fuel prices

[dtcerrato]

How about really long traveled trips for a really long time? Win win? Or lose lose?

[luvrbus]

I am flying to Kenai Alaska to do some fishing for 4 days and no way would I drive for a week to fish lol and 4 days is about all I can stand on the Kenai River and Beaver Creek,I don't care for Kenai much not much different in day time and night time temperatures in that area this time of the year lol 60's beat 114 though

[windtrader]

How about really long traveled trips for a really long time? Win win? Or lose lose?

Dan, There are various reasons people decide to take their bus, financial, necessity, pleasure, etc. Only you can make the call. You have the numbers how much actual direct costs and wear and tear taking the bus up and back. I'd bet a round trip ticket booked in advance would cost less. You hauled a lot of materials and such. Buying local would cost more but you save some by not hauling from one corner of the USA to the other. lots of other factors, you know better than I. Ask yourself when you are a couple days out from the long trip home, was it worth it or not? I think I'd be dreaming being on a plane having a meal, a couple drinks and a movie or two, and being home a bit sooner. The one leg would check the "seeing the country" box. but that is me.

[freds]

Buying local would cost more but you save some by not hauling from one corner of the USA to the other.

Buying local is no longer possible because all the local producers that have been put out of business. Case in point you want cedar shingles for your roof, where are they produced?

Part of it is the shingle slicing machine that enables the production doesn't meet worker safety standards and that it's impossible to design and sell a safer machine because the market can't bear the cost because of cheaper alternatives shipped from X thousands miles away.

Of course Elon Musk's human shaped robot that he is planning to produce could fill in and hey it would never file a workmen's compensation claim until some robot lawyer got involved!!!

If that is ever the case I will become a sniper...

Ok we are all fairly much old farts, how about a separate topic area named "Rants"? And to be politically correct it could be "Male Rants", "Female Rants" and "Other social Rants" LOL?

Ok I am going to shut up for a week....



 

[dtcerrato]

Dan, There are various reasons people decide to take their bus, financial, necessity, pleasure, etc. Only you can make the call. You have the numbers how much actual direct costs and wear and tear taking the bus up and back. I'd bet a round trip ticket booked in advance would cost less. You hauled a lot of materials and such. Buying local would cost more but you save some by not hauling from one corner of the USA to the other. lots of other factors, you know better than I. Ask yourself when you are a couple days out from the long trip home, was it worth it or not? I think I'd be dreaming being on a plane having a meal, a couple drinks and a movie or two, and being home a bit sooner. The one leg would check the "seeing the country" box. but that is me.

A round trip flight even FL to AK booked in advance would be many many thousands of $$ cheaper we already looked into that even with minibus or puddle jumper flights to shuttle us between Tok & Fairbanks (4 hrs. one way). So far this trip we're on now has been all work & no play & it's starting to get to us - especially wifey. After the July 4th holiday we're going to VACATE the working compound and galavant. The strategy is to complete an interior buildout on a tiny structure 8'x8' in the finish two stories - walk in on grade with a sub earth crib under that houses all the electrical, waterwell, septic line, telephone & data cables, & root cellar storage. On grade space has hot & cold running water, sink, shower, toilet, small bed, & tiny wood stove, and a fuel oil furnace.
The first AK trip in 2016 awestruck us to the point where we were going to sell the principal ponderosa in FL & buy a log home kit in Tok AK & have it erected on our 1.5 A parcel.. The 2019 trip we established all the essential utilities - ie: pump down the existing well, hook up power, septic and establish full hook up campsite for the bus. Then we ALL know all roo well what happened between 2019 & now which really has flip-flopped a lot of our priorities. No sale in FL & hunker down then. No large home in Tok AK either but enough up here to be able to fly back in & be self sufficient. Our next door neighbors here in Tok are really great friends and has offered us the use of their detached guest cabin that has everything but running water - it's only 100' from our little "all utilities" shelter. So to end this rant - we set ourselves up to deal with this damned fuel crisis just in case it doesn't get any better. We've driven here 3 times in the last 6 years = three years in between each trip with all trips 6 mo. long. Next year we can fly for a fraction of the drive and there will be a small 4x4 SUV (our 2nd toad) in the garage here waiting for us. No bus

[windtrader]

Glad to hear you are still a sane person with gray mass still sloshing around in that ball stuck on your shoulders. Sometimes that saying "enjoy the journey, not the destination" is now worn out for you folks. LOL

[luvrbus]

We have several friends that make the trip every year Dan from AZ and NV to Alaska and back,enjoy life doing what makes you happy. I haven't been there for years and looking forward to the trip,My trip is like Don's dream trip flying in G lV Gulfstream no TSA to deal with,I am just glad I am not paying for fuel for plane.Enjoy life it is so short

[chessie4905]

In Canada, costs of groceries is pretty high. Even after exchange rate.
If you rent motel, take along hotplate and cook your meals. If you are single, YOU are doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. 10 mpg, what engine/trans/ coach combo are you figuring? also don't forget to factor wear/ maintenance/ insurance costs in the comparasion.

[bobofthenorth]

Melbo where do buy groceries for a 1/5 of the price of a restaurant,we don't do fast food much,Sonja does not eat fast food never has ,me I can do 7-11 without a problem,went to buy a steak to grill last night friggn 18 bucks a pound for steak

You're absolutely right Clifford, rib eyes and t-bones are stupid if you buy them ready to grill but if you're willing to cut your own ....

We buy cryovacced lumps of beef at Costco - rump roasts work well.  Costco often packages them in 20 or 30# vac packs or bigger. Take them home, chuck them in the back of the fridge and leave them there for at least 3 weeks, 4 is better. Then open them up and cut them into steaks and normal sized roasts. I can't remember exactly what we last paid but its below $10/lb or we don't do it. Lower cost per pound and no wasted weight in the bone.

[Van]

Today Mohave County Az.

[chessie4905]

diesel in Tok Ak. is listed at $6.09 / gallon. Currently at Chicken Ak. after crossing top of the world highway which runs for over 100 miles on the mountain tops on packed dirt and gravel road. No guard rails or berms to pull over on, shoulders are soft. Fortunately, traffic is very light. Only were passed or traffic other way about 20 vehicles or rigs. Road was dry and dusty. some 10% grades up or down in places. When we crossed the border, road was nicely paved for about 10 miles, then changed back to dirt. it became narrower, curvier and more potholes and frost heaves. We weren't in a hurry, spent most of crossing at 35 to 40 mph. Took 4 1/2 hours. The views are fantastic, well worth the trip. Truck and tt coverd in hevy dust. Town of Chicken consists of a mercantile, a bar, and a restaurant. three little connected shacks. Not even milk or bread is available here. At least very few mosquitoes. Tok tomorrow.

[dtcerrato]

diesel in Tok Ak. is listed at $6.09 / gallon. Currently at Chicken Ak. after crossing top of the world highway which runs for over 100 miles on the mountain tops on packed dirt and gravel road. No guard rails or berms to pull over on, shoulders are soft. Fortunately, traffic is very light. Only were passed or traffic other way about 20 vehicles or rigs. Road was dry and dusty. some 10% grades up or down in places. When we crossed the border, road was nicely paved for about 10 miles, then changed back to dirt. it became narrower, curvier and more potholes and frost heaves. We weren't in a hurry, spent most of crossing at 35 to 40 mph. Took 4 1/2 hours. The views are fantastic, well worth the trip. Truck and tt coverd in hevy dust. Town of Chicken consists of a mercantile, a bar, and a restaurant. three little connected shacks. Not even milk or bread is available here. At least very few mosquitoes. Tok tomorrow.

Sent you a PM
How was the ferry?!
Safe travels

[chessie4905]

The ferry was fine, but we were in line twice held up while the boat was refuelled and another truck emptied the boats holding tank. Basically a flat bodied boat with a small pilot house. Holds a 40 foot rig with toad and about 6 or seven cars and trucks, couple people, and one or two motorcycles. River moves pretty fast here, so boat ends ub making a large arc getting to other shore, about 500 feet. They have dozers and big pile of dirt on either side to raise or lower dirt ramp according to water level. A little rough crossing from steel deck ramp to dirt. one trip,cthey threw a couple planks down so rear of tt wouldn't drag.
Crossing is free of charge by Yukon govt.