2004 Taurus 29.1 mpg: 28.5 Overall

Boring, boring, boring. Who wants to read about someone's miles per gallon on his new car. But I am anal retentive and keep defined records on how the 'bugger' is performing. The car is new or only 8 months old since first day on the road and Jeff bought it back on the 8th of April.

This is my first Ford automobile and I wanted to know all about how it would perform just a week after purchasing. The round trip was 972 miles and I wanted to know what to expect in expenses on our trips back and forth to the mountains of NC. Done.

The car ran like a champ and did well with maybe 100 to 125 lbs. of 'stuff' in the trunk and back seat. We are a bunch of vagabonds and our 'stuff' has to go with us. Oh, it may weigh more than 125 lbs on the way back. Why?

We went to a Single Malt Whisky tasting at the games and got a nice comparison of all the different types available. Karen and I decided to get two brands we cannot buy here in Alabama plus we found some Sardinian wine at Harry's on the way up there so we had 5 or 6 bottles of spirits wrapped in a blanket and in our chest we keep in the trunk for the games. One is a 'cast strength' Scotch that is just as it comes out of the cast. No water or neutral spirits added. Will fill you in when we crack the cork on this bottle.

This story sounds like we are a bunch of drinkers of sorts. Not so! Our wine cabinet was empty and we get only 2 or 3 opportunities to buy these each year so really they are over a years supply. I don't remember when I bought any spirits last, I believe back at Christmas last year and I gave the two bottles to the Clarks as a house gift. I think I bought Bob an "Isle of Jura" Scotch and a "Tangeray" gin, his favorites for his spirits cabinet in the basement. Karen and I call this our 'cheap place' to stay in NC and this is our 'payback' for their taking care of us for the 4 or 5 days there. $44.00 for 5 days is not a bad rate!

Hope you enjoyed my ramblings this morning. It is time to get back into the real world again after 5 days in the North Carolina Mountains...Nice!