The Honda Insight starring in “The Attempt” July 25 - 29, 2004 …

[xcel]

Hi All:

___I have a ton of pics but will post the most pertinent in chronological order …

___Previous weeks topped off - Vapor Recovery Fill at my local BP.


___Wind conditions before we started out. Temps in the mid 60’s.


___And here she is in the drive waiting for lift off for her challenging voyage around Illinois


___Not a bad start if I do say so myself!


___Lots of hills taking her down


I-57/I-70 split


___Holding her own down in the St. Louis area!


___On her way back from St. Louis just before dark and still holding her own …


___Now that it’s dark, temps are falling fast Already in the low 60’s but she is doing her darndest to hold onto her current FE …


___The “Little Red Beauty” is running was can be expected, which means great! For day #1 at least.

___Here are some details:

08:20 AM: Left drive heading South. Winds from the NW @ ~ 2 mph. This is a good omen.
08:40 AM: Saw a Prius I at just 20 miles out … Winds from the NW @ ~ 3 mph. Traveling I94/294 Southbound.
09:25 AM: Reached I294/I55. 116.0 mpg @ 53.2 miles shown. Winds from the NW @ ~ 5 mph now.
10:32 AM: Reached 100 mile mark w/ 114.4 mph on the FCD traveling south on I57. Winds from the W @ ~ 7 mph now.
11:05 AM: 123 miles out. Southbound I57. Winds from the W @ ~ 5 mph.
11:20 AM: 134 miles out. Southbound I57. Winds from the W @ ~ 5 mph.
12:10 PM: 170 miles out. Southbound I57. Winds from the W @ ~ 7 mph. Starting to feel the side winds buck her around a bit.
12:25 PM: 180 miles out. Southbound I57 just past Champaign, IL. Winds from the WSW @ ~ 7 mph. Highway road surface is almost entirely tire path depressed and is a mess.
12:55 PM: 200 miles out. 110.9 mpg on the FCD. Winds from the WSW @ 7 + mph.
01:20 PM: 217 miles out. 110.6 mpg on the FCD.
01:55 PM: 240 miles out. 110.4/110.6 mpg on the FCD. Appears to have stabilized. Winds from the W @ ~ 3 mph finally! Near Matoon, IL.
02:10 PM: 250 miles out. Winds are calm but am now hitting hill after hill after bloody hill. 110.9 mpg on the FCD.
02:20 PM: 259 miles out. Just passed I70 near Effingham, IL. Still southbound on I57. 111.1 mpg on the FCD.
03:21 PM: 300 miles out. Calm and Hilly on I57. 111.3 mpg on the FCD.
03:55 PM: 325 miles out. Calm and Hilly on I57. 111.6 mpg on the FCD. This is going to be a good day.
04:00 PM: Running WNW on I64 outside of Mt. Vernon, IL. Calm and Hilly on I57. 111.6 mpg on the FCD.
04:10 PM: Hitting killer hills. Do not take I57 to I64 on the next round trip of the state!!! 111.3 mpg on the FCD.
05:45 PM: 400 miles out near St. Louis, MO. 111.3 on the FCD. Hilly still.
06:25 PM: 430 miles out. North of St. Louis heading Northbound on I55. Winds from the W @ ~ 5 mph. 110.9 mpg on the FCD.
07:05 PM: 455 miles out. Winds from the NW … Headwind. 110.6 mpg on the FCD.
07:20 PM: 466 miles out. Winds from the NW … Headwind. 110.6 mpg on the FCD.
08:20 PM: 509 miles out. 110.6 mpg on the FCD. Winds have died off but it is getting cooler …
09:02 PM: 538.7 miles out. 110.4 mpg on the FCD. First bar off fuel gauge. I might break this world record after all!!!
10:20 PM: 595 miles out. It is dropping into the lower 60’s already and fuel economy is suffering. 109.9 mpg on the FCD.
01:21 AM: 717.5 miles and I made it home. 109.5 mpg on the FCD and it’s in the upper 50’s.

717.5 miles over 17.03 hours for an average of 42.12 mph.


___The Chicagoland area is expecting scattered storms tomorrow afternoon so I might do another 300 - 400 miles in the morning and finish the tank off on Monday afternoon.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

Day #2



___Just a short run SW on I55 to the Weather Front that will hit the Chicago area in a few hours …

09:36 AM: Left home. Temperature is at 66 degrees F and I have a wonderful NW wind @ ~ 5 mph. This is a great way to start day #2’s run.
10:03 AM: 15.3 miles out coming up on I94/294 interchange. Already hit 100.1 mpg on the FCD!
10:18 AM: 26 miles out and hit 105.2 mpg on the FCD.
10:45 AM: 48.3 miles out and hit 110.2 mpg on the FCD at I294/I55 toll booth! Southbound on I55 and **** … Here comes my climb and the winds are now from the W.
11:18 AM: 68.8 miles out. Picked up all I lost on the climb out from the toll booth. 110.2 mpg on the FCD.
11:36 AM: 82.5 miles out and 110.6 mpg on the FCD. Winds still from the W but are ~ < 5 mph.
11:39 AM: Saw another Prius I.
12:15 PM: 109 miles out. 109.5 mpg on the FCD. Heading South on I55 and the W winds are picking up fast. I can see the storm front up ahead …
12:23 PM: 115.3 miles out. 108.3 mpg on the FCD and dropping fast. 10 + mph winds from the WSW. Almost a headwind and hitting the edge of the storm front.
12:40 PM: Turned around ~ 40 miles North of Bloomington, IL on I55. 107.3 mpg on the FCD and winds > 15 mph straight into the windscreen. I was hoping to make it to Bloomington before I hit the storm front.
12:46 PM: Saw a HCH and got a wave. I wonder if he had a clue as to what I was doing?
01:15 PM: 152.3 miles out. Heading Northbound on I55 now. 109.0 mpg on the FCD with a nice 10 + mph tail wind. I sure would like to ride this all the way home … Saw a Black Prius II.
01:54 PM: 176.8 miles out. Lost the tail wind a while ago. W wind @ ~ 5 mph now. Hit a dead stop traffic jam on I55 Northbound before Weber Road. 109.0 mpg on the FCD.
02:45 PM: 209.9 miles out. 109.9 mpg on the FCD and calm winds. Heavy traffic however.
03:31 PM: 243.6 miles and arrived home. 109.5 mpg on the FCD.

Departure: 09:36 AM CST from Wadsworth, IL.
Arrival: 03:31 AM CST to Wadsworth, IL.

Not bad for semi-poor conditions.


___Good Luck

___Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

Day #3 - AM drive to work.

___Bad way to start day #3 of a record tank


___Still raining …


___A drive to work with heavy rain expected. I will try and finish up the tank after work if at all possible?

04:48 AM: Left home. Light rain already falling and low 60’s.
05:05 AM: 11.9 miles out. 91.4 mpg on the FCD. No wind but a very light rain off and on …
05:28 AM: 29.4 miles out. 100.1 mpg on the FCD. Still no wind but very light rain.
05:39 AM: 37.8 miles out. 101.5 mpg on the FCD. Now it’s beginning to rain a bit harder. This is going to kill this 95 + mile run big time!!!
06:16 AM: 63.9 miles out. 103.8 mpg and still raining.
06:26 AM: 71.3 miles out. 104.1 mpg but can’t force it any further in this light rain.
07:00 AM: 95.5 miles out. 103.8 mpg on the FCD. Rained almost the whole way.

Departure: 04:48 AM CST from Wadsworth, IL.
Arrival: 07:00 AM CST at Braidwood, IL.

___A relatively poor segment … It could not have had anything to do with the rain, could it


___Total Tank FE per Trip A FCD after that morning drive in the rain.


___Good Luck

___Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

Day #3 - PM drive after work. This is it!

Notice any Traffic Side and Surf here


Still holding onto 109.0 mpg but its getting really cold


Low Fuel is finally lit at a touch beyond 1,440 miles.


03:00 PM: Left the parking lot … 74 degrees F w/ winds NNW @ ~ 10 mph.
03:16 PM: 10 miles out. 90.9 mpg on the FCD. Heading Southbound on I55 w/ same winds. It is helping a little bit depending on how the highway turns direction.
03:40 PM: 25.8 miles out. 100.1 mpg on the FCD. Winds from the NW @ ~ 10 mph now.
04:00 PM: 40.1 miles out. 103.8 mpg on the FCD. Wind is the same.
04:17 PM: 50.0 miles out. 105.0 mpg on the FCD. Wind is the same.
04:35 PM: 63.1 miles out. 105.9/106.2 mpg top out on the FCD. **** wind isn’t helping anymore.
05:01 PM: 80.2 miles out and now on I74 heading SE towards Champaign, IL. 106.9 mpg on the FCD. Winds turned a bit. From the NNW @ ~ 10 mph. Traveling I74 towards Champaign, IL. with the winds almost at my back finally. Supposed to drop off after dark. They had better!
05:30 PM: 101.1 miles out. 108.3 mpg on the FCD.
06:00 PM: 121.8 miles out. 108.8 mpg on the FCD. Winds now from the NW @ ~ 7 mph. I am traveling Southbound on I57.
06:30 PM: 144.0 miles out. 109.7 mpg on the FCD. Winds from the NW @ ~ 7 mph.
07:00 PM: 165.8 miles out. 110.2 mpg on the FCD finally! < 5 mph NW winds now.
07:58 PM: 203.7 miles out. 110.9 mpg on the FCD. Wind is gone. Am heading NW on I70 towards St. Louis, MO. Stopped at McDonald’s in Effingham for a Chicken Sandwich, Double Cheeseburger, and Medium Fry’s off their $1.00 menu. I should have picked up 2 Apple pies for the road as well! I wonder what a 10 minute stop will do to my mph average?
10:00 PM: 278.0 miles out. 109.2 mpg on the FCD. Getting Colder …
11:06 PM: 319.5 miles out. 109.0 mpg on the FCD. Down to 2 bars on the Fuel gauge but no low fuel light yet. Expect that within the next 40 + miles. Have gone > 173 miles with 2 bars left in the past. Should make it home?
01:07 AM: 402.2 miles out. 109.5 mpg on the FCD. Just surpassed the French world record!!! I am really tired … Temps are in the low 60’s now.
02:00 AM: 437.3 miles out. 109.5 mpg on the FCD. 1496.1 miles @ 109.0 mpg on Trip A! I am going to hit 1,500 miles
02:32 AM: 462.0 miles and arrived home. 109.5 mpg on the FCD. Still have to drive to the gas station tomorrow after work …

Departure: 03:00 PM CST from Braidwood, IL.
Arrival: 02:32 AM CST at Wadsworth, IL.

462.0 miles over 11.533 hours for an average of 40.05 mph.


Talley not including the final 5.2 miles to the gas station:

1,518.7 miles in 36.346 hours for an average speed of 41.78 mph.


Final distance with a small reserve to spare: 1523.9 miles on 1 tank of gas!


___Good Luck

___Wayne

[philmcneal]

you drive a lot espically for work, how do you cope? Unbelieveable! 2.15L/100km (46.6 km/L) or 2452.5 KM for 52.6 liters. With gas prices at $1.10 in my area that translate to about 29 miles, for 97 cents US with exchange rates at 1 CAD = 0.880886 USD or 1 USD = 1.13522 CAD

[diamondlarry]

This was apparently before I started hanging out here. WOW!

[atlaw4u]

What a great post - Thanks Wayne.

[xcel]

Hi Larry and Reid:

___This is ancient history compared to what we are all doing today

___Good Luck

___Wayne