Raise your hand if you saw these pictures on the COVER and inside of USA Today yesterday??? Do you have friends with strange hobbies? Do you have a weird hobby? Mine is scrapbooking, so some would think that’s weird. Here’s one that I classify as unusual: Hypermiling. It’s the “hobby” of seeing if you can get the highest gas mileage possible by resorting to extreme techniques. (I’ll stick to scrapbooking.)
Anyway, there are two pilots who work for ADOT, one is my husband, the other is the hypermiler, Louis, who was featured on the COVER of USA Today and the cover of the business section along with a full page article on page 3 with THREE pictures. OK, me and my little scrapbooks haven’t been sequestered by USA Today YET. The article did mention how to save money on gas due to the high gas prices, but featured Louis and his hyperbuddies’ techniques for Guinness Book worthy numbers. Here’s the article: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-06-23-hypermilers-saving-gas_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
We’ve known Louis for more than seven years and have been to his home where he has a “barn/garage” full of mini cars. My appreciation grew for his wife (who is quoted in the national newspaper, for goodness sake) when I realized he collected them. These are not Hotwheels, baby. Mini drive-able cars.
Louis has shared his insider information with my husband as the years have passed. When gas prices hit $4.00+ a gallon, Rick began to utilize some of the hyper tricks. He waved goodbye to the fast lane and is driving at geriatric speeds. He puts the van in neutral and coasts to red lights, idling whilst awaiting the green beacon. As long as he doesn’t resort to banning the air conditioning to save gas IN PHOENIX I’m O.K. with the escapades. The other practice my husband will never adapt is going 2 hours early for work to miss rush hour traffic….. he’s already leaving before six am. Ain’t gonna happen in my lifetime, guaranteed.
Congrats to Louis, who is now a recognized specialist in hypermiling, even though we’ve known he is for years. I better go find my scalloped scissors and glue dots so I can cut up the USA Today paper and scrapbook it for him.
Tags: family, feature article, gas prices, husband, hypermiling, louis hudgin, pilot, saving money, scrapbooking, USA TODAY
My Sister's Jar 
June 25, 2008 at 4:23 pm |
I am wondering what the rest of the world calls this “hobby”? Hyper-kilometring? Hyper-clicking? I just do my part by carpooling.
June 25, 2008 at 5:03 pm |
I think hyper-kilometring should just be shortened to H-King. Not related to Hong Kong-ing.
June 25, 2008 at 6:33 pm |
I think my new hobby might be sewing bags out of recycled fabrics and selling them for good causes.
June 27, 2008 at 3:35 am |
I’m right with you Linda on the air conditioning. The kids and I roll down the windows to let the hot air out and turn on the air. I’m not sure if it helps any, but in our minds it does…hee.hee.
July 10, 2008 at 10:59 pm |
I am the wife of the other Pilot that Linda was talking about, Thank you, Linda for a nice write up on behalf of Louis. If everyone does their part in
there own way, they will benefit from it. This is a positive hobby.