Riders make up time lost in Nevada desert

Not quite on time - three and a half hours late - Pony Express rider Mike Murphy galloped into the town of Genoa at just before 1 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a procession of vehicles, beginning with a Douglas County Sheriff's Office Hummer.

"The ride's been going good," said National Pony Express Association President David Sanner, of Kansas, who was following the entire course with more than 550 riders from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento over the past 10 days.

Problems occurred while riders cruised the Nevada desert Tuesday night, according to Sanner.

"We had a problem with one horse," he said. "One guy tangled up in wire coming over a pass. We didn't have a moon this year. In the dark, things happen."

Sanner said some of the riders in the annual Pony Express Re-ride carry flashlights.

"But, that doesn't always work when you're riding at a canter," he said.

Sanner and fellow national association member Kenny Nelson, also of Kansas, both rode 4-5 mile legs through Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada.

"It was pretty hot and dusty," Nelson said of the Nevada desert. "For 300 miles or so - no communication, no cell phones, nothing."

Sanner said he was participating through the entire length, 1,966 miles, for the third year.

"It's been a good ride all the way across," Sanner said. "Nebraska had a whole bunch of rain. We rode in the rain about 24 hours. We had to reroute, the roads were washed out. In Julesberg, Colo., the rain quit, but then it just started getting hot and kept getting hotter."

Wednesday's event attracted more people than ever before, according to Genoa Court House Museum volunteer Dee Hart. About 60 people were there, and most of them had come early since the rider had been scheduled to arrive about 9:30 a.m.

"We're really getting great attendance this year," Hart said.

President of Pony Express Riders in Germany, Peter Kwoka, said he has attended the Pony Express Re-ride in the U.S. since 1987.

The German association began in 1974, and they have done their own re-rides since 1985.

"We have also a re-ride, but it's in August," Kwoka said. "We ride from Germany to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, then split and one group goes into Poland.

Kwoka said he enjoys his time in Nevada, "always."

There are not as many European riders, he said, and although they ride a shorter total distance, about 1,000-1,100 miles, each rider does a 17-mile stretch.

While waiting for the rider to appear in Genoa, the Douglas County Historical Society and Nevada State Parks entertained the crowd. A Guns of the West demonstration was held in Mormon Station State Historic Park and Eileen Bianchi, a member of Daughters of Norway, sang the Norwegian National Anthem, in honor of John "Snowshoe" Thompson.

A Norwegian flag hung from the museum balcony, provided by new historical society members Kaare and Laila Fladby, who were born in Norway, came to the states in the 1950s, and moved to Gardnerville three years ago.

"We're enthralled with the West - western history," said Laila Fladby.

The Fladbys brought copies of the anthem to hand out.

Snowshoe "Don" Thompson arrived with skis sticking out the top of his sunroof, donned his costume and began a presentation on Nevada history and the man who delivered mail to Genoa by skiing over the Sierra Nevada.

Visitors were also able to view the museum's new Pony Express exhibit.

The audience rose as the Pony Express rider came into view and Carl Malkmus waited his turn for the next leg from the museum to the entrance to Old Kingsbury Grade. It would take three more riders before reaching Harrah's Lake Tahoe Resort in Stateline, with the final destination scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday in Old Sacramento.

Malkmus' horse, Cash, spooked when Murphy first rode up, but the two men exchanged the 32-pound Mochilla carrying more than 900 commemorative letters, the horse calmed down, Malkmus mounted him and took off.

The 10-day ride is the longest equestrian event in the nation. Wednesday's event commemorated the 147th anniversary of the Pony Express riders of the Central Overland and California Pikes Peak Express Company, which existed for 19 months from 1860-61.

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