Is the price of fuel gonna stop ya?

[gryphon]

Once again it is spring and it is getting warm here in little ol' suwanee jawjaw.
Our thoughts are once again turning towards heading west to the cooler climates of Pagosa Springs.
I just wonder if the price of gas is going to stop any of you from making the planned trips this summer.
I figure it is do or die. So we are leaving around the 13th of may. Taking the airstream of course, the tow vehicle and my jeep. The Dog, the cat and various stuff we will need for our 5 month long stay.
Georgia has some of the lowest priced fuel in the country. (low state tax) I know we are going to cringe everytime we fill up. Should I leave my jeep and be without transportation to save money.
What say you-- you gonna go anyway?

Gryphon

[uwe]

We're going, but staying closer to home. One long trip will take me to Austin Tx on business this summer. I can write that off as a business expense.
Otherwise, 500 miles might be the limit for a while.

[SilverToy]

The cost of fuel WILL influence my choices of trips - to a certain extent. Just like I try to conserve on multiple trips into town, now that the costs are really high again (and going higher!). Guess I should be in that mindset generally, but having 3 kids and hauling them 100% of the time does minimize the mini-car commuter scenario. Wish I could have that Honda 2000!

The price of fuel, will not however, curtail the vacation trips we have planned. "Cost of me livin' my life, baby!" Ain't no way that is goin' to slow me down!!!

I still remember my 4 y/o telling me that "the 4 faces was the coolest dad!!!" Mt. Rushmore last summer.

I AM NOT CUTTING BACK ON THAT!!!!! Talk about 'cool'?!?!!!

Axel

[scf31]

wont slow me down,,,,,, its worth the extra $$ to have some fun our trip milage is less than 500 miles one way, thats not stopin me !!!!

[balrgn]

Camping NO, I will use the truck less to save on fuel however.

[Over59]

They're still driving 75 out there on the Interstate. I'll pay what it cost, just drive slower. I only have a seven mile drive to the office, we aren't mall rats, patron as friends restruant we pass on the way home from the office. A tank of diesel last me three weeks unless I have to go to home depot which is not a planned trip. I'm going to the local intown lumber and hardware store. The 1959 equivalent price would be ...... 3.25 for regular.

[overlander63]

It's definately going to slow us down on trips, and I am not driving the tow vehicle any more than I have to do to keep everything working on it. Currently $120 to fill the tank. Ouch!

[Chaplain Kent]

We will do a lot more camping and a lot less driving. This year I arranged to be the volunteer host at two of our fabulous state parks here in Wisconsin. The month of April we will spend in the Kettle Moraine area at Pike Lake State Park. Then in October when the leaves are at their most spectacular color we will be in Wyalusing State Park on the bluffs of the Mississippi River.

[Pick]

I doubt much will change with us. I have a company vehicle to go back and forth to work, wife only drives 8-10 miles to work in her 30 MPG Chevy Malibu.
I do manage to spend $20 a week in diesel, just running errands in the pickup.

[tpi]

This was one of my considerations when buying a 25' Airstream vs. larger heavier RVs.

I'm set well for high prices w/ 4 cyl. economy car for nearly all commuting, errands etc. and diesel pickup/airstream for travel. The truck and trailer can be coaxed into 15 MPG with careful driving. This is less than half the fuel burned by some RVs.

I"m also considering staying in places longer and moving less. I think many of the places I've stayed, I've just scratched the surface of exploration.

[Silvertwinkie]

We cut back last year, partly in hopes that prices would be down by this summer.

One of the trips we postponed we're gonna do this year. It's about 725 round trip.

I know it's not all up to the oil compaines, that the traders are creating the market and that taxes around here are about .37/gallon, but I gotta say, it's sad when the oil companies are booking record profits for any American company in history when we are paying at or over $3/gallon.

[Mike Lewis]

We will probably spend more time in our AS this year than ever before. DW retired this past June leaving us with more free time. Not having time constrains we can now drive slower and spend more time at places we select. Personally I think the fuel prices will hurt other businesses more than our budget. We have changed our priorities: We eat out very little, spend only on things we need : eliminate RECREATIONAL SHOPPING,; stay in as few commercial campgrounds as possable,:seek out free or inexpensive entertainment: do as much on line business as we can, saving postage and taxes. Basically it's a matter of shifting prioritys and breaking habits which is good regardless of fuel prices.------pieman

[claybags]

It might not stop us, but it certainly slows you down a bit. We work at home , so there's a big savings. We have 8 art shows to do this summer and one photo shoot in Yosemite. That will be the "BIG" one for this year I guess. Even though the Duramax gets good mileage, it still takes almost a hunnerd bucks to fill it!!! Makes you think twice.
About thinking twice...how 'bout the Exxon CEO who will get a $400 MILLION retirement package? Now that is truly disgusting!!!
Cheers, Jeff

[ZoominC6]

I can recall the gas wars of the 60's when you could buy five gallons for a buck! Hasn't slowed me down all these years and doubt it ever will. We're thankful we don't live across the pond and pay their fuel prices. I recall a trip to Moscow four years ago with stopovers in Denmark and Great Britain. We converted the cost from liters to gallons and it was truly amazing how much they were paying while we were only paying a buck per gallon here. If memory recalls correctly, in Copenhagen or London, the cost was around five bucks a gallon and the cost of a car in Denmark was almost prohibitive! The Danes certainly were good bicycle riders. We should consider ourselves fortunate! Roll on and keep the shinny side up.

[bake315]

Well, it's either pay the higher energy costs to run the air conditioner at home, or pay to fill up the truck to go down the road. That said, the combined miles towing this year will probably be well below 5000, and the truck stays in the garage for the most part, otherwise. Our TDI is our daily driver, and though it gets outstanding fuel economy, it still stings a bit at fillup - yesterday to the tune of about $40 for 15 gallons. And that's with diesel prices hovering here between regular and super unleaded ($2.69).

[Porky Pig]

Petunia and I fulltime ... so we don't too many choices.

Our proposed "towing mileage" will be 5,200 this year ... so if diesel hovers around $3 per gallon ... fuel will cost us $1,300 for 7 months of towing. Then we have to factor in "driving around" mileage once we reach our destination.

We toyed with the idea of just parking ourselves at the Washington Land Yacht Harbor for several months ... but we have been there twice in two years ... and we're itching to see the Black Hills.

When we originally set up our budget a little over 2 years ago ... we had diesel priced at $1.50 per gallon. So now that we're spending twice that ... something else in our budget gets cut.

The Bourbon, Beer & Cigar category is sacred ... so it looks like a diet of beans and rice.

[ZoominC6]

Porky, Do you have any idea when you plan to be in the Black Hills? Several Corvette Clubs will be merging there this summer and we plan on being a part of that. We won't be towing, of course, but would love to meet you two.

[GlenCoombe]

Well I for one am not going to travel less....just smarter. I will be looking the golf pros in the eyes and telling them I can't leave until they buy a little more to get me down the road.
I will be watching the vacum guage on the dash a little more. Time to check the tires before pulling out tomorrow too.
I can't wait to see what the profit picture is for Exxon/Mobil this quarter? I find it amazing that the price of gas used to raise and lower based upon the delivered price. Now it goes up based upon the crude price today?? I've always hated 'futures markets' now I drive one!

[gryphon]

so it seems most of us will still go on our planned trip. We will just go smarter. The jeep gets better fuel mileage than the dodge diesel truck so having it will be the smarter thing to do. The Airstream will only be a campground as we prepare our summer home. Gotta clip some branches on the lane so the 'stream can make it through unscratched.
So less trip to town, less eating out and staying put a little more.
Thanks for all the replies.
Personnally I can't wait to hit the roads.

Gryphon

[Holzarbeiter]

We will go on our 12 day summer trip and just stay closer to home for the extended weekend runs.