How do ecomodders travel?
 

I'm getting married in a couple of days (yes...I know what you think about marriage), and since the weather in the Caribbeans is so-so this time of the year, we're going to Italy (Campania region). I was surprised to see we were able to find something for not much more than what we would have paid for Cancun.

But anyway, we'll be in Agropoli which is a good way from the must sees places and we won't be renting a car. We'll take the local trains, buses and sea metro, and rent bikes to tour the beaches around (thanks to the extensive public transportation network). It's gonna be an interesting experience, especially since I've never spoken a word of Italian.

So, does the ecomodder in you goes on vacation too, or do you leave him at home when you travel?

The ecomodder in me backs off on vacation, but isn't gone. The bulk of my gasoline useage isn't there anyway, its the daily grind.

For instance over the Father's day weekend I went up north and blasted around the county on 4 wheeler for half the day on Saturday. Waste of gas? Yes. Fun? Oh yeah. How much gas did I use? Eh, maybe a gallon. From time to time I did use ecodriving techniques with the 4 wheeler too (mainly in the form of WOT useage :D).

Another example is I'll be taking a cross country trip with friends over the week of the 4th of July. Probably going to put close to 3000 miles on the Matrix and I sure as heck am not going to be the only one driving. That means it'll probably get mid 30s for mileage. I don't like it, but I'm not gonna let that bother me. We looked into renting a Prius or Civic hybrid but the cost would have been three times higher so it wasn't worth it.

BTW, congrats on the wedding and have a great honeymoon!

Since I just passed (on Tuesday!!!) my 25th anniversary with my bride, I say congrats on getting married!

As for travel? I've not been on an extended trip since I've changed my habits, but I can't imagine I'll change just because I'm not home... I also think it will be an excellent way of showing whoever is with me how to save gas when their maileage on the drive is different than mine.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. :)

I'm with Daox. The hypermiling attitude quiets, but doesn't shut down. If it didn't, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown thinking about the thousands of gallons of gas pumping through the airliner's engines. :eek: :p

- LostCause

I don't really ever go on vacation, however, when I do, I usually travel by train because the amount of fuel used per person on the train is actually really really good in comparison to other forms such as airplanes and buses. Not to mention, trains are really fun, it's like a little moving city with internet (assuming you have those cell phone internet things) and power outlets for your laptop, etc. However, aside from how I get to my destination, the only thing I really try to do is stay at a hotel that is reasonably close to the train station so long as it's still reasonably distanced to where I want to visit while I'm there. For example, I'm going to New York next month VIA amtrak, riding into Penn station and staying in the Hotel Pennsylvania which is right across the street, yet still in the heart of everything I want to see while I'm there. That way I don't have to get too many taxis and I can walk as much as possible.

Congratulations!

Last week I took a group of teenagers to Mexico (Matamoros) in an E350 van. 15-16 mpg for the drive there and back. Trying to follow the other vehicle and not get lost, in the middle of Mexican city traffic - 9 mpg! I just shrugged and called it a trip expense, and tried harder on the way back.

It's like in The Matrix. Once you take the red pill, you can't go back to not knowing. I can choose to tone it down, but it's still there.

Us rural ecomodders are hours from the nearest train or plane stations.. we drive..

I tend to opt for the veggie powered benz when traveling , fill the tank, grab a few extra 5 gallon gas can full of processed oil and hit the road.

Congratulations, tasdrouille!

I went on a trip to Newfoundland last summer and made a conscious choice to NOT rent a car. Walked and took public transit instead when in St John's. Well, the focus of the trip was walking, really - hiking on the East Coast Trail. Of course I took a jet to get there, so... (Well, part of the trip was by turboprop!)

PS.. congrats on the marriage.. happily married to my high school sweetheart for 12 years here .. marriage isn't that bad.. But you have to look at it as a challenge , and you have to like over coming challenges :)

Truly I think KIDS are worst than marriage.. but seem like those come hand in hand. However both marriage and kids have great benefits .. like I said there challenges

Congrats!

I'll admit that we do a lot of traveling (on top of work).

In big cities with good public transit (DC, NYC, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, Boston) we generally won't rent a vehicle unless we venture out of town.

The car agency I use lets you pick your vehicle from a wide range (usually). We try to get the most FE per passenger to start out with.

On the road, I've hypermiled only mildly with passengers. Still need the A/C, etc. Since we still have to pay for the fuel, friends and family are up for driving the speed limit instead of the "olden days". The techniques aren't as pronounced like long coasts to lights -- it's more of timing them and giving the impression of "making good time". Otherwise, the natives get restless.

Enjoy the trip!

-RH77