Alaska

[mitch5252]

:shock:

I'm just happy it's not religion or politics...

..

[Carolinagal]

VERY WELL SAID Laura !!! Our lives are our choices. I am one who lives on S.S. I have found with my age that I want to travel more and not have the expense of a Stick and brick house and the upkeep. So, I am selling everything, not many more years, I won't need any of it anyway. So "I" have chosen to change my life to better afford what I REALLY WANT to do. No more setting home part of the yr. wishing I was on the road and wasting money doing anything and everything to make my life more interesting to me while I set home, reading of others adventures, that I so want to do. Without the expense of this house, I will better afford what i REALLY WANT TO DO. life is all of our own choices. We need no excues, there is no excuse for WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. We have no idea how many yrs. we have , so WE NEED TO MAKE CHOICES THAT ARE RIGHT FOR US.

There are no excuses except for those we make to make ourselves believe this is why we can't do what we really want. The thing we need to really figure out is WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT TO DO IN OUR LIVES, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR US AND LEAVE ALL OF THE EXCUSES TO OURSELVES OUT OF THE EQUATION.

Sorry to keep this going, but I firmly believe that our lives are our own choices. If we are healthy and can do , money, gas, nothing matters, you do what you need to, to do your thing.

The Alaska trip , I am still looking for the money for some of it, Like Tina, its something we are working at, with the DETERMINATION that this is a once in a life time chance and we are going !!!!!! My age is a factor in my not delaying SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO DO. Not an excuse, a FACT.

Gas is going higher, it will always climb higher, never lower, I have lived from the time it was 35 cents a gal. to what it is now, and it will be higher so we need to do what we have to , to do any kind of traveling we choose for ourselves. So make your own choices , Ladies, no one else can for you.

Have a great day, doing your own thing,

CArol

[BirdbyBird]

I am trying to find my calculator so that I can figure out how many bottle/boxes of wine Mitch has to go without to pay the difference in the gas cost.....

[mitch5252]

I am trying to find my calculator so that I can figure out how many bottle/boxes of wine Mitch has to go without to pay the difference in the gas cost.....

Approximately 20 boxes. Heck, based on that, I'm stayin' put!!
Let's see - wine OR gas...not a tough choice...

..

[Pooker]

Hmmm, Tina - let's see, we don't seem to mind paying $15/gal for wine, but balk at $4/gal for gas. Hmmm

Okay: 1) If most of us were in this lifestyle to save money we'd all be camping in tents.

2) I'm not a full-timer, so my cost per camping night is astronomical! When I consider RV loan payment, upkeep, fuel, camp fees, and membership fees, it certainly is cheaper to stay at home. However, I want to GO! I only have what is left of this life to live the dream. Is it expensive? You betcha! Can I afford it? So far. When I can no longer afford it I will have to reconsider my decisions. Downsize or get an older rig that's paid off. Go less often or not as far. Over the years I have traveled with friends who have $250,000 rigs and others who had pop up trailers. We all enjoyed the same waterfalls, same mountains, same fresh air, etc.

But remember gals, I've already done a lot of the traveling you all hope to do. And, yes, gas was cheap then, but so was the income. We had to face many of the same decisions we're facing now. Anyone remember the energy crunch in the 70's? Wasn't even a matter of how expensive the fuel was - it was whether you could even get it or not.

If you really and truly want that dream trip, do what you have to do. Backpack and bicycle your way, if necessary. Team up with someone to share expenses. It's not about pitting ourselves against each other. It's about what is important to YOU!

Pooker

[BirdbyBird]

Thanks, Pooker......I figure that Mitch will come around. Notice that she really didn't state her answer and since she doesn't actually know the cost of the gas....I say risk it. (...she also knows that some of the rest of us with share our supplies with her!...Well maybe not 20 boxes all at once. We might have to ration her. She will be driving! )

[longdog2]

Mitch's post on the difference in the actual cost incurred if gas goes up makes it much easier to understand what everyone is saying. When you are already planning on $4000, a couple hundred added is not as huge as what you would think. Gas is never going to cost what it did when most of us were growing up or when we were in our 20s. We should have traveled back then when it was cheaper. Ten years from now, do you want to still be looking back and saying I should have traveled in 2011 because it was cheaper then? Everyone understands that many are living on fixed incomes. One should definitely live within what funds they have available BUT you still have to choose whether you want to travel a longer distance or spend that gas money traveling 40 or 50 miles frequently just to check out nearby parks or go for a drive. It is a choice.

I see some saving their money for a bigger purchase they want to make and I see those who spend every nickel as they get it and then lamenting that they don't have any money. It is a choice. And please don't anyone come back and say well I have to eat because I am not talking about someone who is spending every cent as they make it on food. Whole different ball game! I am only talking about when you have a choice to make. Those who choose to travel should not have to justify or feel guilty for making their choice either.

[JoanE]

My point was that each of us knows what we can afford and what is important to us. Too many spend beyond their means. If someone says that the cost of gas impacts their travel plans who are any of us to say that is just an "excuse". Talk about arrogance. It is a reality. If you want to travel. If that is your priority. If you can afford to do it. Then aren't you lucky. But don't put down someone else who says that the price of gas matters. The price of gas matters. The price of food matters. The price of medical care matters. The price of insurance matters. It all matters. Frankly I applaud someone who knows what they can afford or not. So it's only an extra $500 if the price of gas goes up. That may be $500 they don't have and what about the other $3000 it's going to cost. I don't think telling them to hang up their keys is the answer. I think knowing what you can or cannot afford is the smart thing. That is just smart money management.

I may have decided that traveling the US in my RV was my priority. I may have decided to sell my home and all my possessions to do it. If you didn't make the same choices that I made, I respect your choice. I respect your situation. Stay close to the grandchildren? I wish I had grandchildren that I didn't want to leave.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to live out your dreams, whatever they may be, then show some respect and charity for those who cannot. With unemployment as high as it has been for several years, I think there are a lot of people out there wishing they had an extra $100, $200, $300, $400, $500. Count your blessings if that is not you but don't criticize someone to whom it matters.

[Bethers]

I hate keeping this going - but have to agree with Colleen that those of us who travel shouldn't be made to feel guilty about that either. I said over and over - do what is right for you for all the reasons. Don't criticize us for doing things. And much of what many of us are trying to say - and what isn't being understood - is that this doesn't have to be MORE expensive, even with the price of gas. Why can't anyone understand that's what I'm saying. I'm not putting anyone down for not traveling - but I'm not accepting the reasons - because having done this 7 years, I know where and what the expenses are and can be. And I do this on way less money than most of you can imagine. And, believe me, I can always use an extra $100 let alone $500. I also watched Jean (Sparkle) do this on a similar to my very low budget (actually more than mine) - entirely on her ss and a few workamping jobs - where she paid entirely for her rv's with cash and she was my (and many others) idol.

I don't believe I've called anyone names to say anything I've said. If I did, I apologize now. But I've felt like I've been called names over and over for my beliefs. People, we all have different beliefs - and that's fine - that's what makes the world go round. But name calling is never necessary. I certainly do not feel arrogant and do feel I know what I can afford. And respect is a two way street.

Now, I have some powers - and hate to use them - but I'm hoping this is going to die a natural death soon. And I readily admit I've kept it going as much as anyone else. Somethings hit a hot spot with me. Who'd of thunk a talk about traveling to AK could end up being as scary as talking here about religion or politics?

Would anyone like to start a new thread on the trip to Alaska - and maybe we'll let this one just die. A quick death would be nice

[rvgrammy1953]

AMEN...