The Pony Express delivered mail from Missouri to California for just a brief time in the early 1860s. But the romance of those intrepid riders racing across the country lives on in the annual reenactment by the National Pony Express Association.
Last year’s “Re-Ride” started in St. Joseph, Mo. and ended in Sacramento. But this year’s 1,966-mile gallop begins in Sacramento and ends ten days later in Missouri. Some 600 riders, each taking a leg of the journey, are expected to participate.
1. If an equal number of miles is ridden each of the 10 days, how many miles will be ridden each day?
2. The horses and riders travel day and night. Calculate the average speed in miles per hour that the horses and riders are travelling.
3. If each of the 600 riders travels the same number of miles, how many miles will each horse and rider cover on their turn?
1. If an equal number of miles is ridden each of the 10 days, how many miles will be ridden each day?
Answer: 1966 ÷ 10 = 196.6 miles
2. The horses and riders travel day and night. Calculate the average speed in miles per hour that the horses and riders are traveling.
Answer: 196.6 ÷ 12 = 16.38 miles per hour
3. If each of the 600 riders travels the same number of miles, how many miles will each horse and rider cover on their turn?
Answer: 1966 ÷ 600 = 3.28 miles
Photos
Pony Express Re-ride at Cold Springs Pony Express Station in Nevada by U.S. Department of the Interior; CC BY-SA 2.0
