A Boulder horse trek once led to a bicentennial scandal

• The goal was to reach D.C. and present a "statehood petition" for President Gerald Ford to sign. Then the group would return for Colorado Day on Aug. 1, 1976.

Yes, but: Five riders quit along the way, leaving Chuck and Kathy Payne to complete the four-month expedition by themselves.

They eventually made it, but Ford was too busy to see them.

• "It isn't as if we took them by surprise," Chuck complained to the AP. "If they'd said a flat 'no' last fall when we started out, they could have saved us a lot of trouble."
• The Paynes did meet Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, who called their journey the "most exciting thing that's happened so far in the Bicentennial."

😬 Then came the real trouble. The two had leased 10 horses from a Boulder ranch for the trip, but were accused of selling or ditching most of them when the other travelers dropped out.

• A Virginia couple had also loaned them a car to drive back to Colorado, which was apparently not returned.

• "Where are the patriotic horsemen?" the Pueblo Chieftain asked in its June 19, 1976, edition.

Shortly after, Chuck Payne was charged with felony theft. He briefly fought extradition to Colorado while living in Las Vegas, then made one last trip before surrendering to local authorities.

The bottom line: Let's hope Colorado 150, America 250 celebrants stay out of such trouble.