"Have you ever wished you could just chuck it all,
hop in your car and drive from ballpark to ballpark watching baseball games? The gas could get expensive, but what if you
didn't need gas? It all sounds like a fantasy, but for one man, it's a fantasy come true. Each morning, Joe Connor climbs
into his Mercedes and goes looking for two things: baseball and vegetable oil." - WBIR-TV, Knoxville, Tennessee
"Those who think baseball moves along too slowly never have met Joe
Connor. And if you haven't met Connor, chances are you will someday if you attend enough games. The man is constantly on the
move." – Tampa Tribune
"If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane." - Jimmy Buffett, Changes
in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
215 Straight Days, 272 Ballgames, 1 Car Running On...VEGETABLE OIL?
"Ignore
people who say it can't be done." - Elaine Rideout
Well, in 2006, it was done alright - but
it wasn't all a picnic!
The 2006 Bionic Gloves Veggie Power Ballpark Tour saw crazy Joe visit nearly a different North American ballpark
(U.S. and Canada) every day for eight different months of the baseball season, starting March 1 in Tucson, Arizona (first
MLB Spring Training game) and ending October 1 in Anaheim (last day of the MLB regular season).
What went
right? Well, so you can "feel" the thrill of victory and agony of defeat (ok, so maybe not those words exactly, let's
use "joy" and "challenges"), Joe will now speak in the third person (it's okay, he got permission from Rickey Henderson).
Joe drove his 1984 Mercedes converted to run on vegetable oil more than 50,000 miles to 48 states and three Canadian provinces,
raising awareness of alternative and renewable fuels. The fans reaction and support for Joe was awesome, and Joe loves
baseball. To Joe, any day is a good day at the ballpark. And Joe was at a different ballpark every day for seven
months - can you say heaven? Plus, Joe didn't come home shaped like a pretzel (but he smelled pretty greasy
and some of his clothes were just God awful filthy), and instead lost some trim off his cute little beer belly. All
in all, Joe had a great time, from the World Baseball Classic to the College World Series and multiple Minor League
All-Star games and the MLB All-Star Game. Like Rickey, Joe likes to have fun.
What went wrong? Well, for insight
on this answer, here's Joe's electronic holiday card that was sent to his sponsors last December, thanking
them for their support earlier in the year:
1 New Starter; 1 Faulty New Starter; 1 Long, Miserable Tow; 1 “New”
Starter (Again) That Actually Works (Finally). Mucho Dinero;
1 New Radiator; 1 New Thermostat; 1 Shattered Driver’s Side Window; 1
New Driver’s Side Window; Several New Tires; Several Filter Changes. Mucho Dinero;
1 Broken AC belt in a July Heat Wave with no money to fit it (bruuuuuutal);
1 Incredibly inadequate filtration system provided by a manufacturer that
refused to help out, and shall rename nameless because they're shamless.
What lessons were learned? Joe says plenty - but here are his Top 5 Lessons Learned,
friends and neighbors:
1. It's All About The Filtration
> Running a car on used vegetable oil is only as good as the filtration. Bad filtration=bad results, and last year
Joe too often got bad results (e.g., bad mileage performance). Typically, you need more than one filter to filter out bacon
bits, etc., before it goes into your fuel tank.
2. Not All Vegetable Oils Are Created Equal
> You can't just drive up to any grease trap or any restaurant and get used vegetable oil and expect good results
immediately; Joe's experience last year is a testament to that. For starters, you have to get a restaurant's permission.
Secondly, what kind of oil is it, and what else is in that grease trap behind a restaurant? Was it left open overnight
when it rained? Water is to a diesel engine what kryptonite was to our pal Superman. Did Stanley the cute little
pooch do his business in there? You get the point...
Some of the best vegetable oils are soy or canola oil or straight vegetable oil because they have a lower gel point and
are "thinner" oils versus lard, shortening and partially-hydronated vegetable oil that are all best avoided.
3. How Much Time Do You Have?
Turning used vegetable oil into fuel is not like driving up to your neighborhood gas station and
filling up in a snap. It takes time. Consider you have to A) invest the time to make sure a restaurant has the
right kind of vegetable oil noted above B) invest the time to have a restaurant actually agree to let you take the used vegetable
oil (or find one that will) and C) you have to invest the time to filter the used vegetable oil.
A, B and C all take time.
A is usually very easy, but not always; typically, you just ask the restaurant what kind of vegetable they use (ask the
manager or a kitchen employee). They'll probably look at your funny, like you're from outer space, basically. But what
they may not know, and what you may not know, is what else might be in the used vegetable oil besides used
vegetable oil (e.g., water, contaminates, etc.). Ask questions.
B - based on Joe's experience - can also be challenging. In 2006, typically, but not always, Joe found
chain restaurants less willing to allow him to take any oil whereas local establishments were more open to it. You can imagine
after being politely rejected more than three times at three different restaurants, how this can be discouraging!
C is the most important aspect, and can be the most time consuming.
Fortunately, Joe has had a good relationship with a restaurant in San Diego that has been kind enough to allow him
to turn there used vegetable oil into fuel. And they make one mean taco! When you visit America's Finest
City, be sure to stop by LimonZ and visit them online for directions and more at
www.mexicantaco.com
Are you a restaurant owner, manager or employee with some used vegetable oil you could spare for
Joe during the Green Power Sports Tour? Joe would be grateful. Please email him at
baseballjoe12000@yahoo.com.
4. It Can Be A Messy Proposition
Even if you are the neatest, tidiest person on planet
earth, expect to get your hands dirty - and greasy - a lot. Used vegetable oil is like glue - it sticks to everything!
Inevitably, you will get messy, especially changing filters. Don't wear your favorite shirt or dress while filtering!
5. Bottom line: it's a lifestyle change
Deciding to run a car on used vegetable oil is a complete lifestyle change from visiting your neighborhood gas station.
Instead of the fuel being cleaned for you (and you paying around $3+ USD per gallon), you are cleaning your fuel. Yep, you
get what you pay for. If you're not committed to the lifestyle change, you should think twice about investing your time
and resources into doing it. But there are many other ways you can help you and your fellow citizens by going green,
from running a car solely on biodiesel to hybrid cars, solar paneled homes and offices, and much more. The
Internet is full of great resources. Hey, you made it to this site didn't you? So go for it. Go Green. And tell your neighbors,
too.
