1976

The official report, daily logs, newspaper clippings, a personal journal, and photographs from the 1976 Bicentennial Dominguez-Escalante Expedition (DEBE) form an extraordinary archive that has never been fully shared with public audiences. This collection represents four months of meticulous documentation—a complete record of what it took to retrace 1,900 miles on horseback during America's 200th birthday.

From its very beginning, the purpose of the DEBE was to accomplish something which had never been done before: a complete, continuous retracing of the 1776 exploration of Franciscan Fathers Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante. Originally conceived by Gordon Wallace of Prescott, AZ, the expedition complexified quickly in the context of the 20th century. In June 1975, Wallace found a partner for himself in the person of William Daley of Denver, Colorado. Together, they spent the next year organizing the DEBE.

Just weeks before departure, Wallace underwent emergency heart surgery and could not lead the expedition. My father, William "Bill" Daley—a decorated Vietnam veteran still processing the war's aftermath—stepped into the role of trail boss, leading riders through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona from July through November 1976. They documented everything with the thoroughness of those who understood that history matters most when it's preserved for those who come next.

Fifty years later, this archive becomes the foundation for completing what my father started: bringing this forgotten multicultural founding story to national audiences—during America's 250th anniversary.

The expedition drew thousands of community supporters along the route. Local newspapers published weekly columns. Television crews filmed segments. Towns organized celebrations. For four months, the 1976 DEBE was a living history spectacle that captured imaginations across the Southwest. Then it ended, the riders dispersed, and the comprehensive archive—precisely marked maps, photographs, newspaper articles, Tamra Weiss's personal journal—went into storage.

“Our intent is to commemorate the exploration, for we, too, ride as individuals, adventurers on a trail of discovery, ready to receive fresh impressions, eager for new horizons, not in the spirit of militant conquerors to enforce ourselves or our ideas, but to identify in and unify with whatever we are able to recognize as significant a part of ourselves.”

— DEBE Members before their ride

From Once Again, The Ride – Colorful Rocky Mountain West, May-June ’77

Joseph F. Cerquone, DEBE Diarist

Who

They

Were

These descriptions of the DEBE are taken from the July 28, 1976 edition of The Spanish Fork Press. Spanish Fork, Utah and the DEBE’s Final Report.

The coordinating team were all employed by the Comprehensive Education and Training Administration (CETA) and then hired by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) and. The team included Joe Alba (supervisor), Paula Veaudry, Joe Cerquone, and Bill Daley.

The idea to reride the entire Dominguez-Escalante Trail belongs to Gordon Wallace. Early in 1974, Wallace perused a map of the major explorations which had taken place in the United States. "I was interested in undertaking an expedition," he says. "For me, the Dominguez-Escalante Trail seemed to require just the right amount of preparation, time, and dedication. And 1976, its Bicentennial year, loomed as the proper time for someone to ride it again."
A native of Belle Plains, Kansas, Gordon has lived and worked in many parts of the world, and presently resides in Prescott, Arizona. Since his retirement as a lieutenant colonel of military intelligence from the United States Army in 1969, he has made a vocation of leading wilderness pack trips and hikes to such faraway places as Jordan, New Guinea and the mountains of Alaska. Most recently, he led a party across some 1100 miles of the Himalaya mountains to the Mt. Everest base camp in November-December 1974.
Mr. Wallace holds several degrees from major universities across the United States and Canada. He has written feature articles of humorous slant and on issues of travel in various mountain regions, customs. His other interests include reading, skiing, swimming, and tennis and as a spectator, the best in football and baseball.
Originally from Rochester, New York, Joe now lives in Denver, Colorado. After graduation from Villanova University in 1971, Joe worked for several years as an Air Force information officer. While traveling extensively for the Air Force to the United States, Canada, Europe and Scandinavia. Since March, 1975, he has been Public Information director for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration Region VIII Office (Denver) and has subsequently pursued similar duties for the DEBE. Joe is the author of "In Behalf of the Light The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition of 1776, a work published by the DEBE this past spring.
The youngest member of the expedition, Tamra Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois and has been a college student. She now lives in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Once the DEBE is over, Tamra will complete her year of undergraduate studies at the University of California at Davis. Her main ambition is to study veterinary medicine. Despite her age, Tamra is a veteran rider, having ridden in many combined training courses, endurance rides, and cross country races on English and Western saddle.
The DEBE's only foreign participant, Bjorn Bergen presently resides in Skjervøy, Norway, where, since 1971, he has worked as a geologist, practitioner and public health officer.
Bjorn is no stranger to the out-of-doors. He often finds himself taking long walks through the rough country surrounding his northern coastal town to get to his mental haunt - the sea.
Besides his physician's skills and interest in history, Bjorn brings a deeply felt personal philosophy to the DEBE: "We should seek a more natural way of living, not in the overstated romantic sense, but in a practical way, keeping the good of things, modern and primitive, while, at the same time, embracing our environment."
Born in center Wyoming, Bill Norton claims to have ridden 50,000 miles simply to receive an elementary school education. Worldly wise, Bill served in three wars with the United States Navy, during which time he circumnavigated the globe and touched every continent. In 1951, he was part of a scraggly expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska. Bill also once rode 500 miles as part of a camel caravan from North Africa through the Sahara Desert to Goa.
Bill Norton retired from the United States Postal Service and now resides in Rapidan, Virginia, where he raises, trains, and trades horses as a hobby. "He plans for the future are all the good living I can crowd into the allotted time and a continued study of philosophy".
A native of California, Bob Daigh together with his wife Janice, became a resident of Taos, New Mexico in 1973. A veteran horseman, Bob has participated in numerous endurance rides and men’s trail riding groups, and is currently a leader of the 4-H horse club of Taos.
Mr. Daigh holds an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California, but these days practices as a consultant in condemnation litigation evaluation. An active radio amateur since 1957, he is DEBE’s primary communications specialist.
Born in New York City, Janice Daigh, by age 10, had lived in several countries around the world. According to Jan, the experience of travel sparked within her an enduring curiosity about life.
A graduate of Wellesley College, where she majored in geology. Jan [is] the mother of three girlsand for the last several years has, along with her husband Bob, built a home in Taos. Mrs. Daigh is a veteran horseperson, having recently completed the 100 mile 24 hour Tevis Cup Endurance ride.
Prescott, AZ. Responsible for route planning, securing rights of way, and event planning in Arizona; coordinating the activities of four interns in each state.
Dolores, CO. Responsible for route planning, securing rights of way, and event planning in Colorado.
Window Rock, AZ. Responsible for route planning, securing rights of way, and event planning in Arizona.

Bill Daley has been one of the principal administrators of the DEBE for the past 16 months. Although he is only 37, Mr. Daley is a stranger neither to the out-of-doors nor the endless tasks attendant to administrative posts. From July, 1971 to February, 1972, he served as an infantry platoon leader with the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, Vietnam. Since March of 1975, he has worked as Trails Coordinator for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration Region VIII Office (Denver). Among his interests are backpacking, kayaking, scuba diving and horseback riding, a native and resident of Denver, Bill is also working on a Master's Degree in Experimental Psychology from Metropolitan State College. He has high hopes for the DEBE:
"It may become a vehicle by which the diverse people of the Southwest can work together on and use, if only for by bringing focus on era of neglected awareness of themselves, their neighbors, and the land they call home."
Paula Veaudry has a MA in history from Colorado State University, with an emphasis in ancient Egypt and the Western US. As a member of the DEBE organizing team she has contributed significantly to the logistics of the ride and events along the way. She joins riders on the trail when able and helps keep them connected to the modern world by shuttling needed items to/from the riders and Denver.
Pat is the Director of the Center for Organization and Manpower Development at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. He received his Doctorate of Management and Behavioral Science from the UCLA Graduate School of Business in 1965.
Mr. Williams has published several papers on management and organization and developed curriculum for a California Masters Degree Program in Organization and Manpower Development.
Boating, gymnastics, hunting, spearfishing, horseback riding, and flamenco guitar are among Pat's chief interests.
Born is Hollywood, California, Karen has been a museum assistant ever since her love for nature goes back to her days as a little girl when summers were spent camping, backpacking, and trail riding in the Sierras with her family.
Today, she lives with her husband Pat on a small ranch in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Karen works as a program manager at San Jose State University's Center for Organization and Manpower Development, coordinating and organizing 40 management development programs. Her interests include the study of area resources and issues in building, and theater. Karen made her acting debut as Coward to Neil Simon at local amateur repertory theaters.
A special interest in New Mexico/Colorado history brought Willard Atwood to the DEBE. Originally from Colorado's western slope, Willard and his wife Barbara now live on and work a small cattle ranch outside Steamboat Springs, New Mexico. Will has a soft spot for dealing with the wilderness with the horses the couple own.
Photography has been a hobby of Will Atwood's for the past 13 years. Among his other interests are mountain climbing, backpacking, and hunting.
Barbara Atwood was raised on a Cattle Ranch an currently raises and trains horses. She rides approximately 250 miles a month in the normal course of business. Barbara also runs a small graphic illustrating business. She is glad that a chance to ride the Domínguez-Escalante Trail has come at last. She considered doing it herself two years ago as part of her studies in Southwest history at New Mexico Tech.
A school teach for over 19 years, Jake Meador presently teaches science at Arrowview Junior High in San Bernardino, California. A native of Oklahoma, Jake has visited such faraway places as Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and South America. His hobbies include reading historical and early west novels, swimming, boating, and water skiing, horseback riding, and traveling. Jake may just be the msot ambitious of the DEBE members—he spent the two weeks prior to the expedition’s commencement on a horse riding to Santa Fe from the Arizona/New Mexico border!
Kevin works as a railroad engineer in Winslow, Arizona. He brings a wealth of horsemanship, shooting, wrangling, cooking and photography skills to the DEBE. On this application to the trek, Kevin expressed a definite opinion on what he has gotten himself into: "This expedition will be a tremendous challenge personally. The life of modern man is too easy, and I hope the DEBE could set some type of example and instill a degree of appreciation for the hardships our forefathers met in settling our country."
Salt lake City, UT. Responsible for route planning, securing rights of way, and event planning in Utah.
Santa Fe, NM. Responsible for route planning, securing rights of way, and event planning in New Mexico.

Magazine Articles

(use the little arrow in the lower right corner to flip through pages; dashed square for full screen)

ARBA-DEBE Team (from left): Bill Daley, Joe Alba, Joe Cerquone, Paula Veaudry.

My dad, Bill (aka Jefe) Daley, preparing for the ride outside Santa Fe.

Bill Daley addressing the crowd in Santa Fe prior to the DEBE's departure. July 29, 1976.

The DEBE departing Santa Fe. July 29, 1976.

Celebrating mass at Santa Rosa de Lima de Abiquiu Mission ruin, Abiquiu, NM. August 1, 1976.

Crossing the Animas River, near Abiquiu, NM. August 1, 1976.

Crossing the Green River near Jensen, UT. September 15, 1976. Photo by Paula Veaudry.

Domínguez-Escalante Trail Marker installed near Jensen, Uintah County, UT.

Hoofprints in the sand next to the Great Salt Lake, Black Rock, UT. October 10, 1976.

Picnic lunch in southern Utah. October 15, 1976.

Scaling Domínguez Canyon, Arizona. November 1976.

Cibola National Forest, New Mexico. November 1, 1976.

The DEBE team near Albuquerque, NM. November 20, 1976.

Bill Daley studying trail maps, somewhere along the ride. 1976.

Crossing the Rio Grande River near Albuquerque, NM. November 25, 1976.

The final day, in a blizzard and -18°F weather, outside Santa Fe, NM. November 27, 1976.

The final day, in a blizzard and -18°F weather, riding back into Santa Fe, NM. November 27, 1976.

The day after the ride, Santa Fe, NM. November 28, 1976.

Community Reception

List of Community Events

New Mexico (July 29 – August 4, 1976)

June 13 Mass at Nuestra Senora de Guadelupe de Zuní Mission, Zuní New Mexico.

July 29 Morning mass at San Miguel Mission in Old Town Santa Fe, New Mexico. Departure ceremonies held in Santa Fe's Old Town Plaza, attended by Governor Jerry Apodaca, Archbishop Robert Sanchez of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and dignitaries from the Bicentennial organizations across the Southwest.

July 30 Welcoming ceremonies at Española, New Mexico with presentation of a Chimayo blanket to the DEBE by the town fathers.

July 31 Mass at Santa Rosa de Lima de Abiquiu Mission ruin, Abiquiu, New Mexico.

August 1 Dinner at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico.

Colorado (August 5 – September 11, 1976)

August 5 Barbecue at Pagosa Junction, Colorado and welcome by the Southern Ute Tribe.

August 11 Dedication of Dominguez-Escalante Trail marker in Mancos, Colorado followed by a pot luck dinner and dedication of Colorado Highway 184 as the Dominguez-Escalante Highway.

August 12-13 Dominguez-Escalante Days, Dolores, Colorado. DEBE was greeted by Governor Richard Lamm of Colorado and Governor Raul Castro of Arizona. Dedication ceremonies by the Bureau of Land Management of ancient Anasazi ruins near Dolores as the "Escalante Ruins".

August 21 Dedication of trail marker and pot luck dinner at Naturita, Colorado.

August 22 Nucla, Colorado officially dedicated as a Bicentennial community.

August 27 Parade and welcoming ceremonies in Montrose, Colorado. A replica of an 18th Century Spanish dubloon was presented to DEBE by the mayor of Montrose.

August 29 Mass offered at the Doyle Ranch in Austin, Colorado followed by a pot luck dinner.

August 31 Luncheon in Paonia, Colorado's city park.

September 4 Pot luck supper hosted by Colbran, Colorado residents at Cal Hackler's Trail's End Ranch.

September 9 Rangely Rodeo Club hosted a barbecue.

September 10 Rangely, Colorado dedicated their Dominguez-Escalante Trail marker and the DEBE spent the afternoon visiting the town's public schools.

Utah (September 12 – October 15, 1976)

September 14 Dinner was held in Dinosaur National Park, Utah by park employees.

September 15 Crossing of the Green River followed by ceremonies on the river's west bank attended by Dinosaur Park officials and local and state dignitaries.

September 17 Barbecue at Myton, Utah's City Park.

September 18 A chicken barbecue was held in Duchesne, Utah's City Park, after which, Trail Boss William Daley spoke to a troop of Boy Scouts.

September 23 Dedication of Dominguez Hill near Spanish Fork, Utah. Riders met at the fork bridge of Utah Highways 50 & 6 with local dignitaries and were escorted into Spanish Fork. Luncheon and speeches were held at the Spanish Fork Senior Citizen's Center. Food and music followed the unveiling of the Dominguez-Escalante and Silvestre statuary in Spanish Fork Memorial Park. Attendees included Governor Calvin Rampton of Utah. Rodeo grand entry by the DEBE in Provo, Utah. Members of the DEBE attended the Ballet Folklorico at Spanish Fork Senior High School.

September 24 The Provo, Utah Tabernacle presented Mexican music.

September 25 Luncheon and dedication of the Springville, Utah Arts Museum.

September 26 Morning mass in Payson, Utah City Park; afternoon mass in the Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah.

September 28 Nephi, Utah hosted a sack lunch, Nephi City Park. The Levan, Utah Latter Day Saints Relief Society hosted a dinner.

October 5 The Kaufman family of Black Rock, Utah hosted a barbecue dinner.

October 9 The Beaver County Jeep Patrol hosted a breakfast at the Pearson Ranch near Milford, Utah. The DEBE paraded through Milford and attended a dedication of a Dominguez-Escalante Trail interpretive ramada. A mass was held in the Milford Catholic Church followed by a barbecue and performance of the Ballet Folklorico at Milford Junior High School.

October 11 The Cedar City Bicentennial Committee hsoted a dinner at Southern Utah State University with speakers from the local Lion's Club and Bicentennial Committee. The DEBE was presented with a Lion's Club Dominguez-Escalante pin and Boy Scout badge as well as a pig-iron ingot on a cedar wood base.

October 15 Refreshments served in Toquerville, Utah. The Hurricane, Utah Bicentennial Committee hosted a dinner.

Arizona (October 16 – November 13, 1976)

October 21 Lunch and school visitations in Fredonia, Arizona.

October 25 Marble Canyon Lodge, Arizona hosted a dinner.

October 27 The Page, Arizona Chapter of the Knight's of Columbus hosted a dinner.

October 28 Dedication of interpretive device at John Wesley Powell Museum Page, Arizona, followed by dinner at Wahweap Marina Lodge.

October 29 Father Patrick Universal of Page, Arizona offered mass at The Crossing of the Fathers.

November 6 The Chairman of the Hopi Tribe greeted expeditioners at Dinnebito Wash, Arizona.

November 8 The DEBE visited Walpi Village in Hopiland, Arizona.

November 10 Members of the DEBE visited Keams Canyon School, Keams Canyon, Arizona, and were hosted to supper at Toyei Boarding School, Arizona.

November 12 DEBE officially welcomed to Navajoland at its Klagetoh, Arizona camp by Sam Day, a representative of the Navajo Tribe.

New Mexico (November 14 – November 27, 1976)

November 14 Dinner at Saint Anthony's Mission in Zuni, New Mexico.

November 17 Barbecue and inscribing of sandstone rock at El Morro National Park, New Mexico.

November 24 Dedication of marker at San Felipe de Neri Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico's Old Town, followed by a welcome from Albuquerque's mayor and lunch at La Posita Restaurant hosted by the Albuquerque Bicentennial Committee.

November 27 Welcoming ceremonies Santa Fe, New Mexico's Old Town Plaza hosted by New Mexico Bicentennial Commission. The Santa Fe Bicentennial Committee hosted a cocktail party at the home of Janet Matwioff of Santa Fe. The New Mexico Bicentennial Commission hosted a reception at the Inn of the Governors in Santa Fe.

“… fresh graves give notice that the cemetery is still in use.”

November 24, 1976 - Pueblo Chieftain

“Each student wrote to … the expedition, and the members responded with great pleasure.”

November 25, 1976 - Albuquerque Journal

“A land once mysterious and foreboding now has open arms.”

— Joseph Cerquone

Despite their lack of a full-time professional to handle media, the DEBE garnered significant attention across the Southwest. I have recovered more than 150 articles printed across 25 different newspapers. Joseph Cerquone, the DEBE “diarist”, submitted weekly columns that ran in many of the region’s largest papers.

July 15, 1976 - The Santa Fe New Mexican

“I slip on wet manure and fall before the horse that is for sale, starling it.”

July 29, 1976 - The Springville Herald

“It was impossible to travel the same route the fathers did … too many fences!”

August 18, 1976 - Arizona Daily Sun

“I overhead Bill shouting into his horses ear, ‘Come on, do you want to fight, huh?’”

September 4, 1976 - Albuquerque Journal

“Drove the supply truck off the road this afternoon.”

September 25, 1976 - Albuquerque Journal

“If I don’t see you later, I’ll see you in the next world where there are better horses.”

October 3, 1976 - The Daily Sentinel

“Bill Daley has to shout, ‘Do you need a personal invitation to get mounted?’”

October 20, 1976 - Arizona Daily Sun

“Here ... its rapids are an endlessly furious chorus that dares everyone to cross them.”

November 5, 1976 - The Daily Sentinel

“Let others go down to the television sets of the prairies. I like the hard life, it keeps you young.”

“Daley was dismounted again and wrapping a parka around Tamra Weiss, the DEBE’s youngest member at age 18. His gesture answered immediately a question which had disturbed me for some time: namely, how had the son-of-a-gun managed to keep together such a diverse collection of strong willed individuals for so long?”

— Joseph Cerquone