Here is the journey that you would take, starting in Denver and ending in Denver.
| CLUES | CITY | MILES |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Begin at the Mile High City which was named for a
former governor of the Kansas Territory (May/Jun 2012) |
Denver | 0 |
| 2. Visit the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in this city (Mar/Apr 2012) | Colorado Springs | 70 |
|
3. Take the Royal Gorge Route train in this town
(Sep/Oct 2011) |
Canon City |
46 |
| 4. Visit Blue Mesa Reservoir on the Silver Thread just west of this town (Sep/Oct 2010) | Gunnison | 121 |
|
5. Go see the columbine at Kebler
Pass just west of this town (Columbine Adventure #6 in May/Jun 2012) |
Crested Butte | 28 |
|
6. Look for twisted juniper tree in Black Canyon of the Gunnison
National Park between Montrose and this town ( May/Jun 2012 and Jul/Aug 2011) |
Gunnison |
28 |
| 7. See the migrating sand hill cranes in this town (Mar/Apr 2012) | Monte Vista | 105 |
|
8. Catch a train on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in this town
(May/Jun 2011) |
Durango | 132 |
|
9. Drive to the Visitor Center at Mesa Verde National Park, located off U.S. 160 between Durango and this other southwestern Colorado city (Mar/Apr 2011) |
Cortez |
44 |
|
10. Visit Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson, two of Colorado’s 14ers and located in the San Juan Mountains outside this city (May/Jun 2012) |
Telluride | 75 |
| 11. Take a hike up Sand Canyon, west of this city (Jul/Aug 2011) | Cortez | 75 |
|
12. Visit the mountain town which bears the name of this Ute Indian Chief
(May/Jun 2012) |
Ouray |
44 + 71 = 115 |
| 13. Travel to see the arches in Rattlesnake Canyon, west of this city (Jul/Aug 2011) | Grand Junction | 36 + 61 = 97 |
|
14. Head to Colorado National Monument for fantastic scenery and enter by the west entrance in this town (Mar/Apr 2011) |
Fruita | 13 |
|
15. Take a hike to Crater Lake at the base of the Maroon Bells near this mountain town
(Jul/Aug 2011) |
Aspen |
13 + 129 = 142 |
|
16. Catch a train on the Leadville, Colorado, & Southern Railroad which originates in this city - the highest incorporated city in North America (May/Jun 2011) |
Leadville | 58 |
| 17. Visit Buffalo Bill’s grave in this city just west of Denver (May/Jun 2012) | Golden | 93 |
|
18. Take a hike in Boulder Mountain Park in this city
(Jul/Aug 2011) |
Boulder |
20 |
|
19. Visit Bear Lake Nature Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park near this town (Jul/Aug 2011) |
Estes Park | 38 |
| 20. Eat the Kobe "Kottratter" Burger at Ragnar’s in this ski town (Nov/Dec 2011) | Steamboat Springs | 139 |
|
21. Travel to the corner of Drake and Lemay in this city where the citizens stop traffic to help the ducks cross the street (see "The Day Traffic Stopped" in Jul/Aug 2011). This city is also home to Colorado State University. |
Fort Collins |
158 |
| 22. Visit Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park near this town (Mar/Apr 2012) | Estes Park | 42 |
| 23. Eat at The Rib House in this Northern Colorado city just off I-25 (May/Jun 2011) | Longmont | 33 |
|
24. Visit the History Colorado Center in this city
(Mar/Apr 2012) |
Denver |
37 |
| 25. See the big cats at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in this town (Sep/Oct 2011) | Keenesburg | 41 |
|
26. Visit this farm town in northeastern Colorado that was named for French-Canadian Jules Beni (May/Jun 2012) |
Julesburg | 88 + 60 = 148 |
|
27. Visit the Old Town Museum in this eastern Colorado city
(May/Jun 2011) |
Burlington |
124 |
| 28. Go to Bent’s Old Fort in this town (May/Jun 2012) | La Junta | 158 |
| 29. Take a Bat Walk in the Garden of the Gods in this city (May/Jun 2012) | Colorado Springs | 105 |
| 30. Enjoy afternoon tea at the Brown palace located in this city (Jan/Feb 2012) | Denver | 70 |
I. What is the total mileage for this trip?
2,355 miles
II. If you averaged 50 mph over the entire trip, how long would it take you to drive?
47 hours, 6 minutes
III. If your car gets 28 miles to the gallon,
how many gallons of gasoline would you need for the trip? 84.11 gallons
At $3.60 per gallon, how much would the trip cost you? $302.79
IV. If your car gets 51 miles to the gallon,
how many gallons of gasoline would you need for the trip? 46.18 gallons
At $3.60 per gallon, how much would the trip cost you? $166.24
V. How much more would the trip cost you if you averaged 70 mph instead of 50 mph?
Use 28 mpg and $3.60 per gallon and use AAA President Tony DeNovellis’ rule of
thumb found in the May/Jun 2012 issue of Encompass Magazine.
Tony DeNovellis’ advice was to Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel economy drops off
significantly when traveling more than 60 miles per hour.
As a rule of thumb, you can assume that every 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an
additional 20 cents per gallon.
Since 70 mph is 10 mph over 60 mph, you would pay an additional 40 cents per gallon.
The trip would cost you $4.00 per gallon for the 84.11 gallons used for a total of $336.44.
So, it would cost you $33.65 more because you averaged 70 mph instead of 50 or 60 mph.