Driving to my cabin, which route to take for the best fuel consumption?

[dstang01]

So I drive to and from my cabin at mount baker from my home in richmond, BC quite a bit in the summer, and there are two major routes I can take to get there. Both take about an hour and a half, give or take 20 minutes, but are completely different. The second route is 15 or so miles longer than the first, but the majority is freeway driving. I was wondering what would be the best route to take with a 5.0 to burn less gas.

The first one is about 60 miles, the first quarter of it is freeway driving (100 - 120 kph), the second two quarters are fairly steady driving through a rural town (60-90 kph with some 4 way stops), and the last quarter is a windy mountain highway (70-90 kph) For those familiar with the northwest, this route comes out of richmond using highway 99, then you turn off 99 and go through langley, then you cross into washington in sumas, and follow highway 547 into the baker highway then up to snowline.

The second route is about 75 miles, the first two thirds are freeway driving (100-120 kph), and the last third is a windy mountain highway (70-90 kph) Usually this route takes a little less time due to higher speeds. If anyones familiar with the northwest, this route comes out of richmond using highway 99, crosses into washington @ peace arch and becomes interstate 5, then you turn off I5 onto baker highway (542) and drive that all the way to snowline.

What do you guys think is the best route? The second one is more distance, but i suppose you could cruise at a low rpm on the freeway. The first is less distance, but theres more stops and you dont drive at a constant speed. Thanks for any imput

 

[SeventyMach1]

You say you do it quite a bit ... so test it! No better way to tell.

 

[94-302-vert]

Go whichever way you enjoy more...

For a gallon round trip is it worth it to not enjoy 2 hours of driving?

 

[1TallMF]

Since we're only talking 75 miles or less, I'd pick the one with the best scenery and the funnest roads. If your car is anything like mine, it gets much better mileage going 100-120kph than it does 70-90. So in this case I think it would take roughly the same ammount either way.

How 'bout this, take the first one on your way there and the second one on the way back.

 

[rgs]

dstang. im out in richmond quite a bit!

are you on vancouvermustangs.com?

 

[dstang01]

Since we're only talking 75 miles or less, I'd pick the one with the best scenery and the funnest roads. If your car is anything like mine, it gets much better mileage going 100-120kph than it does 70-90. So in this case I think it would take roughly the same ammount either way.

How 'bout this, take the first one on your way there and the second one on the way back.

Both routes have pretty nice scenery and I enjoy both of em, sometimes its cool to chill and drive the rural roads, and sometimes i prefer driving more freeway and then more mountain highway. I figure the cars do better @ higher speeds (cruising lower rpms in high gear) so im guessing the freeway route would be more efficient. Im not too concerned about it, ill take whichever route I feel like that day, but I was just curious if one is drastically better than the other for gas. Thanks for your replys

Also, I couldnt take one route there and one back and compare because the way back has significantly more downhill than the way there, so it wouldnt be fair.

rgs, im not a member @ vancouver stangs but i go there sometimes. do u live in the area?

 

[94-302-vert]

Also, I couldnt take one route there and one back and compare because the way back has significantly more downhill than the way there, so it wouldnt be fair.

HUH???

If you start at elevation 1 and go to elevation 2 the change is the same regardless of route my man....

I hear you, some days are highway days, otehrs are backroads all the way... I do the same in my daily commmute (48 miles each way)...

 

[dstang01]

Also, I couldnt take one route there and one back and compare because the way back has significantly more downhill than the way there, so it wouldnt be fair.

HUH???

If you start at elevation 1 and go to elevation 2 the change is the same regardless of route my man....

I hear you, some days are highway days, otehrs are backroads all the way... I do the same in my daily commmute (48 miles each way)...

Think of it this way, when I drive to the cabin, im going from sea level to the mountains, but when i return im driving from the mountains to sea level (majority of the driving is downhill). So, if i drove one route to get there and the other to come home, one of the routes will be climbing hills and one will be going down hills, regardless of the route I take

btw, thats quite the daily commute! whats your DD?

 

[HISSIN50]

We all know that when you drive towards the North Pole, you're going uphill. Sheesh.

The point A to B thing isnt always so straight cut (though it sounds like it is here). Sometimes you go up a mountain, down a mountain, up a mountain, down a mountain (etc) on the way there. The sum of the ups and downs is much greater than the absolute elevation change between A and B.

I totally agree - take the most enjoyable route. It's not all about the destination.