 About 150 Range Riders cross on 31st Street at Cimarron/Highway 24 June 22, near the end of their first-ever sojourn through the Westside. Westside Pioneer photo
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There was no organized welcome for the 150-some walking mounts, but various families, business owners, individuals and unsuspecting passersby stopped to take in the sight.
 Range Ride scenes June 22... Four of the riders pass the restored 1859 Garvin Cabin in Old Colorado City's Bancroft Park. Westside Pioneer photo
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“A lot of people waved and smiled and pulled over their cars to watch,” said Bill Miller, a group member and manager of the Norris-Penrose Event Center. “A hundred fifty people on horseback - you don't see that every day.”
He said one rider fell off, but did not get hurt.
The participants, most dressed in cowboy style and some bearing colorful flags, started out around 8 a.m., after their traditional downtown Street Breakfast. Led by a rolling police barricade and followed by a streetsweeper, they ambled west on the avenue to 31st Street, where they turned left, crossed Highway 24 and then spent the rest of the morning following trails through Red Rock Canyon Open Space and Bear Creek Park. Later, they trucked their horses from Norris-Penrose to Victor for the remainder of the Range Ride event, which lasts five days in all. The Breakfast/Ride events kick off a promotional campaign honoring the Old West in what's become known as Heritage Days. As part of that, two rodeos are coming up at Norris-Penrose - the ninth annual Ride for the Brand Championship Rodeo July 2 and the 71st annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo July 13-16.
The Range Riders decided to go through Old Colorado City to give people on this side of town a chance to feel like part of Heritage Days. In recent years, they had taken the avenue to Eighth Street en route to Norris-Penrose.
 Range Ride scenes June 22... Girl of the West Dayna Jenkins (foreground, right) and Aide to the Girl of the West Caitlin Kern (on the horse next to her) lead the Pikes Peak Rangerettes precision riding group along Colorado Avenue near 20th Street. Westside Pioneer photo
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Westside Pioneer article