Hello MiHG members and friends,

This is just a reminder about our 2nd meet of 2007 coming up on Sat. April 21 at the Oak Creek Public Library. This will be our first meet since the MAS and we’re anticipating that it will be bigger than usual. With that in mind we will not have as tight a schedule as usual which means we will not get behind our schedule as soon as we start, as usual. We will have more time for open discussion and field more individual questions from our members. These questions can be on anything that our members have on their minds about technical, performance, safety or driving techniques with their vehicles, either hybrid or conventional. There will also be more time allotted to personal driving sessions with members to explain and show EcoDriving and Hypermiling techniques. More information will be coming soon. The meet will be from 10am to 1pm with gathering at 9:30am and we will share a potluck lunch as usual. This meet will have numerous new members and should be quite exciting.

EV Switch group buy:
We’ve only have had two people indicate that they would be interested taking advantage of the $36 price for the EV Switch for the 2nd gen Prius. This is the last chance to let us know if you’re interested. Check out these links:

http://www.coastaletech.com/electric_only_mode.htm

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3218

We may have a member who can help with installation too, if you’re interested.

Wisconsin Hybrid Tax Credit:
We want to thank all of you who sent in emails to your state congressman regarding AB 174. Many of you sent us a CC and they spoke loudly of your support for this bill. I’ve attached a link about a recap that our member Debbie Anders sent us about her representation of the MiHG at the hearing last Wednesday in Madison:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4078

Debbie did a great job on our behalf. You still have time to send in your support via email to Rep Parisi at:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/leginfo...se=Assembly#48

Your support is essential for passage of this bill, so please take the time to voice your opinion.

Green Drinks – Wed. 4-11-07
This green networking gathering will be held again at the Ardor smoke free pub at 607 N. Broadway in downtown Milwaukee from 5-7pm. This is a great opportunity for schmoozing about hybrids, the MiHG, Hybridfest and other green issues. We often have shakers and movers in attendance but usually just average persons with an interest in green issues. Please come if you can. Through this event we have had a several people join our MiHG.

Green Vehicles Workshop Recap:
The 4th annual GVW was the biggest and most successful to date. We had over 150 people in attendance with 19 alternative vehicles on display. We had 12 of our MiHG members in attendance and had 10 individuals sign-up for additional info on the MiHG. We also had great paper and TV media coverage for the event. As a co-sponsor of this event, we hope our efforts and support helped make this GVW the best to date. We thank our friends at Jack Safro Toyota, Schlossmann’s Honda City and Andrew Toyota for supplying vehicles for the event.

Justin and I want to thank all of you for the encouragement and support that has made the MiHG the best and largest hybrid owners group in the country. We look forward to meeting our new members on April 21 and hope to see all our old friends again.

Bradlee and Justin Fons
Milwaukee Hybrid Group
milwaukeehybridgroup.com

 

Hi Justin, I would really enjoy attending your meeting at the public library. Airfares from Seattle are expensive, however. Oh well, I will keep reading your announcements and hopefully I will be able to fly out & come to a meeting sometime in the next few months!

Evidently your weather the past 10 days has been cold, wet, even icy?

Have you been driving the Prius or the Insight mostly? Do you employ an engine block heater? Also, Please say "hello" to Bradlee.....

Looking forward to seeing you again Justin, at Hybridfest, if not sooner.

Later, Bill K......

 

Hello MiHG members and friends,

Earth Day, Second Meet, Same Mission: STEP… Support – Train – Educate – Promote

As we approach Earth Day 2007, we recognize that we continue to have a big challenge to share our knowledge about hybrids and how to efficiently operate a vehicle with others. Come celebrate Earth Day with the MiHG and learn things can change your life and help change the world. How you drive can not only affect your pocketbook but has more long lasting results than you may think. Come and see why.

Milwaukee Hybrid Group Meet, No. 9
Saturday, April 21, 2007
10am to 1:30pm

Oak Creek Public Library
8620 South Howell Avenue
Oak Creek, WI. 53154
414-764-4400

9:30 – 10:00 Outdoor gathering, discussion and VTP checks
10:00 – 10:30 Check in, room setup and informal discussion
10:30 – 11:30 Introductions and vehicle / performance Q - A
11:30 - 11:40 Break
11:40 - 11:50 MiHG recent news, upcoming events and misc. updates
11:50 – 12:00 Wrap up
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch, VTP results and informal discussions
12:30 – Open Personal driver training

Directions: http://tinyurl.com/35rjk2

We will change our normal formal structure this meet to accommodate our newest members and to allow our veterans to exchange their experienced knowledge with others. We will be having our usual pot luck lunch, so we ask that each one bring something to share with the group. For those that are inspired, main course type food is highly appreciated. Utensils, drinks and plates will be provided. Donations will also be accepted.

In addition to the more informal discussion, more time will be afforded at this meet to allow extended personal driving training. We will have basic EcoDriving sessions as well as hybrid vehicle Hypermiling training. So for all our MAS members please come prepared to learn techniques that will change your life, save you money and help the environment.

We have many things that the MiHG will be involved with this summer and we would like each member to support and participate as much as possible. We continue to grow because we have a great STEP program and that resonates with the public as gas prices escalate and the issue of oil dependency and global warming remain in the news.

Justin and I want to thank all of our members for your past and current support aand encouragement and we look forward to bigger things together. See you on Saturday.


Bradlee Fons
milwaukeehybridgroup.com

 

Yes in fact, the other day my mom got stuck briefly in her Prius. I can only imagine how bad it would have been in the Insight. Fortunately for the coldest part of the last week I was in New York and the car sat in its space. We are continuing the use of our engine block heaters in the Insights and will continue to until the gains in coolant temperature are no longer worth the daily $.05 in electricity. I'm already looking forward to Hybridfest 2007 and seeing everyone from last year plus more new faces. In the meantime we are keeping busy expanding the Milwaukee Hybrid Group into more areas with bigger, better, more informative, and interactive meetings.

 

Now that the April 21st meet is over, how did it go? Pics?

 

Hello to all MiHG members and friends,

Just a short update on the results of out 9th MiHG meet held last Saturday 4-21-07.

It was finally a gorgeous day which stimulated some great mileage. Justin bested my best attempt at 104.1 mpg by achieving 106.2 mpg on our way in to the meet from Pewaukee in our 2000 Insights. Debbie Anders, in her FEH, achieved a 53 mpg on a short run to Bay View Natural Outpost Foods during the meet. Many others had great numbers as we began to gather in the parking lot of the Oak Creek Public Library around 9:15am. Debbie started gathering our members since I was late for the first time ever. Vehicles at this meet included 2 FEH’s, 3 Camry Hybrid’s, 3 HCH’s, and 9 Prius 1st and 2nd and several conventional vehicles.

We had 29 members in attendance with 10 members attending for the first time. Attendance was lower than usual with many members out and about on other Earth Day activities in the area. The lower numbers and the new members offered us a rare opportunity to round robin on individual issues and concerns regarding vehicle performance. We reviewed many very basic EcoDriving and Hypermiling characteristics to the fascination of our new owners. We also discussed many of the warm weather driving tips to be used in the prime season for great FE. We welcomed our friends from down south including Tom Baleno, Larry Trowbridge, Richard Otto and Wayne Mitchell.

During our late and extended lunch, Wayne Mitchell gave a floor show performance with a technical session on a 1st gen Prius battery pack that he had brought up with him. Our members were thrilled by the intense technical insight that Wayne shared about the pack. This was the first time most of us had seen a pack in the flesh and Wayne was our dessert to a great potluck lunch. Justin performed his VTP checks and brought a portable compressor for those needing to be “pumped up”. In addition to the great relaxing lunch, we had numerous door prizes of CFL’s and vehicle grooming products that were won by members. Mike Kurer has been working with his sister, a graphic artist, on some new MiHG logo’s which members had a chance to critique and comment on.

As the meeting wound down about 1:30pm, I reviewed the events that MiHG have recently been involved with including:

MiHG news, events and updates
1. New Chicago Prius Group
2. Milwaukee Auto Show
3. Green Vehicles Workshop
4. Bayview Natural Outpost Foods: Sat. April 28
5. Germantown High School: Mon. April 23
6. Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful: Sat. May 12 ????????
7. Madison Hybrid Group Meet: Sat May 12
8. Madison Hybrid Cruise Night: Thurs. May 17 (Insight)
9. Chicago Prius Group Meet: Sun. May 20
10. Hybrid Gathering at Miller Park: Sun. June 3
11. MREA; June 15-17
12. Next MiHG Meet: Sat. June 23
13. MHG Cruise Night: Thurs. July 19 (Prius)
14. Hybridfest 2007: July 20-22

As members broke down the room, several of our newest members went out on personal driver training on both EcoDriving and Hypermiling techniques. The feedback from our newest members was very positive and appreciative to the tips learned and all were very impressed with the MiHG in general and our STEP approach to teaching.

Justin, Marie and I thank all in attendance for their help and support with this meet. We also thank all our members for their continued support and encouragement as the MiHG continues to grow and expands it outreach to new owners and the general public.

Bradlee Fons

News will be coming in days on the 4th annual “Hybrid Gathering at MillerPark” which will be held on Sunday June 3rd at….MillerPark.
Be there or be square!!!