fuel prices.

[packnrat]

so how has people been able to do most anything with the cost of gasoline/diesel these days?

today in stockton, ca. no gas prices under $6.usd most above $6.50 a gallon. diesel well over $7,usd a gallon.

at my income now, this has put a halt to all unnecessary driving. no starting up the truck unless i have multiple stops to do on each trip.

traveling is a no-go now.

[bigjim]

It is not fun but as long as I can get at least the minimum I need and can pay for it, I think I am still pretty good. We sure are not the first folks that ever had to make adjustments due to circumstance.

 

I still gripe some just like everyone else.

Edited June 9, 2022 by bigjim

[rpsinc]

Sorry for your plight.  I guess we all have a different tipping point that we must know and recognize.  Its becoming a more delicate balance each day, it seems.

[bruce t]

Here in Australia we always envied the price of fuel in the USA. If $7.00 a gallon is correct then everything has changed. So doing a rough conversion, litres and exchange rates, that's 2.60 a litre. We are paying $1.90 a litre. Me thinks there is a political agenda mixed in US prices.

[Ray,IN]

4 hours ago, bruce t said:

Here in Australia we always envied the price of fuel in the USA. If $7.00 a gallon is correct then everything has changed. So doing a rough conversion, litres and exchange rates, that's 2.60 a litre. We are paying $1.90 a litre. Me thinks there is a political agenda mixed in US prices.

During the Asia conference President Biden said,

[DJohns]

4 minutes ago, Ray,IN said:

During the Asia conference President Biden said,

The last line of the conference report says it all.  Back in the 70's there was a gas shortage.  Generally, you have always been able to get all the gas you want. If the government would get out of the fuel and farm business you would get what you pay for.

[RV_]

[hemsteadc]

When this happened a few years ago I put my concern point at $8 per.  Now that I'm older and realize my days of hauling around a 5th wheel are numbered, I don't care if it's $10.  The big upside to that is it may become a whole lot easier to find a campsite.

 

[Danfreda1]

We just filled the hdt up in Idaho falls for 5.70 tsd price. $1.08 per gallon more than we did at the same truck stop this time last year. Did notice that at the last two boondocking spot there were fewer campers. Don’t like paying the extra but it’s worth it to us to get out and see THiS country and spend time with friends we’ve met traveling and making more. 

[bruce t]

Without getting into politics a quick look back a few months and you can see this fuel crisis coming way before the Ukraine crisis. Ukraine is just an excuse. Sure it hasn't helped but it's not the core reason for our current energy crisis.

Australia is the top coal exporter in the world. One of the top gas exporters. And uranium. Yet we have a power crisis. Train loads of coal pass by coal fired power stations that are short of coal. Why? States that have blanket bans on exploring for gas. Just like fuel prices the politicians stuck their big noses where they don't belong. And as usual got it wrong. Ideology is your enemy. Not the fuel companies.

They even took away my plastic straw. Now I have to fight with a soggy paper one. Thank god I'm getting too old to worry!

 

[RV_]

The Ukraine is cited by the CEOs of the companies. Please no need to get political. I have grand children I would like to have reasonable energy costs, clean air, and renewable resources. So saying we are too old and it won't affect us or affect us for long is just not something I can support.

If I ever get my Rivian delivered it is a benefit to have less crowded campsites/RV parks. I hadn't thought about that.😁

So here is an excerpt from the article the above picture came from with Oil CEOs saying it is the war in the Ukraine. Rather than start arguing or attacking if you disagree just show your links.

Excerpt:

"Shell made $9.1bn in profit, almost three times what it made in the same period last year, while Exxon raked in $8.8bn

Ben Van Beurden, chief executive of Shell, said that the company’s performance “has been helped by the macro and the macro has been impacted by the war in Ukraine”. He added that this situation means “we do have a better company, we do have a better performance, and yes indeed our shareholders will benefit from that as well”.

Murray Auchincloss, BP’s chief financial officer, said in February: “Certainly, it’s possible that we’re getting more cash than we know what to do with.”

Climate campaigners, however, have called the profits “obscene” and argued that the provision of fossil fuels would not be so lavishly rewarding if governments had acted properly to confront the escalating climate crisis.

“The greed of these companies is staggering,” said Lori Lodes, executive director of Climate Power, an advocacy group. “We’ve heard their executives bragging about how much the agony of inflation and the tragedy of the war in Ukraine has allowed them to raise prices. These profits are going right into their pockets.”

While the oil companies contend that they do not themselves set the global price of oil, the surge in profits is jarring given scientists’ warnings that the world should be rapidly phasing down its use of fossil fuels if it is to avoid unleashing catastrophic heatwaves, drought, sea level rise and other worsening consequences of the climate emergency."

Source with lots more:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/13/oil-gas-producers-first-quarter-2022-profits?

Edited June 9, 2022 by RV_

[Kirk W]

22 hours ago, packnrat said:

so how has people been able to do most anything with the cost of gasoline/diesel these days?

The subject was dealing with the prices not our opinions about why they have gone up. 

We will be leaving on Monday for our trip to Escapade in Lebanon, TN, followed by a visit to Radcliff, KY for a week or so and then probably back to TX. That 3 week trip is going to be about 1700 miles and with diesel prices now over $5/gallon pretty much everywhere and still rising, For purposes of estimating fuel costs I'm using $6/gallon but we will pay what we must. For us that looks like somewhere between $800 and $1000 depending on where the prices go between now and July. Since we have doctor appointments we must be back for those but we may head back out later in the month. We have shortened our planned distances as we had considered a trip to northern MN, but that has been dropped.  

What are others doing at this point in time?

[bruce t]

There's more that can be done to help the hip pocket. I recently watched a video of an American couple driving from Denver to Alaska. They have a camper almost the same as us. They drove at 75mph and used over 17ltr per 100k. We drive at 60mph and get just over 9ltr per 100k. 

So? So we can complain all we like about who or what is responsible for current prices. But there is a lot we can do ourselves to take away some of the pain. Slow down. Have shorter days. And remember why you purchased an RV in the first place. "To relax and enjoy life".

 

[Danfreda1]

Fuel was the cheapest in Kansas. We traveled from Tennessee to Idaho getting to Idaho today 4.70 tsd price

[sandsys]

6 hours ago, bruce t said:

They even took away my plastic straw. Now I have to fight with a soggy paper one. Thank god I'm getting too old to worry!

I bought silicone ones with storage cases so you can take them with you. On Amazon search for Sunseeke Silicone Straws Set

Linda

[RV_]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

I bought silicone ones with storage cases so you can take them with you. On Amazon search for Sunseeke Silicone Straws Set

Linda

We have stainless straws like these: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/outset-10-1-2-stainless-steel-straight-straw-with-brush-and-bag-pack/71476625.html?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=71476625&utm_campaign=tabletop_connexity_pla

 

[bruce t]

How healthy are 're usable straws? How do you clean and carry your straw while out for the day? 

I'm all for cleaning up our environment but how about cleaning up those who drop straws? It's a person problem. Just like fuel use. We can change things by changing our habits and not being told by others what we can and can't do. 

 

[Ropeshaft]

10 hours ago, Kirk W said:

The subject was dealing with the prices not our opinions about why they have gone up. 

We will be leaving on Monday for our trip to Escapade in Lebanon, TN, followed by a visit to Radcliff, KY for a week or so and then probably back to TX. That 3 week trip is going to be about 1700 miles and with diesel prices now over $5/gallon pretty much everywhere and still rising, For purposes of estimating fuel costs I'm using $6/gallon but we will pay what we must. For us that looks like somewhere between $800 and $1000 depending on where the prices go between now and July. Since we have doctor appointments we must be back for those but we may head back out later in the month. We have shortened our planned distances as we had considered a trip to northern MN, but that has been dropped.  

What are others doing at this point in time?

Our RV-ing the past several years has been renting a Class C. This fall we have a 3-week trip planned and we are estimating 489 gallons of gas. Originally for estimating purposes I had gas at $4.00 per gallon. Obviously that figure is out the window but no matter what it is, I can deal with the price. My larger concern is if we encounter a shortage since I can’t do anything about that.

[Kirk W]

[duraduk]

Another thing to worry about!  DEF Shortage......  https://marketrealist.com/p/def-shortage/

[RV_]

8 hours ago, bruce t said:

How healthy are 're usable straws? How do you clean and carry your straw while out for the day? 

I'm all for cleaning up our environment but how about cleaning up those who drop straws? It's a person problem. Just like fuel use. We can change things by changing our habits and not being told by others what we can and can't do. 

 

 

8 hours ago, bruce t said:

How healthy are 're usable straws? How do you clean and carry your straw while out for the day? 

I'm all for cleaning up our environment but how about cleaning up those who drop straws? It's a person problem. Just like fuel use. We can change things by changing our habits and not being told by others what we can and can't do. 

 

Here's another link to stainless steel straws that are inexpensive, and come with both silicone tips so lips don't get too hot or cold and the cleaning brush. So long as they are allowed to fully dry they are sanitized. If in a humid environment a .22 pistol patch can be used to dry them initially before airing out. Or like mine I just rinse them really well and air dry. However save for restaurants we do not use straws and we usually do take out and have our Tervis cups. Adult sippy cups! 😊 But you have to click n the link to see: SS Straw kit

[RV_]

I am really sorry for folks that have had these horrendous prices severely impact your lifestyle. When we were full-timing diesel was $1.50-$2.50. That was before we took a break from retirement much later 2005-2009 and were living on our military retirement only. We did retire and go full time at my age 45 and Lynn two years younger. We had already been fortunate in our money handling and could handle it now but are almost complete in transitioning away to electric vehicles from being hostage to the oil companies and stealerships. We had a 2X 2X 2 rule. in our seven years of full-timing we almost never traveled more than 200 miles in a day, we always stayed at least two days for a day to rest and a day to explore the surrounding areas, and then we left early enough to arrive by 2 pm before the rush to find a space for the majority who like us did not make reservations. That kept us out of morning and evening rush hours, and only a couple of times did we have to try a second park because the first was full. I believe it may be tougher today than 1998-2003. 

I am glad we did it when we were young enough for any physical activity like hiking down and back up the Grand Canyon, and hiking glaciers. And we could do it with a paid for truck and 36 foot HitchHiker fiver on our military pension.

I'll see you folks on the road when my Rivian R1T comes in or if the Cybertruck (CT) becomes available and in production with the two new factories coming on line first we will cancel our Rivian order and get the CT. We never drove more than 200 miles in a day before but every RV park is a great overnight charging station if it has 30 or 50 amp. So no fueling stops enroute to the next park. We are not going full time again so a small lightweight fiver like our last scamp may be perfect for max range of about 200 miles towing. So on topic we are planning on dealing with the oil industry price gouging by avoiding it entirely. While full-time we had a family owned home base in Louisiana with a full hookup RV site we built in the country. 1998-2003 there were no smart phones and few of us did more than one cell phone, we had none until after we came off the road.

I agree that the only way to deal with it is to get near friends/family and hunker down longer and do more at destinations. We could have done two months more at the Grand canyon and the great national parks like Glacier, Yellowstone and Yosemite. Even we were in to much of a hurry. But today we would have to travel once a months and budget that, and we would have to do monthly rates and, gasp, make reservations to be sure, even though we would still do the 2X2X2 rule. The supply of electric light duty trucks unfortunately won't be enough for at least another year to meet even close to demand. So this year with these prices EV tow Vehicles are pretty much out unless you got one of the first Rivians. The majors have all shut down 2022 orders in the last last month or three.

There are really only two solutions, with variations like cruises/international travel/work camping to augment income and use less travel fuels., if you want to stay on the road full-time -

Pay more or stay more. Good luck!

Safe Travels!

Edited June 10, 2022 by RV_

[2gypsies]

Some things to do to try and even out the rise in fuel: 

drive slower - the faster you go the quicker you will burn fuel; use cruise control

get off the interstates and travel the secondary highways so you're driving slower - and seeing more

no excess idling, jackrabbit starts or driving aggressively

check tire pressure

replace air filter before the trip

touring a big city? - take public transportation and walk more - leave the car behind

stay at bare bones parks or boondock on public lands

curb eating out

don't do things that require admission fees

[RV_]

2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Some things to do to try and even out the rise in fuel: 

drive slower - the faster you go the quicker you will burn fuel; use cruise control

get off the interstates and travel the secondary highways so you're driving slower - and seeing more

no excess idling, jackrabbit starts or driving aggressively

check tire pressure

replace air filter before the trip

touring a big city? - take public transportation and walk more - leave the car behind

stay at bare bones parks or boondock on public lands

curb eating out

don't do things that require admission fees

Excellent advice 2.

 

[sandsys]

18 hours ago, bruce t said:

How healthy are 're usable straws? How do you clean and carry your straw while out for the day?

While out for the day I simply rinse the straw in water after use then put it back in the container that came with it. The straws are bendable so the container fits in a pocket just fine. In fact, I can carry more than one container if I anticipate needing more than one straw. At home I put the straw and container in the dishwasher. I have several so I can wait for the dishwasher to be run before using them again. The ones I bought came with brush for cleaning them but we rarely use it unless we drank something like a smoothie and want to be sure there is no residue left in the straw while waiting for the dishwasher to be run.

Linda