Madison Hybrid Group – Get together June 11th. See the Lexus RX 400h - GreenHybrid

ericbecky · #1 (**permalink**) 05-26-2005, 11:12 AM

Madison, Wisconsin.

Saturday morning June 11, 10:00-11:30 the Madison Hybrid Group will meet at the Bear Rock Cafe in Middleton, Wisconsin.

We’ll have updates about upcoming hybrids and in addition to your own hybrid, there will be a hard-to-find Lexus RX 400h available for exploring.

To complement our usual hybrid car discussion we will also cover topics like:
- The hybrid car rally that took place out east (Plug-in Prius 102 mpg!)
- Who’s going to the July MHG Brewers Event and how are you getting there?
- Local drives, parades and other events

Even if you don’t own a hybrid car, but want to find out more about hybrids, feel free to join us. Fun is guaranteed!

If you know you are coming, post a reply here, or email me at the address in my profile. (MadsionHybridGroup a t gmail dot com). That way we obtain a big enough table for our group.

See you there!

* * * * * * * * *

Bear Rock Cafe is on Greenway Blvd just west of the beltline. Past Denny’s and McDonalds. Here’s a map where you can create driving directions http://tinyurl.com/9cbyn

Bear Rock Café - Madison/Greenway Station
8310 Greenway Blvd. Suite 106
Middleton, Wisconsin 53562

doghouse · #2 (**permalink**) 05-26-2005, 01:28 PM

Dave Block will the June 11 get together!

2004 Driftwood Pearl, Ilinois

ericbecky · #3 (**permalink**) 05-27-2005, 07:14 PM

Excellent! I'm hoping the weather is as good as it was in April.

ericbecky · #4 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 10:36 AM

Thanks to everyone who came to today's event. I hope everyone enjoyed the RX 400h as well as each other's hybrids. Dave, I'm glad to hear you'll make use of the door prize! Wayne came with his PZEV Accord. I saw 56.8mpg ! on the meter. Amazing.
We also welcomed a new addition, Jared with his nice looking Black Prius. And Justin and Bradlee came with their red Insight.
Good to see everyone.
Next...see you all at the July Brewers game!

xcel · #5 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 01:56 PM

Hi Eric:

___As usual, thanks for having all of us out for a short get together.

___After Eric left, Justin, Bradlee, and I were speaking at length with Jared about potential FE available to him in his practically brand new Prius II. I think you will see some pretty great numbers from him from this tank forward

Jared, I look forward to your addition to the RHMDB.

___Hmmm, what else? Dave made the trip all the way from Illinois in his Prius II and won the Lexus SS coffee mug. At the last meet, I remember him telling me the Prius II would never hit 60 mpg. I didn’t press him too hard knowing ~ what the Prius II was actually worth but since that time, he has hit 60 + on more then one occasion! Just a little nudge, some coaxing, and voila’! I was happy to hear how his new-found experience and techniques have helped pick his Prius II up over the last 2 - 3 months.

___Justin and Bradlee have some great trip stories which included the Insight beginning to exceed their respective FE expectations. I hope they reply with a few of them. A “Tales of the Highway” like thread should suffice. Ah, guys, update your Best Trip notes in the database given what the youngster hit the other day. To put it bluntly, I met the youngest - licensed - hypermiler in the country this morning. It was great speaking at length to the both of them.

___Interestingly enough, there was a Honda mechanic picking up lunch for him and his buddies from a local Honda dealership. He stopped and came over to ask some questions about the RXh. Eric was ready for that contingency with a flyer or two and the young man seemed genuinely impressed.

___Finally, the RXh is really nice and there was definitely some improvements in NVH vs. the Prius II upon ICE spin up from what I remember? Having that much more rotating mass probably did the trick possibly? The FE isn’t in the same league as that of the Prius II of course but per all the Lexus’ I have driven, the interior and amenities was at the top of its respective class. Maybe the wife and I will take the MDX over to look at an RXh again later this month

___Eric. Again, thanks for having us and I look forward to the Ball Game next month.

PS: 51.9

She is back down to 51.2 with that monster headwind all the way home …

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

just522 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 02:30 PM

Thanks again Eric for arranging these get togethers,

Of course, we had fun looking at the cars, and exchanging stories. But we also got some good tips for efficiency and driving in general. Good to talk with experienced Insight drivers as well as new Prius drivers as we have both now. By the way, on the trip back to Pewaukee we/I -Justin got 82.4mpg, beating Bradlee's 79.9 on the way to Madison. Pretty good for someone whose only been driving the Insight for 2 months. We filled up at a BP with non-reformulated gas and got 86 mpg for the last 30 miles of the trip. Hopefully we can get that elusive 800 mile tank by next month! We'll keep you updated on our mileage competition.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the Brewers game.

-the Fons Family hybrid drivers

New Formula Red Insight (NFR Einblick) 2000 5 speed #68 lmpg 61.8 -new best trip 82.4 mpg!
Tideland Pearl (Bright Angel 2) 2004 Toyota Prius lmpg 48.2

doghouse · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 07:30 PM

Would you believe, you actually get more coffee/mi with a Lexus Hybrid coffee mug! and it tastes better too

See you all in July,
Dave