Rest Day - Lake Maloney Nebraska

Greetings,

 

June 5 and 6, 2011 – Rest Day – Lake Maloney Nebraska – Our gypsy caravan is starting to form into a cohesive group.  The two weeks on the trail have helped everyone appreciate just how far it is to California.  Some riders and crews are feeling the stress and some will probably not last.  Horses are footsore from traveling on hard Nebraska roads.  Many vehicles have been stuck in the mud on various farm roads.  However, nearly everyone remains optimistic and helpful and we are working together to make some major truck repairs, horse treatments, re-shoe horses, along with general camp and trail duties.  Two guys worked all day Sunday to repair an oil cooler on a diesel truck.  The lead mechanic is a Ford Mater Mechanic so the truck is in very good hands.  Dave Nicholson, the trip leader, has a trailer with a very complete set of tools including a welder, drill press, and other metal fabrication machines.  Other riders have various wrenches, drills, and other hand tools and they freely loan those tools to others.  Our group is really quite self-sufficient.  When something breaks, the trip continues while the owner of the broken device calls and finds replacement parts in the nearby towns.  If the parts cannot be found locally, then the parts are sent by overnight delivery to some waypoint along the trail.  The repairs are made and the rider rejoins the caravan.

Today, Monday, we enjoyed an XP pancake breakfast.  Earlier in the week someone from the trip was in a small town and one of the local residents inquired about the trip.  After he heard about our excursion along the Pony Express Trail, he gave us ten bags of his gourmet pancake mix.  Today, we cooked the pancakes, along with bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, watermelon, strawberries, coffee, and other foods for a group breakfast.  After breakfast it was back to camp chores such as truck repair, securing hay, and other less strenuous activities like feeding the local geese.

There are a people from all backgrounds on the trip -- people who are quite well-off to some true gypsies.  What everyone has in common is the commitment to get this band of horses and riders to Virginia City. 

After two weeks, I have adjusted to the life and the schedule.  We wake at 4:30 am, tend to the horses, eat breakfast, pack the van, and around 6:00 in the morning, head out on the day's trail.  In the afternoon, we work together to set up camp, tend to the horses, eat dinner, walk the horses, and go to bed.  It is a simple life and it is a good life.

Near us in the campground are two "gentlemen" who are permanent residents and who have lived in the two school busses and associated travel trailer for over twenty years.  Those two have lived in this campground in summer and winter through seven different owners.  Their section of the campground has a sign that reads, "Outlaw Corner, Enter At Own Risk."  The two talked about the Nebraska winters and talked how the winds and temperatures can be difficult but they remain here at the Lake House Campground and fish in the summer and they probably play cards and such in the winter.  While I am glad that not everyone in America chooses their lifestyle, I am glad that our society is tolerant enough to allow these old men to pursue their alternative lifestyle, fish, and feed the birds and squirrels.  Just as I am happy that our band of 30 or so riders, another 50 or 60 family members and crew, and about 100 horses can travel across the Western US and be welcome.  Not many people have experience with farm animals in the 21^st century and we and our horses are ambassadors on the trail.  On Saturday in North Platte, several families with children came up to the trailer to visit with Frank and Whiskey.  When they ask where we are going, and we answer, "California, on horseback along the Pony Express Trail", we receive various replies.  However, after a short discussion, nearly everyone remarks that we are on an amazing adventure.  Many are envious.   Cindy and I are enjoying our life on this gypsy caravan and we are very lucky to have these experiences.

 

Best Regards from the Pony Express Trail,

Tom N