Im going to throw the normal car into this disscusion. We had a funeral to attend in Mena , Arkansas yesterday. A 415 mile round trip into one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
It was in the mid 40's temp wise for most of our driving time. Very windy. Not a good day for FE. Car was loaded down with 3 adults. With 1600 miles on the odo.
Leave Okmulgee, Ok. heading south on hwy 75. Then east on interstate 40 to Sallisaw, Ok. That was all 4 lane with speeds between 60 and 90
mph. We then headed south on hwy 59. 59 is almost all twisty up and down two lane that takes us thru small towns and local flare. Speeds on hwy 59 range from 0 to 75
mph. Arriving in Mena at 9:15am ready for a 10am funeral, we find out it's at 2pm. Not 10 am as we where told 2 days ago. Nice how nobody called to let us know. Damed x-wifes family!
So with basicly 4 hours to burn before said event. We tool around Mena and go by house's we use to own or live in, check out how the little town has changed. We then make a run up Rich Mt. for a look at Queen Whilimina State Park. A very senic drive but not a FE drive at all. Stoping at vista's so my daughter can snap afew pics and showing her mate the land she spent summers on and other good times in her life. Some of these grades require WOT no matter what your driving. Its very demanding. Speeds are fairly slow at 45
mph or under. Its very twisty with great elevation changes in the road. Going and coming. After a good time on the mountain. Its lunch and funeral time.
Time to leave little dixie as we call it. Head north on hwy 71 out of Mena bound for Fort Smith, Arkansas. This section of the trip is 80 miles of two lane hwy with twist and turns and elavation changes that make a disney ride seem tame. Speed limit of 55
mph. Ive seen everything this road has to offer 1k times. I drive it at 60 and 65
mph. Made my one and only two lane hwy pass of the day on 71. Visted with friends. Then made our way across Fort Smith, back into Oklahoma. Got on interstate 40 west and headed home.
This trip returned 36 mpg. Not to start anything. But it would have killed a hybrid. I ran into a prius II owner at the funeral. When they lived in Little Rock they got high 40's mpg. Now living in Mena, they are in the high 30's mpg. They where eyeing my ex civic as a replacement for there prius. They where happy to see barely a half a tank of fuel being used to get to Mena and a Rich Mt. run. And the added extra power thats needed in the mountains. They confessed there hybrid has taken a beating since moving to Mena. And isnt at all suited for the enviroment that they now live in.
It was a very long day
