 157th, 1,966-mile commemorative Re-Ride began June 5 at the former headquarters for the pony express in St. Joseph, Mo., and is now bound for Sacramento, Calif., the Nebraska Division of the National Pony Express Association began its ride March 1 at the State Capitol in Lincoln.
Twenty-four Pony Express riders, including Trail Captains Richard and Alice Heinrichs, Wade Heinrichs, Todd Heinrichs and Nebraska President Lyle Gronewald of Gothenburg, celebrated Nebraska’s 150th year of statehood by delivering a copy of the statehood’s original proclamation to Gov. Pete Ricketts and First Lady Susanne Shore.
Also presented was a framed 2017 Commemorative Pony Express Re-Ride letter to the People of Nebraska.
Over 1,000 of the letters were sold and were on their way through eight states to Old Sacramento Calif. They were scheduled to reach their desitination June 15.
The 24 riders of the Nebraska Division took a trip around the State Capitol on horseback, despite March’s cold wind.
“How many times do you get to ride a horse around the Capitol?” Alice Heinrichs said about the event.  
The longest equestrian event by distance, the pony express, takes 10 days, 24 hours per day with over 700 riders who have taken the Pony Express oath and received a Bible in step with tradition.
New riders are always encouraged to join.
In Nebraska, the ride began near Steele City June 6. The pony continued through Rock Creek and Alexandria, and at the Pony Express monument next to Highway 81 June 6, the local pony express riders gathered, along with Gronewald and National Pony Express President Dean Atkin from Tooele, Utah, who said he had been following since the Patee House in St. Joe.  
By June 8 at 3:15 p.m. (MDT), the pony was passing Chimmney Rock National Monument and reached Lingle, Wyo., at 10:57 p.m. (MDT).
Follow the daily entries of Re-ride at nationalponyexpress.org.