I wouldn't figure on the U.S. or Europe being long-term factors...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
_terrapin_
Oy, MS agrees with me. Danger! Will Robinson! I'm not going to "defend" PRC, but I'll just say that the most egregious empire-like behavior these days is coming from the USA. OTOH, it will all work out. Things are evening out. There will be three superpowers, the US, China, and Europe. The USA is being taken down a notch or two. Now all we need to do is survive all those poisoned Chinese imports (pet food, toys, prescription drugs, etc.)
Both are financially cratering, with currencies and national treasuries dying as we speak, to say nothing of their demographics. Not only are Europeans not having children for squat, they are rapidly being colonized by Moslems. (Everyone knows how Mexico is well along with annexing much of the U.S., right?) Then, there's the oil access issue; the end of that = the end of our economies as we know it, not to mention our non-leg-infantry militaries...
For want of a nail a horse was lost
For want of a horse a rider was lost
And however it goes.
You guys are sooooo ---- well, you know, guys.
There's no rule that I can locate that states how much a hostel or a motel or a hotel can charge based on where it's located.
What I can find is that the farther North a person travels, property costs more and property taxes are higher. So what criteria do you use to make the decision whether to stay at a hostel or B&B or Motel or Hotel? If you think about it, $30 is extremely reasonable. Especially for what is available. When I look at prices in the NorthEast, $30 is not a lot of money. And I'll bet SoBos are Happy to see a Hostel that charges "only" $30.
When I go to a motel on the way to my parents or my kids, I don't use the game room, and I don't use the swimming pool, and I don't use the sauna, and I don't use the free WiFi, but I still pay $59 (or whatever) a night because that's what is charged for the room. And if I had to travel to Maine, the motels on the way would cost twice more than $59.
The old "$1" a mile has been spouted for at least twenty-five years and is out of date. YES, you CAN hike on a budget, maybe spending "only" a dollar a mile. But if you add in all the gear and all the food preparation and mail costs, I don't think you could brag of a dollar a mile. Even those saying $1000 Thru Hike have forgotten to add in ALL the costs. Including the power bill to pay for hooking up your computer so that you could follow this thread on Whiteblaze. Add in the cost of the ISP, too. A dollar and a half a mile Thru Hike is more reasonable and a two to two and a half dollar a mile is very likely what it costs today, on average.
So, your assignment, students of hiking, is to start at the beginning and add in ALL your gear costs, including the heavy stuff you've given away or sold (minus what you got for it), all the ISP, phone, power, dehydrator, etc, etc, costs to which you add your current gear costs (including what's in that box of gear you "might need" at some time), and start with that number in your data base. To that number, you can add what you spent on your Thru Hike and come up with a more accurate figure of what a Thru Hike REALLY costs.
Okay? Begin . . . .
Coosa:D