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EnCompass seeking volunteers for informal editorial advisory group

In a continuing effort to improve EnCompass so it better serves your needs, AAA Colorado is looking for member volunteers to be a part of a very informal editorial advisory group.

Participants will be periodically asked (probably once a month), in short, easy-to-answer formats, their thoughts on everything from front cover images and article content to department material and advertising issues.

Any group members who don't want to answer a particular set of questions don't need to respond, although their names will remain as active participants until they request removal from the group.

All editorial advisory group interactions will be through emails that will be easily identified by the subject line.

To become an instant member, please send your request to join, how many years you've been with AAA, town where you reside, age, and email address to editor@colorado.aaa.com.

Your email address will NOT be sold or used in any other way than for this editorial advisory group.

EnCompass article guides family trip

We moved from Burlington in 1938, when my sisters were five years old or younger. Your July/August “Lure of the Plains” reminded me to take them back to see where our Dad's jewelry store was, just south of the Midway Theater. And, to see the homes we lived in. A nice lady at the last home invited us in to see the home!

We visited Old Town and had a good time there. On the way back to our homes in Denver , we stopped at Genoa so they could enjoy the fantastic Wonder Tower Museum that you had written about. You know, even in our middle age, it was enjoyable to visit Burlington and Genoa . My “baby” sister and her three children enjoyed learning a little family history to boot!

— Newton Sharp, Hudson

Gas mileage also dependent on driver

I totally disagree with your article on the cause of low gas mileage and sticker deception (July/August 2005). Take my new truck for instance: The window sticker said I should get 17 city, 19 country. I told the salesman I would get better mileage than that. One trip I averaged 20.25 mpg…

The problem with drivers is the way they drive…People just have never learned to drive economically. The secret is simple: get up to the speed you want to travel and hold it there, watching down the road so you are not constantly slowing and speeding up.

—D.D. Lewis, Clifton

Editor's Note: You bring up an excellent point that gas mileage is definitely dependent upon a person's driving habits. This does not discount, however, the fact that the federal government is still using lab tests designed in 1975 to estimate gas mileage. The estimates that these tests produce can be as much as 30% above the reality.

Here's to family fun and dreaming

As longtime AAA members, my husband and I took many a trip, using your very dependable TripTiks.

Now he's gone and I'm 92. When my doctor authorized a handicapped hangtag for my car, I named it my “CripTik” and that's what my family calls it! We have fun with this new name!

Also, your EnCompass gets better all the time—even though I go anywhere very seldom, I enjoy dreaming.

—Cecilia Droll, Golden

Disrupting traffic flow can have serious consequences

I think you could do your membership a valuable service by creating an article that addresses the hidden causes of automotive accidents. These include:

• Making quick, unexpected decisions and maneuvers for various reasons, such as deciding to make a turn beyond the point of it being safe.

• Taking illegal actions—such as cutting across medians, sidewalks and lawns—in attempts to escape traffic tie-ups.

• Battling for every car length advantage to get ahead of others and save a second here or there.

I believe that a lot of accidents would be avoided if people thought about these things ahead of time. It helps to think of traffic in terms of flow and to realize that disrupting the flow in any way dramatically increases the chances of accident, injury and death.

—Thomas Watts, Bellvue

Editor's Note: This is a very abbreviated version of a long and well-thought-out letter about some major driver-related problems. Thank you for your thoughts—we will definitely take them into consideration.

A meal of opinion

In the July/August Colorado Explorer section, one article states that the Ranch House restaurant at Devil's Thumb Ranch has the “haute-est” Colorado cuisine in Grand County .

I have had dinner there many times, and at the Rapids Lodge in Grand Lake , which is also in Grand County . The Rapids Lodge restaurant is by far the better of the two. Perhaps you should mention this the next time you talk about good eating in Grand County .

—Frances L. Ciliberti, email