3:00AM (approximately)
The inventor of BC Powder deserves the Nobel Prize in medicine…
12:18AM
I’m tired. I’m going to sleep. G. Michael Murphy is a great host!
11:59PM
I’ve always heard Mike was a gracious host, but holy cow! This is a guy that’s as focused on saving the planet as I am. We’re coming up with a plan, so stay tuned. He has me hammered on tequila for now, but I took notes… We came up with an acronym for climate change deniers: “AYAFI.” It rhymes with Khaddafi and (in polite company) stands for, “Are you a freaking idiot?!?”
8:45PM
Dinner with Mike at Schlafly Tap Room. We both had the beer sampler, to which I added a really, really dark beer called “Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.” It tasted a lot like dark chocolate and I believe they said it was 10% alcohol. For the meal, I ordered the “Plate of Swine.” At Mike’s house, we enjoyed Patron Silver tequila.
5:37PM
Rolla, Missouri
3rd tank of gas in one day! $3.699 per gallon, 7.793 gallons, $28.83. Once again, I pull up to the wrong side of the pumps. I seem to have a mental block about refueling…
4:35PM
Somewhere in Missouri.
Two alerts appeared on the Volt’s display, “Service BreakAssist” and “Service StabiliTrak.” I freaked out a bit, thinking I would not make it to Chicago in my Volt. I pressed the OnStar button and explained what was happening. The cordial OnStar rep said he would drop off the line for a moment to run diagnostics on my car. When he did, the call terminated. I pressed the OnStar button again and got a different rep who said the same thing. When he dropped off to run diagnostics, the call terminated again. After a few minutes, he called back and said my Volt was not reporting any problems. He said the next time I turned the car off for more than 15 seconds, the alerts should disappear. I was just passing a sign that said, “Last rest area for 60 miles.” I needed a bio-break anyway, so I pulled into the rest area and turned the car off. When I got back in and restarted it, the alerts were still on screen and I was crestfallen. Then, like magic, the vanished! The second OnStar rep had asked if I’d driven over a “rumble strip,” one of those yellow lines at the side of the road that makes a noise when you drive over it. I said that I had, just before the alerts appeared. He said that can sometimes be interpreted by the on board system as problems with StabiliTrac and BrakeAssist. Good to know.
1:25PM
I’m standin’ on a corner in Catoosa, Oklahoma,
Such a dismal sight to see,
It’s a casino my lord, makin’ these people poor,
Don’t look so inviting to me…
1:08PM
Catoosa, Oklahoma
2nd tank of gas. $3.699 per gallon, 8.129 gallons, $30.07. Again, I pull up on the wrong side of the pump…
12:45PM
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
11:25AM
A wrong turn leads to an interesting detour…
10:30AM
Oklahoma City.
8:40
Farewell, Texas. Hello, Oklahoma…and VERY THICK FOG.
7:46AM
Northlake, Texas
1st gasoline purchase in 8 weeks. Bummer. $3.659 per gallon, 6.059 gallons, $22.17. The last time I bought gas was at the end of the Austin trip on December 12th. So, i used 6.059 gallons in 55 days. Not bad! This time, I was just topping off the tank, before running out of electricity, to get accurate MPG for the trip. I almost feel bad for those ICE drivers. Almost…
I forgot the gas cap is on the passenger side!
7:17AM
Homesick.
7:16AM
We have liftoff!
6:31AM
I’m off to see the car show,
That wonderful car show up North,
I hope it is a wonderful show,
And all of this mileage, it’s worth.
My Volt I’ll be driving all over this land,
To see some cool cars and meet some new friends,
Because because because because because,
Because of the EVs I’ll see, I suppose.
I’m off to see the car show,
That wonderful car show up North!
