WATERLOO -- Bundled up against the cold, Larry Scura and his horse, "Diamond," trotted down Lafayette Street Friday afternoon.

The drizzle found Scura's face in the gaps between his scarf and his hat, but the rider and his mount kept a steady pace as they headed toward City Hall.

After all, the ride was for a good cause.

Scura, of Waterloo, and dozens of other Iowans on horseback collected money for Easter Seals' Camp Sunnyside, an Ankeny retreat for people with disabilities.

"Larry's very much behind Camp Sunnyside," said Darrell Ludwig of Cedar Falls, past president of Pony Express Riders of Iowa.

This year's ride started Friday with 13 groups starting in different corners of the state, Ludwig said. They trotted along collecting donations until they met up with riders of the next group, and then passed the cash to their successors.

Scura's satchel actually started in Decorah. After an overnight in Black Hawk County it will go to Grundy Center, Marshalltown and other Iowa cities today as it heads toward the camp.

This year's early Easter and temperatures that hovered near freezing kept the number of people on horseback down, Ludwig said. Normally other riders would have joined Scura on his leg of the journey, which started at the Evansdale Police Department and ended at Waterloo City Hall.

The muddy shoulders along the roads also prevented riders from executing the Pony Express-style relay -- the actual passing of the parcel from rider to rider.

Still, Ludwig said he has been pleased with the donations so far.

The Pony Express Riders of Iowa have been helping Camp Sunnyside since 1968. The first event raised $12,000. In 2007 the group brought in $270,000.

Ludwig said riders have collected almost $9 million for the camp in the 40 years it has made the trek.

For more information about Pony Express Riders of Iowa, visit

ponyexpressridersofiowa.org.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.