Ever wonder how far you can go on your low fuel light? I got to find out this evening. I had a road bike race in Eastern Washington and the low fuel light came on as I arrived. But, it was a 10 mile hill climb up Mt. Spokane and I'd never been there so I wanted to drive up it to get the GPS altitude to guage my race pace as I went. Reasoning that there was a gas station 12 miles from the base, I went for it. So there's 20 miles with the light on, including climbing 3600 feet on a mountain road.
After the race, a violent storm hit, and I was treated to a shed blowing across the road in front of me, two trees down we had to drive in the ditch to get around, and the first time I've ever seen actual zero vis in a dust storm (literally could not see the road in front of the truck at a full stop). I get to the gas station and they'd lost power. Whoops. Now at 32 miles.
My path home was all on secondary roads, so I just headed home hoping to come across a gas station. Sure enough, the next one about 8 miles farther also had no power. Well, I reasoned, I'm about to cross the state line into Idaho, so maybe that Shell station I pass on my workout rides is on a different power grid. Meanwhile, that storm I'd driven out of is still in my mirrors.
I get to the Shell pump, hop out as hail is zinging off the truck, and - what's this it won't respond??! With huge raindrops plopping down and the wind picking up so strong the pump metal canopy structure is creaking, I ran in the door to find they'd just reset the pumps after a power loss. It's going to be about 10 minutes. No big deal, I'll just sit under the canopy - it's a new station and quite big. 3 minutes later, wind-driven gravel is pelting my 80, the 80 is rocking on its springs and the canopy is now seriously flexing. Trying to decide if the best thing to do is sit here and wonder if the canopy's coming down on me, or leave, the station loses all power and I took off again - starting to feel like a vagabond now. 44 miles on the odometer.
With at least a 35mph tailwind, I started inching my way down the last secondary road, watching branches fall into the roadway, lawn furniture and deck chairs hitting fences, etc.
Incredibly, I got all the way home rolling stop signs and gently accelerating. The final tally? 59 freakin' miles!! I suspect this is an all time record - anyone beat it?
DougM
After the race, a violent storm hit, and I was treated to a shed blowing across the road in front of me, two trees down we had to drive in the ditch to get around, and the first time I've ever seen actual zero vis in a dust storm (literally could not see the road in front of the truck at a full stop). I get to the gas station and they'd lost power. Whoops. Now at 32 miles.
My path home was all on secondary roads, so I just headed home hoping to come across a gas station. Sure enough, the next one about 8 miles farther also had no power. Well, I reasoned, I'm about to cross the state line into Idaho, so maybe that Shell station I pass on my workout rides is on a different power grid. Meanwhile, that storm I'd driven out of is still in my mirrors.
I get to the Shell pump, hop out as hail is zinging off the truck, and - what's this it won't respond??! With huge raindrops plopping down and the wind picking up so strong the pump metal canopy structure is creaking, I ran in the door to find they'd just reset the pumps after a power loss. It's going to be about 10 minutes. No big deal, I'll just sit under the canopy - it's a new station and quite big. 3 minutes later, wind-driven gravel is pelting my 80, the 80 is rocking on its springs and the canopy is now seriously flexing. Trying to decide if the best thing to do is sit here and wonder if the canopy's coming down on me, or leave, the station loses all power and I took off again - starting to feel like a vagabond now. 44 miles on the odometer.
With at least a 35mph tailwind, I started inching my way down the last secondary road, watching branches fall into the roadway, lawn furniture and deck chairs hitting fences, etc.
Incredibly, I got all the way home rolling stop signs and gently accelerating. The final tally? 59 freakin' miles!! I suspect this is an all time record - anyone beat it?
DougM