Redwoods Gathering...

[dguff]

Last fall we drove well over 7000 miles round trip from Eureka CA to Lake Bisteneau LA for the Lousiana Cypresswood Gathering. Go Madjack!!We got about 20 mpg with a PT Cruiser. Your mileage may vary. Our gas cost was about $1150 figuring an average of $3.30 per gallon. If we were to go this year the gas cost at $4.00 per gallon would be about $1400, an increase of $250. No way would we miss an event like that or the IRG for an increased cost of $250.

Too many people look at just the total cost and not the increase. If gas goes to $4.50 or $5.00 per gallon you may look back and think you should have taken advantage of the old "Bargain" price of $4.00 to attend a really great event even if it is a long way away. Priceless!

Jerome

[Nobody]

Yeah Linda, we're seriously reconsidering our trip to IRG2.0. My little P/U gets around 17mpg towing the TD under most conditions (except headwind or quartering headwind ). The trip we'd planned was around 6000 mi round trip; that included a few days on the Olympic Peninsula, visit my brother in Klamath Falls, OR, Lenora's sister near Eureka, CA, IRG2.0, & back via Reno/Las Vegas to I-40 & home. Even if we cut out everything except the most direct route to IRG & straight back home, it's still almost 5000mi (4700 give or take a few). That's approx $1100 for fuel alone @ $4 per gal . If we took our planned route it'd be nearly $1500 for fuel. I just ain't sure we can handle that much in addition to normal daily expenses . I'm relatively certain that gasoline prices will average at least $4 per gal & probably more . We've been planning this for 2yrs & we're gonna go if possible but it's lookin' more'n more 'iffy' all the time

[mexican tear]

Drive 55 and you can recover the extra cost of gas. We are going to make about 6000 miles and plan on doing it at 55. May take a little longer, but what the heck, it's "teardrop time".

kai

[Coca Cola Teardrop]

I used the fuel calculator that Mandy posted here.

We are looking $1600 at $4 a gallon. I know we will be using our IRS refund check $1200 so that means we just need to add some to it.
I keep reminding myself that the time at the gathering is already paid for.
I think the biggest thing is convencing Charles that we need to go now or we never will.

Well............Just wondering about everyone else...........I have been planning this trip for almost a year.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that I my upcoming show is profitable enough to make a definate decision. Ya never know. I wanted to purchase a camper top for my truck and said if my last show was profitable enough I would order it and it was. I ordered my camper top the next day.

We'll see.............

Linda

[billnut]

Shuck's don't worry about the price of gas. I can remember.26 per. Gal. with green stamps to boot. My last fill up was $4.03 per Gal. And i'm on a fixed income. No problem just pack more fun per Gal. you only go around once in this life and I would rather die like than
Bill

[s4son]

I was wondering if the price of gas is likely to prevent any of you from going to IRG 2.0.

I have already calculated our gas at $4.00 a gallon. It looks like it is going to pass up $4.00 real fast. We get 10 - 13 mpg pulling a trailer and I'm just afraid we might not make it.

I keep telling myself that gas will never go down so we might as well go but ..............man the price of gas is making wonder.

Anyone else?

I'm still trying to plan the trip and buy things for the trip but I just don't know.


Hey Woody................Thanks for bringing your new truck with a camper top to Beavers Bend. I had been thinking about getting one and up and ordered it 2 weeks ago. I go pick it up Friday.

Linda

I have to admit we are seriously considering passing on IRG this year. We could take several shorter trips for what the gas would cost to go to CA. I thought if gas reached $4 a gallon we would pass. Like you said, it looks like it will go there and higher. It may be cheaper to fly and rent a car but only if you get tickets now before they go up to pay for the airlines fuel. Where's all that cheap Iraqi oil everyone was talking about?

And that economic stimulus check, it will be going toward our $2000 IRS bill. Sometimes you can't win for loosen.

Scott F.

[mandy]

I don't think I can make it to IRG either the gas prices are killing me here at $3.56. How much worse will it get by July? I wish I could go but I just hadn't saved enough to go this year. Maybe I'll save it up so that next time I'll go and with a TD too. Unfortunatly I already paid for a camp ground in CA and now I won't be using it. I wonder if some one could use it and if I can transfer it over to them. I also wonder if I could just give my IRG registration to some one if they want it.

I really wanted to go to but I just can't now.

Laters
Mandy

[sdtripper2]

You all have made points of logic on travel to the IRG2.
Maybe we need to hear from those that have gone to IRG1 for a perspective?
Was it worth their time and costs to go?

I hear and feel the fear of cost for some to travel to heaven ~

Jerome, brings reason and perspective with his observations. I too traveled
to the Bayou to see and experience the MadOne's friends and times. I met
many of you there and feel richer in reality and closer on this forum for
making the trek.

So it is with going to the spiritual state of mind in the cathedral of of the
Red Woods. People will come to this place as the two year planning efforts
heighten in anticipation. Think on the trip as a place to open uP to nature
as the energy of the universe resides in the stillness in this place where
heaven and earth touch. The rooted giants transfer the earth force uP and
the life force of heaven down to the awe of anyone that has stood in their majesty.

To hesitate but for $4.00 or even $6.00 per gallon for we who are older on
the physical plane is to hope for a reduction in costs maybe 2 more years
away. That idea is a pipe dream ~ of delusion. Seize the moment and go
for your first efforts of the dream. Come to the Big Woods where your soul
will find solace, and friendly faces. Be as on a Hero's quest.

All the people who have made plans for this special time have put energy in the right
places. You have to just take the leap of faith. The costs will be; but
will you have two more years to wait and what will the costs be then?

Pay the extra bit as Jerome has suggested now and make uP your mind
that the Joy you will find under the pillars of the Red Wood cathedral will be
sublime for your soul at any price. Resolve now to be enthusiastic and know
the right energies will be there for your growth on any level.


I like Kai's thinking, as we who travel in the time of Teardrop @ 55, live with
the knowledge of more miles per gallon and the well being of living within
the rule of California law for towing a trailer.

Find a place in spiritual growth as the Hero's quest be yours ~
For what cost can you put on the anticipation of entering Heaven?



My share of thinking ~

Steve

[Nitetimes]

As it stands right now we are still planning on being there and I figure my gas is gonna run in the neighborhood of $2k+ for the round trip.
I don't expect it will be any cheaper in 2 years so we're going now!

[asianflava]

As it stands right now we are still planning on being there and I figure my gas is gonna run in the neighborhood of $2k+ for the round trip.
I don't expect it will be any cheaper in 2 years so we're going now!

You may as well go, the price of as just keeps going up. Just think about how much it will cost two years from now when the IRG III rolls around.

[Dean_A]

Steve: That was beautiful man...
High gas prices or no, we'll be there.

[rainjer]

I decided to pay with some gas price numbers. I took the milages on Dean's roster to calculate the cost of gas for everyone combined. I had to make a couple of assumptions. I used an average of 20MPG and I used a gas price of $4.00 a gallon.

Here are some of them:
3970 total gallons of gas round trip.
$31762.30 worth of gass round trip.
$305.41 average per person round trip.

Ken Hill is the lowest cost at $4.80 round trip.
Tom & Sam Berry is the highest cost at $1239.60 round trip.

26 people are paying less than $100.00 round trip.
20 people are paying more than $500.00 round trip.

When I started planning my trip to IRG2.0, I planned on paying $3.75 a gallon on average. For me if the price are $4.00 a gallon it is only an additional $15.00 for the trip. That is about what I pay to drive to work for 2 days.

Jeremy

[Woodyperk6]

Hey Linda
You'll have to go to IRG so I can see your new camper shell. We won't make to Pettit Jean so I guess we'll se you at IRG. Hopefully our gasoline bill will only be in the $1500 to $1800 range.(ha ha) Its a lot of money but if we don't go I will always wish we had. I have three good reasons to go;friends,teadrops & great big trees. I can't wait to get there. This will be a great trip.

[Coca Cola Teardrop]

Hey Woody, I'll email u a picture of the camper but hopefully you can see it in person.

To tell the truth I don't have a second thought about going.
If gas is $1600 and we got $1200 from the IRS rebate then we only have $400 out of pocket plus food etc.

I am still planning. I'll have to sit down and have a serious talk with Charley boy.....
We never had a honeymoon, never been to California, never have taken an extended vacation and we have been married 28 years. If we don't go this year we never will and he will have to live with me in a very bad mood for quite a while

Oh well. I guess I could just load up and go without him. I'm sure someone would help me with the slideout.... I can push it open from the inside if I have to.

I will also be making a trip to Georgia this summer to take my daughter to see a friend that moved. Her mom will probably go too so we can split that gas plus my daughter's car gets about 35 mpg.

OK enough whinning. I'm still planning

Linda

[Woodyperk6]

Hey Linda, the camper shell will come in handy on the trip to IRG. We hope to see Charles there with you.

I figured If we drive 5000 miles round trip at 13 miles to the gallon it will only take 385 gallons of gas. Gas is $3.46 in the DFW area so figured $4.50 a gallonfor the trip. This works out to be $1732.50 for gas for the trip.

We're kinda like you & Charles, we've been married 25 years, spent our honeymoon with her parents in Michigan in Jan.(3days) This will be our first extended vacation & our first trip to California. I have always wanted to see the redwoods.

What's the price of regular unleaded now in California ?