If all goes well (i.e., if I don’t fall again and break something between now and then), I will start from St. Joe on Monday, May 31, 2021 (Memorial Day). I expect to arrive in Salt Lake somewhere between 4.5 to 6 weeks later (and in any case by July 15). Below are all the ways to follow along, virtually, if anyone is so inclined.
[It seems ironic somehow to enjoy so much connectivity while purporting to ride the Pony Express route. It’s kind of funny to think how different communication is from 1860, when the Pony Express ran. The Express took ten days (well, a little less on special occasions, a few days more in winter) and was the fastest delivery between California and the Missouri River. Regular mail took a month or more, especially in winter, and sometimes, of course, never made it at all. Anyway . . .]
Tracking and Notifications
I will be carrying a satellite GPS unit. For those who want to be able to locate me, there are a few options:
- You can check in on my most recent location at any time by going to https://maps.findmespot.com/s/4ZT6. On that map, you can also view where I’ve been for the previous seven days.
- If you want to receive an automated message with my current location to you via text every morning I start a ride, just click here to send me an email and I will add you to the list. Please make sure to add the text number I should use.
- If you want to receive an automated message with my current location to you via email every morning I start a ride, Just click here to send me an email and I will add you to that list. I will use the email address you send the message from unless you specify a different one.
If you choose to receive a text, the sender ID will end in “+1 (xxx) xxx-9566.” Please note: while I can receive text messages at that number, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THE TEXT OR USE IT TO CONTACT ME. I get a limited number of text messages through this service (20/month). Besides, I will likely be within cell range through most of this trip (with some exceptions—especially western Wyoming, I suspect). So I am, for the most part, reachable.
If you choose to receive emails, they will come from “noreply@findmespot.com.” If sometime around the end of June you recall something about me being somewhere in the Great Plains, and wonder why you haven’t heard anything, maybe add that address to the “Allowed” list in your email program.
Social Media
Depending on how things are going (that is, how much energy and connectivity I have during and after each day’s ride), I will occasionally post to one or more of the following services. I anticipate mostly posting pictures to Instagram (and occasionally cross-post those to Facebook):
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott_alumbaugh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scottelialumbaugh
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottalumbaugh
Website and Blog
I may also occasionally post something on my blog, at https://ponyexpressride.com/blog. There is a link in the footer if you want to subscribe and be notified whenever I post another entry. It doesn’t happen too often, but the option is there if you want it.