So, like everyone else, we're not going anywhere. This means, that we're driving our SUV even less than we previously drove it. So, I took it to the gas station this morning and put gas stabilizer in it. You should do this to your cars too! Get the enzyme based stuff, which is generally blue; don't get the old Stabil brand pink stuff. The old ( Read more... )

My flights were uneventful, and I arrived happily at the motel in Truckee Weds evening. There was a prediction of 2-4 inches of snow, ending by 10am, but I didn't think much of that; at home they'd have kept the interstates clear throughout, maybe you'd have to drive 30 instead of 60 in the worst of it.

Um. In California, they apparently don't ( Read more... )

The Prius, yesterday:


( Read more... )

We've been unhappy with our SUV for a while. It gets bad gas mileage, and so we avoid driving it. But, this is bad for cars. So mile-for-mile, it has a huge maintenance bill, and it often leaves you in the lurch. It left me in the lurch recently because its battery was dead, probably because I didn't shut the door fully the night before (it is ( Read more... )

We went to the parent portion of driver's ed last night. My parents didn't have to do this... At least, if Perry starts down this path (he doesn't have a thousand places to go like Jocelyn does, so there's not a burning need), we won't have to go a second time ( Read more... )

Jocelyn drove the car for the first time yesterday. Well, on the road. We had her in the parking lot a couple of months ago. Yesterday she had her first official driving lesson behind the wheel, where apparently they didn't mind that she'd only had one parking lot session with her parents. So when I picked her up at circus practice (the local ( Read more... )

Ken's crazy friend Jesse is always organizing something for the New England Electric Auto Assn, and today's was at a shopping center only 5 miles from our house. I agreed to bring the Leaf. I didn't want to hang out for hours (god it was boring just for 15-20 minutes at a time!) so I brought my bicycle and went for a 19 mile ride. Average 11.1, ( Read more... )

Drove the electric car 54 miles -- first to drop Jocelyn at a friend's house for a birthday party and then on to Matt Stone's games party with Perry. Had so much charge left when I got to Matt's that I didn't even bother to plug in as it's a bit of a hassle to do so there; ended the day with 35% charge left! A combination of it being warm and not ( Read more... )

We are considering getting a Tesla Model 3 -- the "affordable" family sedan which will cost $35K. Well, it's cheaper than $80K, anyway! Today was the first day to sign up for them -- they'll be available in a couple of years. Plunk down a $1K refundable deposit and you'll be added to the queue for when the car is available. It was pointed out ( Read more... )

(and busy thursday, thus update on friday ( Read more... )