7 Days, 17 Hours
Chasing History Along the Pony Express Trail
Adventure
The ALT Project is an award-winning historical documentary film series featuring adventure motorcyclists exploring the splendor and fragility of North America's natural landscapes, while revealing the diverse cultures that live among them.
Spanning from present-day St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA, the Pony Express Route was a critical pathway for delivering essential documents to the West. Despite its brief operation of just 18 months, the riders who braved the route on horseback earned a legendary status in American history.
In March 1861, a rider raced west from Fort Kearny in the Nebraska Territory, undertaking a remarkable challenge for that era. Carrying Abraham Lincoln's inaugural address, the riders navigated snow-laden trails, racing toward Fort Churchill in the Nevada Territory. They set a record time for the route: seven days and 17 hours.
To honor this historic feat, the ALT Project decided to retrace the original Pony Express Route on two adventure motorcycles. This journey recounts the vast landscapes of our country and the warmth of its people, all while striving to match the incredible time achieved by the horseback riders in 1861.
HONORS
Telly Award - Non-Broadcast Entertainment (2010)
Telly Award - Non-Broadcast Low Budget (2010)
Telly Award - People’s Telly (2010)
Premiered at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.