From Pony Express to Porch Pirates

If I were able to travel back in history, I would set the date on my time machine to April 3, 1860. I’d then put the GPS on St. Joseph, Missouri and after landing in another world just before the Civil War, I’d apply for a job as a Pony Express rider. An advertisement in a St. Joseph newspaper at that time supposedly read, “Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred”. Sign me up.
To be a rider you couldn’t weigh over 125 pounds and at only 114 pounds including my belt buckle, I could easily fit that requirement. The average age of the riders was around 20 but if I’m able to go back in time, I can also make myself a little younger while I’m at it. The youngest rider employed by the company was reputedly only 11 years old. The oldest was 45, who not only rode but also worked as a station keeper. The famous frontier showman William “Buffalo Bill” Cody claimed he served as a Pony Express rider at the age of 14 but it is believed he was stretching the truth when he wrote about his adventures in his autobiography. But truth or fiction, he epitomizes the legend of the Pony Express.
Riders were paid a rather handsome sum for the time receiving up to $150 a month ($5,023.16 in today’s dollars) for riding a galloping beast nonstop for 75-100 miles a day. During emergencies, they would have to pull a double shift and ride 20 hours without stopping. I’m not sure if they received overtime or bonuses for beating deadlines.