Lisa asked me to write something about fuel economy as I am always explaining to her how much we’re saving in fuel this trip so far, versus our last trip.

In 2005/06 Lisa and I paid an average of $2.86 for gas doing the first 2,300 miles of the Loop and fuel prices were going up. So far in 2008, on our second Loop, we’ve averaged $3.50 for diesel fuel and prices have been going down. Here’s how it breaks down from Charlevoix, Michigan to Panama City Beach, Florida:

We’ve spent 22 percent more per gallon but we’ve spent 47 percent less in total fuel purchased because our average fuel burn per mile went from just under 1 MPG to just above 3 MPG, a 200 percent increase.

Put another way, after we’ve traveled another 1,200 miles we will have spent more in fuel on our last trip than we’ll spend on one entire 6,000 mile Great Loop adventure. Now, that’s a great deal.