I miss the Valk but ...

[Gilligan]

Navigator and I are still havin' a great time traveling.  We drove to Charleston, SC in our Valk replacement, a 2010 Prius.

Here is a pic of Navigator and the Prius at the Frances Beidler Forest in South Carolina.




Here is a pic of the Prius parked in the fog and rain near the Yorktown.




  Disadvantages of driving the Prius instead of riding the Valk:
     1.  Less power
     2.  Less enjoyment of the ride
     3.  Less expressed public admiration

  Advantages of driving the Prius instead of riding the Valk:
     1.  Better gas mileage
     2.  Navigator gets to drive
     3.  No clothing changes due to weather/temp changes
     4.  Easier packing with more luggage in 2 pieces than in over 12 pieces

After driving over 2,100 miles with this car, it is averaging 52.8 miles per gallon.  While we owned it, the Valk averaged 38 mpg.

Bottom Line:
     I miss the adventure of riding the Valk.   :'(

Ride Safe, y'all.

[Duffy]

That is like comparing apples and oranges... 

My wife has a Prius (08 or 09) and loves it. It is great on gas and is ideal for commuting around town. I keep asking her when Al Gore is coming by to sign the bumper, but she wisely ignores me. 

Glad you are enjoying the new wheels. 

[bg]

glad you guys are having a good time.
i only see 2 wheels in the pics of the prius, i know there are 2 more on the other side but i can pretend you are still on 2 wheels.
you are sure right about the public admiration of the valk.
i bet you wish you had a pic of everyone that talked to you on all your trips.
everyone wants to know and everyone has a story of when they used to ride.
they are a great conversation piece aren't they.
thanks for the pics and making me hungry for some of that "low country" food.

[Jack]

My wife has a Honda Civic coupe and a Pontiac Solstice.  They aren't as much fun but we do get there dry and aren't as tired after a long trip.  We haven't made a long bike trip in over 2 yrs.

[solo1]

I still have the Valk but it's up for sale.

Meanwhile, I'm driving the next best thing, the Miata.  The advantages and disadvantages are the same as you mention, Russ.
However, the Miata is  much closer to motorcycling when the top's down.  Mileage between the Valk and the Miata are similiar. 

I really appreciated the Miata when I was driving in a really bad rainstorm on I75 on the way to St. Iggy to join the Misguided's .  Nary a drop of rain came through and the new tires were great in the wet.

It's still nice to jump on my Nighthawk for a local spin, not nearly as comfortable as the Valk but two wheels and lighter than the Valk, big difference on my knees.

[Doc Moose]

Hey Gilligan,

What kind of Oil and tires are you using? 

[hubcapsc]

glad you're having fun.... Francis Beidler is awesome... Did you walk alll the way to the lake
at the end of the boardwalk? The canopy got kind of trashed by Hugo, I haven't been there
very recently...

-Mike

[Gilligan]

Francis Beidler is awesome... Did you walk alll the way to the lake at the end of the boardwalk?

We sure did.

Here is a pic of the tallest "knee."  It is 7 feet tall.



Here is a pic of a White Ibis.  It was at the "T" on the boardwalk.  To the left was the lake and to the right was the boardwalk to the center.



The boardwalk has been fixed, so you'll have to return.  It is a beautiful place.

[Gilligan]

What kind of Oil and tires are you using? 

Hi, Doc.  I now use full synthetic oil and Darkside front and rear.   

[sheets]

My company rig is a first generation Prius.  Have nearly 100K miles on it with not a single malfunction.  The lifetime MPG average hovers around 45-46.  That is all kind of driving; mountainous two-lane, downtown, and freeway on cruise control at 70 . . . for hours at a time.  Don't know that I'd want to go cross-country in one, but a purdy impressive rig nonetheless.  Ymmv, 

[Normandog]

To me the most important thing is you and Navigator still enjoy traveling.  Travel On !!!! And keep sharing your trips with us.