The group arrived at our post office with mail from other towns. The guys were all dressed in buckskin much like the pony express riders of the past.
They all lined up so we could get a good look at them. There were about 30 riders. The kids were given special centennial bandanas and had the guys sign them. (Arizona is 100 years old this month.)
Each rider had a mailbag and these were collected.
They signed bandanas for about 20 minutes. (Note: Wren and Dakota.....we got bandanas for you.)
The kids loved getting close to the horses and giving them a pet. Boy, were they well-behaved horses!
The group had ridden 100 miles that day. They were going to camp along the Verde River that night and have a big steak dinner. The next day they planned to ride another 80 miles.
These men and their horses are part of search and rescue teams across Arizona. This event is the oldest officially sanctioned Pony Express in the world. Each rider is sworn in as an honorary mail messenger braving weather, terrain, and modern-day obstacles to deliver the United States mail.
Looks like a fun event. I had a day long horse ridding lesson yesterday. It's only my third, but things are finally starting to click. My hips are sore. Hopefully I can get myself trained and certified before too long.
ReplyDeleteI read your post to Dakota and he is looking forward to the bandanna. We will have to go to the library and get a book on the Pony Express for the boys to have a real appreciation for this event. Love the starting point for a new topic of exploration for Dakota and I at the library.
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