Economical Travel…

With the high price of gas these days, it’s hard for the “Festival Nomad” to travel inexpensively. Unfortunately, unlike my desert namesakes, I don’t ride (drive) a camel that can go forever on a tank of “water”! Although my vehicle, a Honda Civic, is fairly gas efficient, it’s not perfect and neither is my driving. I’m like many people, I want to get there yesterday! I usually push the envelop by driving 20km above the highway speed limit. That is, I did this until a few weeks ago. Judi and I had scheduled a visit to Morrisburg and Upper Canada Village. Taking the 401 Highway, it’s about a 3 hour trip, each way. This trip I decided to experiment with my speed. As soon as we got in to the highway I set the cruise control for 103kms. It was weird being passed by so many people, especially the big 18 wheelers! Yes, it did take us a little longer, but our gas mileage was terrific! I couldn’t believe we had gone so far on so little gas! We did the same on the way back, only this time I opened the windows and turned off the air conditioning. I continued driving at the lower speeds until my gas tank was almost empty. I had increased my mileage per tank by about 40% or in my case by 250kms. I couldn’t believe the final results! I mentioned my experiment to a car expert friend and he said he wasn’t surprised by the results, although he didn’t think turning off the air conditioner and opening the windows was helpful. He felt that the air drag caused by open window would offset any cost savings. I continued the experiment on all subsequent travels with similar results! My experiment has now turned into a way of life (driving that is)! Besides, by going a little slower we get to appreciate the countryside more! So if you are still driving fast, “honk” as you pass me!