It is always great to receive support from readers, it keeps me going - Thanks. While working on the Anza-Borrego Expedition reports, and in particular the Great Southern Overland Stagecoach Road, I was drawn deeper and deeper into the compelling story behind these historical backcountry stage and wagon train routes that overlanders can continue to enjoy today. I had resolved myself to only doing an expanded 49-photo slideshow of Trek Leg 5: Berlin Side Door to Pony Express and Fort Churchill, but while researching the detailed Scouting Report for Trek Leg 6 I came across such great content I had to share it with enthusiasts who appreciate the significance of the piece of dirt that they are traveling on and of the relics they are encountering, as they explore. A rotting old post surround by a neatly organized circle of rocks takes on a whole new meaning as you follow the dotted line of the old Pony Express on your GPS maps, for the remains of the old posts is all that is left of the telegraph line that followed and replaced the storied Pony Express in 1861. I really enjoyed reading about the heroic efforts of the some of the 15 year old riders during the Indian Wars, and just had to share them, as well as the plight of the natives who were out-placed. Having images of what transpired brings the rock ruins of such sites as Desert Relay Station to life - as do the stories of such colourful legends as Buffalo Bill Cody that used them during the incredible ride, that only lasted 18 months. And I wanted to share old maps and photos that help me piece the stories together.
The following screen shots are from the Scouting Report we have prepared. The quality is much better with our on-line E-reader but I hope these sample pages intrigue you enough to go our site OverlandFrontier.com and see for yourself: Trek Leg 5: Berlin Side Door to Pony Express and Fort Churchill. Even better, we hope it will inspire you to get off the grid and plan your own two or three day remote expedition into Great Basin of Nevada.
This Trek Leg is part of the Nevada Ghost Town & Iconic Trails Series. I found so much great stuff for the detailed Scouting Report for Trek Leg 6 that carries on to the incredible living ghost town of Virgina City, that I'm having hard time choosing content.
The Nevada Journey is also part of a Three Nation Expedition which is being featured in this thread. I came into the border-to-border expedition showcase midway on the Mojave Road so I could link it to great trails I discovered on the way to Overland Expo, but in December I started a thread and website showcase for the start of southern US portion of the expedition; Anza-Borrego Iconic Trails & Oasis Journey.
This trip is an amazing inspiration. I really appreciate your attention to detail and your amazing amount of background knowledge about each of these towns. Thanks for your amazing trip reports!
Thanks for sharing. We'll be at the Overland Expo as well. But will not be attending Sunday Expo. I'd like to go explore. Maybe we'll meet you there at Grand Canyon area.