I hear ya on the bicycle!!
What I drive depends on where I'm going,and what I'm doing...if I just want a pickup to cruise in,and carry light loads,I use the 79 C10 2wd--it gets around 13-15 mpg with its 305/th350,not too bad for a full size gas powered truck--but its my "puff" and I try not to use it for hauling scrap or beat it up much,although I did help a guy take a tin shed to the dump in it saturday to make a few bucks--my other truck still had the plow on it,I was too lazy to take it off,and the rear brakes are dragging...
The "other" truck is my 82 K20 with a 6.2--its a workhorse,it plows the yard,makes me a few bucks plowing others driveways,--its a stepside,so the bed isn't that big compared to a fleetside,it has a toolbox that wastes a few feet of the bed too,so I cant fit that much into the bed...I love the diesels mileage,it can get up to 20mpg empty,and not much worse loaded down or plowing with it--but 2.35 a gallon for diesel sucks--not much savings anymore..
I also recently got a 95 Ford Contour with a 2.5 V6 automatic,I havent driven it a whole lot yet,but I got 25mpg with it on a trip last weekend--looks like I might be using it a lot more as gas prices go higher...
I have thought about getting a motorcycle,but I dont feel safe on anything around here without a cage around you!--I had a diesel VW Jetta that I loved,the 43mpg was great--but I felt like the other guy who sold his honda--I too felt like I was driving a Go-Kart instead of a car,and was terrified by all the 18 wheelers in it!--even the "Contour" isnt that big a car,and it feels like your on a skateboard,inches off the ground,compared to my trucks!--.
I might end up on a bicycle with a briggs and stratton bolted to the front forks if I dont find a decent job soon!..hard to keep all theese vehicles on the road without steady income...
