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Records

Monument at the Arctic Ocean shore in Tuktoyaktuk NWT

We have been conducting WVO Roadtrips for over 16 years and have several interesting statistics.  In the process of proving the longevity and efficacy of alternative waste oil fuel systems, we have driven a lot of miles.  We even were in the running for the Guinness World Record for longest roadtrip driven on alternative fuels, but got beat out by a couple from Canada.  We would have the world record if they added up all of our accumulative miles driven since 2005, but they don’t allow breaks of longer than two weeks between roadtrips.  Since most of our adventures occur in the Summer, there is too much time in between to qualify for the record.

Here are some of the many records and stats we have collected over the years:

Yearly Information:

  • 2006
    • Nicknamed “Roswell Trip”
    • Wisc to L.A. to Roswell to Wisc
    • 1980 Mercedes Benz Wagon
    • Visited 15 states and Mexico
    • Total Miles Driven: 4569 miles
    • Interesting Fact:  While fixing the suspension in the mountains of Colorado, we were passed over by snooty Coloradans the entire day. Near the end of the repair, a truck pulled up to help us. We thanked him and asked him why his fellow Coloradans were such jerks. He said, “I wouldn’t know, I’m from Michigan, driving to California.”
  • 2007
    • Nicknamed “East Coast Trip.”
    • 1996 VW Passat TDI
    • Approximately 2984 miles driven
    • Overall Shortest WVO Roadtrip to date.
    • Interesting Fact: The Passat incurred a catastrophic turbo failure only 211 miles into the journey, which forced us to spend 2 days searching for parts in Milwaukee.
  • 2008
    • Nicknamed “[First] Alaska Trip”
    • Total Miles Driven: 8934 miles (14378 km)
      Total VO: 170 gallons (644 liters)
      Total Diesel: about 28 gallons (106 liters)
      Average mileage: 45.1 mpg (19.2 kpl)
      Total Duration: 13.26 days
      Average miles-per-day: 673.7 miles (1084 km)
      Average velocity (including rest): 28.1 miles per hour (45.2 km per hour)
      Monetary savings with VO (assuming US$4.99 per gallon Diesel): US$847.68
    • 1998 VW Jetta TDI
  • 2009
    • Nicknamed “Quebec Trip”
    • 1996 VW Passat TDI
    • Total Miles Driven: 4788 miles in 9 days
    • Interesting Fact: First time we ate Poutine.
  • 2010
    • Nicknamed “Yellowhead Trip.”
    • 1998 VW Jetta TDI
    • Total Miles Driven: 7195 miles in 13 days
    • Interesting fact: Originally planned as an attempt to drive the entire Trans Canadian Hwy west of Thunder Bay, the trip was completely detoured mid-trip when a Manitoba visitor center clerk suggested we take the Yellowhead Highway instead, due to the main highway being catastrophically washed out near Medicine Hat.
  • 2011
    • Nicknamed “Appalachia Trip.”
    • 1996 VW Passat TDI
    • Approximately 4624 miles driven
    • Interesting Fact:  Glenn asked the staff at Subway if “Italian B.M.T. stood for ‘Big Monster Turd.'”
  • 2012
  • 2013
    • Nicknamed “Prudhoe Bay Trip.”
    • 1988 Ford Diesel Van
    • Total Miles Driven: 12502 in 19 days
    • Interesting Fact:  Supposed to be our retirement to WVO roadtrips, but that didn’t last long.
  • 2014
    • 1988 Ford Diesel Van
    • Approximately 4582 miles driven
    • Shortest WVO Roadtrip with the Veggie Van
    • Interesting Fact:  This trip had a lot of issues with bladder control.
  • 2015
    • Nicknamed “Labrador Trip.”
    • James Bay Road, Labrador, Newfoundland, PEI, etc
    • 1988 Ford Diesel Van
    • Total Miles Driven: 13,148 in 18 days
    • Visited Nunavut via Wemindji
    • Interesting Fact: Cod Tongue is supposedly a delicacy in Newfoundland, but it tasted more like a dare.
  • 2016
    • Nicknamed “Churchill Trip.”
    • 1988 Ford Diesel Van
    • Total Miles Driven: 7041 miles (Trip cut short due to mechanical issues)
    • Interesting Fact:  Contrary to most southern Canadians assertions, Thompson is not a ‘shithole.’
  • 2017
  • 2018
    • Nicknamed “Tuktoyaktuk Trip.”
    • 1988 Ford Diesel Van
    • Total Miles Driven: 11815 miles
    • Special thanks to Roger and Winnie in Tuktoyaktuk, and Mike and Skeeter in Whitehorse
    • Interesting Fact:  The overdrive failed in the middle of the Alaska Highway, so we had to drive no more than 55mph for over 3000 miles.
  • 2019
    • Nicknamed “Victoria Island Trip”
    • 1998 Chrysler Town & Country TDI
    • Total Miles Driven:  6495 miles
    • Interesting Fact:  We spent the whole time calling it “Victoria Island” when the proper name was Vancouver Island.

 

 

Planned July 2022 Mississippi River Roadtrip.  

Due to COVID restrictions, we were unable to conduct a 2020 roadtrip.  And since the border to Canada is still shut down in 2021, we are looking for some place new in the USA.  We’re considering taking a drive down the Ol’ Mississipp.  If you live along the river and want to meet up, don’t hesitate to contact us.

2023?

We are planning more trips in the future, but running out of ideas and places in North America.  For 2023, we are still working out where we’ll go.  If you have any ideas, send us some suggestions.

There are plenty of possibilities for future WVO roadtrips, and feel free to contact us if you want to help.  We have been working on shipping one of our vans to Australia to circumambulate the continent all on biofuel.  Another possibility is to ship the Veggie Van or Frankenvan to Vladivostok, then drive the Trans Siberian Highway all the way to Europe.  Then ship the van back to North America through Lisbon, Bilbao, or Saint-Nazaire.  If you live along these paths and want to contribute, email us.  A third option would be to find a willing European that has a diesel vehicle and wants a biofuel system, then we fly to their town, install a kit, and use the vehicle to travel Europe and Asia.  Then the original owner gets to keep the kit.

It’s been a fun project and hobby, and we hope to continue for many more years to come.

 

Copyright Nick Pisca and Glenn Wienke 2022

 

***Including a family excursion to Idaho for the solar eclipse
*Not using alternative fuels
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