Mileage and Stuff

Got back an hour ago from a FAST 2.5 day trip to Houghten Michigan in the U.P.  We drove the 517 miles up starting at 2:30pm and got there a 1am.  We left there this morning for the return trip home.  Stopped in Marquette at the Sweet Water Cafe for lunch....aaaah.  Glad we are not going north on I-75 the 4th of July weekend!!!!  Lots of traffic already starting to head north.

Gas was over $2.30/gal. along the road.  We averaged 14.8mpg while driving 78mph (cruise control) on I-75 and 16.8 while driving 63mph across the the U.P.  Both on the "up" and "down" trips.

We now have 2005 Streets and Trips...our last was 2003.  The new one is REALLY great.  I played with it some on the trip home (really don't need it for the trip, can do that with eyes closed).  The program rotates the map so your direction of travel is always pointing up.  No more "turn left",  no, no the "other left".  If the program speed indicator is correct our speedo is off by two mph.  The compass is also a nice feature, as well as the map centering option.

Coming home along Lake Michigan shore line the wind was REALLY strong out of the south today.  Flags were flying straight out.  I was supprised how much a class 'A' in front of me was fish tailing in that strong cross wind.  He was going about 55mph (the posted speed) when we B'd by him.  We had no wind problem.  The Mac bridge was posted for RV's - 20mph and cars - 45mph because of the wind.  Going south across the bridge at 45mph I REALLY could feel the wind in our B.  For the bridge I considered myself a van (aka car) and not an RV.

With gas prices being what they are how is everyone doing on vehicle mpg?  We normally travel these days at 65mph on the x-ways but because of the trip timing we pushed it.  The 2mpg difference has been very typical for use when ever we do travel in those speed ranges for extended distances.

When traveling we check diesel prices along our route and try to buy fuel where the price is less expensive.? On our way to Traverse City, Mich we filled the tank at the Flying J in Fargo ND and did not refuel until after we had left Traverse City, stopped at Spartan service center in Charlotte, Mich and then we fueled up in Gary, Ind.? Our next fuel stop was today in Cheyenne, Wyo.? Fuel was $2.18 at both places.? I did note the fuel in between our fuel stops was as high as 2.499 and most being in the $2.4x range.? Nice having a large fuel tank.? At Cheyenne we took on 122 Gals.

2.30/gallon, OUCH, I'm headed to the Lupton area (not all that far from T.C.) next week with my class A

Won't be crossing the big bridge though

And hello Berkley... I'm just a few miles south of you    Been to and Through Berkley many times, Family lawyer is in Berkley

Our 'B' van has a 31 gal. tank and we normally target filling up around the 1/3 tank level (w 150 mile range remaining).  We can choose but only so much.  I do watch along the way for prices and give and take the fill up point 50 miles or so.  It was just this time I filled up with 25 gallons and it cost over $55 dollars.  A first for me .

There was some talk in the U.P. about less tourists because of gas prices.  I did comment to my wife on way up that traffic on US-2 seemed light and there was no pressure on the campgrounds. The Twin Lakes State Park was well less then 50% full.  Only the lake side sights were full.

Here in Vancouver, BC, gas prices are high (about $1.02 / liter) during the day until about 1800hrs at which time the price at many stations drops to about $0.90 / liter, and in a few places to as low as $0.83 / liter.  Hadn't realised until now that there was this diurnal effect in the gasoline market place .

Doug

Went back and checked the receipts for the trip...

6/28/05  Grayling Mich.            $2.399/gal 
6/29/05  Twin Lakes Mich        $2.289/gal
6/30/05  West Branch Mich      $2.359/gal
7/01/05  Costco Mad. Hts, Mi  $2.189/gal  :

Maybe high prices will bring CB's back.  People can relay gas pump prices as the travel.  No more looking for Smokey but looking for the local best deal for gas or diesel.

  Unfortunately, due to an exhaust system change from the manifold all the way to the tailpipe, we've lost about 3mpg, it seems.  The whole system fits well and looks much better than the original muffler that came off the stock engine, but it seems to be a leetle bit more restrictive... 

  We're seeing 16mpg, in mixed driving in and around around congested Greater Boston suburbs.

    George, Jo & Ollie/ATL
    '89 VW Westfalia, Werhher
    in Walpole, Massachusetts

This thread hasn't seen activity for almost a year, but since it's still open I'll add to it.  Driving our new P-W Plateau north on I-55 in Illinois, averaging 60 mph, I got 25 mpg!  Filled up the tank with diesel fuel for $2.85/gal near Carlyle, IL.  Regular unleaded at the same station was $2.89/gal.  When the van break-in period is over, I expect the mileage to be even better.

Now that Tom has mentioned that we can do Tables in these messages lets give it a try and see some comparisons based on the consumption of my Ford Laser SW (rebadged Mazda 323, 1.6litre 4cyl) over the last few months. Although recorded in litres and kilometres I have converted the data to US gallons, UK Gallons and miles. The currency conversions were taken today from xe.com

And what does all this mean? Well today's prices are set by all sorts of market and government movements and taxes, this site explains it (according to the company):
Current prices are here. These are the conversions I have used.
Litre to US Gallon = 0.264172    Litre to UK Gallon = 0.2199691
AU Dollar to US Dollar = 0.772708    AU Dollar to UK Pound = ?0.408666


Now, what are the chances that the RV Industry in Australia isn't all that strong at the moment?

Congratulations, your tables came out just fine Ian. Our fuel prices are not as far behind yours as I'd thought - we're paying approx 75% of what you're paying.

Thanks Tom, I cheated, I created the data in NoteTabPro ( http://www.notetab.com ) as an HTML table. Then it was a simple matter to replace the "<"s with "["s and my tables were all done.

I was wondering just how your prices related to ours. Thanks for the info.

Well this thread is getting old, but we all continue to buy fuel.

Got regular unleaded at Costco yesterday for $2.059/gal. (that's U.S. dollars and U.S. gallons Ian).  I don't think I ever paid $3/gal. this summer but it REALLY got close.  And we are now well fixed in our habit of driving NO FASTER than 65mph with our van now.  To average things out I keep a running list in Excel of fuel economy over a 8 tank fill up average (about 8 fill ups and 3000 miles of driving).  Our 2000 Chev Express Extended Van is getting about 16.9mpg with this self improsed speed limit.  We also now go on line and chk fuel prices along our trip routes and plan our fill up point.

Unleaded is running about $1.95-$198 in the Norfolk/Newport News area of Virginia.  About a dime higher in northern VA.

Now the oil companies/nations have us acting HAPPY because fuel is ONLY $2/gallon!  Funny how  things can change is a short time.

Yes,  when gas hit $2  Joanne thought that there was no way we could still drive cars.  And now we are "happy" to see gas at $2/gal.  :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

Hey Gary,
Are you in Hampton Roads, or just traveling thru? I'm in Suffolk.

We are visiiting a niece and a SIL in Hayes, just across the river from Yorktown. Will be pointing the motorhome towards our Florida home base early next week.

Here are the Flying J average gasoline price by state for October 14, 2006.  I have sorted them by cheapest to most expense.  Looks like prices are getting low (?) in many states.  At least by the now $3.000 standard.


NJ $1.919  ;D  ;D
SC $2.004
MO $2.005
AL $2.026
KY $2.031
LA $2.039
OH $2.039
OK $2.039
GA $2.045
IN $2.048
AR $2.059
VA $2.072
MS $2.072
IA $2.089
TN $2.094
KS $2.109
MD $2.119
MI $2.122
NC $2.124
TX $2.128
IL $2.169
ND $2.179
NE $2.194
PA $2.195
NM $2.209
FL $2.211
WI $2.244
SD $2.259
AZ $2.291
CO $2.389  :-\
MT $2.457
CA $2.459
WY $2.460
ID $2.515
UT $2.560
NY $2.589
OR $2.604
WA $2.715
NV $2.777  :'( 

I am going to fill up the CRV in the morning in Seneca, SC for 1.969, the lowest in at least a year if not two. Drove bye the station at 9:30PM, hope they don't raise the price before 10:00AM.

Here are the 10 cheapest and 10 most expensive Flying J's as of today.  Quicker to get this then state averages.

                                                      Regular Unleaded
Ten Cheapest Flying J's 10/10/2006

NJ, Carney's Point I-295 Exit 2C                           $1.919
SC, Blacksburg   I-85 Exit 102                   $1.949
MO, Kansas City I-435 Front Street               $1.959
OK, Oklahoma City I-40 Exit 140                         $1.959
SC, Rock Hill             I-77 & Hwy 901, Exit 73       $1.959 
VA, Carmel Church I-95 Exit 104                         $1.959
MO, Matthews         I-55 Exit 58                         $1.969
MO, Peculiar           US Hwy 71 Exit J                 $1.969
MO, Wayland         Hwy 136 & Hwy 61             $1.969
TX, Baytown         I-10 & Exit 789 Thompson Road $1.969
               
Ten most Expensive Flying J's 10/10/2006

UT, Nephi               I-15 Exit 222                     $2.629
WA, W. Spokane   I-90 Exit 276               $2.659
NV, Winnemucca I-80 Exit 176                       $2.699
OR, LaGrande ** I-84 Exit 265                         $2.699
WA, Spokane           I-90 Exit 286                 $2.699
NV, Wells               I-80 Exit 352                     $2.729
NV, Wells             174 HWY 93 North          $2.729
WA, Ellensburg   I-90 Canyon Rd Exit 109     $2.799
WA, Pasco             U.S. Hwy 395                 $2.799
NV, Battle Mountain I-80 Exit 231                         $2.899

Jo:

We refueled at Blackwell, NC this afternoon. Diesel was 2.389 but after filling the M/H I couldn't resist pulling forward and putting 9 gallons in the CRV for 193.9 with our RV discount. <grin>