Trailer MPG experiment, or pickup truck?

[7milesout]

Guys,

I need to make a 145 mile run north to my dad's house to get his pressure washer. I can either:

• Do it in my truck (Dodge Ram) and get ~20 mpg. Or,
• Do it in his truck (which is now my truck, 2003 GMC Sierra) and get ~23 mpg. Or,
• Do it with the Mirage and my 5'x10' utility trailer ... with what I expect would be 35 mpg.

The utility trailer would barely even get used, just holding a pressure washer. I was up there a couple weeks ago and rejected putting the pressure washer in the back of the Mirage. It is holding gas and would have to lay down to fit. So, inevitably there would be a gas leak.

Seems a bit silly to tow a trailer. But if I can get 35 mpg versus 23 mpg with just a pickup truck ... why not?

And, I could experiment to see if I could really achieve 35 mpg towing that empty trailer. I figure that mpg because I fold the trailer's ramp door forward, flat against the floor and strap it down. So the drag is minimal. It would be about 800 pounds of trailer I suppose. Oh, and I relocated the license plate. I zip tied it to the very bottom left corner of the ramp gate. With the gate laid down, it can't readily be seen from behind. With the gate up, it can be seen easily. Not only was it (in)significant drag , but it was bobbing, weaving and flapping in the wind where it is shown in the pictures and eventually that would just break off. So, I decided to move it before I lose it.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Concerns?