Various chapters of the National Pony Express Association hold an annual fundraiser they call the Christmas Card Ride.
Chapter members of the Southeast Wyoming Pony Express carry cards over the original Pony Express route between Fort Laramie and Guernsey.
The distance between Fort Laramie, Wyoming and Guernsey, Wyoming is 13 miles. The speed at which a horse walks is roughly 3-4 mph.
1. Assuming a speed of 4 mph, how long would it take to make the trip from Fort Laramie to Guernsey?
2. A horse trots at roughly 8-10 mph. Assuming a speed of 8 mph, how long would the trip take?
3. The average speed for a canter or lope is 10-17 mph. Assuming a speed of 13 mph, how long would the trip take?
The National California Pony Express Association is also holding their annual Christmas Card Ride this year.
Their ride begins in Folsom and ends in Old Sacramento where the mail will be imprinted with a commemorative stamp, hand cancelled, and turned over to the U.S. Postmaster for final delivery.
The public is invited to join in the festivities during the ride on December 8 that will go along the American River Parkway horse and bicycle trails area.
Here is the planned schedule:
The event starts at 9 a.m. at the Folsom History Museum. Sixty minutes later the riders will leave the museum and ride to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery.
Pony Express mailbag
4. What time will the riders leave the museum?
The riders will leave the fish hatchery at 11:00 a.m. and ride for 35 minutes to the Sunrise Foot Bridge.
5. What time will the riders arrive at the foot bridge?
The pony express riders will continue on from the bridge to River Bend Park. At 12:45 the group will begin the final leg of the ride, arriving at the Sacramento History Museum at 3:35 p.m.
6. How long will the final leg of the journey take?
7. How long will the entire ride last?
1. Assuming a speed of 4 mph, how long would it take to make the trip from Fort Laramie to Guernsey?
Answer: 13 ÷ 4 = 3 1/4. The ride would take 3 1/4 hours.
2. A horse trots at roughly 8-10 mph. Assuming a speed of 8 mph, how long would the trip take?
Answer: 13 ÷ 8 = 1.63. The ride would take approximately 1 2/3 hours.
3. The average speed for a canter or lope is 10-17 mph. Assuming a speed of 13 mph, how long would the trip take?
Answer: 13 ÷ 13 = 1. The ride would take 1 hour.
4. What time will the riders leave the museum?
Answer: The riders will leave at 10:00 a.m.
5. What time will the riders arrive at the foot bridge?
Answer: The riders are scheduled to reach the bridge at 11:35 a.m.
6. How long will the final leg of the journey take?
Answer: 2 hours and 50 minutes
7. How long will the entire ride last?
Answer: 6 hours and 35 minutes
Photos:
Pony Express Re-Ride by brettneilson; CC BY 2.0
Pony Express Mail Bag by brettneilson; CC BY 2.0
Featured image: Pony express statue; CC BY-SA 2.5
