If they can figure out how to put a man on the moon...
Perhaps they'll also be able to figure out how to make a lighter Airstream, so that a smaller engine will be able to pull it so we can still go down to visit the coconut palms ever winter.
As to the question of what will I (& the Mrs.) be doing...we're not changing anything !!!
Yes, (as mentioned) we certainly won't be able to "just wander with the same abandon" as when gas was only $1 per gal, but considering we really only travel down south "to" a destination & then return back "from" the destination...I'd say the cost of fuel is just a fact of life.
Hmmm, yes lot's of pessimism. Let's try and put things in perspective. A few years ago diesel was 1.65 or so a gallon. A 25 gallon tank puts a fill up at 41.25. Today diesel in my neck of the woods can be had for 3.95, that same tank of fuel is now 98.75. So a hundred bucks as opposed to 40$. I am not seeing a huge difference given the overall cost of doing the RV thing.
I would propose that fuel is a relatively small part of the equation. The TV was 32K, the AS was 25K, and its is ~ 1.5k a year to keep it maintained and stored. Fuel is down in the noise compared to the cost of buying into the RV lifestyle infrastructure. So I do not expect any real change in use.
A lot of folks (including the US GOV) were and are living beyond what they can afford and fuel is putting some over the top. Not sure you can do anything about that. It's like a kid eating a bag of candy, he won't stop until he pukes his guts out and next time he'll know better. A lot of folks were grazing at the trough of cheap credit and now we have the gut ache. Only it's adults and they have to decide on their own to step away from the trough.
The US is a great country with great people. I could care less what a bunch of Asian or Middle Eastern citizens think about us as they do not have a leg to stand on. Buy into your country and work to make it a better place rather than run it down. Get involved. It is easy to complain, but it's also easy to make a difference just by making a choice to do so.
If a segment of our population wants to buy cheap Chinese junk, then that is the beauty of a free market. Those same people are also dumb enough to buy that junk over and over as it will keep breaking, maybe they'll learn maybe they won't. My wife and I make it a point to buy made in USA whenever it is possible and it mostly is (sometimes you need to work at it a bit). The quality delta is typically night and day, the US stuff is in general way better (not always). But that is our choice.
I think all of us here on the forum have bought into a classic chunk of Americana. So let's keep our chins up and set the example. The US economy will be back in stride before you know it and that new electric/hydrogen tow vehicle will take you places you never thought possible.
The US is a great country with great people. I could care less what a bunch of Asian or Middle Eastern citizens think about us as they do not have a leg to stand on. Buy into your country and work to make it a better place rather than run it down. Get involved. It is easy to complain, but it's also easy to make a difference just by making a choice to do so.
If a segment of our population wants to buy cheap Chinese junk, then that is the beauty of a free market. Those same people are also dumb enough to buy that junk over and over as it will keep breaking, maybe they'll learn maybe they won't. My wife and I make it a point to buy made in USA whenever it is possible and it mostly is (sometimes you need to work at it a bit). The quality delta is typically night and day, the US stuff is in general way better (not always). But that is our choice.
I think all of us here on the forum have bought into a classic chunk of Americana. So let's keep our chins up and set the example. The US economy will be back in stride before you know it and that new electric/hydrogen tow vehicle will take you places you never thought possible.
I have a small Battery Sales store, and we are being squeezed from both ends....
on the supply side:
The cost of all metals have affected batteries like never before, due to unprecidented escalation of LEAD prices. For example, we saw the market price of LEAD rise over 30% last September! Is there no end in sight? LEAD is heavy and higher fuel prices only add to it's cost to truck it around the country.
Higher fuel prices have caused truckers to add fuel surcharges to deliveries.
We receive price increases on our Copper Cable and cast copper fittings each time we order stock?
Hold on to your seats, consumers...inflation is on the way! Hey, wait a minute...I'm a consumer, too!
On the Sales side:
We sell batteries to three large RV dealers for their new units...the Spring and early Summer months tend to be our busiest...NOT this year...these RV dealers are already hurting...door traffic down, and unit sales way down!
We have had economic 'downturns' in past years, but never have we had a 'slow down' AND high fuel costs...that is the new unknown - high fuel prices!
RV sales depend on customer mobility...if a customer is struggling to just get by with his fuel costs during the week to get to work, he isn't going to be able to afford much to move his RV around on the weekend!
Also, I don't see RV campground owners lowering their rates if they aren't getting the traffic into their parks...maybe they'll even try increasing rates in an effort to keep afloat - or reduce services, who knows?
Boy, I hate to be a 'glass half empty' type person, I've been an optimist all my life, trying to see the best in people...but today's challenges are beginning to 'grate' on me!
With the HUGE profits being enjoyed by the oil companies here in the US, I think it's time our elected rep's step away from their favorite Petroleum Lobby guys, grow some real intregrity, and come up with some meaningful price controls for fuel! Yes, I'm a dreamer...
As long as our oil companies base their sales prices on the world market of oil, instead of their actual costs of production we will continue to get screwed!
Don't forget that the high taxed prices of Tea riled up our fore fathers a couple hundred years ago...can the extreme rise in fuel prices cause another revolution? How high do the prices have to rise before we citizens begin to put pressue on Washington to do something for us...and not just line their own pockets with these oil profits? Do we kick them all out, and get some new guys and gals in office to go to bat for us before the lobbists get to them, or is that impossible?
Yes, you're damn right, I'm taking shorter trips in our RV...the 'fuel factor' has become a LARGE number in our decision of where to travel, or how often!!!
That 'tunnel' looks rather long right now, and I don't think we are even close to seeing the 'light' around all those twists and turns in there!
I am thinking that I may take just two more trips this year. One to the midwest rally, and the other to southeast Indiana to meet up with some friends. I anticipate given current gas prices these two trips to cost me about $550 in fuel alone. Keep in mind I've already spend about $365 on fuel for my round trip to the Louisville area the week before last. So that said, I'd be around a grand in fuel alone for this season. Normally, I'd go on one more longer trip and a few shorter ones, but it is looking more and more like beyond the next two, the others are getting dropped unless fuel costs go down. This would save me about $600 this year. If I took all the trips I normally do, I'd spend about $1500 this season alone. My estimates though are based on $3.49/gallon, so right out of the gate, if prices don't come back down to Earth, I'm already .30/gallon shy on my estimates.
To put in into perspective, before this whole thing got way out of hand, the same trips once costed me about $750.00 or slightly less, when gass was pre $1.75/gallon.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Whilst in graduate school thirty years ago, my wacky roomate pressed on me the awareness of Hubbert's peak. We were both scientists at the time. I was and still am skeptical about the most dire predictions but the general ethic put forward changed how I planed my life out.
Over the years my friends and coworkers cashed in and got bigger houses farther away from work and at the same time got bigger cars with poor gas milage. They bought big heavy RV's that were more like rolling monumnets. More than once Donna and I questioned our minimalist lifestyle and modest participation in the consumer culture. Donna works a mile away from our residence so she drives the Hemi. I live five miles away from work and drive the Lancia which gets 20mpg. As fuel costs take a larger and larger chunk out of our friends take home, we have been less affected.
When we got the Hemi, it was the set up for getting an airstream. We looked hard at the late models. The difference between 5500lbs and 4000lbs became very meaningful for our intentions to do a lot of camping. Hence the decision to purchase a vintage model. I'm exploring methods of lightening up twinkerbell - our 76 Argosy. Carbon fiber to replace the heavy parts but the Argosy is pretty light weight already.
So we have been planing for this time of our life and won't be letting gasoline ruin our fun. Besides, back and forth to yellowstone with the twink is still cheaper than most of the alternatives.
__________________
Donna & Mike
Cowboy up! or go sit in the truck
With India and China both ramping up to put their billions of citizens fully into the hydrocarbon intense modern era, the days of cheap gas, IMHO, are gone for good. Demand is very near to exceeding supply and we all know what that means...
Of course, our gallant leaders leaped right into ethanol as a stopgap. Except, of course, that the ethanol is coming from corn which is causing a rise in food prices. Ouch. When cellulosic ethanol becomes widely available, then we may say some real benefits.
All that being said:
Last year we spent 6 months on the road, traveled a bit more than 16k miles (towing and side trips ) and burned 1288 gallons of fuel at an average cost of $2.98 a gallon ($3850 total).
This year we are getting out late (minor medical probs) so will probably travel half the distance over maybe 4 months with fuel probably around $4 (maybe more). So figure 650 gallons costing $2600 +/-.
Even if we were going to recreate last years trip, it would cost maybe $1300 to $1600 more than last year, or a couple hundred bucks a month.
That is not onerous enough to keep us home. May have to buy cheaper beer but I drink too much anyway....
Great article in this morning's paper. I think some very good things will come out of this mess. One being that Americans will learn how to be more appreciative of the non-material things... such as camping with the family instead of shopping on the weekends and buyimg more crap.
Just returned from a ten day 2100 mile trip to Arches, Canyonlands and Mesa Verde. I get about 9.5 mpg in the MH. Total trip cost $810. (Don't include food since that's the same as at home.) At $81 per day, it's still a pretty inexpensive way to travel and we have all our comforts.
I heard this morning they "project" gas to rise to $200. barrel in the next year.
We have tons of our own fuel in many areas the environmentalists will not allow us to tap .
As long as we are dependent on foreign oil we will pay high prices. We need to tap into our own reserves and be independent!
When was the last refinery built in the US?
When was the last power plant built?
We are way behind the times.
If we were cut off from foreign oil, what would happen?
We need to think beyond the pump.
We should not be dependent on any country for anything.
Whilst in graduate school thirty years ago, my wacky roomate pressed on me the awareness of Hubbert's peak. We were both scientists at the time. I was and still am skeptical about the most dire predictions but the general ethic put forward changed how I planed my life out.
I heard this morning they "project" gas to rise to $200. barrel in the next year.
We have tons of our own fuel in many areas the environmentalists will not allow us to tap .
As long as we are dependent on foreign oil we will pay high prices. We need to tap into our own reserves and be independent!
When was the last refinery built in the US?
When was the last power plant built?
We are way behind the times.
If we were cut off from foreign oil, what would happen?
We need to think beyond the pump.
We should not be dependent on any country for anything.
If 70% of the United States oil is imported, where is the cheap other 30%.
We don't import milk, but that has not stopped milk prices from going thru the roof.
The top sources of US crude oil imports for February were Canada (1.888 million barrels per day), Saudi Arabia (1.614 million barrels per day), Mexico (1.231 million barrels per day), Nigeria (0.982 million barrels per day), and Venezuela (0.927 million barrels per day). The rest of the top ten sources, in order, were Iraq (0.780 million barrels per day), Angola (0.341 million barrels per day), Kuwait (0.261 million barrels per day), Colombia (0.220 million barrels per day), and Ecuador (0.169 million barrels per day). Total crude oil imports averaged 9.514 million barrels per day in February, which is a decrease of (0.486) million barrels per day from January 2008.
Canada remained the largest exporter of total petroleum in February,exporting 2.419 million barrels per day to the United States, which is a decrease from last month (2.586 thousand barrels per day). The second largest exporter of total petroleum was Saudi Arabia with 1.627 million barrels per day.
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