How will gas prices affect your camping?

[EricMeyer]

Will the rising gas situaton affect your camping? I myself am currently looking for a different tug. Not necessarly because of gas prices, mostly just for upgrade and comfort. But milage will certainly be a factor. How will other folks out here change your style. i.e. camp closer to home? Also what are your tug suggestions for a front bath S-13, (IMO must heavier than no bath)

[Christi V.]

i had posted on 'old subject' about gas.. but again i dont stray to far from home... just to get away from the house, phone, puter is good enough for me... a few days of peace and quiet is what i like. its even expensive to head to the beach which is probably 80 miles away.. i call that a short trip....
The closest campground is 15 miles so I may try to go there a a couple times this yr....

[Byron Kinnaman]

I don't think I'll let the cost of gas slow down my outdoor recreation activities. But, I'll probably stop buying things like computer software that might not use, eat at home or in the trailer instead of going out, reduce treat foods, reduce new clothes purchases, reduce tool purchases. Cut any and everyplace else but gas.

[Mike Watters]

Most of our camping is done as weekend trips. I take one of the big kids - leave the other home with Mom and the little kids. We think it's nice for them to get some one-on-one time. Anyway - the goal of the trip is different with the different kids. My daughter wants to do outdoorsy things like fishing and hiking. My son mainly just wants to swim, watch movies and play video games back in the trailer. Either way - we're not really all that highly motivated to take REAL long trips. We pretty much keep it fairly close to home, no more than a 3 hour drive usually.

Sooooo.... The increase in gas prices isn't going to have a big effect on us - but that's mainly by virtue of the fact that we weren't traveling all THAT far anyway.

Mike

[Greg A]

We're fortunate for us that we live within about 1-5 hours of where we want to go. People come from all over the world to see our area. One of our favorite places is 1 hour door to door, so gas really has never been an issue so far.

[Pete Dumbleton]

It's amazing how many Driving Daddies believe that a weekend or vacation trip's success is measured in miles, not time spent in campground with family. High fuel costs mean folks will be more likely to find places closer to home that are just as good as the ones further away (the folks who live there used to travel to here!) There will be less time spent in the car and more in the CG.

[Dick & Joanne]

My car will be paid off when I leave for Alaska this summer, so I will just put the car payment into the gas tank.

Dick

[Rick B]

We are here but one day at a time. A friend of mine, close to my age, had a stroke a few weeks back and now has paralysis on his right side, and unable to walk or speak. As long as I am able, I will be happy to travel when and while I can. I don't expect any medical difficulties but one never knows ... If I am stuck in the house at some future date, I will have pleasant memories of camping adventures. If

We bought the new trailer and truck at the latter years of our working career to enjoy the fruits of leisure time that lie ahead!

Rick B

[GeorgeR]

18-20 mpg with Bigfoot and Ford Diesel will have some impact but we should be OK. But, boating cruising trips on San Juan Islands or on Columbia at 2.5 mpg is another story, more planning, towing, or even ferrying will have to happen.

George.

[CarolnJim]

We're leaving California in March for the Texas rally. We will just fill the tank (many times), and enjoy the Casita, the sights, fun, new friends that we make and others that we haven't seen in awhile.

We figure while we are gone, costs go down at home ... gas, electric, water, (eating out), shopping, entertaining friends ... sorta makes up for the higher gas prices... and we will have fun camping and enjoying the good, fun life.

We know Life is Short so we are enjoying while we can.

[Donna D.]

We are here but one day at a time. A friend of mine, close to my age, had a stroke a few weeks back and now has paralysis on his right side, and unable to walk or speak. As long as I am able, I will be happy to travel when and while I can. <snip>
Rick B

This is exactly the reason for keeping a camping journal and taking pictures. So, when the time comes and you can't go out anymore you can relieve those experiences once again through those visual memories!

[Del Chasteen]

We will be on the road May thru September this summer . We did 18,000 miles last year and expect to do at least that this year. I ain`t gonna let those -------`s over at Exxon rule my life .There I said it and I mean it !!!!

[Chester Taje]

I noticed only one Canadian has posted to this thread. I will trade gas prices with almost anyone in the USA mainland. Our prices are higher still. We up here keep going. Its just a fact of life. I will continue to do what i do.

[Donna D.]

It's not only affected my camping, but my entire life. There's nothing left to "combine." I don't take "Sunday" drives anymore, or just cruise over to a friends house... just because. All stops occur between point A and point B (usually to and from work). To fill my truck has gone from about $26 (when new in 2001) to over $60 and while commuting back and forth to work, lasts six working days. I can't justify buying something else for $30,000+ when I know I'm buying my last new tug in a bit more than three years. Sigh.

[Doug Mager]

One Canuck Chuck checking in here with gas just cresting at $1.18 to $1.20/L and the CARBON tax isn't factored in yet, The Trailer Goddess and I still have a full sheet of events to get to this year and the tow vehicle doesn't pass ANY fewer gas stations now than before.....

[Byron Kinnaman]

My steak dinners will consist of tube steaks.

[Joy A]

Well, you can't take it with you so spend it.

Carol made a great point that everything around the house goes down while you are gone on trips. Most noticably for me is the electric bill as the A/C isn't on while I'm gone. That's a hefty chuck of change that is available each month of my trip.

I'm not keen on giving my money to the Oil Companies who are gouging us but that's not going to keep me home.
I figured out that on a 10,000 mile trip @ 13mpg an additional $1 per gallon amounts to about $770. Over one year that means all I have to save is an additional $64 per month or $2.00 per day.

Now when gas gets to $5.00, $6.00 or more per gallon...I might (might) rethink my position. But I doubt it.

[Domenica and Sheila]

Absolutely. Last year we camped for a total of 42 days, the furthest away was Bandon and we had a wonderful time! I expect this spring/summer & fall we will continue to camp fairly close to home and will likely stay longer. We still hope to get to Utah & back to our favorite West Texas – but not this year.

[Rick B]

One Canuck Chuck checking in here with gas just cresting at $1.18 to $1.20/L and the CARBON tax isn't factored in yet,

We are getting a bargain here in Williams Lake at $1.15 per litre

[Frederick L. Simson]

We up here keep going. Its just a fact of life. I will continue to do what i do.

I am continuing to work, and continuing to find time to go out with the Fiber Stream. Life is what one makes of it. I like my career, my Boss and co-workers are friends, and they enjoy pictures of Robert's and My travels as much as everyone here does.