Five Mile Station
Scouting Scouting California

Five Mile Station

Five Mile Station is last station before you get to the western terminus of the Pony Express Trail in Sacramento....
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The Antelope
Scouting Scouting California

The Antelope

Riding through Old Town Sacramento the other day, I came across a Pony Express memorial that somehow I'd never seen...
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Gillespie’s Store
Scouting Scouting California

Gillespie’s Store

Gillespie's Store is the next station west of Halfway House (Silveyville). It sits in front of Heritage House, a restaurant...
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Slade’s Wells Fargo Colt
What I'm Reading

Slade’s Wells Fargo Colt

John B. McClernan, Slade's Wells Fargo Colt (Historical Notes) This is a short, wonderful book. Ostensibly, it is about one...
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Pony Express Bridge
Scouting Scouting California

Pony Express Bridge

Took a ride the other day (December 10, 2020) to view the Pony Express Memorial in West Sacramento. Good thing...
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Halfway House
Scouting Scouting California

Halfway House

Halfway House is another station marker west of Sacramento. It sits in the former town of Silveyville. As the inscription...
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Solano House
Scouting Scouting California

Solano House

The western terminal of the Pony Express is in Sacramento, as is the end of the Pony Express Bikepacking Route....
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The Year of Decision
What I'm Reading

The Year of Decision

Bernard DeVoto, The Year of Decision: 1846 (1942) This book took a long time to read. It's very well written—I...
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A Route for the Overland Stage
What I'm Reading

A Route for the Overland Stage

Jesse G. Patterson, A Route for the Overland Stage: James H. Simpson's 1859 Trail Across the Great Basin (2008) This is...
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Scouting: Cameron Park to Old Town Folsom
Scouting Scouting California

Scouting: Cameron Park to Old Town Folsom

Last July (2020), I scouted two routes between Cameron Park (actually, from Shingle Springs, a little to the east) and...
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Scouting: Sand Springs to Simpson Pass
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Sand Springs to Simpson Pass

For my last Nevada scouting trip this season, I headed back out to Fallon for a ride I've been looking...
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Scouting: Carson Sink Station
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Carson Sink Station

This is the third of three reports on the route between Sand Springs and Carson Sink Stations. Part 1 ("Sand Springs...
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Scouting: Simpson Pass to Highway 95
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Simpson Pass to Highway 95

This is the second of three reports on the route between Sand Springs and Carson Sink Stations. Part 1 ("Sand Springs...
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Sand Springs Station
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Sand Springs Station

The ruins of Sand Springs Station are on the short road to Sand Mountain Recreation Area, a hugely popular off-road...
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Cold Springs Station
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Cold Springs Station

The ruins of Cold Springs Station are accessible from US 50 about 60 miles west of Austin, NV and 13...
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Scouting: Basque Summit/Smith Creek Ranch
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Basque Summit/Smith Creek Ranch

Scouting a route to Basque Summit is a particularly interesting story. As I've mentioned elsewhere, the original XP Bikepacking Route...
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Scouting: Smith Creek Summit/Dry Wells Station
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Smith Creek Summit/Dry Wells Station

I scouted Smith Creek Summit to see if it could be an off-road alternate to Railroad Pass, just to the...
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Scouting: Old Overland Road to Smith Creek Summit
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Old Overland Road to Smith Creek Summit

The purpose of this scouting trip was to see if there were any obstructions along the Old Overland Road between...
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Scouting: Jacobsville/Reese River Station
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Jacobsville/Reese River Station

Reese River/Jacobsville Station is six or seven miles west of Austin, Nevada. The current XP Bikepacking Route bypasses this station,...
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Scouting: Dry Creek to Austin
Scouting Scouting Nevada

Scouting: Dry Creek to Austin

This past week (October 2) I made it back out to Austin, Nevada, to scout the trail between Dry Creek...
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