125 Mile Test - Motorhome

When I drive the motorhome, normally I don't go much faster than 55MPH.  But today wasn't a regular operation test.  This was a run it hard one.  My mechanic and I ran it on the freeway where there would be some hills.  We needed to know how the fuel system would hold up over a longer period of time while the motorhome would have to run harder trying to keep up going uphill at higher speeds throughout the trip.  Today's route was 125 miles long on mostly limited access highways.

It's a motorhome with a low torque 351 Windsor engine and does 0 to 60 in about 24 seconds on flat land.  It's not fast and when I take my foot off of the accelerator pedal, slowing down is the only thing that it does quickly.  Also, it's not very aerodynamic and sometimes when I drive it, it's like pushing a wall.  I filled it up today and when I logged everything in, it got 7.1MPG in mixed driving.  My mechanic still has to change a secondary "coffee can" fuel filter on the downstream line.

Today's trip was a success.  My life can now go on.  My appearance with the motorhome at Tar Hollow State Park for the Buckeye TrailFest/ North Country Celebration 2018 and this year's calendar for Adventurer's Project are now in full effect.  I think I now have to choose what suit to wear for certain social engagements in Marietta/ Parkersburg?

Log 2014013002

The odometer reads at 132,370 miles.  I'm at Bob Evans in Eaton of Preble having dinner now. The trip so far has been 258 miles.  And my Chevy HHR drove that on about 10 gallons of gasoline. The odometer was reading about 29.5 miles per gallon, but that was after I reset the computer just after I-70 & the Columbus Outerbelt.

The drive here while on I-71 was rough. There were motorist who weren't doing the same speeds and the truckers were aggressive out there.  And I think the computer was reading about 26.5 MPG.  I'll also bet that I-71 from Cleveland to Columbus is mostly uphill.