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Yeah, that really hurts, especially for gas engines that keep running during the stop part of stop and go. Hybrids have traditionally done better at stop and go.Quote:
Originally Posted by dday9
At higher speeds, drag begins to clobber fuel economy. This is dramatically more evident in ships, but it's true for cars, as well.
That's cause you're old. That was a thing in MUCH older cars, but doesn't do a thing for you anymore. It used to be useful for burning out carbon buildup in poorly tuned carbureted engines. Since those are basically museum pieces these days, there isn't any advantage to that.Quote:
Originally Posted by dilettante
Growing up in the rolling hills of NH, we'd go swimming in a pretty remote lake. Our town had the 'town lake', the 'rich lake', and the 'hippy lake'. Naturally, I went to the latter. For one thing, it was far more interesting, as it had some excellent glacial erratics just off shore. Some were close in for little kids to play on, one was further out, much larger, and in much deeper water. Then, if you swam way out in a very straight line, and were particularly tall, there was a further rock you could stand on. It was perhaps 100 meters, or more out. I could just barely stand on it with my face out of water (not my whole head, though). The other thing about that lake was that there was a whole lot of life. Salamanders, frogs, fish, snapping turtles, and one particularly aggressive kingbird that would attack anybody who came near.
Where I was going with this was that my mother had figured out that from the top of one hill, you could put the car in neutral and coast all the way back through town and down another hill on the far side of town. It was miles of coasting, and there was one hill along the way that we'd top at little more than walking speed. Of course, this was rural NH, so cars were not common. I always liked the efficiency of being able to coast all that way, especially since there was enough uphill to bleed off any excess speed, so you pretty nearly didn't need the brake, either.
I don't think it's that simple:
https://youtu.be/5C9Ie4BcYew
Of course I don't do it very often, and mostly because I don't drive as much as I used to. This car is 5 years old with under 10,000 miles on it. Part of that can be credited to the COVID era and part to retirement. Kids all out of college means a lot fewer long trips.
Check out what I just found on Twitter:-
https://twitter.com/Rainmaker1973/st...44195418533894
I had to re-watch it 3 times before I realized what was actually happening. It's a pretty clever illusion I have to say.
We're not in a tidal area but we have some truly massive lakes. There is a place on Lake Michigan with a very wide and shallow channel back into a smaller lake. At intervals water trickles in to fill the small lake, and then the flow can suddenly reverse and run back out in a sheet at a similar depth as in that video.
The movement illusion of those standing in it can be so strong it gives some people vertigo. You often see people start to wobble trying to stand upright or even fall down when it makes them dizzy. Those nearby watching also express a feeling of confusion, some saying they felt the dry land move.
Wow. That is fascinating. I'd love to experience that first-hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by dilettante
Seiche what you will about lakes, they're weird.
I encountered some Shoshone-Bannock members fishing for steelhead like shown in that video clip. The thing about fishing for steelhead is that they run in the spring. Image that video, except that the water is barely above freezing. They were into it.
Yeah, things can get weird in around larger lakeside dune fields too.
We have a State Park that encompasses one. There is a lake there that was created when dunes piled up and eventually cut a bay entirely off from the larger lake. The strip of dunes is maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile wide now. These are banked up pretty high above water level.
On the dune side of the small lake you can wade in and be over your head in water well within 12 feet of wading in places, it drops off that fast. Nearer in toward the "beach" you can feel weird currents of cold water rushing out of the dunes at your legs. These aren't strong, just eerie. It seems to be percolating rain water. Any heavy currents quickly wash out sand and fan out, so they aren't really a hazard to people playing in the water.
These dunes are made of "singing sands" that make squeaky sounds at every step.
I took my kids there enough to become jaded. But it made a really good place to take visitors who were impressed enough to rekindle appreciation. I thought I lost my wallet on one march across the dunes to the big lake. We frantically searched, then got back to the truck and found the wallet on the seat. With great relief we went for tacos and ice cream under the pines at a small town a few miles inland. I think my oldest boy was maybe 12 then.
There is a cat in the neighborhood, I don't know who it belongs to. Nobody close by me anyway.
It's one of those mostly-black with white on its legs, belly, and up to its chin underneath. Big one, not gigantic. Seems mature but not elderly, not fat or thin. I've seen it skulking for years, mostly at twilight or after dark. It never runs off but has always kept its distance. I don't have dog or cats.
Suddenly it has decided to be friendly in broad daylight. I had to dodge to keep it from coming into the house yesterday. No aggression, it just acted like it owned the place and was gently persistent. I went outside, and when I got near it smoothly flopped to he ground and rolled over on its back. When I moved off it just calmly got up and gradually moved off.
I dumped some pistachio shells into the firepit, and the rattling sound perked its ears up. So I'm guessing it was "hearing cat food" and that suggests it is anything but feral or even stray.
I'm not a cat person, but if I understand the language it must like me. Go Figure.
Exposing it's belly could signal that, or could just be saying, "you're the boss...and I'm fine with that." Cats can say both of those things with the same move. You can figure out which one it is by trying to pet it. If it takes your arm off, then it was the latter, otherwise it was the former.
Yeah, I get that. It seemed pretty relaxed about the entire encounter though.
Just the same I didn't attempt to take any liberties.
Either way, that cat is at least partially domesticated.
I'm pretty "treed in" these days with gigantic trees all around. Google Earth and such barely show my house any more.
But I still wish I'd set up planters for a tiny "tomato patch" this year. Maybe even trellised for vining grape and cherry tomatoes. Pretty cheap, and almost overabundant in season, but great for salads and snacking. They freeze well, just wash, dry, and bag. Easy way to extend peak harvest.
I have a few areas that still get good sun most of the day.
My wife's uncle was able to grow Brandywine tomatoes this year which is impressive. He's tried for several years but this was the first year where everything went right. They're delicious and kind of sweet.
I'm trying for a few types of tomatoes this year. Mostly, I'm going to get LOTS of beans. Looks like I'll get a whole bunch of lettuce...when I'm away and won't be able to enjoy any of it. By the time I get back, it will probably be all bolted pretty thoroughly. I planted late with the expectation that I'd start on a bike trip a week ago, but the amount of snow put that back, and my clever timing will ensure I get no lettuce.
Smoke and fire! Sunspots as well!
Smoke from wildfires in Canada making it all the way to Connecticut.
We haven't had any, yet, so you are welcome to them.
Yeah, we're seeing some of this in Michigan as well. I thought it was coming from Nova Scotia, but the local weather guys are saying ours spews here from Quebec.
We haven't seen this since the last time Canadian companies "wanted to assist" native peoples off their lands prior to exploitation "to meet national goals." On this side of the continent that usually means a hydropower project or a mine.