2026 Marks the 50th Year of XP Rides.

We hope you can join us during our Golden Anniversary Year.

Please read this before moving on: The XP website is maintained by an old man with a fading memory and is subject to many errors. We post any current updates of importance at the top of the Home Page of the website. Below this message is the ride calendar. The home page has been updated and ride dates are current and should conform to the AERC calendar. Below the calendar, we post “Our Next Ride”. If the time of that ride has past, you may assume we are still busy finishing up the clean up and paperwork from that ride. We will get around to updating the information for the upcoming rides as soon as possible. If you find a conflict of information about the XP Rides, whether it be the correct date or something else please contact David or Ann Nicholson before putting anything on social media. We try to correct errors as soon as possible.

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2026 XPCalendar

Picket Post XP	Jan 2-3-4, 2026
Eastern Mojave XP	Feb 6-7-8, 2026
Laurel Mountain XP	Mar 13-14-15, 2026
Cuyama Oaks XP	Mar 27-28-29, 2026
Caballo Sin Nombre XP	April 17-18-19, 2026
Mt Carmel XP	May 7-8-9-10, 2026
Chicken Creek XP	Jun 13-14-15, 2026
Strawberry Fields XP	Jun 26-27-28, 2026
Grand Canyon XP	Sep 3-4-5-6, 2026
Colorado Fall Color XP	Sep 26-27-28, 2025Sep 25-26-27, 2026
Sesenta Años	Nov 7-8-9, 2025 Nov 6-7-8, 2026

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Our Next Ride

EASTERN MOJAVE XP

February 6-7-8, 2026

Our friends at The Cima Mining Company have made some big changes in the five years since we last held the ride here.  The convenience store has expanded and they now have a restaurant for those who don’t want to bother with cooking during the ride. They are our hosts for the ride and we camp on their land west of the station.

3 days & 150 miles + 3 days of 25 or 30’s each day!

XP Club 50’s and intro rides as well as shorter distances each day

       The XP Riders welcome you to the Eastern Mojave National Preserve and the 18th annual ride in the Eastern Mojave National Preserve. We hope that you will join us and enjoy the unique and varied scenery of the Eastern Mojave. Over fifty years ago, while working at Valley Wells Ranch, headquartered just north of the Cima Road Rest Area, I had the opportunity to see the desert in a different and more appreciative light. I hope that you will take the time to notice the great variation in animal and plant life that exists in this harsh but beautiful high desert. While travelers on the Interstate fly through this “barren desert” and miss what it has to offer, you will have the opportunity to see more varied forms of plant life than what you have probably experienced on other rides, as you and your horse pass through at a more leisurely rate.

On the first day our ride starts by visiting Tin Can Alley, an important culture site, where early California Rednecks, disposed of their unneeded cans. Dumping cans and trash in remote desert washes was an established practice of earlier desert dwellers and is one of those fast disappearing customs of the old west. Fortunately for us, previous Desert Rednecks thoughtfully left us something to remember them by and we hope you will take the time to look through the interesting old cans and bottles from yesteryear. As you head south, along the base of the Mescals, you will see abandoned mine sites that the miners hoped would lead to one of the tributaries of the River of Gold. You should pay attention to the trail as you pass through the Cactus Patch, making sure that your horse stays on the trail and out of the cacti. Some of you will undoubtedly discover why the southwestern cowboys always wore chaps and boots as you brush by some of the native plants. Wise desert travelers always carry a comb, pliers or Leatherman to remove the pesky spines from man and beast. The route around Cima Dome leads through unusual rock formations and the burned out Joshua forest that used to provided cover for some of the better grazing land in this part of the country. Views from the backside of Cima Dome reveal the New York Mountains, named for their skyscraper like silhouette, and the Mid Hills, through which, the Union Pacific RR and the famed Mojave Road passes. On the second day the trail goes past the Evening Star Mine on the way to lunch at the Valley View Ranch and the trail over the top of Cima Dome. From the top of the Dome, you can look to the SW and see the famous Kelso Dunes and the Devils Playground as well as the route of the Mojave Road. As you look in that direction you might imagine what it was like when Willy Boy was running from the law through that barren landscape. The third day stays in the lower country and will loop out towards the famous Mojave Phone Booth, where callers from all over the world tried to communicate with desert dwellers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_phone_booth It is reported that Sergeant Zeno, of the Pentagon, made calls to the famous booth, in the days before the NPS removed it. Those who have an interest in this unique desert attraction should do a search online for the Mojave Phone Booth. There is also a movie that can be found on Netflix. While marking trail a few years back, I ran into the nephew of the man who claims to have had the phone booth installed. After crossing the old phone line the trail comes back through Cow Cove and Charlie’s Place for lunch. After lunch, a loop past Keyhole Rock and Halloran summit takes you back to camp. The fourth day’s event used to be one of our family’s favorite trails. It wound through the Mescals via Lost Chinaman Canyon and past the Lost Chinaman Mine. We were forced to abandon the trail because the BLM “might” control a very small piece of the loop. We have salvaged part of that loop because the NPS has allowed us to use a burro trail leading over a low pass and into Burro Flats.  We will ride along the base of Kokoweef Mountain, site of the famed River of Gold. The new lunch stop will be in the New Era mining area near a spectacular overlook of Ivanpah Valley and the lower desert. After lunch at the restored Riley’s Camp, we will head back past the Evening Star and Copper King mines.

We make a distinction between rides and races. This is definitely a ride, not a race. There are lots of other events that focus on racing and those looking for the thrill of victory will find them more to their liking. The focus of this ride is to visit the East Mojave and ride in harmony with your equine partner, not to rush through it so fast that you miss what desert has to offer. If your focus is racing, you will not have a good time. This is a place to train horses and relax as there is no glory in riding this trail as fast as possible. We expect you to slow down when encountering hikers or other park visitors. We expect you to ride in a manner that you can watch for and avoid tortoises and other desert life forms. By the time the sun sets on Sunday evening we hope you will have made new friends and found a new appreciation for this wild land. Our previous performances on this ride have left lasting and favorable impressions on the National Park Service. Lets make sure they stay positive.

If you are unfamiliar with our rides, please look over the veterinary information, the XP Rider oath, and the discussion on Riding vs. Racing. This will give you an opportunity to decide if this is really the kind of event and the kind of people that you want to be involved with.

Certified Weed Free Hay: Is required, as it is on all public lands.  Do your best to find some.  Pellets are always good.  Farm stores like Big R, Tractor Supply, etc usually have compressed bales of certified hay and can get them even if they don’t stock them.

Address for Health Certificates: 65845 Cima Road, Nipton, CA 92364.  Horses from California do not require health certificates.

Directions: This is a very easy camp to find. In fact, it is so easy that many people miss it and end up driving down Cima Road. It is located on the southwest corner of Interstate 15 and Cima Road. Take the time to look at a mapping app or Google Earth and put in the coordinates 35° 26.368’N,115° 40.617’W.

Everything at this intersection, including the ride camp belongs to the Kang family. You can and should get gas, diesel, snacks at the store and eat at the restaurant. Its always good to support the nice people who make our sport possible.

Coming from the North: Continue on I 15 south of the California line. About 28 miles from the Nevada border you will be coming down a long straight hill. Take the Cima Road exit. Stop at the stop sign. Turn left and go over the top of the freeway. You can look to your right as you go across the bridge and see the camp on the south side of the freeway. Go just past the store and turn right on the first road. After a couple of hundred feet, turn right through the gate.  Follow the road around to where the .  WE ARE ALLOWED TO CAMP HERE ON THE CONDITION WE DO NOT ALLOW HORSES ON THE DRIVEWAY TO THE RESIDENCES AT ANY TIME. I cannot emphasize this enough, so please help us keep horses and their manure off the driveway to the house.  

Coming from the South: Continue northbound, past Baker, CA on I 15. About 26 miles past Baker, you will pass a rest area in the bottom of a long straight hill. Two miles past the rest area, turn off on Cima Road. As you are slowing to turn off you can look to your right and see the ride camp. Turn right at the end of the off ramp and go just past the store and turn right on the first road. After a couple of hundred feet, turn right through the gate.  Take a look at the coordinates 35° 26.368’N,115° 40.617’W and you will see the eight roads going off to the right that we are allowed to use.  Do not take the first road past the gate,  as it’s washed out.

Steve Bradley’s photos.

Health Certificates are required for horses coming from out of state.  Use Three Canyon Trailhead, Superior Arizona 85173 as the destination. In 2026 there may be last minute requirements for health certificates and horse safety in camp.

ENTER THIS RIDE

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ENTRY FEES and REFUNDS

Entry Fees for all XP events except Sesenta Anos and Cuyama.

The following is our basic fee structure for 2026:

LD and Endurance Distances are $135.00 / PayPal $140.50 Except Sesenta Anos and Cuyama

Juniors, Intro riders and XP club riders are $100 / PayPal $104.00

Riders who are not current members of AERC riding an AERC LD or Endurance ride pay an additional $20.00 non-member fee per day. $155.00 / PayPal $161.20

Riders who enter within 4 days of a ride add $15.00 post entry fee

REFUND POLICY

Cancellation Refunds:  Ride entry withdrawal requests received via email on/before 1800 on the 7th day prior to the first day of the ride will receive a full refund. There will be an administrative fee for refunds during the week prior to the ride. No refund for withdrawals within 72 hours of the start of the ride or for no shows.

AERC has raised their non member fee to $20.00 per day.  AERC non members are charged a day member fee of $20.00 to participate in the AERC sanctioned ride.  This does not apply to the intro/fun/xp club rides. If we do not have your AERC number and/or your dues are unpaid we will move you to the XP club ride unless you have paid the non member fee.

Mail your checks to Ann Nicholson at 19898 Road V, Lewis, CO 81327 or you can use PayPal and send to entry@xprides.com. When you make the payment let us know by return email that you are coming and which days you are planning on riding.

HEALTH CERTIFICATES

All states where we hold rides generally require a CVI (health certificate) for equines crossing state lines. There may be an exception between some states that border each other, like CA and OR and you should either check with your veterinarian or look up that information online.

Weed free certified hay is required on all public lands in the United States.  Weed free pellets are usually available at feed stores in the area.

AWARDS

Individual awards are available for the fastest time and best condition each day.  An overall award will be given to the horse and rider finishing in the fastest time for all three or four days.  An overall best condition award for the horse that completes all three or four days in the best condition will also be awarded.  Completion awards will be given to all successful horse and rider teams.

Phone 907 209 8881 or 970 880 0150 for Dave 

email duck@xprides.com

Phone 907 821 1819 for Annie  e-mail annie@xprides.com

If you find something confusing or in error in this message please contact me personally and I will clear it up.

For more information contact Ride Manager:

Ann Nicholson, 907-821-1819

Dave Nicholson, 970 880 0150

Enter this ride.

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