Gas Mileage

We just returned from a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Mi.  Aside from the gas mileage, the camping was great.  After all of the responses I heard from each of you it appeared that the only cure for 11 mpg would be slower speed.  My 1^st trip I was trying to keep speed at 55 to 60.  I decided for this current entire trip to try 50 mph pulling my Rpod 171 with my 2009 six cylinder Grand Cherokee.  I averaged 12.4 heading east with no wind and moderate hills.  Coming back the same way but with about a 15 mph headwind I averaged 11.3 mpg.  To sum that up, speed made very little difference.  I had made one other trip on a hilly and curvy road where speed could be no more than 45 and I averaged 13.2 mpg.  Somewhere between 45 and 50 the wind takes over.  Transmission was left in 4^th gear on the 5 speed automatic to ensure overdrive would not kick in and out.  The transmission spent a fair amount of time in 4^th at 1900 rpm with no wind but against the wind or up hills it was in 3^rd at about 2500 rpm. 

At 50 mph you sure can build a line of traffic behind you.  Got to pull over occasionally.

I sent a 2^nd email to Forest River Customer service about the possibility of the Air deflector also asking them for confirmation they were experimenting on the 173.  So far they have not returned the request.  I am going to forward this link to them.

Questions:  Rog-Pod-Ge:  What was your speed.  I am still very surprised that many v8s are also having difficulty pulling the rpod relative to mileage?

            Popgoesweasel:  What automobile and engine configuration are you pulling your 173 with?  Also hilly or flatland? 

Thanks for all the responses, maybe someone will come up with a solution or maybe after gas goes back up to 4.00/gal we’ll do like the guys pulling the big rigs.  Stop camping.  That would be too bad.