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1st big trip in the Prime

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by jerrymildred, May 2, 2019.

  1. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    Be safe Jerry! There have been some pretty nasty storms and tornadoes out in the midwest.
     
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  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    OK, you can turn off the wind tunnel fans now!! Sheesh!!

    Time for an update. Going across NE from the panhandle to Sioux City, IA we had 20-30 mph headwinds and crosswinds. Over 450 miles, we got 46 mpg by slowing down a bit. Next day was across Iowa to the Iowa City area. 301 miles of 30-50 mph head winds and some quartering head winds for the last 100 miles. We weren't the only ones slowing down in that! We got an indicated 43.9 mpg. When I was gassing up in central IA, it was so cold and windy it felt like being on a mountain top in a storm. Yesterday was 747 miles to Jackson MS into 20 or more mph winds. Since it was a long drive, I stayed at the speed limit and somehow got 49.5 mpg indicated.

    All I can say is that I'm sure glad I wasn't driving a semi!! But I do hope that someday I can get a tail wind. I've always wondered what that would be like.

    Today we hang out all day with long time friends who are also Prius fans. They have a 2017 Prius 4 and love it. Tomorrow we head back to FL. We may or may not make it in one long day. Ready to be home, but not eager for a 650 mile drive after the lousy driving weather of the last three days. Actually, I'm game, but the wife is undecided. :D
     
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  3. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    Glad you guys are safe.
    You may not like mpg in the 40s but I expect most around you at that time would be happy with the 20s. :eek:
     
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  4. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    Did you find that your Prime is sensitive to those cross-winds? Mine is - it tends to dart around in the lane. My first day on my trip was 750 miles with a good crosswind all across Iowa and it was two hands on the wheel.
     
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  5. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    I would never be eager for a 650 drive in a single day. I've done it, I'm too old to suffer like that anymore.
     
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Last "big" road trip we did, soon after we got our 2010, was around 700 kilometers (to destination), wouldn't consider doing much more than that in a day. What's that, around 450 miles?
     
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  7. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    We routinely drive from OKC to Ouray, CO in one day. 776 miles (1248.85 KM). Nonstop is 13 h 4 min, but it normally takes close to 15 hours with gas an bladder stops. Not as easy as it used to be, but we still "git er done." I like to drive and that destination is worth an extra day there.
     
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  8. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I may be old school - 1000 miles solo in 18 hours from Pennsyvlania to Nebraska, in a 1985 VW Golf Diesel with the windows down since the A/C didn't work. Or, team driving with my son in a 2001 Honda Accord, 1550 miles Los Angeles to Omaha Nebraska in about 25 hours.
     
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  9. heiwa

    heiwa Active Member

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    I am in awe of how far people drive in one day! I too am curious to hear about Mr.Mildred's impression on Prime in cross-wind. I have never experienced any difficulty in our two Primes unlike jb in NE. The wind in the central valley of CA must not be as severe, perhaps.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  10. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    When our kids were young, I often drove from the east coast to midwest, ~900 miles in a single day with just gas stops in a minivan full of kids and a dog and a cat. I was young too. I still do ~600 miles round trip in a single day often now, but getting too old for this. :cry::cry::cry:
     
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  11. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    I just returned from a trip to the east coast of NC. and back and put about 2,200 miles on and drove over 600 miles on the way home in one day. I don't like to go over 400. Ran in the high 50,s for gas mileage. Did a lot of mountain driving going through the Smoky Mountains.
     
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  12. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    600 miles is about my limit. Our yearly trip to Garrison, North Dakota is just about 600 miles...and it gets tougher to do every year!
     
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  13. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I hear you. Same here. I am at age now I try to avoid night time and winter season long drive if I can.
     
  14. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I typically avoid night time because there is nothing to see, and part of the travel experience is the scenery. With the Prime I've had to push a few nights to get somewhere, and found that the LED lights were great. 4 hours across the Nevada desert, not so bad.

    Winter drives have some advantages - less traffic in general, don't have to run the A/C to keep my wife cool, no bugs on the windshield. Downside is more rock chips from road treatments getting kicked up.
     
  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Can you lock your steering wheel straight and take a nap? LOL :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: When I was younger I pulled off all night drive without sleep many times, but no more of that. My eye sights are no longer good enough for that vast darkness.

    I bet you have different winter season to contend than most of NE have to offer.
     
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  16. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

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    Mine doesn't. Are your tire cold inflation pressures set according to the sticker on the door jam? Weights evenly distributed in the car? Windows up? No roof rack or rear carrier?
     
  17. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    It snows quite a bit here in Nebraska and the states north of here where I tend to drive in the winter. If the weather prediction on the drive is for a lot of snow, we take the Outback with four snows on it.

    Tires inflated properly. Weights even in the car, and loaded low where possible. Windows up. No roof rack or rear carrier. Did it with a passenger in the car, and also with just me in the car on the return trip.

    If others aren't seeing this, it is likely an alignment issue on my car. At the 10K service, I'll have the dealer check and align under the warranty (12 months, 12K miles).
     
    #77 jb in NE, May 24, 2019
    Last edited by a moderator: May 24, 2019
  18. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    We're baaaack! Whew. I'll save the stats & stuff for the next post and just respond in this one.

    Amen to that!! And thanks.

    It was twitchy enough in the 50 mph quartering cross winds that it asked if I needed a break. :ROFLMAO: But just once. I said out loud to Mildred, "Yeah! A break from the wind!!" Anyway, it was much more stable than other cars I've had, but the wind still made itself felt and heard. Thankfully, that was only a 300 mile day.

    650 miles to me is a good start. I did several 1,000 miles days on the motorcycle. But then again, on the bike, you can stand up and stretch without stopping. Cars are much more restrictive. :D

    We saw Ouray for the 1st time last time we went through CO a few years ago. That whole area is amazing. We lived in the Denver area for several years and never got down there.

    Nebraska is famous for windy conditions. But Iowa was far far worse on this trip. Years ago, I was going west across NE on I-80 in some nasty cross winds on my motorcycle. I soon learned that the secret to passing semis was to get way over to the left fog lane before entering the vacuum on the truck's left side. That gave me time to correct before getting pulled under the trailer wheels. Then, be right next to the tractor before competing the pass so I'd have time to correct without getting blown all the way over to the grass in the median. That was some hairy riding!! Serious pucker factor. I almost had to see a proctologist to get off the seat.

    They are fantastic!!

    As for distance, wife was the limiting factor. She has pretty bad arthritis in her knees and can only take so much sitting. I found that the driver's seat on this car is the best I've ever had. Never once was I one bit uncomfortable.
     
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  19. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Here are the stats.
    Screen Shot 2019-05-25 at 2.35.50 PM.png
    Our longest driving day was the 747 miles from West Branch, IA to Brandon, MS. The next longest was the drive home from Brandon at 678 miles. Best day's indicated gas mileage on the road was 75.1 mpg going from Broomfield, CO to Chugwater, WY, but that was only 76 miles and we started with a full battery. Best day without a charge at the start was 62.8 mpg over a distance of 270 miles from Farmington, NM to Delta, CO via Mesa Verde NP. We got some of our best efficiencies in the mountains and also the highest percentage of EV miles, which makes sense with all the ups and downs. I think one day was 41% EV.
     
    #79 jerrymildred, May 25, 2019
    Last edited: May 25, 2019
  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow afternoon if there's time. In spite of the occasional bad weather, the stone chips, and cracked plastic, it was still one of our best road trips ever. Obviously, it's the people we went to see that were the highlights, but there was a ton of eye candy along the way.