$4/Gallon Scouting vs $6/Gallon Scouting

[Eagle92]

Base,

AHHHH you got me, I got a mortgage and student loans. 23 more years and the house paid for.

 

Also I noticed that the cost of living is lower in TN than NC. Milk and gas was about $.20-$.25; and fast food prices were a little lower too.

[Oak Tree]

We'd have to see how people felt about it, but my first instinct would be that we wouldn't change our plans because of the gas cost.

 

Like Knot Head, we charge each Scout about 4 cents per mile, and that would go up to 6 cents per mile. So for a 100 mile trip, that would be an extra $2.00 per Scout. Even for a 300-mile trip that would be an extra $6.00 per Scout. I think people would mostly swing that without worry.

[Eamonn]

No packsaddle, I really wasn't going after you.

Just before posting a co-worker of HWMBO had visited.

She really isn't a bad person, just a real pain in the you can guess where.

She works in the ER with HWMBO.

I know it's a tough job and that the people who work there have to deal with all sorts of people, a lot of times when people are not at their best.

This woman seems to hate:

Cell Phones.

People who smoke along with any and everyone who doesn't have health insurance.

Lord help the poor souls who don't meet her high standards and fail on all three levels.

The reason for her visit was supposed to be to see how I was doing after having back surgery last week, but turned out to be more about me having to hear her rant on about how unfair it is that she has to pay a $100.00 co-payment to visit the ER, while "These people" come in with silly complaints, then disappear to talk on their cell phones and leave the hospital premises to smoke.

She went on and on about the cost of cigarettes and cell phones.

That was before she started on drug testing for everyone on welfare and having people that don't live up to her standards being made to pick up the trash along side of the road.

I was a beaten little fellow when I posted my line about being pompous.

I do know at times I can come off as sounding like a real pompous twit.

I fail to even try and understand why anyone in their right mind would watch Fox News or the right wing talk shows.

Sadly I have a boss who doesn't seem able to in any way form an opinion of his own and just seems happy to repeat word for word what he heard on the radio while driving too work. Trying to get him to admit that some of what he has heard is just entertainment is a waste of time, he is just too far gone.

Ea.

 

[packsaddle]

Whew, that's a relief. Although 'pompous' is mild compared to some of the things my wife says about me...in a nurturing, loving way of course. Anyway, your description was so vivid...wow. I could just picture the woman's visit. And I think I worked with the same guy years ago. You're right, there's no point sometimes in even trying to get through. (I try anyway, you never know for sure...)

[qwazse]

Pack - Methinks qwazse may be tiptoeing (tipsytoeing?) toward a problem?

No problems here, I've had enough margin that if I didn't want to go through life stone cold sober, I could have gon off the wagon years ago. What convinced me was working at my dad's beer distributor back when kids were allowed to do that sort of thing. I helped deliver four cases to a guy whose kids I knew couldn't afford shoes on their feet.

 

That settled it for me. I think my brothers came to similar conclusions. Dad knew what he was doing letting us work our summers there. We weren't even allowed to bring soda pop home!

 

Some of my mottos to my kids ...

- There is no TV worth more than $50.

- There is no cable plan worth more then $5/month.

- There is no house worth more than $150,000. Paid more than that? Take in boarders.

- If it costs more than $1000 to heal a pet, it's time to put it down.

- Last year's game system will do.

 

Our men's group is reading an interesting book Balance by Swenson. It talks about some ways in which our generation has added a lot of extra expense to living. Makes me feel like I'm not the only cheapskate on the planet.

 

That's why I cringe a little when I hear "high adventure scouting". Units that define themselves as such give parents some serious sticker shock! (We've seen them discuss it on these forums.) Yes, we do superactivities. But, I think it's just as important to conquer your backyard.

 

If fuel costs really do drive us a little closer to home, the boys will spend lest time in a car and more time camping. I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing. When the boys and girls in my crew are seen hiking through town with their packs, that's publicity. I'm makin no apologies.

 

I'm thinkin it will prepare them for the cost concious world in which THEY they will have to live.

[alancar]

Our troop backpacks 5 x per year anywhere from 2-5 hrs away from home our trips are $25/weekend for all but the one big trip 5 hrs away and that one is $40. Our philmont trip is $1500/boy and for those not going to Philmont our summer camp fee this summer is $240.

[boomerscout]

"Other prices are rising too - high gas prices drives inflation"

 

Nah, this is what the government would like you to believe. In truth, the government causes inflation by inflating the money supply (eleven trillion over the past two years - more or less). More dollars now chasing the same amount of goods causes all prices to rise. Diverting cornland into fuel doesn't help either.

 

Anyway, lose the trailers. Trailers increase costs: buying the trailer, maintaining the trailer, paying for the extra insurance, increasing fuel costs, increasing wear & tear on the tow vehicle. Worst of all, trailers promote a type of backyard camping.

 

Put the patrols on a total weight limit so you can get out on the trails. Take all the winter emergency gear out of the trunk. Skip one month's campout; instead take the bus to the city park to go on the ethnobotany walks with the naturalist two different times. Have the Dutch oven cookoff at the local park - combine it with a tree walk given by your urban forester, a wide game and some advancement skills. Adapt as necessary for your local conditions.