Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Free-foot vs Cruise Empty--Inconclusive

Tonight I'm at Player's Pub in Bloomington, mostly deserted, some folks playing pool. Caters to folks of my vintage, live music most nights (not tonight), bluesy, sit-in sessions rotating players some nights. Service has been good last couple times I've been here. Had been close to lousy in the past.

Got a really good Porter called Java Porter, red beans, rice, corn bread and meat. Back from KY turn today. Off tomorrow.

Free-footed to KY--Optimal Except for 2 Minutes

This morning with 8K in the box to KY, free-footed like last night. Had no problem keeping the '$$' in the left corner of the dash display, meaning optimal fuel mileage. New truck (130,000 miles), much better than last night's 2009 rental International. Purpose is to test out Bright One's belief that his foot beats his cruise control for mileage. Last night brought the International home with the lightest pressure on the pedal, let the truck determine how to run the road. Kinda fun. No problem.

Otherwise my sense is that I'm in the $$ (optimal mileage) except on hills while running on cruise. Cruise is good, not perfect, I suppose.

There's a 30-mile race track from Bloomington to I-69 that winds and twists, rises and falls, through rural residential, meaning pretty developed along the highway (SR 45). Starts and ends the KY run.

I figured for the run to KY about 2 minutes and change not in the $$, less than 3 minutes. Even kept it in the $$ going up steep on-ramp up to I-69. Very cool. Not very fast. 28 mph. Sorta proud of my foot. Well, toes. At 5 foot seven, sitting nice and upright in the seat, it's mostly my toes to the pedal.

Ran Cruise at 62 on Way Back--Optimal Except for 2 Minutes

So this afternoon, on the way back, set the cruise at 62 on the way back and counted, starting with one-one thousand and from there up when it came off $$ (optimal mileage). For the just under 200 miles up Pennyrile Parkway, then to the end of I-69 had all of--HEY!--2 minutes of less than $$ (optimal mileage). Interesting coincidence, eh?

What's optimal, you ask? Dunno. I do know that the truck has averaged 7.6 mpg the last 8,926 miles. You know, I'm still learning the Mack technology. And probably the only driver who cares this much to dig into it. All the way back I'm thinking about the race track, up, down, curves, stops, sharp 90-degree turns. Between I-69 and Bloomington, along SR 45.

Where to set the cruise?? Or, not!!

Used to run the roller coaster between Bloomington and Nashville, Indiana every night. Different. Woodsy, not much developed. Didn't use cruise. Used foot. After a while felt like truck knew the way on its own. However, SR 45's rural residential. Decided on 50 mph. There's some 45 mph, quite a bit of 50 and 55 mph, chose 50. Turned out really well. Sweet, smooth. Liked it.

50 it is. For now...

Ran up another 2 minutes plus of less than $$ (optimal mileage) on just that 30 miles. As much as the slightly less than 200 miles from KY. Go figure.

 

You're both welcome here.

Gas tonight at Evansville/Henderson--$1.84.