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RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 07:22
Hello all,
In my area of CT gas prices are at $4.00 per gallon or a little more and expected to keep rising. Usually I make the round trip to the Whites quite frequently in the summer to hit some 4k or some easier trails with my mom. However this summer thats not looking likely as even though I drive a 30mpg car, its just going to cost too damn much!! Fortunately for me I have AT trail access about 60 miles away. I will be exploring that more thoroughly this season (before my LT thru hike in july :D)

Anyways, will steep gas prices foil any hiking this year for anybody?

Spokes
03-21-2012, 07:28
Nope, I pre-planned and got a Toyota Prius in December 2010. Best purchased I've made beside my iPad2. It's made it to every trailhead so far and climbed some pretty steep gravel country roads in Ashe County, NC.

Very pleased.

Cheers!

Jeff
03-21-2012, 07:47
Keep those gas prices in mind when you are asking folks to quote a price for a shuttle.

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 07:48
I am anti-prius..but that's a story for another thread :)

coach lou
03-21-2012, 07:55
HP627... I live in Saybrook, and that's still 6 gallons back & forth even in my hot rod Subaru. During fall and winter I was up there[CTAT] every other weekend, working the prep schools, so I could sqeeze in overniters, 3days, or day hikes. I've walked VT & NH, so I am looking south. Carlisle, Pa. is a tankful. I was really looking to knock out some miles before this wild hair subsides!!! If we send more jets to the mid-east, we'll be hiking in Cockaponset State Forest!

Pedaling Fool
03-21-2012, 07:59
I bet not too many hikers will be slackpacking this year:)

Spokes
03-21-2012, 08:12
Slackpacking is like a bad carnival game..... You end up spending a whole lot of money for a very little prize.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 08:18
I am anti-prius..but that's a story for another thread :)

That's what I said too when I owned a Tundra pick-up and then felt the pain of filling it up when getting 15 mpg.

Your comment reminds me of all that stuff my Dad said back when I was a kid:

"Them Japanese cars will never take off in the US."

"Who's gonna pay money for bottled water?"

"Cable TV? Who's gonna pay to watch TV?"

"Coleman. It's the only stove to carry when hiking"

My, my, times have changed.

Nutbrown
03-21-2012, 08:23
HA! I have a 1982 Hyundai Elantra that gets 40mpg AND it won't get stolen at the trail head! FTW

Theosus
03-21-2012, 08:27
All the good hiking places are a hundred miles or more from me. Suddenly my 2004 camry looks a lot better than my wife's newer CRV. It's still in good shape, and that fact that my kid trashed the interior with crayons and koolaid makes it a good choice for hauling crap around. And the tires are half the price, too (not to mention the full size spare instead of the doughnut tire). But gas is still a factor...

Spokes
03-21-2012, 08:27
HA! I have a 1982 Hyundai Elantra that gets 40mpg AND it won't get stolen at the trail head! FTW



Too funny!

moytoy
03-21-2012, 08:51
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Long-Distance-Cycling-Confidence/dp/1579541992

Pedaling Fool
03-21-2012, 09:01
..."Them Japanese cars will never take off in the US."...
Not long after WWII, Japan became somewhat of the world's China, not as big, but they were producing a lot and people generally looked at the stuff from Japan as cheap junk. But now they're a leader in many respects in producing quality goods. I remember when my mom bought a toyota back in the 70's, it was a joke then, but now they're a major company. Much respect for the Japanese.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 09:10
Hey, I still remember tearing apart a metal body toy car as a kid and discovering it was actually stamped out of a Carling Black Label beer can.

garlic08
03-21-2012, 09:11
I'm feeling prescient for planning a X-C bicycle tour this year, self-supported, no driving involved. (See www.crazyguyonabike.com/Garlic.)

I hiked the AT in '08, the last time gas prices rose above $4/gal. That didn't seem to stop folks from slack-packing. I don't know how it compared to years with cheaper gas, but there sure were plenty of happy slackers. I also met a couple from WA state who were day-hiking the AT. Not only did they drive X-C and were driving the length of the AT twice, they were doing it with two cars. I appeared that if you had enough money to hike the AT, the price of gas wasn't going to change your trip much.

I don't even own a car, though I have shared use of my wife's 2007 Prius. Nice car, IMO. (Nicer, at least, than our last 50 mpg+ car, the old '91 Geo Metro.) When I go hiking or volunteering on trail crews around here, I walk or bicycle. I'm fortunate to live close to trails, but it's not all luck--I did sort of plan it that way.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 09:11
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Long-Distance-Cycling-Confidence/dp/1579541992

Been there:

www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ibikefar

I found the cost of food consumed to maintain cycling energy evens out when you correlate it to the cost of petrol per gallon.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 09:22
I'm feeling prescient for planning a X-C bicycle tour this year, self-supported, no driving involved. (See www.crazyguyonabike.com/Garlic.)
...

Can't wait to follow along Garlic. What route are you considering?

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/network.cfm

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 09:29
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Long-Distance-Cycling-Confidence/dp/1579541992

Been there:

www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ibikefar

I found the cost of food consumed to maintain cycling energy evens out when you correlate it to the cost of petrol per gallon.

Indeed. Just spent too much money on a bike and have yet to ride it to work, just recreationally! I have to do a lot of biking and a lot of starving to make up for the cost :)

A motorcycle is an option as they get great mileage BUT it may not be as efficient with a stuffed 65L pack on peoples backs :O

I notice a 3-4mpg difference when I drive 65mph vs 75mph on the highway. That adds up over a week and can be the difference in affording a drive to the trail head.

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 09:44
I am anti-prius..but that's a story for another thread :)

That's what I said too when I owned a Tundra pick-up and then felt the pain of filling it up when getting 15 mpg.

Your comment reminds me of all that stuff my Dad said back when I was a kid:

"Them Japanese cars will never take off in the US."

"Who's gonna pay money for bottled water?"

"Cable TV? Who's gonna pay to watch TV?"

"Coleman. It's the only stove to carry when hiking"

My, my, times have changed.

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

rocketsocks
03-21-2012, 10:37
For me to get to the AT is a 70 mile trek@ about 3.5 -4.0 gal thats about $30-$40 bones a day for a day of hiking,I stick to some local trails that offer me all the AT has to offer except the veiw.I also walk to the library 2M,drug store2M,outfitter3.68M all of these are one way milages and I enjoydoing this....regularly.

RWheeler
03-21-2012, 10:47
I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

I've heard lots of things about how the up-front cost (financially and environmentally) of alternative fuel source vehicles is substantially greater than standard vehicles, but the technology is likely to advance. It needs support to advance, else it will be left in dust like the GM EV1 car from the 90s.

I agree with the 90's 4-cylinder car. I had a 97 Hyundai Tiburon, 5 speed. I got around 37 highway, 33-34 city with that thing with conservative shifting. I miss that car. I'd still have it if some guy didn't blow through a stop sign and t-bone me across the street into a pole. Mechanically that car was sound, and wicked easy to work on when anything went wrong. I had it for 5 years, about 70,000 miles and I had to re-do the clutch once, replace the gas tank once (bottomed out on a frost heave while driving up to Mt. Washington for a day hike once), and had to replace the exhaust header once because I was impatient and didn't let the car warm up on a day that was 12 below.

I'd gladly go for a car like that again instead of something new. Plus I only paid like $40/month in insurance for it because it was tiny and not worth much.

JAK
03-21-2012, 10:55
Not long after WWII, Japan became somewhat of the world's China, not as big, but they were producing a lot and people generally looked at the stuff from Japan as cheap junk. But now they're a leader in many respects in producing quality goods. I remember when my mom bought a toyota back in the 70's, it was a joke then, but now they're a major company. Much respect for the Japanese.
Back in 1970 one of my classmates took a trip to Japan, so our teacher showed us some films, and my friend brought back lots of pictures, and gave us all 1 Yen which was only worth 0.2 cents at the time. The teacher also had us bring something made in Japan in to school. At that time it was still mostly things like cheap paper-mache vases and stuff, but transistor radios might have started coming in also. I visited Japan when I was in the Navy, 14 or 15 years later, and a Yen was worth about a cent, and cars and electronics had gotten alot better. Last 30 years not much has changed in Japan, but China. WOW. Next 30 years???

ScottP
03-21-2012, 10:58
I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

Also, the majority of the cost difference between a hybrid and a standard car is in tariffs on the hybrid components.

Also, if you buy a used hybrid, you pay less more like $500-$1,000 for the 'hybrid' upgrade

Pedaling Fool
03-21-2012, 11:17
Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

I don't know anything about battery life in electric cars, but that seems a little excessive. If it is accurate, that's pretty good.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 11:20
I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. .....

That myth was dispelled way back in 2008 after an Australian Taxi company sorted through data from their fleet of 32 Prius'. You can read the article here:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1023454_toyota-prius-taxi-tops-340000mi-dispels-battery-myth

Want a Consumer Reports review?

From Wikipedia (highlights added):

Battery life cycle

"As the Prius reached ten years of being available in the U.S. market, in February 2011 Consumer Reports decided to look at the lifetime of the Prius battery and the cost to replace it. The magazine tested a 2002 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles on it, and compared the results to the nearly identical 2001 Prius with 2,000 miles tested by Consumer Reports 10 years before. The comparison showed little difference in performance when tested for fuel economy and acceleration. Overall fuel economy of the 2001 model was 40.6 miles per US gallon (5.79 L/100 km; 48.8 mpg-imp) while the 2002 Prius with high mileage delivered 40.4 miles per US gallon (5.82 L/100 km; 48.5 mpg-imp). The magazine concluded that the effectiveness of the battery has not degraded over the long run. The cost of replacing the battery varies between US$2,200 and US$2,600 from a Toyota dealer, but low-use units from salvage yards are available for around US$500. ... "


Hmmm, most US car consumers trade their vehicles way before 200,000 miles. That is, if they even last that long.

BTW, I see just being able to purchase gasoline as a status symbol. :D

coach lou
03-21-2012, 11:20
BUT, is any of this affecting you getting to the trail?

Pedaling Fool
03-21-2012, 11:27
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1023454_toyota-prius-taxi-tops-340000mi-dispels-battery-myth


Pretty impressive life span.

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 11:27
I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. .....

That myth was dispelled way back in 2008 after an Australian Taxi company sorted through data from their fleet of 32 Prius'. You can read the article here:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1023454_toyota-prius-taxi-tops-340000mi-dispels-battery-myth

From Wikipedia (highlights added):

Battery life cycle

"As the Prius reached ten years of being available in the U.S. market, in February 2011 Consumer Reports decided to look at the lifetime of the Prius battery and the cost to replace it. The magazine tested a 2002 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles on it, and compared the results to the nearly identical 2001 Prius with 2,000 miles tested by Consumer Reports 10 years before. The comparison showed little difference in performance when tested for fuel economy and acceleration. Overall fuel economy of the 2001 model was 40.6 miles per US gallon (5.79 L/100 km; 48.8 mpg-imp) while the 2002 Prius with high mileage delivered 40.4 miles per US gallon (5.82 L/100 km; 48.5 mpg-imp). The magazine concluded that the effectiveness of the battery has not degraded over the long run. The cost of replacing the battery varies between US$2,200 and US$2,600 from a Toyota dealer, but low-use units from salvage yards are available for around US$500. ... "

So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage :)
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Spokes
03-21-2012, 11:27
BUT, is any of this affecting you getting to the trail?

No.........

Spokes
03-21-2012, 11:30
So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage :)
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Good for you! Proves you can get around in a trashed out Honda, Toyota, or high end luxury car just like you can complete a thru-hike with cheap out-of-date gear purchased in a thrift store or the latest whiz-bang, high end, ultra-light expensive stuff.

We all have our comfort zones and budgets to contend with.

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 11:31
I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

Also, the majority of the cost difference between a hybrid and a standard car is in tariffs on the hybrid components.

Also, if you buy a used hybrid, you pay less more like $500-$1,000 for the 'hybrid' upgrade

You must drive a prius ;)

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 11:33
So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage :)
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Good for you!

I'm hauling kayaks on my Prius with a Yakima rack and smiling every time I stand at the gas pump.

That makes two of us :) too bad we cant paddle to the trail head..

rocketsocks
03-21-2012, 11:40
Back in 1970 one of my classmates took a trip to Japan, so our teacher showed us some films, and my friend brought back lots of pictures, and gave us all 1 Yen which was only worth 0.2 cents at the time. The teacher also had us bring something made in Japan in to school. At that time it was still mostly things like cheap paper-mache vases and stuff, but transistor radios might have started coming in also. I visited Japan when I was in the Navy, 14 or 15 years later, and a Yen was worth about a cent, and cars and electronics had gotten a lot better. Last 30 years not much has changed in Japan, but China. WOW. Next 30 years???Were all working for the japanese,little cars and color TV's,all the money goes over sea's to the eastern sphere.One day were gonna roos our loots,wear oriental jeans and boots,and drink nothing but kawasaki sake rice wine and mitsubishi light beer~The Doo Doo Wahs;)

RWheeler
03-21-2012, 11:45
I don't normally say anything about spelling/grammar, I know I got serious personal issues there, but I believe you should have written cent vs cents. As in 2/10 of a cent;)

Nah, if you write it as .2, then it'd be cents. If you write it as 2/10 of a.. then it'd be cent. The reason being the latter, the "cent" applies to "a", implying a whole. Any number other than 1 (including fractions) uses a "plural" form of nouns.

"How much gas did you need to put in the car?" ".5 gallons" OR "half a gallon"

nufsaid
03-21-2012, 11:47
Surely a true environmental activist would hike to their favorite hiking trail and not rely on any fossil fuels.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 12:11
Surely a true environmental activist would hike to their favorite hiking trail and not rely on any fossil fuels.

That flies in the face of the entire concept of civilization itself.

As Jaroslaw Kessler wrote in "CIVILIZING EVENTS AND CHRONOLOGY":

"Thus, civilization presents a wave-like process: evolutional periods (replication and reproduction of goods by means of conventional technology and experience) alternate with revolutional ones (when a certain technological burst takes place)."

The use and proliferation of fossil fuels included. I myself are thankful for them.

ScottP
03-21-2012, 12:27
it's accurate. That's the warranty on the hybrid components, and the rate of failure within warranty.

coach lou
03-21-2012, 12:36
Me, my pack, Tipi Walter, HIS pack cannot fit in a Prius!

ScottP
03-21-2012, 12:37
You must drive a prius ;)

Nope. I live car free. Bike or run for transportation. Or mooch rides.

Obviously it's better to drive small non-hybrid cars as compared to large hybrids, to some extent (cars that are too short aren't very aerodynamic, I believe)

but best of all is cars that are small and hybrid.

Also, the standards for calculating MPG changed in the recent past. So yes, the geo metro at one point got 50 miles/gallon, but that was on the old method of calculation.

Now a hybrid sub-compact would be a nice car.

Also it's really going to depend on what driving you do: hybrids are nice in stop and go, but not as useful on highways.


It is an interesting thought about the battery mining. I think the nickle is largely recycled. Not sure about the other components.

Spokes
03-21-2012, 13:10
Plastic components found in several locations on the Prius are plant based.

http://www.japanesesportcars.com/toyota-prius-plastic-components-from-plants_5977.html

Love it!

RedBeerd
03-21-2012, 13:55
So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage :)
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Good for you! Proves you can get around in a trashed out Honda, Toyota, or high end luxury car just like you can complete a thru-hike with cheap out-of-date gear purchased in a thrift store or the latest whiz-bang, high end, ultra-light expensive stuff.

We all have our comfort zones and budgets to contend with.

Tones never have translated well through text!

garlic08
03-21-2012, 13:57
Been there:

www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ibikefar (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ibikefar)

I found the cost of food consumed to maintain cycling energy evens out when you correlate it to the cost of petrol per gallon.

I try not to think of that. It's easy enough not to when you're riding.

I'll be riding the Northern Tier. I did the TransAm route in '96, just before I started LD hiking. Nice journal.

Thoughts on the Prius battery--it's too small to provide any real traction power. You can buy one for a few hundred dollars at salvage yards, as mentioned above. The way I see it, the battery allows zero emissions at idle and powers the two motors in the constantly variable transmission. Both of those reduce emissions and improve efficiency in city driving.

Pedaling Fool
03-21-2012, 15:42
Nah, if you write it as .2, then it'd be cents. If you write it as 2/10 of a.. then it'd be cent. The reason being the latter, the "cent" applies to "a", implying a whole. Any number other than 1 (including fractions) uses a "plural" form of nouns.

"How much gas did you need to put in the car?" ".5 gallons" OR "half a gallon"I know many people write and say 0.5 gallons, but it's wrong; it should be written or read as, 0.5 of a gallon.



BTW, this is all speculation on my part. I really don't know, gotta ask Tinker:D

bamboo bob
03-21-2012, 16:17
I don't get it. When I first started buying gas it was 35-40 cents a gallon. Inflation from then to now means it should cost @ $2.95 but my Falcon got about 9 miles to the gallon (plus the oil it burned) and my Ford Escape gets 28 MPG. It looks like I am way better off. It seems that the inflation adjusted cost per mile is less. The cost per gallon is 30% more inflation adjusted but the mileage is 300% better. That's why i walk, there's less math.

Pedaling Fool
03-22-2012, 08:42
Why does it keep going up every day? They say it goes up due to speculation of various factors, most notably the problems in the middle east, specifically Iran (this time). Yet other than the continuing tensions nothing really has changed, but it keeps going up.

No complaints here, just curious.

ScottP
03-22-2012, 11:19
Probably because we're past peak oil?

turtle fast
03-22-2012, 11:41
The price of gasoline is high for several reasons
1. Because the gas you buy in California is not the same as South Carolina or Minnesota or Texas. Gasoline is blended differently by regions and seasons so the EPA has it so you can only use a specific blend to a region and climate...thus only a plant or two will refine the oil to make that blend. This adds a lot already high oil costs.
2. Gasoline is a source of revenue for governments. Many cash strapped states use gasoline taxes to fund road building...and have raised gas taxes.
3. Oil demand from China and developing countries increases competition for oil
4. Increased use of plastics..most derived from oil increases demand (think plumbing pipes or soda cans to bottles)
5. Probable collusion from oil producing countries like OPEC. Venezuela is desperate for more cash, Saudi has to pacify the populace with more programs, Iran and Sudan needs every cent to buy weapons, Nigeria is just corruption central...etc, etc, etc.

Spokes
03-22-2012, 13:07
Why does it keep going up every day? They say it goes up due to speculation of various factors, most notably the problems in the middle east, specifically Iran (this time). Yet other than the continuing tensions nothing really has changed, but it keeps going up.

No complaints here, just curious.

It's a phenomenon known as Asymmetric Price Transmission or the "Rockets and Feathers Paradigm". Google it for more. The FTC has a good article on it.

Basically it means the price of oil rises faster (rockets up) than it decreases (feather floats down).

Different Socks
03-26-2012, 19:52
Despite losing my 400cc scooter in a hwy accident that left me slight ******ed up for the rest of my life, and m Blazer gets only 18mpg on the hwy, I work 2 jobs and the PT position pays some tips each paycheck. Walking to/from work is keeping those tips in the bank for gas to get me where I will hike this summer. but as gas price rise, the likelihood of going out even every other week is starting to look slim.

chicguy1
03-27-2012, 02:29
Keep those gas prices in mind when you are asking folks to quote a price for a shuttle.

Alligator
03-27-2012, 15:29
Hello all,
In my area of CT gas prices are at $4.00 per gallon or a little more and expected to keep rising. Usually I make the round trip to the Whites quite frequently in the summer to hit some 4k or some easier trails with my mom. However this summer thats not looking likely as even though I drive a 30mpg car, its just going to cost too damn much!! Fortunately for me I have AT trail access about 60 miles away. I will be exploring that more thoroughly this season (before my LT thru hike in july :D)

Anyways, will steep gas prices foil any hiking this year for anybody?Too much dipping into politics and there is already a thread about gas prices in Non-AT General. Try to get back to the hiking related question presented in the first post (quoted here). Thanks.

rocketsocks
03-27-2012, 16:22
We've been going to Virginia beach the last couple tears for vacation,My family likes the beach and I the Mt.Was thinking of taking a day hike to the left side of the state,but just don't wanna spend the money for gas for a day hike,so that money will be better spent on day hikes to other places more local for me.Life's a Beach!Montains Rule!

GP1971
03-27-2012, 17:10
Not long after WWII, Japan became somewhat of the world's China, not as big, but they were producing a lot and people generally looked at the stuff from Japan as cheap junk. But now they're a leader in many respects in producing quality goods. I remember when my mom bought a toyota back in the 70's, it was a joke then, but now they're a major company. Much respect for the Japanese.

Their ability to recover and prosper was thanks to Gen. MacArthur. He kept Anerican companies out so the Japanese ones could grow.

Ashman
03-27-2012, 17:51
Gas prices don't stop me. I've got a Jeep Wrangler, gets me where I need to go and how I want to get there. Hiking is a priority for me, I find the money for gear, food, and the gas to get me there.

Chicken Feathers
03-27-2012, 18:01
HA! I have a 1982 Hyundai Elantra that gets 40mpg AND it won't get stolen at the trail head! FTW older model cars are more likely to be stole than new cars. No title needed to sell it for scrap. This does not make sense to me but that is what I heard on news.

Tuckahoe
07-05-2012, 10:43
I wonder what the thoughts are now, since gas prices have been on the decline. Gas prices in my part of Virginia are in the $3.15 range and it looks like gas prices in the Christiansburg area are about $2.99.

JoshAuerbach
07-05-2012, 11:09
Depending on where you are going, Greyhound is actually way cheaper for two tickets than to drive nowadays

Odd Man Out
07-05-2012, 12:54
Depending on where you are going, Greyhound is actually way cheaper for two tickets than to drive nowadays

You can ride Megabus for a buck, if you pick the right route on the right days. There are few stops not too far from the AT.

(and FWIW, I drive a Prius - best car I ever owned).

10-K
07-05-2012, 13:01
Depending on where you are going, Greyhound is actually way cheaper for two tickets than to drive nowadays
..........................

mudhead
07-05-2012, 16:26
Yo 10-K. I can never tell when you start stuttering like that if you are saying "AAAAAAAAAAAA," or
"EEEEEEEEEEEE."

BCPete
07-05-2012, 19:01
I pre-planned and got a Toyota Prius in December 2010.
Gotta love the Prius! I get 51 mpg with mine - and that's actual mileage, not some made up number that the car ads spot off about! I still have a Jeep to get to off-the-beaten path trailheads, but the Prius gets me everywhere else. I don't think I'll ever drive another type of vehicle after having this car for four years now - it's ruined me for gas mileage! :cool:

Ender
07-05-2012, 19:46
I moved to NYC right when gas prices jumped from $1 a gallon, to... well... you know how high it got. I never regretted that. Public transportation takes me directly to many trails including the AT from many different access points. So really, my hiking was never impacted by gas prices.

Now enough space to store all the gear I like to collect in a small NYC apartment... that's a different matter entirely. :P

Wise Old Owl
07-05-2012, 20:32
And you can always rent a car.

Odd Man Out
07-05-2012, 20:59
...Thoughts on the Prius battery--it's too small to provide any real traction power. You can buy one for a few hundred dollars at salvage yards, as mentioned above. The way I see it, the battery allows zero emissions at idle and powers the two motors in the constantly variable transmission. Both of those reduce emissions and improve efficiency in city driving.

It's a common myth that a hybrid's efficiency is due to better mileage in the city. They also win hands down on highway mileage. At fueleconomy.gov, you will see that in the list of family sedans, the Prius gets 48 mpg on the highway (best in the list). The best of the standard gasoline cars is the Hyundai Elantra at 40 mpg. Next in the list are several models at 35 mpg.

An explanation of the highway efficiency (and city too) is that hybrids can have a smaller engine than comparable sized gas-only vehicles. Most cars have an engine that is bigger than necessary for most driving so that you can have the power you need on those occasions when you really need it. Without that boost of power, the driver would feel the car is underpowered even though you only need it rarely (passing, hill climbing, etc...). But because most of the time (especially on the highway) you are driving with an engine that is bigger than you need, your gas efficiency is limited.

The hybrid can have a smaller engine without giving you the feel of the car being underpowered because on those occasions when you need more power, it can be provided by the electric engine. This also explains why the battery doesn't have to be very big. You only need this burst of energy for short periods of time.

It is also a mistake to think that the Prius battery doesn't provide any real traction power. You realize it only when it isn't there. On a few occasions in the last 7 years, I have depleted the charge on my battery on had to rely on the gas engine only. The performance was noticeably sluggish. But this only has happened a few times in unusual circumstances (and it only lasts a few minutes until the battery is recharged).

Finally, another reason for the boost in mpg not mentioned above is the regenerative braking, but this applies to city, not highway driving, for the most part.

MuddyWaters
07-05-2012, 23:29
not stopping me.
I have driven 2.5 hrs, 7.5 hrs, 12.5 hrs, and 22 hrs so far this yr (one way) to hike.

Its really a zero sum game. In the end, nothing changes, but the value of cash as it is debased.

FarmerChef
07-06-2012, 10:01
not stopping me.
I have driven 2.5 hrs, 7.5 hrs, 12.5 hrs, and 22 hrs so far this yr (one way) to hike.

Its really a zero sum game. In the end, nothing changes, but the value of cash as it is debased.

Right on! I have driven 5.5, 8.5 and soon 11 this year with TWO cars at a time :'(. No oil cartel gas price is going to stop my dream. Then again, the kids might have to get used to macaroni and hot dogs for awhile....:P Oh and we take turns. One of us gets to drive one car while the other half of the family has to push the other one for a couple hours. Then we switch. This doubles our fuel efficiency and helps build our trail legs faster in between hikes.

Sly
07-06-2012, 10:38
People can go hiking again. It's $10 cheaper to drive a couple hundred miles than it was a couple months ago.

bamboo bob
07-06-2012, 14:33
Gas is now 3.49 in MA and VT. This post started with CT gas at 4.00 and expected to rise. LOL. No one really has a clue about gas prices. What happened to the greedy speculators? The evil oil companies? The incompetent politicians?

Rasty
07-06-2012, 14:47
Gas is now 3.49 in MA and VT. This post started with CT gas at 4.00 and expected to rise. LOL. No one really has a clue about gas prices. What happened to the greedy speculators? The evil oil companies? The incompetent politicians?

Slower economy. Less diesel trucks on the road. More oil available to turn into gasoline. The truckers are not known for taking joyrides so it's turned into gas because if the price drops we will drive more.

Jeff
07-06-2012, 15:23
Gas is now 3.49 in MA and VT. This post started with CT gas at 4.00 and expected to rise. LOL. No one really has a clue about gas prices. What happened to the greedy speculators? The evil oil companies? The incompetent politicians?

Sadly, $3.49 indeed sounds like a bargin in Vermont.

MuddyWaters
07-06-2012, 22:04
$3 where I am, $4 in Colorado last week.

Wise Old Owl
07-06-2012, 22:30
Slower economy. Less diesel trucks on the road. More oil available to turn into gasoline. The truckers are not known for taking joyrides so it's turned into gas because if the price drops we will drive more.

Interesting take... my guess was I noticed it was easier to hit the highway at "rush" hour - less cars on the road - due to so much unemployment. Less cars - less demand - lower price. Then two refinery's shut down locally as gas is refined overseas, tankers are pulling up and off loading fuel not oil..Its far more complicated then even I can comprehend.

Rasty
07-06-2012, 23:31
Slower economy. Less diesel trucks on the road. More oil available to turn into gasoline. The truckers are not known for taking joyrides so it's turned into gas because if the price drops we will drive more.

Interesting take... my guess was I noticed it was easier to hit the highway at "rush" hour - less cars on the road - due to so much unemployment. Less cars - less demand - lower price. Then two refinery's shut down locally as gas is refined overseas, tankers are pulling up and off loading fuel not oil..Its far more complicated then even I can comprehend.

Also true WOO. Diesel is really really important, everything you and I have was moved with diesel. Less U.S. based fishing boats operating because of foreign fish farming or moratoriums (Grouper, snapper,etc.) make the small-scale fisherman unable to afford to spend $3k to fill the tank. Every business that shut down was getting a delivery of some kind from a truck. The unemployed are not spending money on anything except food. Its all connected. The gas price is down right now, so Americans will drive more which will cause the price to go back up after a few months.

atraildreamer
07-07-2012, 11:26
I notice a 3-4mpg difference when I drive 65mph vs 75mph on the highway. That adds up over a week and can be the difference in affording a drive to the trail head.

Lower your speed,(55 mph seems to be the best speed)...save big bucks...use the $$$ for your hike! :-?

coach lou
07-07-2012, 11:57
Lower your speed,(55 mph seems to be the best speed)...save big bucks...use the $$$ for your hike! :-?

Yea, that green blur was my hot rod Subaru that flew by you on I-95. It does get pretty good mileage when I drive like a human being.:rolleyes:

Jeff
07-07-2012, 13:38
Lower your speed,(55 mph seems to be the best speed)...save big bucks...use the $$$ for your hike! :-?

If you are old enough to remember the 1970's...due to the OPEC oil embargo all the interstate highways had reduced the speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve fuel. There was some grumbling, but today I'm not sure a politician would survive such an order.

rocketsocks
07-07-2012, 16:20
If you are old enough to remember the 1970's...due to the OPEC oil embargo all the interstate highways had reduced the speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve fuel. There was some grumbling, but today I'm not sure a politician would survive such an order.Ah yes, odd and even days, long lines, only a certain amount of gas could be purchased, and when the gas stations ran out, that's it...your walking.Car pooling, public transportation, and yes walking became popular, perhaps it will again.

Wise Old Owl
07-07-2012, 17:08
If you are old enough to remember the 1970's...due to the OPEC oil embargo all the interstate highways had reduced the speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve fuel. There was some grumbling, but today I'm not sure a politician would survive such an order.

You raise an interesting point - what I remember was this was done to solve gas lines and high demand, And push a safety factor that has been completely forgotton. Cars were lighter and less safe then but guzzlers. Today the car is heavier with all the safety features in each class by itself. The Engines are pushing the the limits of power and sipping fuel, and with each increase in price - nobody mentioned slowing down this time. Oh and the death rate ? never changes - a dismal 6000 people per year in the USA die every year ... I don't know the injury rate is - it has remained unchanged for years. So what happened why didn't they lower the speeds? I would love to know.

Pumba
07-07-2012, 17:12
$3 where I am, $4 in Colorado last week.

$2.96 last week in NC near Burlington.

Pumba
07-07-2012, 17:43
$3 where I am, $4 in Colorado last week.

$2.96 last week in NC near Burlington.

coach lou
07-07-2012, 19:11
You raise an interesting point - what I remember was this was done to solve gas lines and high demand, And push a safety factor that has been completely forgotton. Cars were lighter and less safe then but guzzlers. Today the car is heavier with all the safety features in each class by itself. The Engines are pushing the the limits of power and sipping fuel, and with each increase in price - nobody mentioned slowing down this time. Oh and the death rate ? never changes - a dismal 6000 people per year in the USA die every year ... I don't know the injury rate is - it has remained unchanged for years. So what happened why didn't they lower the speeds? I would love to know.
Auto Collision repair is my business... I will tell you that todays cars are infinitely safer and stronger that back pre-80s. Google crash test 2009 Chevy vs. 1960s chevy for an eye opener!

hikerboy57
07-07-2012, 19:28
The reason the number of deaths hasnot declined it because the number of drivers on the highway keep growing every year. Coach is right Cars today or much much safer then years ago.

hikerboy57
07-07-2012, 19:32
Lowering speed limit by the way would kill the trucking industry

Coffee Rules!
07-08-2012, 00:15
The reason the number of deaths hasnot declined it because the number of drivers on the highway keep growing every year.

Plus we just keep finding new ways to cause wrecks. Texting and other distractions are huge, and people show no inclination to stop, because "That only happens to other people. I'm a good driver and can hand"--SMASH!!!!!!!!!!

rocketsocks
07-08-2012, 00:42
Plus we just keep finding new ways to cause wrecks. Texting and other distractions are huge, and people show no inclination to stop, because "That only happens to other people. I'm a good driver and can hand"--SMASH!!!!!!!!!!That is a very good point.

atraildreamer
07-10-2012, 16:40
If you are old enough to remember the 1970's...due to the OPEC oil embargo all the interstate highways had reduced the speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve fuel. There was some grumbling, but today I'm not sure a politician would survive such an order.

I was pumping gas during the embargo. You could buy gas on alternate days, depending on whether the last digit of your license plate was odd, or even. Vanity plates...whenever. You were limited to 5 gallons...$5 worth of regular @ $1/gallon, or $7 worth of premium @ $1.40/gallon. Commercial vehicles could get more to keep their businesses going. (Wish we had those prices today!) Surprisingly, everyone seemed to do OK, despite the restrictions.

Just some reminiscing from an old fart! :-?
(Watch your smart mouth you young punk or I'll stick this cane where the sun don't shine! :eek: :D:banana)