One Gallon Challenge - Boston, MA - 8/16/12

[blownb310]

This event sounds interesting. I was informed about it from Bob Gillespie:

Coming up this August is the "One Gallon Challenge", an event where drivers can choose to leave from two locations, Plymouth or Greenfield and then all converge at city hall plaza in the Boston area, at an environmental Festival. A distance of 111 miles.

The event is going to start Thursday, Aug 16 and the rules for the drivers are right here Boston GreenFest 2012 ~ One Gallon Challenge.

Mike

[blownb310]

It seems that the web site link is down at this moment. It worked this afternoon. In any case here's a link to last years event so you'll get the idea.

The Annual One Gallon Challenge Draws Unique Cars for 111 Mile “Race”

[smokey442]

I spoke with a woman from that orginazation last week. Some one was suppossed to get back to me. What are the rules?

[JethroBodine]

Ooooooo! Let's go!! Now I have incentive to work even harder on the Jetta!! Would make a great practice run before Boneville. What you gonna bring, Mike?

Sent an email, also. Will post when I hear from them.

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by JethroBodine

What you gonna bring, Mike?

I have to hear the rules first.

[JethroBodine]

Got a reply from Daniel Richardson, and it appears to be an honor system type run. There are two starting points, Plymouth and Greenfield(closer to me) and both end up meeting at City Hall Plaza. There will be placards/write ups like this;

THIS CAR'S EFFICIENCY REPORT

DRIVING FROM GREENFIELD IN MIXED DRIVING CONDITIONS, I DROVE ________MILES

AMOUNT AND TYPE OF FUEL USED FOR THE TRIP

___________________________________

THIS REPRESENTS AN EQUIVALENT OVERALL EFFICIENCY OF ________MPG

USING THE PRESENT COST OF THIS FUEL, THE TRIP COST ____CENTS/MILE

CAR DETAILS
__________________________________________________ ______________________
__________________________________________________ ______________________
__________________________________________________ ______________________
____________________________________



CALCULATING EFFICIENCY (car owners only)

If you used gasoline, simply divide miles by gallons

If you used diesel, divide miles by gallons and multiply by 0.95

If you used electricity, insert the KWH you used into this formula:
KWH used divided by 33.7 = equivalent gas used. Then, divide miles driven by this equivalent gas used. This will give you a plug-to-wheels figure. This plug-to-wheels figure does not account for the
resource consumption (and carbon generation) of electricity.


Multiplying the plug-to-wheels figure by .46 will adjust for the relative efficiencies of supplying electricity-to-plug vs gasoline-to-pump

If you used wood and gasoline take pounds of wood you used and divide it by 13. This converts wood energy to gasoline gallons. Then add the gasoline you used. Divide the miles driven by this total gasoline
equivalent to get MPGe.

I'll ask about specific locations to meet and routes. Any other questions?

[HyperMileQC]

Getting 111 MPG is a difficult thing.. but not impossible
Seems like a good event.

[brucepick]

I emailed him and told him my Civic gets about 55 mpg these days (true). He encouraged me to participate.

I still wonder if my humble car would be completely uninteresting in the company of cars such as the ones pictured on their site. All those little home-built things with teardrop shapes and tiny engines, or just battery/motor setups.

I'm on the fence.

Hmmm. If a bunch of us participate, we may start outnumbering the one-off 90 mpg beasts. We may not get 90 mpg but we CAN show people what you can achieve with an oem car and a bunch of tools in a driveway.

[blownb310]

I'm a bit less inspired now than I was when the idea was presented. I might go to spectate though. Not sure yet.

Mike

[JethroBodine]

I'm going to try to make it. Still haven't heard about the meeting places yet.