Just a short blog to update my results in stretching my gas mileage. When I was driving to work and back on I81 I was driving between 70 and 75 MPH to stay with traffic. I was getting about 17.5 miles per gallon of gas. My truck has a 15.8 gallon tank. That means I have at most a range of 276.5 miles. I pretty much verified that with several fill ups. I began driving back roads, or more specifically A back road that parallels I81 always within a couple of miles and even crossing over the interstate once on my route. Using the back road for my trip to work allowed me to set the cruise on 50PMH. I would then return on I81 at 55MPH because there is pretty much no traffic during the 11PM hour. My gas mileage jumped to a solid 22.66mpg. That raises my maximum range to 358 miles.
My mileage to work is 47.5 miles, allowing me to make 7 and ½ trips between my home and work. Unfortunately gas increases in price as I travel north. The further I get, the more it costs, until there is normally about 15 to 18 cents difference per gallon. Considering I am using approximately 21 gallons of gas a week, my cost differential between buying gas close to home or close to work is between $3.15 and $3.78 per week.
Since I have the time to drive slower (time differential is around 8 to 10 minutes) I only need to weigh the benefits of driving slower.
Here are my personal feelings about driving slower after a couple of weeks. Taking the back road to work is certainly less stressful and more scenic. Coming home I’m in the dark. Since there isn’t much to see, and since the traffic is lighter, it makes sense for me to set the cruise, stay between the white lines in the right lane and not have to worry about overtaking or having to pass anyone. I get on the interstate at exit 279, set the cruise, almost never pass anyone, and cancel the cruise as I exit at 235, 44 miles and 48 minutes later. I am relaxed, sane and safe. Never mind the little bit of money I’ve saved and the wear and tear on my truck I’ve spared.
As it is already 2012 I wish everyone a very happy New Year. I trust you will make this year the most productive learning year of your life. I hope you will get up from the table more quickly, quit watching TV or surfing the Internet earlier, double your book reading at least every 2 months, walk twice as far every 2 months as you did the 2 months before, smile more, encourage more, help more, and look for opportunities to make a difference. The older we get, the more we should be capable of doing, not less. Don’t let your body rust out, WEAR it out. Push your mind to the limit EVERY day, challenge what you know every day, increase your vocabulary every day, and pack your brain with more information that you thought possible.
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