When was the last time you drove 795 miles in 1 day? To top that feat, I drove 795 miles in 1 day on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
I enjoy these rare opportunites to go to a public refueling system. It gives me a chance to see & experience new locations with new or different CNG refueling equipment. It also gives me a chance to accurately measure my fuel efficiency and the results were astounding.
Let's start this story in La Crosse, Wi with an 8 gallon tank full of CNG. Imagine driving 273.1 miles to the north side of O 'Hare Airport along Interstate 90 at 65 mph and refuel 5.429 gallons of gasoline equivalent (GG). A simple calculation 273.1/5.429=50.3 MPG! Astounding. And Ryan assisted me in the refueling process very professionally. But, since this is one of the few public refuleing systems in Chicagoland, I was charged $2.19 per GGE resulting in a charge of $11.88. Now, I know what you're thinking, how can you not be elated about driving 273.1 miles on $11.88. For instance, if your neighbor gets 48 mpg in their Toyota Prius, it would have cost them $15.30 or 29% more. But wait, this is just the 1st part of this astounding story.
Now, let's continue our journey east on I90 to my alma mater, Notre Dame to see none other than T. Boone Pickens! He engaged an audience of approximately 500 people about CNG as a transportation "bridge" to return to American fuel that is 50% more clean than diesel that we import from our enemies. He predicts that oil will reach $300 per barrel in 10 years. I get to shake his hand and give him a copy of our video, Journey to the Zone that is posted on my Pickens Plan page. It is a small example of our regional efforts that are dwarfed by the $62 million that he has spent inthe last 16 months across America.
Let's pop back into my 2006 Honda Civic GX (3rd generation of CNG Civics produced in America) and drive through the rain, road repair and speeds of downtown Chicago traffic to Racine. The rain and speeds reduce my mileage to 48.54 MPG but I refule for $1.109 for CNG! In total I have travelled 562.2 miles on $18.49 giving me an average of 30.4 MILES PER DOLLAR (MP$). Going back to your neighbors Prius getting 48 mpg, with gasoline at $2.69/ gallon, they would have gotten 17.84 MP$. I have completed my measured portion of the days adventure getting 70.4% better MP$ than a Prius. And that includes nearly half the trip calculations at fuel prices that are approximately double what you could refuel in your home with natural gas.
The third leg included more road construction, rain and finally fog but the Honda Civic GX slogged through 795 miles.
273.1 miles@50.3mpg@$1.109gge=$6.02
289.1 miles@48.54mpg@$2.109=$13.04
232.8 miles@48.54mpg@$1.109gge=$5.32
TOTAL 795 miles $24.38
If your vehicle gets 25 mpg, it would have cost you $85.54 to make the same trip. Saving $61.16 feels great but using clean American fuel is the part that T. Boone Pickens would appreciate for his grandchildren.
At the Blue View Lane Center for Pollen Research we celebrate Arbor day during the same week as earth day. In Michigan it is the final Friday in April...Today....Whoop-ee.
It has been one beautiful week here at Blue View Lane, slightly north of the 44th parallel, overlooking Torch lake and lake Michigan. The blues of the water against the white birch, the reddish maple buds, the darker cherry have combined for magnificent vistas. What a spot.
Arbor Day, Earth week, why do we celebrate, why do we notice, why do we worry, why do we observe? The Answer is we cannot help it. Even of we do not set a date we notice. It is impossible not to sense the spring. Mankind takes note because we are as natural as the trees, the sky, the wind and rain. We grow and wither like the forests. Our essence comes from the natural world. It is when we lose track of this that we have problems. We celebrate so we don’t forget, especially in springtime when the animal portions of our DNA just cannot not notice. Sap runs in humans too.
Man’s finest creativity, his art, his buildings, his sculpture, fiction and music all come from the natural world. Rodin with his sculptures, his people with their lengthy limbs- roots into the earth. Mahler with his moody reverent nature (listen to the third, the sixth sympony) Van Gogh with his sunflowers, Monet-his water lilies, Aron Copeland and his Appalachian Spring, Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps.
And fiction.... It is everywhere from Moby Dick, the struggle ... Ahab’s demonic Great White Whale. To this random and hastily selected bit of boat and sky from my second novel, 'A Builder's Tale'.
‘The glorious blue North of earlier in the day had retreated from the sky and with the winds shift East arrived greater humidity and clouds. The horizon going a flat bruised yellow-gray, and the water, no longer the azure of the morning, now turned a forceful stormy tarnished silver. The wind continued to build as he spun the Anomie bow first to the waves. The halyard clanged as he raised the mainsail, flapping snapping to the winds whistling increased howl. Wilson shut off the diesel and let the Anomie slide off the wind, due North, into a quartering, building, white clotting sea... the little sloop turning from form to function.... Becoming alive.’ See http://www.jmatsonheininger.com/
To this perfect opening passage of Ken Kesey’s magnificent second novel ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’, which says it all.
"Along the western slopes of the Oregon Coastal Range....come look: the hysterical crashing of tributeries as they merge into the Wakonda Auga River....
The first little washes flashing like thick rushing winds through sheep sorrel and clover, ghost fern and nettle, sheering, cutting....forming branches. Then through bearberry and salmonberry, blueberry and blackberry, the branches crashing into creeks, into streams. Finally, in the foothills, through tamarack and sugar pine, shittim bark and silver spruce- and the green and blue mosaic of Douglas fir- the actual river falls five hundred feet....and look: opens out upon the fields.Metallic at first, seen from the highway, down through the trees, like an aluminum rainbow, like a slice of alloy moon.............."
Chris this was my Arbor Day Post last year from my Save The Bees Blog
linked to my site
Friday, April 25, 2008
It is Arbor Day
Arbor Day
At the Blue View Lane Center for Pollen Research we celebrate Arbor day during the same week as earth day. In Michigan it is the final Friday in April...Today....Whoop-ee.
It has been one beautiful week here at Blue View Lane, slightly north of the 44th parallel, overlooking Torch lake and lake Michigan. The blues of the water against the white birch, the reddish maple buds, the darker cherry have combined for magnificent vistas. What a spot.
Arbor Day, Earth week, why do we celebrate, why do we notice, why do we worry, why do we observe? The Answer is we cannot help it. Even of we do not set a date we notice. It is impossible not to sense the spring. Mankind takes note because we are as natural as the trees, the sky, the wind and rain. We grow and wither like the forests. Our essence comes from the natural world. It is when we lose track of this that we have problems. We celebrate so we don’t forget, especially in springtime when the animal portions of our DNA just cannot not notice. Sap runs in humans too.
Man’s finest creativity, his art, his buildings, his sculpture, fiction and music all come from the natural world. Rodin with his sculptures, his people with their lengthy limbs- roots into the earth. Mahler with his moody reverent nature (listen to the third, the sixth sympony) Van Gogh with his sunflowers, Monet-his water lilies, Aron Copeland and his Appalachian Spring, Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps.
And fiction.... It is everywhere from Moby Dick, the struggle ... Ahab’s demonic Great White Whale. To this random and hastily selected bit of boat and sky from my second novel, 'A Builder's Tale'.
‘The glorious blue North of earlier in the day had retreated from the sky and with the winds shift East arrived greater humidity and clouds. The horizon going a flat bruised yellow-gray, and the water, no longer the azure of the morning, now turned a forceful stormy tarnished silver. The wind continued to build as he spun the Anomie bow first to the waves. The halyard clanged as he raised the mainsail, flapping snapping to the winds whistling increased howl. Wilson shut off the diesel and let the Anomie slide off the wind, due North, into a quartering, building, white clotting sea... the little sloop turning from form to function.... Becoming alive.’ See http://www.jmatsonheininger.com/
To this perfect opening passage of Ken Kesey’s magnificent second novel ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’, which says it all.
"Along the western slopes of the Oregon Coastal Range....come look: the hysterical crashing of tributeries as they merge into the Wakonda Auga River....
The first little washes flashing like thick rushing winds through sheep sorrel and clover, ghost fern and nettle, sheering, cutting....forming branches. Then through bearberry and salmonberry, blueberry and blackberry, the branches crashing into creeks, into streams. Finally, in the foothills, through tamarack and sugar pine, shittim bark and silver spruce- and the green and blue mosaic of Douglas fir- the actual river falls five hundred feet....and look: opens out upon the fields.Metallic at first, seen from the highway, down through the trees, like an aluminum rainbow, like a slice of alloy moon.............."
Thanks Chris. Hopefully at some point my work in the wind industry, and family responsibilities, will allow me some free time to attend some of these functions. They sound really interesting!
Chris,
I would like to attend an event at Wisconsin Rapids - but nowhere on this site can I find information on the time, place and schedule. Hope I haven't missed it entirely.
Kittie
Hi Chris,
I just now read your message. It's 4:20 so I'm pretty sure I missed the meeting. It was a crazy week and I got a little behind on email.
I'm so sorry for not being there today. Thanks for the invite. Perhaps another time?
Debbye Sward
Coulee Coffee Roastery
thanks for the invite. maybe. i will have to see when the time comes. i would really like to, but i don't know if i will attend. there are things i need to do that day, but hopefully. i will let you know next week.
ben bergeron
security officer from plover, wisconsin
Chris Schneider's Comments
Comment Wall (184 comments)
You need to be a member of PickensPlan to add comments!
Join this Ning Network
I enjoy these rare opportunites to go to a public refueling system. It gives me a chance to see & experience new locations with new or different CNG refueling equipment. It also gives me a chance to accurately measure my fuel efficiency and the results were astounding.
Let's start this story in La Crosse, Wi with an 8 gallon tank full of CNG. Imagine driving 273.1 miles to the north side of O 'Hare Airport along Interstate 90 at 65 mph and refuel 5.429 gallons of gasoline equivalent (GG). A simple calculation 273.1/5.429=50.3 MPG! Astounding. And Ryan assisted me in the refueling process very professionally. But, since this is one of the few public refuleing systems in Chicagoland, I was charged $2.19 per GGE resulting in a charge of $11.88. Now, I know what you're thinking, how can you not be elated about driving 273.1 miles on $11.88. For instance, if your neighbor gets 48 mpg in their Toyota Prius, it would have cost them $15.30 or 29% more. But wait, this is just the 1st part of this astounding story.
Now, let's continue our journey east on I90 to my alma mater, Notre Dame to see none other than T. Boone Pickens! He engaged an audience of approximately 500 people about CNG as a transportation "bridge" to return to American fuel that is 50% more clean than diesel that we import from our enemies. He predicts that oil will reach $300 per barrel in 10 years. I get to shake his hand and give him a copy of our video, Journey to the Zone that is posted on my Pickens Plan page. It is a small example of our regional efforts that are dwarfed by the $62 million that he has spent inthe last 16 months across America.
Let's pop back into my 2006 Honda Civic GX (3rd generation of CNG Civics produced in America) and drive through the rain, road repair and speeds of downtown Chicago traffic to Racine. The rain and speeds reduce my mileage to 48.54 MPG but I refule for $1.109 for CNG! In total I have travelled 562.2 miles on $18.49 giving me an average of 30.4 MILES PER DOLLAR (MP$). Going back to your neighbors Prius getting 48 mpg, with gasoline at $2.69/ gallon, they would have gotten 17.84 MP$. I have completed my measured portion of the days adventure getting 70.4% better MP$ than a Prius. And that includes nearly half the trip calculations at fuel prices that are approximately double what you could refuel in your home with natural gas.
The third leg included more road construction, rain and finally fog but the Honda Civic GX slogged through 795 miles.
273.1 miles@50.3mpg@$1.109gge=$6.02
289.1 miles@48.54mpg@$2.109=$13.04
232.8 miles@48.54mpg@$1.109gge=$5.32
TOTAL 795 miles $24.38
If your vehicle gets 25 mpg, it would have cost you $85.54 to make the same trip. Saving $61.16 feels great but using clean American fuel is the part that T. Boone Pickens would appreciate for his grandchildren.
Let me know when you're next 1Sat events. Would love to drive my Civic GX over from West Bend but not sure where to fill up. Any ideas?
It is Arbor Day
Arbor Day
At the Blue View Lane Center for Pollen Research we celebrate Arbor day during the same week as earth day. In Michigan it is the final Friday in April...Today....Whoop-ee.
It has been one beautiful week here at Blue View Lane, slightly north of the 44th parallel, overlooking Torch lake and lake Michigan. The blues of the water against the white birch, the reddish maple buds, the darker cherry have combined for magnificent vistas. What a spot.
Arbor Day, Earth week, why do we celebrate, why do we notice, why do we worry, why do we observe? The Answer is we cannot help it. Even of we do not set a date we notice. It is impossible not to sense the spring. Mankind takes note because we are as natural as the trees, the sky, the wind and rain. We grow and wither like the forests. Our essence comes from the natural world. It is when we lose track of this that we have problems. We celebrate so we don’t forget, especially in springtime when the animal portions of our DNA just cannot not notice. Sap runs in humans too.
Man’s finest creativity, his art, his buildings, his sculpture, fiction and music all come from the natural world. Rodin with his sculptures, his people with their lengthy limbs- roots into the earth. Mahler with his moody reverent nature (listen to the third, the sixth sympony) Van Gogh with his sunflowers, Monet-his water lilies, Aron Copeland and his Appalachian Spring, Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps.
And fiction.... It is everywhere from Moby Dick, the struggle ... Ahab’s demonic Great White Whale. To this random and hastily selected bit of boat and sky from my second novel, 'A Builder's Tale'.
‘The glorious blue North of earlier in the day had retreated from the sky and with the winds shift East arrived greater humidity and clouds. The horizon going a flat bruised yellow-gray, and the water, no longer the azure of the morning, now turned a forceful stormy tarnished silver. The wind continued to build as he spun the Anomie bow first to the waves. The halyard clanged as he raised the mainsail, flapping snapping to the winds whistling increased howl. Wilson shut off the diesel and let the Anomie slide off the wind, due North, into a quartering, building, white clotting sea... the little sloop turning from form to function.... Becoming alive.’ See http://www.jmatsonheininger.com/
To this perfect opening passage of Ken Kesey’s magnificent second novel ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’, which says it all.
"Along the western slopes of the Oregon Coastal Range....come look: the hysterical crashing of tributeries as they merge into the Wakonda Auga River....
The first little washes flashing like thick rushing winds through sheep sorrel and clover, ghost fern and nettle, sheering, cutting....forming branches. Then through bearberry and salmonberry, blueberry and blackberry, the branches crashing into creeks, into streams. Finally, in the foothills, through tamarack and sugar pine, shittim bark and silver spruce- and the green and blue mosaic of Douglas fir- the actual river falls five hundred feet....and look: opens out upon the fields.Metallic at first, seen from the highway, down through the trees, like an aluminum rainbow, like a slice of alloy moon.............."
WOW!
linked to my site
Friday, April 25, 2008
It is Arbor Day
Arbor Day
At the Blue View Lane Center for Pollen Research we celebrate Arbor day during the same week as earth day. In Michigan it is the final Friday in April...Today....Whoop-ee.
It has been one beautiful week here at Blue View Lane, slightly north of the 44th parallel, overlooking Torch lake and lake Michigan. The blues of the water against the white birch, the reddish maple buds, the darker cherry have combined for magnificent vistas. What a spot.
Arbor Day, Earth week, why do we celebrate, why do we notice, why do we worry, why do we observe? The Answer is we cannot help it. Even of we do not set a date we notice. It is impossible not to sense the spring. Mankind takes note because we are as natural as the trees, the sky, the wind and rain. We grow and wither like the forests. Our essence comes from the natural world. It is when we lose track of this that we have problems. We celebrate so we don’t forget, especially in springtime when the animal portions of our DNA just cannot not notice. Sap runs in humans too.
Man’s finest creativity, his art, his buildings, his sculpture, fiction and music all come from the natural world. Rodin with his sculptures, his people with their lengthy limbs- roots into the earth. Mahler with his moody reverent nature (listen to the third, the sixth sympony) Van Gogh with his sunflowers, Monet-his water lilies, Aron Copeland and his Appalachian Spring, Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps.
And fiction.... It is everywhere from Moby Dick, the struggle ... Ahab’s demonic Great White Whale. To this random and hastily selected bit of boat and sky from my second novel, 'A Builder's Tale'.
‘The glorious blue North of earlier in the day had retreated from the sky and with the winds shift East arrived greater humidity and clouds. The horizon going a flat bruised yellow-gray, and the water, no longer the azure of the morning, now turned a forceful stormy tarnished silver. The wind continued to build as he spun the Anomie bow first to the waves. The halyard clanged as he raised the mainsail, flapping snapping to the winds whistling increased howl. Wilson shut off the diesel and let the Anomie slide off the wind, due North, into a quartering, building, white clotting sea... the little sloop turning from form to function.... Becoming alive.’ See http://www.jmatsonheininger.com/
To this perfect opening passage of Ken Kesey’s magnificent second novel ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’, which says it all.
"Along the western slopes of the Oregon Coastal Range....come look: the hysterical crashing of tributeries as they merge into the Wakonda Auga River....
The first little washes flashing like thick rushing winds through sheep sorrel and clover, ghost fern and nettle, sheering, cutting....forming branches. Then through bearberry and salmonberry, blueberry and blackberry, the branches crashing into creeks, into streams. Finally, in the foothills, through tamarack and sugar pine, shittim bark and silver spruce- and the green and blue mosaic of Douglas fir- the actual river falls five hundred feet....and look: opens out upon the fields.Metallic at first, seen from the highway, down through the trees, like an aluminum rainbow, like a slice of alloy moon.............."
WOW!
Thank you,
Brian Myers
Best regards,
Bob
I would like to attend an event at Wisconsin Rapids - but nowhere on this site can I find information on the time, place and schedule. Hope I haven't missed it entirely.
Kittie
I just now read your message. It's 4:20 so I'm pretty sure I missed the meeting. It was a crazy week and I got a little behind on email.
I'm so sorry for not being there today. Thanks for the invite. Perhaps another time?
Debbye Sward
Coulee Coffee Roastery
When and where in Cadot is the meeting. I would like to go and need to know the details. Thanks
Shawn
Mark
Sharon
Yes I will be attending the get together on the !7th in Cadott. Thanks for the heads up.
John
ben bergeron
security officer from plover, wisconsin
Welcome to
PickensPlan
Sign Up
or Sign In
Featured Discussion
Members
Twitter Feed
pushpickens: #PickensPlan State & District Leaders: weekly confrnc call Tues 4 IL, IN, MI, O, KY & WI @ 9am CST, 10 am EST. .. http://bit.ly/8iun5S
pushpickens: RT @cstineman RT @daniellelanz CA is on board 2 go green! CA approves renewable energy grid extension http://2t.. http://bit.ly/6QIAU1
pushpickens: RT @daniellelanz California is on board to go green! California approves renewable energy grid extension http:/.. http://bit.ly/4VkGMC
pushpickens: RT @daniellelanz California is on board to go green! California approves renewable energy grid extension http:/.. http://bit.ly/6IA51x
pushpickens: RT @pickensplan: Are u a Pickens Plan State or District Leader? @ reply to let us know ur on Twitter! #pickensplan http://bit.ly/4OUfx3
© 2009 Created by PickensPlan
Badges | Community Guidelines | Report an Issue | Privacy | Terms of Service