Date

Destination

December

This trip started with the longest single non-stop driving segment I have ever made. I drove 7+ hours 510 miles until I needed fuel and had to stop. After getting to Dallas, I got up the next morning to have Breakfast with other NB folks, but found ICE instead. I tried to make the meeting, but the ICE brought gridlock to the roads, so I left and headed south. Leaving Dallas, I started at about 20 mph and was able to eventually get to about 60 mph as I continued south.

I made it to my nieces house only having to slow down for each bridge I crossed. But the normal 2 hour drive took 4 hours. We had a nice visit, gave the kids their Christmas presents, and then headed out, because Ice storms were still looming according to the weather channel. I headed across back roads toward Houston and went through some college town, but the roads were clear of ICE except the usual bridges.

I got to Houston a little early and went to a local gym and worked out. I meet up with Susan (NB list member) for diner at a local Mexican restaurant. We talked NB and spent about 30 minutes in the parking lot comparing my 98 to her 99 and all the add-ons. It was very cold, so we made it brief. Unfortunately Jon and other Houstonites didn't make it:-)

I got to New Orleans a little early for my meeting with Scott (NB list member). We spent about 30 minutes talking about our cars in the parking lot, then went inside for some seafood. After lunch we headed back outside for another hour of NB talk. Comparing our different model years and discussing how to close the hatch. This was only the second 99 NB I had seen. It was much warmer in New Orleans, so we could spend more time.

I met up with my family (Shirley-wife, Katie-daughter) for Christmas, but before I got the to beach house, I stopped to get presents. A quick stop at University Mall in Pensacola for presents, within 30 minutes I had started & finished my annual Christmas shopping:-) I then drove down to Destin, where we were starting for the first week of our vacation at a friends beach house (thanks Steve). We really did not do anything but hang out at the beach over the Christmas weekend, it was very nice and quiet.

Back to work, left at 3:30am to get to work by 8am. Worked for 4 days, then back to the beach for New Years Eve weekend.

Date

Miles

Odometer

Gallons

Price

Cost

MPG

Avg MPG

Brand

Location

12/22/98

510.3

16,707

12.512

12.50

0.999

40.76

40.76

12/24/98

575.3

17,283

14.420

13.25

0.919

39.94

40.30

12/24/98

551.7

17,834

12.651

11.50

0.909

43.55

41.36