Pony Express rides to Carson this morning

The sesquicentennial re-ride of the Pony Express will do something it has never done at Nevada's first settlement, spend the night.

Longtime riders Bob Moore and Carl Malkmus drew a crowd as they waited for Mike Murphy at Fairview Lane and Fredricksburg Road on Tuesday afternoon.

Moore had the run to the Red Barn Ranch, and Malkmus from the Red Barn Ranch to new Kingsbury Grade.

Express riders are only traveling during the daylight hours, so that various places, like Genoa, can hold celebrations.

"I think it's good that it's going through when people can see it," Malkmus said. "It'll give them something to celebrate with all that's going on in the world."

One of the people who gathered to watch the riders came all the way from Dallas, Texas, to see the re-ride.

Kenan Hays said he read about the Pony Express in the travel section of his newspaper.

"I was coming out west for vacation, so I decided to take a detour to see the Pony Express ride," he said.

Hays has been camping out in his van on his trip which will take him up the coast to Oregon.

"I haven't spent one dime on lodging in 21⁄2 weeks," he said.

Pony Express riders will be up early this morning to continue their ride into Carson City. They are expected to leave Genoa at 6 a.m. and arrive at the St. Charles Hotel in the capital at 8:30 a.m.

The annual re-ride left San Francisco on Sunday. The rider took the ferry to Sacramento, where the ride resumed.

Riders carry a mochilla, which contains mail specially stamped for the occasion.

The ride expected to arrive in St. Joseph, Mo., on June 26.

For more about the ride or to track the rider, visit xphomestation.com