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Pony Express ride delivers memories Cave Junction woman will end 2,000-mile horse trek in Nevada By J.T. BUSHNELL A Cave Junction woman is riding horseback through the original Pony Express trail. Carol Crawford, 39, is taking part in the XP 2001 Ride, an event that stretches from Mississippi to Nevada and is sanctioned by the American Endurance Riding Conference. She has joined nearly 100 competitors from around the nation on the 2,000-mile horseback trek. Crawford has averaged about 10 hours of riding per day, five days a week, since the event started June 5 in St. Louis. Horses earn AERC points on the ride - each mile being worth a point - but will receive no prizes for the competition. Horses may earn year-end or career awards based on point totals. Even though Crawford believes her horse has traveled more miles this trip than any other horse, she is taking part less for the competition and more for the experience. "In 10 years I didn't want to say I had a chance but didn't do it," she said in a recent call from a pay phone in eastern Nevada during two days of rest. "It's fun. I don't want it to end." But end it will. Crawford and her horse, Energizer, a 16-year-old Spanish mustang, have already traveled more than 1,500 miles. They will complete the ride Saturday in Virginia City, Nev. Crawford said she and her horse both feel as though they are nearing the end of the trek. She said her feet hurt from walking about seven miles a day to rest the horse. Also, Energizer has been tripping more, she said, signaling fatigue. One time Energizer tripped and fell, flipping her off and hurting her shoulder. Most other riders rotate two or three horses on the ride or do not complete the 50-mile daily requirement. "This horse is No. 1," Crawford said. "As long as he can get up and go, he will. That's why I brought him." Energizer actually belongs to Tom Jones of Central Point. Crawford used to own the horse and trained it for Jones. Crawford said there have been numerous highlights on the trip. A Schwann's ice cream truck had broken down near the trail in Nebraska. The driver handed out free ice cream to the riders as they went by. "I was riding along the Pony Express trail through the cornfields of Nebraska, eating an ice cream sandwich," she recalled. "It was neat." She also remembers seeing a moose in Utah and taking Energizer into an old telegraph building earlier this week. The ride closely follows the original Pony Express trail. The Pony Express was a horseback relay mail service that operated for 18 months in the early 1860s. Because of the need for improved communication in the expanding nation, it created an immediate sensation and won a permanent place in the history of the West. The ride has cost Crawford more than $8,000, a quarter of it going to the entry fee. Crawford, who does odd jobs like bucking hay, assisting a veterinarian and training horses, said her parents fronted her the money. "I'll deal with that when I get home," she said. "But whatever it takes it was worth it." Jackie Jones, Tom's wife and Crawford's friend of a decade, said Crawford's patience and intelligence has helped her through the ride. "You have to be a die-hard to participate in this ride, and Carol is," Jackie said. "This is a dream come true for her." Reach reporter J.T. Bushnell at 776-4468. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.