Selling the Jeep (Part III: Final Chapter) -- Driving is Fun again

Three quick pictures for you: Driving is fun again! Just about the time I was ready to finally sell the Jeep, gas prices were beginning to rise. In New Jersey, we were at around $3.70 for a gallon of regular. While my motivation wasn't completely fuel related, selling the Jeep almost assured that my miles per gallon situation was going to improve. Now, understanding that Jeeps typically make just into the double digets when it comes to MPG, you can see how the first picture here makes driving fun again!

That's right! An average of 42.9 miles per gallon. This number changes, as you can imagine (it is based on the trip, meaning from the moment I start the car to the moment I shut the engine off.) So, for example, driving one route to work everyday yeilds about 43 MPG for me. While at the same time another route gets me about 38 MPG (still good.) I did notice the other day that driving around Princeton (it is fairly flat around there) yeilded around 45 MPG! That is awesome. It isn't PRIUS awesome... but it is pretty cool, since this car is about half the price (not quite) of the PRIUS.

Picture #2: George Washington Bridge into New York at around Columbia University and "the Cotton Club."

I really like this bridge. While the traffic can be backed up getting on the bridge (not to mention that you might have the pleasure of seeing an entire car on fire!), once you are on the bridge it is fairly smooth sailing and delivers a nice view of the city. Again, not having to wory about the Jeep breaking down, or getting warm because the air conditioning can't keep up with the city heat makes driving fun again.

Picture #3: And while we are on the topics of bridges, I was driving to a friends place the other weekend and had to ride over this lift bridge. Now, I have driven this route a couple of times now, so I got my camera out quickly! The thing about lift bridges is that there are (or at least I was told there are) not many in the world. In fact, an old friend used to swear that the Lift Bridge in Duluth, MN, was only one of three on the planet. Well, unless the other two are in New Jersey (I've driven over two different lift bridges) then that dude was sorely misinformed! Here is the proof of one, equally as large if not larger than the one in Duluth, and in a fairly obscure and simple two lane road.