MPG's or MPH's

[GrySql]

Decisions, decisions.....

 

On I-15N near Cedar City, UT - 2 hours ago.

[Texasota]

If I had no time commitment (you're retired, right?), then I would go for the MPGs and enjoy the beautiful drive

[corncobs]

I'm from far from retiring but I would probably go for MPG if the scenery is nice enough. If just plain old desert 80 MPH would sound pretty good.

[SteveB_TX]

Floor that sucka!! :)

[kuzzi]

Floor it and you're still getting better mpg than most other vehicles on that road.

[djminfll]

At 60mph, I can usually get about 50mpg; at 70mph it drops to about 42mpg; at 80mph it drops to about 35mpg. Still better than most family sedans, but not hybrid-worthy fuel economy. Unless I was in a rush, I would keep it under 70mph. BUT, I would not be in the left lane like the psychos here! LOL!

[GrySql]

Head winds all morning and early afternoon, the 4,700' mountain just before Las Vegas, then the climb up to UT over a 7,000' snowy pass didn't do much for my mpg's. UT has great scenery but having 18 wheelers blow past me at 80mph while I'm hypermiling @ 62mph in the slow lane?

I hypermiled downhill and drove the speed limit when practical. I'm getting 35 mpg's so far, I'm happy with that.

Tomorrow will be a nice mpg drive to Glenwood Springs, CO, stunning scenery all the way (it snowed last Sat/Sun) so I'll be a good FFH driver.

 

Driving the speed limit has definite benefits in some areas, like crossing the CA State Line into NV at Las Vegas, it's a 3-lane 70mph speed/revenue enhancement zone.

The NV Highway Patrol use Chevy Silverados's and Tahoe's with zero markings and hidden blue/red/white flashers. I counted 3 of those and two marked cars in the first 5 miles and they all had a CA car pulled over. Even the Freeway overhead digital signs announce that 'this is a no-tolerance speed area', if anyone reads those besides me.

-

CC, I said 'hi' to Richfield, UT! This is my usual stop heading East, a nice little place.

[tr7driver]

We are headed that way in a few weeks, but traveling across I-80. It will be a 20 hour drive, so I guess it will be forget the mpg and pour on the mph. I'll take 35 if I can get it but I'm expecting more like 30. Please let us know our overall trip mpg once you get back. Should do much better on the trip home as it will be a decline in altitude to about 800 ft.

[acdii]

I drove that road a few years back in my F150 when I went to Chino. For some reason I had a hard time staying at 80, I kept slowing down, that gas gauge drops fast at 80 MPH in a pickup. Call me the odd ball but I drive the speed limit except on the toll way here where it is 55 I do 65, but where its 65 I do 65, 70 I do 70, but rarely do I go faster than that.

[corncobs]

Call me the odd ball but I drive the speed limit except on the toll way here where it is 55 I do 65, but where its 65 I do 65, 70 I do 70, but rarely do I go faster than that.

I'm the same way nothing odd about it IMO. Unfortunately there are still enough maniacs out there that even 75 @ 55 isn't fast enough.

[GrySql]

Should do much better on the trip home as it will be a decline in altitude to about 800 ft.

It's the turbulent weather and WIND that messes up the mpg's. We just had a storm go through and the wind when we started was causing dust and sand problems in the deserts, and lots of gusts. That makes for unpredictable mpg's and a driver can't adjust to that, just plow on.

[acdii]

I coined a new word last night on our way home. The split on 14 by 120 in woodstock there is always some schmo getting in the left lane to go around everyone, then slow down when the lanes merge back. I am doing 63 all the way down 14, and this idiot in an infinity gets in my blind spot, then sits there almost to the merge then gooses past me only to speed up and slow down, affecting my CHI.

 

 

Infidiot = Idiot in an Infinity

 

I wound up passing her later on.

 

Yeah I know I say I usually do the speed limit, I do know if I do 63 in the 55 on these rural roads I wont get pulled over, and I was sort of in a hurry to get the kids on time.

[acdii]

It's the turbulent weather and WIND that messes up the mpg's. We just had a storm go through and the wind when we started was causing dust and sand problems in the deserts, and lots of gusts. That makes for unpredictable mpg's and a driver can't adjust to that, just plow on.

And the only down side to this is the tiny gas tank on our cars. At least on the 2010 it held a good amount of fuel. Some stretches of these highways out west dont have gas stops for long, I mean VERY long distances.

[corncobs]

And the only down side to this is the tiny gas tank on our cars. At least on the 2010 it held a good amount of fuel. Some stretches of these highways out west dont have gas stops for long, I mean VERY long distances.

The distances between gas stations aren't bad nothing like Australia where you would probably need a reserve canister in the FFH. One time we cut it so close that we turned off all accessories ( radio, AC etc ) and luckily we made it to the next and only gas station in a few hundred miles.

[GrySql]

Got 39 mpg's today, from 4,500' to 7,800, over and over.

Cruised at speed limit (mostly 75 mph speed limits today) or a little less, good weather.

Yes, on I-70E from Salina, UT to Green River, UT is 110 miles with no services except Rest Stops.

Had a picnic lunch in a park watching the Green River in UT. The Green River is brown from all the runoff.

 

 

At Ghost Rock Rest Area, UT - 7,400'.

Edited May 15, 2014 by GrySql

[GrySql]

At 60mph, I can usually get about 50mpg; at 70mph it drops to about 42mpg; at 80mph it drops to about 35mpg. Still better than most family sedans, but not hybrid-worthy fuel economy. Unless I was in a rush, I would keep it under 70mph. BUT, I would not be in the left lane like the psychos here! LOL!

My car might get close to those numbers at sea level and no elevation changes like where you live.

On this route things are quite different and the Atkinson is getting a workout, bless it's little 2.0L heart.

On a steep 6% down hill section today the FFH was coasting and charging on EV at 80+ mph, slightly over the speed limit.

 

Tomorrow is up and over the Continental Divide at 11,000'. Snow maybe, hope not.

[corncobs]

How cool I'm just having flashbacks from last year driving in the opposite direction.

Setting ECC to speed limit and let her run up the mountain. ;)

[GrySql]

Snow, 32F, and icy/slushy roads from Frisco, CO to a few miles past Georgetown, CO. There was a lot of construction, slow speeds, detours and other road hazards until we got past Denver to eastern CO and into NE. Windy in NE, drove 2-3 under the speed limit.

Another 39 mpg day.

 

Picture 1: To make you snow climate members feel at home, this mornings road conditions at Vail Summit, CO - 10,800'.

Picture 2: Then a little later, look at the elevation on my Garmin at the Eisenhower Tunnel. I know this is nothing new to a lot of you, just thought the picture was fun. Someone in another Topic asked if these cars would make it up to Lake Tahoe @ 7,000', this ought to answer that question.

 

 

[acdii]

11K feet? Were you feeling a little light headed?

[GrySql]

11K feet? Were you feeling a little light headed?

Well, I usually feel that way so it was hard to tell any difference.

[GrySql]

Drove 466 miles today got 39 mpg again, 2-3 mph below the speed limit.

Edited May 16, 2014 by GrySql

[corncobs]

Well, I usually feel that way so it was hard to tell any difference.

+ it goes by so quickly in the FFH you are getting more light headed for excitement knowing that going down hill in will be all EV ;)

[bradycl98258]

Used to live in Utah County and go back and forth to Vegas about 4-5 times a year... And now you've got me imagining just how fun it would be to float down the 15 on all of those downhill curves through the Virgin River Gorge from St. George to Mesquite in my FFH. That would be a blast!!!