Hello All,

There have been one or two technical questions about Pooh's California Run like...how many miles to the gallon?...what was your average speed?

Pooh traveled 3,372 miles/5,431 kilometres on the return trip. Pooh averaged 38.5 mpg (Imp.) or 31.6 mpg (US) for the trip, all miles, all conditions.

On the run home from Vancouver, Washington Pooh covered 313 miles/504 kilometres in 5 hours and 45 minutes including one rest stop, one fuel stop and border crossing into Canada. Average speed, including stops - 54.4 mph.

Pooh traveled at a higher average speed than on the 'Millennium Expotition' in 2000 because a higher proportion of the 2002 miles were on interstate and main highways with traffic running at 65-75 mph.

In 2000, we averaged 40.6 mpg (Imp.) because we used slower secondary highway routes through New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota. They were also far more enjoyable miles to drive and brought us closer to where America lived and worked. The difference is 5.45%, which is significant.

The great surprise of the current trip was to return home and discover that Elaine has secretly planned to paint the living and dining rooms and halls, hoping that I would not notice because of my colour vision deficiency.

She had not finished on the Sunday in part because the 1st choice paint was NOT acceptable in low light and a total of four coats of paint were therefore required to finish half of the dining and living rooms with the 2nd choice paint. The walls won't rust!

Elaine would not have been painting if we had known when MMW 2002 would be held when, with 25 years seniority, she had selected summer 2002 holidays in October 2001.

Elaine has shown that Mini marathoners are a tough breed. She drove regular legs on the transcontinental trip in 2000. Painting the house solo was a mere trifle, and a job well done!

Rick Higgs
(Pooh is belted into my upside down race helmet in the right hand seat)

Pooh, E-mail:  mhabc@telus.net