"That's good thinking, Dad," said Jeff. "If this train uses all 45 cars, that means the game will be over. You can't use all 45 without the game ending."
"That's true," said Mom. "But just because you played all your trains and ended the game, doesn't necessarily mean you were the winner."
"True, but what else can we do? We might as well pile into the locomotive and meet our fate head on--good or bad."
"Hey," Dad called out. "Did you guys see that the dining car has actual food in it? If we're going to ride this thing out to the end, we may as well relax and eat a good meal. Come on back to the third car."
IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE END OF YOUR JOURNEY UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL FROM THE LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO PAGE 5
IF YOU WANT TO WAIT THINGS OUT IN THE DINING CAR GO TO PAGE 6
Sunday, December 25, 2016
PAGE 13
"I wish you'd join us, Jeff, but you're a big boy and can make your own decisions. Enjoy the view."
Mom and entered the dining car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Dad, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 15
Mom and entered the dining car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Dad, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 15
PAGE 15
"What great food this is!" Mom exclaimed, as the train rapidly approached El Paso.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around Mom and Dad dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS DINNER WITH DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around Mom and Dad dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS DINNER WITH DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
PAGE 14
"What great food this is!" Mom exclaimed, as the train rapidly approached El Paso.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around the Hofmann trio dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS DINNER WITH JEFF AND DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around the Hofmann trio dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS DINNER WITH JEFF AND DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
PAGE 12
"Jeff, I really think we should stay together as a family," said Mom.
Jeff agreed, and the three of them entered the dining car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 14
Jeff agreed, and the three of them entered the dining car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 14
PAGE 6
"Your dad has a point," Mom said. "Come on, Jeff, let's go eat and hope for the best."
"You'd really rather stuff your face than watch the wonderful world zoom past you, and maybe even see some kind of finish line as we cross it?"
"Yes, I would," said Mom.
IF YOU WANT TO TRY HARDER TO CONVINCE JEFF TO JOIN YOU IN THE DINING CAR, GO TO PAGE 12
IF YOU LEAVE HIM IN THE LOCOMOTIVE AND JOIN DAD IN THE DINING CAR, GO TO PAGE 13
"You'd really rather stuff your face than watch the wonderful world zoom past you, and maybe even see some kind of finish line as we cross it?"
"Yes, I would," said Mom.
IF YOU WANT TO TRY HARDER TO CONVINCE JEFF TO JOIN YOU IN THE DINING CAR, GO TO PAGE 12
IF YOU LEAVE HIM IN THE LOCOMOTIVE AND JOIN DAD IN THE DINING CAR, GO TO PAGE 13
PAGE 11
"What a great adventure this has been!" Mom exclaimed as they saw the modest El Paso skyline on the horizon.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around Mom and Jeff dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS AN "ADVENTURE" WITH JEFF. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around Mom and Jeff dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS AN "ADVENTURE" WITH JEFF. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
PAGE 9
"I wish you'd join us, Wayne, but you're a big boy and can make your own decisions. Enjoy your dinner."
Mom and Jeff entered the front car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 11
Mom and Jeff entered the front car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 11
PAGE 10
"What a great adventure this has been!" Mom exclaimed as they saw the modest El Paso skyline on the horizon.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around the Hofmann trio dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS AN "ADVENTURE" WITH JEFF AND DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
It seemed impossible, but the train managed to speed up even more as it neared El Paso, and as it entered the city limits, music played, and everything around the Hofmann trio dissolved into a blinding light. They had won.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS AN "ADVENTURE" WITH JEFF AND DAD. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
PAGE 8
"Wayne, I really think we should stay together as a family," said Mom.
Dad agreed, and the three of them entered the front car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 10
Dad agreed, and the three of them entered the front car just as they passed a sign reading "Welcome to Dallas."
"If my math is right," said Jeff, "once we complete this Dallas-to-El Paso segment, we'll be at 45. Won't be long now."
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 10
PAGE 5
"I think I want to see how this ends. This train has to stop sometime," said Mom. "Wayne, are you joining us?"
"You'd really rather just stare out the window--maybe even staring at something that will kill you--then eat a good dinner?" Dad asked.
"Yes, I would," said Mom.
IF YOU WANT TO TRY HARDER TO CONVINCE WAYNE TO JOIN YOU IN THE LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO PAGE 8
IF YOU LEAVE HIM IN THE DINING CAR AND JOIN JEFF IN THE LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO PAGE 9
"You'd really rather just stare out the window--maybe even staring at something that will kill you--then eat a good dinner?" Dad asked.
"Yes, I would," said Mom.
IF YOU WANT TO TRY HARDER TO CONVINCE WAYNE TO JOIN YOU IN THE LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO PAGE 8
IF YOU LEAVE HIM IN THE DINING CAR AND JOIN JEFF IN THE LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO PAGE 9
PAGE 1
Jeff couldn't believe it. He had convinced Mom and Dad to fly standby with him. Only something big could overcome their reluctance to try for a non-guaranteed flight, and this was big--literally. Some weird Canadian had built an enormous replica of the Ticket to Ride board in a park in Vancouver, the northwestern-most destination in the game.
The trio were mesmerized as they walked into the park. They saw round game pieces nearly as tall as themselves and twice as wide. Thin, plastic colored cards that must have been 25 feet high stood upright, wobbling in the breeze. There were markers for each destination, and on the ground, you could count off the steps and see that it was twice as far from Salt Lake City to Denver as it was from Denver to Santa Fe. All the employees were dressed like old-timey rail conductors. Dad and Jeff were impressed, but Mom was in heaven.
In painstaking detail, the artist had recreated the game exactly as Mom knew it--with one exception. In the middle of the park were several full-sized train cars linked together behind a locomotive. Since you can't see inside the trains in the game, the artist had to rely on his creativity in designing this part of the attraction.
As Jeff and his parents climbed aboard the second car of four, they were met with a dizzying array of cabinets, seats, buttons, levers, and more. While you couldn't say the train cars' interior decor was untrue to the game, it certainly didn't seem authentic to the time period Ticket to Ride is drawn from.
Mom was looking out one of the windows when she saw a sinister-looking man jump down from the locomotive and run away. Suddenly, the train began moving.
GO TO PAGE 2
The trio were mesmerized as they walked into the park. They saw round game pieces nearly as tall as themselves and twice as wide. Thin, plastic colored cards that must have been 25 feet high stood upright, wobbling in the breeze. There were markers for each destination, and on the ground, you could count off the steps and see that it was twice as far from Salt Lake City to Denver as it was from Denver to Santa Fe. All the employees were dressed like old-timey rail conductors. Dad and Jeff were impressed, but Mom was in heaven.
In painstaking detail, the artist had recreated the game exactly as Mom knew it--with one exception. In the middle of the park were several full-sized train cars linked together behind a locomotive. Since you can't see inside the trains in the game, the artist had to rely on his creativity in designing this part of the attraction.
As Jeff and his parents climbed aboard the second car of four, they were met with a dizzying array of cabinets, seats, buttons, levers, and more. While you couldn't say the train cars' interior decor was untrue to the game, it certainly didn't seem authentic to the time period Ticket to Ride is drawn from.
Mom was looking out one of the windows when she saw a sinister-looking man jump down from the locomotive and run away. Suddenly, the train began moving.
GO TO PAGE 2
PAGE 2
As the train began rolling through the park, Mom, Dad, and Jeff tried calling for help from the windows. The other guests thought it was a show of some kind, so they merely cheered and waved back.
The train was soon out of the park, and within minutes had reached an actual railroad track. Once on the rails, the train's speed increased dramatically. The captive passengers overcame their initial shock and tried moving around the cars, but it was difficult to maintain balance due to the train's velocity. Eventually, they were able to determine that they were the only people onboard, and that all of the buttons and levers--including those in the locomotive--were decorative. They were unable to stop or even slow the train down.
They also noticed (from signs seen through the windows) that they had passed some familiar destinations: from Vancouver they went to Seattle, then headed to Helena, then up to Calgary, next to Winnipeg, then back through Helena.
"What a weird route it's taking," said Mom.
"Well, it is a yellow train, and you know how Dad always likes to have the longest one." Jeff couldn't pass up a joke, even when their lives were in peril.
"At the speed we're going, this train will hit 45 cars pretty soon," Dad said. "Do we think that will be a good thing or a bad thing? Should we try to get off before it hits that point?"
IF YOU THINK LETTING THE TRAIN REACH THE 45 CAR MARK IS YOUR BEST OPTION, GO TO PAGE 3
IF YOU THINK YOU NEED TO STOP THE TRAIN OR GET OFF BEFORE IT REACHES 45, GO TO PAGE 4
The train was soon out of the park, and within minutes had reached an actual railroad track. Once on the rails, the train's speed increased dramatically. The captive passengers overcame their initial shock and tried moving around the cars, but it was difficult to maintain balance due to the train's velocity. Eventually, they were able to determine that they were the only people onboard, and that all of the buttons and levers--including those in the locomotive--were decorative. They were unable to stop or even slow the train down.
They also noticed (from signs seen through the windows) that they had passed some familiar destinations: from Vancouver they went to Seattle, then headed to Helena, then up to Calgary, next to Winnipeg, then back through Helena.
"What a weird route it's taking," said Mom.
"Well, it is a yellow train, and you know how Dad always likes to have the longest one." Jeff couldn't pass up a joke, even when their lives were in peril.
"At the speed we're going, this train will hit 45 cars pretty soon," Dad said. "Do we think that will be a good thing or a bad thing? Should we try to get off before it hits that point?"
IF YOU THINK LETTING THE TRAIN REACH THE 45 CAR MARK IS YOUR BEST OPTION, GO TO PAGE 3
IF YOU THINK YOU NEED TO STOP THE TRAIN OR GET OFF BEFORE IT REACHES 45, GO TO PAGE 4
PAGE 7
Mom stood up slowly and brushed herself off. "I can't believe we agreed to fly standby again! Nothing ever works out when we fly standby. We should have just stayed home and played Ticket to Ride."
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS A NEW VERSION OF TICKET TO RIDE. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS A NEW VERSION OF TICKET TO RIDE. PLEASE COPY THIS PAGE'S URL AND EMAIL IT TO JEFF TO CLAIM YOUR GIFT.
PAGE 4
"Well, let's keep in mind that the distance between Denver and Oklahoma City isn't actually 'four,'" said Mom. We really don't know what will happen when the train reaches 45. We just need to get off somehow."
First they tried to find a way to separate the locomotive from the other cars, but that proved unfruitful. With no way of knowing if the train would ever stop or even slow down, they faced the inevitable: they were going to have to jump.
They pried open the side door of the third car, and waited until they sped past a grassy field. Holding hands, the three of them tried to jump to the grass, but basically just fell out onto the hard gravel next to the track. They rolled for a minute, sustaining many cuts and scrapes, but somehow managed to avoid serious injury.
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 7
First they tried to find a way to separate the locomotive from the other cars, but that proved unfruitful. With no way of knowing if the train would ever stop or even slow down, they faced the inevitable: they were going to have to jump.
They pried open the side door of the third car, and waited until they sped past a grassy field. Holding hands, the three of them tried to jump to the grass, but basically just fell out onto the hard gravel next to the track. They rolled for a minute, sustaining many cuts and scrapes, but somehow managed to avoid serious injury.
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PRESENT IS, GO TO PAGE 7
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