Beating the Gas Pumps

With gas prices breaking all time records, Jenn and I had to find a way to help cut down on gas costs. This is really nothing new but we decided to follow through with the basics.

I use to take the kids to sitters. Then return home to get my bike to go to work. It was about 4 extra miles but that still adds up. Now, Jenn takes the kids in the morning. From the sitters, she car pools with her coworker, Kim. Kim's Mom is our sitter and she also watches Kim’s son. Kim and Jenn alternate weeks on driving.

With Jenn driving a 4 cylinder Cavalier, she is already doing well on gas savings. With the car pooling, we only have to fill up the tank every other week now. That is close to $40.00 a week we don't have to fill up.

Back to me. Due to my Sable having exhaust issues, I only get 20 miles to the gallon. I am going to get that fixed. In the meantime, I get twice as many miles on the bike. With Jenn taking the kids in the morning, I leave the house on the bike. I have not started my car in two weeks.

The way I look at it, when I drive the bike, I am saving half the gas bill compared to taking my gas guzzler.

I think I am somewhere near $100 in savings a month but I am sure Al will correct my math somewhere.

So men, you want a bike? Just tell the wife you can save a lot of money and you are doing the environment some good.

Ba Ba Ba Ba Baaaaa I'm Loving It!

Day 2 held hostage

What the ?????

The above picture was taken just over 24 hours of my previous post. The gas had jumped .29 cents. I had to fill the wife’s car up. She drives a Chevy Cavalier. We try to fill up the tanks when we have a quarter tank left. Twenty bucks use to do the trick. It cost me $30 last night.

A week ago, when the gas was $2.69 (that was cheap now that I look at it), I saw a large family in a new Suburban. That guy put 35 gallons in his tank. It was about $95.00. Doing the math, it is going to cost him $115 to fill up. OUCH!

Sign of the Times

I wish my motorcycle was running!

The above picture was taken today, 8/31/05, at appromitaly 4:15 PM in Hainsville. (Northern Illinois). Al , I can't find the blue pills so my rant goes on. I think there is a wheel of misfortune sitting behind the desk of the local gas station. I think I was paying $2.69 yesterday for the same fricken gas. I say the same because the tanker does not make daily visits to drop off the gas.

Think about it. Why does it fluxuate so often? The gas that is in the storage tank, in the ground, has already been processed, refined, and delivered. IT IS ALREADY PAID FOR!!!! In other words, it had a fixed price. If no more gas was delivered, the price should not change until the next order comes in. Add gas station owners to my list of dishonest people.

On the other hand, something good did come out of this. I have a real motivation to get one of two bikes running. I came home after work today and did just that. With some help from my father in law, and my neighbor /co-worker Matt, the bike is almost complete. I need to do some more homework on my cable issues. With a little more tuning, I think the 550 will be ready to hit the road...... Just in time for winter. Now where did I put my snow chains?