Greetings from Northern Virginia

[Meer123]

My name is Al and in a prior life, I loved old BMW’s (2002's are my favorites) along with other old oddities like Alfa GTV’s, Datsun 510’s and 240Z’s as well as most older rear wheel drive Toyotas. Strangely, I also had a soft spot for old lifted trucks, classic Bronco’s and Land Cruisers and an occasional Land Rover Discovery … and just to round it out, I like motorcycles – my last one being a Kawasaki Ninja.

I got married a few years ago and as soon as the kids arrived – things changed – a lot! Hahaha. I miss my old hobbies and my 100k mile Honda Accord and my new Nissan Quest do not do it for me – but I love my kids so at least for now, I don’t indulge much on anything with an internal combustion engine beyond the occasional oil change.

Then a year or two ago, I stuck a 2 stroke motor (similar to a mower or weed trimmer) into my old mountain bike and got it to give me around 100MPG! I built three of them, I still have one but I have sold off two to thin the herd and perhaps embark on an electric bike project before I do the ultimate – an electric car inspired by many folks on these forums! Anyway, the 2 stroke bikes were cheap – not fast and the farthest thing from glamorous but in a time of $4.00 per gallon gas, I can't think of a better hobby – it’s almost noble … I am not a greenie and my favorite things gulp gasoline but I’m also a realist in that fossil fuels are finite resources – if we can conserve a little, we’ll be able to play a bit more later … and if I happen to minimize my expenditure that might indirectly subsidize idiots that like crashing planes into our cities – then all the better.

I feel like I’m in good company – thanks for having me.

Affiliations:

BMW Car Club of America (National Capital Chapter) – Sports Car Club of America (Mid Atlantic Region) - Land Rover Club of America – Land Cruiser Club – National Rifle Association – St Mary of Sorrows

[Daox]

Welcome to the site Al. Feel free to start up a mileage log for your vehicles in the EM garage. I'm sure we can squeeze some better mileage from both.

[MetroMPG]

I once had a bicycle with a 49cc 2 stroke motor kit I put on the back of it. It was my only vehicle at the time (was living in the Caribbean and wanted the motor so I would arrive at work without needing to shower - pedaled home though, and went swimming in the ocean to cool off.)

I've since come to appreciate electric drive for bike applications. The quiet and lack of pollution are big points.

I also had a Ninja... the baby one. :P

Welcome to the site.

[Johnny Mullet]

Glad to have you here.

[Johnny Mullet]

DrugBot!

[SVOboy]

Drugbot has been banhammered,

Welcome to ecomodder!