*1
You are at home, staring at a map of the
U.S., trying to concentrate on your
geography homework. Out of the corner of
your eye, you see four neat piles of
postcards. You pick up a postcard from
one of the piles and begin to read.
>1
@ENTER,2
*2
It says, "Hi, [NAME]! Brook, Cliff,
Violet, and I have travelled throughout
the U.S., each taking a different route.
We have sent you postcards hinting where
we've been. If you research all the
states, and, if you can guess all the
states we've ALL visited, you'll get to
join us on vacation!
>1
@ENTER,3
*3
"But before you start packing, you've
got to decide which one of us you want
to find. Type the first letter of the
friend you want to find first, and good
luck! Your pal, Rocky."
>5
@"BCRV",11,21,31,41
*4
"Hi again, [NAME]! I'm so glad you want
to solve another puzzle! Type the first
letter of the friend you want to find,
and keep up the good work!  Your pal,
Rocky."
>5
@"B",11,21,31,41
*11
"Hi, [NAME]!" the first postcard begins.
"Since six is my favorite number, I have
decided to visit all of the states
bordered by six other states.  If you
can guess the states my postcards were
sent from, I'll send you a souvenir. I
arrived in the first state today, and
someone came over and kissed me
underneath a plant! Maybe he was glad I
wasn't a rattlesnake! Where am I?
Brook."

You answer:
>2
@"OK",12
@ELSE,51
*12
"Nice going," starts the next postcard.
"Today, I had a 'close encounter' with a
Devil of a Rock! I also saw many geysers
in a very famous national park. Wish you
could be here, Brook."

You decide that Brook sent this postcard
from...
>2
@"WY",13
@ELSE,51
*13
"[NAME], you're a diamond for
discovering that I was in Wyoming!"
begins postcard number three. "And in
this state, that really means something!
I'm going to go spelunking now. If you
can guess where I am now, this state may
really be the 'Land of Opportunity' for
you. It may help you get a membership
card in our Vacation Club! Where am I
now? Brook."

You answer:
>2
@"AR",14
@ELSE,51
*14
"You're really flying high," the next
postcard reads. "But not as high as some
of the skiers here! And they're not as
high as the stadium named for being a
mile above sea level. Can you figure out
where I am? Take care, Brook."

You answer:
>2
@"CO",15
@ELSE,51
*15
"Yahoo for you," begins the next
postcard. "A coyote is howling in your
honor! Did you know that four of our
presidents, including our first one,
have made a permanent home on one of
this state's mountains? If you correctly
research which state I'm in now, you'll
get a souvenir and be on your way to
joining our Vacation Club. Hope to see
you soon, Brook."

You respond:
>2
@"SOUTH DAKOTA",16
@"SD",16
@ELSE,51
*16
"Excellent, [NAME]!" says Brook's last
postcard. "You've followed my trail
perfectly! Now, keep up the good work
and see if you can follow our other
friends' trips. In the meantime, watch
your mailbox for a souvenir box of
mistletoe! Hope to see you soon, Brook."
>3
@ENTER,4
^0
*21
"Hi, there, [NAME]," begins the first
postcard. "I like superlatives the most
of everyone I know! I've decided to
visit states with the highest, lowest,
most, or least in different categories.
Speaking of that, this state has North
America's highest peak, the coldest
creek, and the least of the only
mammals that can speak. You'll get a
souvenir if you tell me all the answers
I seek. Where am I? Cliff."

You answer:
>2
@"ALASKA",22
@"AK",22
@ELSE,51
*22
"That was pretty sleek!" says Cliff in
his second postcard. "The state I'm in
now has many more people than the last
one--in fact, it's number two in
population! It's most famous city is
also the nation's largest. This state
also has the largest percentage of land
covered state parks. Do you know where I
am? Cliff."

You answer:
>2
@"NEW YORK",23
@"NY",23
@ELSE,51
*23
"Way to go!" says Cliff in his third
postcard. "Now here's a riddle for you.
What state has the windiest city in the
U.S.? Hint: It is not the state whose
capital is nicknamed 'The Windy City.'
Another hint? The title of this state's
song is the same as its name. Where am I
now? Cliff."

You answer:
>2
@"MONTANA",24
@"MT",24
@ELSE,51
*24
"Glad you caught wind of that answer,
[NAME]," begins the next postcard.
"Would you believe that the state I'm
now in is the driest state, yet it has
the world's largest artificial body of
water. Its capital makes me think of a
famous late-night talk show host. Can
you tell where I am? Cliff."

You answer:
>2
@"NEVADA",25
@"NV",25
@ELSE,51
*25
"Answer one more of my questions
correctly, and you'll get a souvenir!"
says the next postcard, "Isn't it
interesting that the state which has the
most cars per person boasts main
industries that are also travel-related?
And you can say that one industry is 'up
in the air' and the other is 'down under
the sea.' Any idea where I am this time?
Cliff.

You answer:
>2
@"CONN",26
@"CT",26
@ELSE,51
*26
"You've cracked all the clues, you
clever kid," exclaims Cliff on the
last card. "Just for that, you will get
a souvenir replica of the largest
nutcracker in the world--Connecticut has
the original one! Now continue on to the
other puzzles, and if you can cruise
through those, you'll get to join our
Vacation Club. Good luck! Cliff."
>3
@ENTER,4
^1
*31
You pick up the top card from a pile of
postcards. "Hello, [NAME]," it says.
"I've just started my trip in the
Pacific Northwest, and I've been reading
about why the year 1859 is such an
important year to this state. Oops--a
mink just walked over this postcard.
Hope you can read it! If you can, do you
know where I am? Take care, Rocky."

You answer:
>2
@"OR",32
@ELSE,51
*32
"You're pretty hot stuff," starts the
next postcard from Rocky. "So am I,
since I'm in the hottest city in the
U.S. I wonder how President Eisenhower
tolerated the heat here! If you can
discover where I am, and answer a few
more questions correctly, you'll be
close to a membership in our Vacation
Club and even closer to getting a
souvenir. See ya, Rocky."

You answer:
>2
@"TEXAS",33
@"TX",33
@ELSE,51
*33
"Hi, again," says the next postcard.
"Since you're a great researcher, can
you tell me in what state the years
1540, 1682, and 1763 are important? The
answer didn't hit me until I heard Elvis
Presley sing, 'Don't be Cruel.' Can you
tell me which state I'm in now? All the
best, Rocky."

You answer:
>2
@"MISS",34
@"MS",34
@ELSE,51
*34
"Jolly good!" starts the next postcard.
"King Charles, after whom this state is
named, would be proud. I wonder, though,
if he'd be happy to know that this state
is nicknamed for the sticky pine tar
that gets on the heels of its citizens!
If you know where I am and can answer
one more question correctly, you'll win
a souvenir. And, if you can solve the
rest of the puzzles, you'll win a free
vacation! Your pal, Rocky."

You answer:
>2
@"NORTH CAROLINA",35
@"NC",35
@ELSE,51
*35
"You're my main buddy!" says a postcard
with a picture of a tremendous lobster
on it. "This state is so beautiful! In
fact, I'm on my way to visit Acadia
National Park right now. If you can
answer this question, a souvenir will be
on its way to you! Bye, Rocky."

You answer:
>2
@"MAINE",36
@"ME",36
@ELSE,51
*36
"Good work, [NAME]!" says the next
postcard. "You've figured out all the
places I've been to! Your reward for
solving the puzzle is a souvenir raft.
It's on its way to you now! Then you can
pretend you're Huckleberry Finn,
floating down the Mississippi River!
While you're waiting for the raft to
arrive, try figuring out which states
your other friends visited. Choose the
first letter of the person's name whose
puzzle you want to solve next. Hope to
see you soon, Rocky."
>3
@ENTER,4
^2
*41
"Hi, [NAME]!" says Violet in her first
postcard. "Since, I'm named after a
flower, I have decided to visit five
states whose state flower is also a
person's name. If you can guess all the
states I've visited and what else they
all have in common, I'll send you a
great souvenir. This postcard is from
the 'First State' and is also where I
started my trip. Would you believe that
England's capital and 'The Empire State'
formed the name of a material that was
invented here. Where am I? Violet."

You answer:
>2
@"DE",42
@ELSE,51
*42
"Way to go, [NAME]!" begins postcard
number two. "You've linked the facts to
find the answer! Now can you tell me
which state is linked to Delaware by two
bridges? This state's flower has a very
special name. Does that make a light
bulb go off in your head? It did to
someone else in this state! Do you know
where I am. Violet."

You answer:
>2
@"NEW JERSEY",43
@"NJ",43
@ELSE,51
*43
"Blazing blossoms!" exclaims postcard
number three. "Did you know that a very
famous song was written here during the
War of 1812? Chances are, Babe Ruth
himself saluted when it was played.
This state's flower makes me laugh. If
my friend Susan's eyes were as dark as
can be, she'd have the same name as this
flower! Where am I? Violet."

You answer:
>2
@"MARYLAND",44
@"MD",44
@ELSE,51
*44
"If Susan needed a doctor, the state I'm
in now would be the best one to go to!"
begins Violet. "This state's flower has
the significance of being the name of
the ship that carried the first Pilgrims
to America. Need another hint? Three
presidents with the first name 'John'
are from this state. Can you tell where
I am? Violet."

You answer:
>2
@"MA",45
@ELSE,51
*45
"Great going!" the next postcard begins.
A clergyman named Roger Williams liked
this state a whole lot better than
Massachusetts. I'm going to play tennis
now. Maybe one day I'll make it into the
Tennis Hall of Fame which happens to be
located in this state! Keep at these
puzzles! You've almost won a souvenir
and membership in our Vacation Club. Who
knows, you might be the first member of
the Americana Hall of Fame! Violet."

You respond:
>2
@"RHODE ISLAND",46
@"RI",46
@ELSE,51
*46
"You're almost there, [NAME]!" says the
next postcard. "Now tell me what these
five states have in common. Good luck,
Violet."

You respond:
>4
@"13",47
@"THIRTEEN",47
@ELSE,51
*47
"Great gladiolas! You've tracked my
trek!" cries Violet in her last
postcard. "You'll receive a blossom of
each of the 50 states' flowers. Now, see
if you can follow our other friends'
trips. Choose the first letter of the
person whose puzzle you want to solve.
Hope you'll soon join our Vacation
Club. Take care, Violet."
>3
@ENTER,4
^3
*51
"[STATE]?"

"Sorry, that is incorrect. This is not a
very fine STATE of affairs," says
[FRIEND]. "Use the database to find the
answer, then try to answer the question
again."
>6
@ENTER,99
*52
"Congratulations, [NAME]!" says the last
postcard. "You've solved all four
puzzles! Write to the address below to
receive your Vacation Club Member Card
from Microzine:

Microzine
Americana Adventures
Scholastic Inc.
730 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
>1
@ENTER,53
*53
Now, as we promised, you can join Cliff,
Brook, Violet, and me in our Vacation
Club. Just tell us where in the Americas
you'd like to travel. See you really
soon, Rocky."
>2
@ELSE,54
*54
"Hurray!" you shout, "I finally made
it!"
>1
@ENTER,55
*55
"It's just great to be a member of the
Vacation Club!" you say. "Thanks for the
puzzles. This is a really fun way to
learn geography! If you ever have any
other puzzles you want me to solve, I'm
game!"
>1
@ENTER,98
*EOF*