Today's horsemen (and women) running the trail reported high speeds, successful transfers of the "mochilla" and on-time stops on the Internet.

Meg Varardi of California reported a finish at Hangtown in Placerville, Calif., at 5:20 p.m. June 18. Joe Kelso from the Nevada Satellite Tracking Office said the top speed on June 18 was 13 mph out of Shingle Springs topped on June 19 by a speed of 18 mph, "the fastest time along the trail so far."

To keep on schedule, riders need to average 8 mph as they ride paralleling modern highways.

"We do this to preserve history," Arnesen said. "When I joined the group 20 years ago, there were few markers. We pushed Congress and different groups to spend our tax money to make a trail you could follow."

Arnesen said the modern-days riders are proud of being able to replicate the 10-day ride despite changes in the topography.

"We can pick the mail up in Sacramento and have it in St. Joe in the same 10 days and it's a lot more fun," he said.

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