Photo via Cyclingnews

'Mind-blowing' - Lachlan Morton's mid-point assessment of Pony Express endurance ride across 'very desolate landscapes' of US western states

Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton reached the halfway point of his solo, 3,164-kilometer Pony Express ride across eight U.S. states on Thursday, navigating rugged Wyoming terrain and camping briefly before continuing toward Utah.

The journey, which began in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Monday, retraces the historic 1860s mail route, with Morton aiming to surpass the record set by horseback riders in 1861—seven days and 17 hours—using modern cycling equipment and team support.

He described the landscapes as 'remote and harsh,' noting the challenges of deep sand, dense brush, and near-forgotten paths that forced detours. Morton, who has ridden for EF Education-EasyPost for over a decade, called the experience 'mind-blowing,' emphasizing the team effort required to sustain such an endurance challenge.

As of Thursday, he was already 400 kilometers ahead of the Pony Express' fastest time in Utah, though he acknowledged the toughest stretches still lay ahead.

The ride serves as Morton’s final outing in EF Education-EasyPost’s colors, blending his career’s versatility across multiple cycling disciplines. The original Pony Express, operational for just two years before the telegraph rendered it obsolete, relied on rapid horseback relays across treacherous terrain—a feat Morton is attempting to mirror with pedal power.

His progress highlights both the physical demands of the journey and the logistical support from his team, underscoring the blend of individual grit and collective effort in modern endurance sports.

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