Date:         Wed, 7 Jun 1995 08:38:12 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Chris Chubb" <cchubb@card-u1.card.ida.org>
Subject:      Re: Mileage Markers

Herb Sez:
/If anyone ever travels through Iowa on the interstates you can check your
/speedometer and odometer as the mile markers are EXACTLY 1 mile apart. The 
/only
/time they are not is when there is a turnout.///
/
/I have not found any other states that took such care to measure the miles
/exactly.

Actually, my grandfather used to do surveying for the local county
when they were building the main road around here. One thing he did
(at the ripe old age of 72) was to walk ALL 112 miles of route
13, pushing one of those wheely things. Every 5280 feet, he pounded
a stake. It took him 3 months, but those signs are not more
than a foot off, I would wager. I feel somehow proud every time
I see one.

I also use them to gauge my speedometer. I usually take a 2 mile
reading late at night, holding exactly 50 MPH and calculate
my offset. I am only off by 2%, though. The tread wear is enough
to change it by more than 5%.
-- 
-- Chris Chubb (cchubb@ida.org) - (703)-845-2287 [Alexandria, VA, USA]
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