Detroit to Manistee/TC vs. Manistee/TC to Detroit------- stupid question for those who do this trip frequently

I have businesses in that part of the state and as such, I probably do the trip once every 3 to five weeks in the year.  Lots of miles, and pretty much can do it with the eyes shut, shit I probably do.  Anyway, laugh all you want, but for about 20 years now, I've noticed I get better gas mileage from the north to the south than I do from Detroit to the north.  I'm talking about 1 to 2 more miles per gallon.  Anybody else, or am I just bat shit crazy.

Obviously, since you are heading south its all downhill, therefor better gas mileage.

InTenSity wrote:Obviously, since you are heading south its all downhill, therefor better gas mileage.

yeah, I figured that I'd get that, and really didn't want to ask.  It can't be that can it, and I'm being stupid.  I mean, it's the same shit. 94 to 59 to 75 to 10 to 115 or to 55 to 31. Same shit up, same shit back.

Send this to Mythbusters!

Without knowing your bowel movement history, this is hard to tell. For all I know you take your craps Up North, which makes your car lighter on your way back down so you get better mileage.

What's traffic like going up/coming back?

Is it because when you come back AMWood's ex is not in the car?

Ass Dan wrote:What's traffic like going up/coming back?

Thought of that, but I usually hit 59 and 75 at around 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on friday going up and about 7 p.m. coming back and it's about the same.  It certainly could be that.   But it's about 1 to 2 miles per gallon more.  For 20 years now, different cars, different times of year, same type of results.  I'd probably tend to think it's more stop and go on Friday, but 59 and 75 east and south on Sunday is about the same.

Headwind vs tailwind???

Could it just be wind? Isn't it more likely to have prevailing winds blowing North to South or West to East than the other way around? Weather in general tends to move that way.

Maybe the concrete/asphalt itself is a little different. For example, it always seems like when I get over to the left to pass a slower driver, that I pass them at a greater rate than I was closing in on them when I was coming up behind them in the right lane. I don't get close enough to be in their draft or whatever Tom Cruise talked about with Sweet-n-Low on Nicole Kidman's upper thigh, so I always thought maybe the left lane is a little smoother from having less traffic than the right lane. Or maybe it's just my imagination. I've never tried to quantify it, though.

tTy wrote:Headwind vs tailwind???  

Who knows.  If nobody else takes the trip as frequently, I'm sure nobody keeps track.  I' really always thought it was as simple as going north and south like I'm a fucking idiot and don't realize the earths gravity and shit.  Ass Dan's theory I've thought of too. Even temperature, but in the winter thats not really a factor.

DWags wrote:

Ass Dan wrote:What's traffic like going up/coming back?

Thought of that, but I usually hit 59 and 75 at around 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on friday going up and about 7 p.m. coming back and it's about the same.  It certainly could be that.   But it's about 1 to 2 miles per gallon more.  For 20 years now, different cars, different times of year, same type of results.  I'd probably tend to think it's more stop and go on Friday, but 59 and 75 east and south on Sunday is about the same.

If you leave Detroit late in the afternoon, maybe you use more A/C if the car has been sitting in the sun all day? Or do you see the same kind of difference in the winter?

MiamiSpartan wrote:

DWags wrote:


Thought of that, but I usually hit 59 and 75 at around 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on friday going up and about 7 p.m. coming back and it's about the same.  It certainly could be that.   But it's about 1 to 2 miles per gallon more.  For 20 years now, different cars, different times of year, same type of results.  I'd probably tend to think it's more stop and go on Friday, but 59 and 75 east and south on Sunday is about the same.

If you leave Detroit late in the afternoon, maybe you use more A/C if the car has been sitting in the sun all day?  Or do you see the same kind of difference in the winter?

Same in the winter.  If pressed, I think Ass Dan is probably right.  Probably more stop and go in the Detroit area, from the east side to Pontiac vs. Coming back, but if anyone has driven 75 and 59 at 7 p.m. on Sunday, it's about the same.

Elevation. More coasting coming back to Detroit. You're welcome. What do I win DWags?

Detroit sucks - therefore it is like headwind/tailwind; harder to leave D as it sucks you back in, easier to drive into D as it sucks