Pony Express arrives in Old Sacramento after 10 days and nearly 2,000 miles

In their uniform of yellow bandana, red shirt and brown vest, Pony Express riders turned Old Sacramento briefly into the Old West as they rode into town Thursday for the conclusion of a celebrated mail delivery.

The Pony Express National Re-Ride ended its nearly 2,000 mile trek from St. Joseph, Missouri to the Pony Express statue on 2nd and J streets. The 10-day journey drew hundreds of participants as the relay of horseback riders switched off every 10 miles just as the original Pony Express riders did.

The 10 days are a recreation of the traditional route of the Pony Express private mail service that operated for 18 months during 1860 and 1861. The Pony Express is remembered for its speed of its service, its 24-hour relay of riders, and as the fastest route of communication between the East and West until the arrival of the intercontinental telegraph.

The ride is organized by the National Pony Express Association, which this year, consisted of approximately 700 riders following a route that stretched across eight states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah and California.

At each stop, riders handed off 1,570 real letters to the next rider. The mail, just as it was back then, was carried in a specialized leather mailbag, or mochila, with lockable pockets called cantinas, according to the National Pony Express Association. The mochila was designed to be quickly thrown over the saddle of the next galloping rider as the mail delivery continued its route.

Thursday’s mail was hand-stamped upon delivery.

The annual Re-Ride travels east in odd-numbered years and west in even-numbered years. In 2027, riders will depart from Old Sacramento and end in Missouri.