We've had some pretty serious discussion here lately.
About what... You ask?
Well, it wasn't all that long ago that Christy and I had saved up enough money to buy the pop-up Coleman tent trailer. And our intentions were to own it, use it, abuse it, and drive over this country and back again - not just once - but as many times as we possibly could. AND to drag the girls (even kicking and screaming) with us each time.
You know...
When you have an itching to do something, and you just want to keep doing it again, and again, and again.
That's how we feel about being out in the countryside. After you see some of the gorgeous places that God has created across this country, you can' help but feel it. And we had finally achieved the method of getting out and doing it - pretty self-sufficiently too. So we were pretty happy to have the things we had.
And then...
Gas prices started going up. And they continued going up. And they've hit $4 per gallon.
And we're sitting here thinking...
Now - even if we wanted to go out on a camping or hiking trip with our trailer - we can't really afford it anymore. It's getting to the point, where you have to seriously consider not even going on short weekend trips - because gas prices are so bad.
So then the question moves to...
OK, since we're not really gonna be able to afford gas to drive to Mt. Rushmore, or Yosemite, or Death Valley, or the Florida Keys, or Moab, or Washington D.C., or Niagara Falls, or ___________ (you name the killer national park, or sweet camp site anywhere in the U.S.) anymore - do we, then, need to sell the trailer and get rid of it completely?
Basically - even to have that discussion - SUCKS, and is quite depressing! I can't believe we've already come this far, this fast. We haven't even been in Florida 1 year, and we've already come full tilt to this level of CRAPPY economy.
It's astonishing! Seriously! Who is running this country into the ground? It makes me sick to even think about the possibility of NOT being able to travel the U.S. again someday.
Maybe even scarier...? I'm not sure, but the thought of possibly NOT being able to afford moving out of Florida someday, scares me a little bit. After moving here, and living here awhile, that's a tad bit frightening.
Anyhow, I just wanted to share some thoughts of where our discussions have been wandering recently.
I don't think we're there yet...
But if things keep going the same direction, eventually you become faced with the inevitable possibility of these conclusions.
It's pretty sobering.
Al
1 comment:
Well, sir, I feel your pain.
Our sabbatical plans for next year: Take the 5th wheel from Oregon, to Washington DC, Mass., Virginia, possibly Georgia, then back again.
But when we realized that we'd be paying 30% more per gallon, we started to doubt the dream.
However, we think we can still do it.
Gas in the truck is trending upwards towards $0.40 to $0.50 per mile. Take 3000 miles each way, plus the east coast, and we're talking $4500 in Gas! But it still cheaper than flying and paying for hotel, restaurants, and rental car for 7 weeks!
Dude, just suck it up, save your money, visit the east-coast mountains and northern beaches, and do it. Then take pictures, blog about it, and make your money back. :P
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