We had planned to go to Milwaukee for the 105th anniversary of Harley Davidson celebration and opening of the new Harley museum. But we decided to change plans mainly due to the cost of gas. It's not the we can't afford to go, I just can't see paying close to $2500 in gas for a round trip on the motorcycles. And that doesn’t include any of the rides we would go on once we got there. Call me cheap!
We were going to take a total of 3 weeks, a week to ride there, stay a week, then a week to ride home, taking different routes each way. That would mean staying in a hotel every night of the trip. With the average hotel room of $100 a night for 20 nights would be $2000.00. Then count eating out every day, drinks, tee shirts & "stuff", it would just cost a lot of money. For $5000 or $6000 I can take a "luxury" vacation. And it's not like I never get to ride anywhere, our local HOG group has rides almost every week.
Last year when we rode to Sturgis, it was the most expensive vacation we had ever taken. Even when we went to Paris the year before, we didn't spend as much. But Sturgis was also one of the “best” trips we had ever taken.
I realize that the increase in the cost of gas only amounts to about $700 or $800 from what it would have been last year, but it's just the principle. Maybe I'm crazy for canceling a trip over $700.
Anyway, I have a feeling it's going to get a lot worse before it gets any better, so I don't want to spend any more than I need to right now.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to try and talk me out of this decision? I'm totally open to everyone's thoughts or ideas.
Our best friends are renting a Class A and towing their Harley back to the anniversary celebration. They are traveling with 2 other couples; both of them are taking their own Class As.
It's only money.
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We've also cut back. We'd planned on being FTers by now....among other things, gas prices have been the reason we're not. Normally, we'd have gone to the Laughlin River Run and to Sturgis but we're not going, either. Yes, it's only money......but we'll need it to get to the grocery store and to buy groceries in the future!!!!
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Include me too. This will be the first year in awhile that we won't be going to Sturgis because of gas prices. 4,000 miles with today's gas prices won't break me but it would put a serious dent in the wallet.
Frank, I've never been to Sturgis, but I was in Milwaukee for one of the Anniversaries (can't remember which one, it was a while ago). It was absolutely incredible! We were downtown for the "parade" and I must say, the sea of bikes was just astounding! It's unlike anything you can even imagine.
One thing you might want to look into to save a few $$ on a hotel room would be to see if folks are "renting" out their homes or rooms in their homes to bikers. I recall they did that in the past and we actually thought about it when we lived there.
Dshultz50 wrote: We've also cut back. We'd planned on being FTers by now....among other things, gas prices have been the reason we're not. Normally, we'd have gone to the Laughlin River Run and to Sturgis but we're not going, either. Yes, it's only money......but we'll need it to get to the grocery store and to buy groceries in the future!!!!
As far as fuel and full timing goes, we found the cost of full timing AND traveling in our rv, much less than when we lived in our house. We are so glad we are able to have the chance to see this country and take our time doing it.
The only thing the cost of fuel has done, is to remind us we don't have to see every thing in a week or two. We are staying in a gorgeous campground in Custer S.D. and are staying here for less than $500 for a month. Can't do that in your own house or in hotels.
I certainly hope events like Sturgis are a success. We just left Sturgis/Spearfish/Deadwood area and I would feel very bad for all those businesses that rely on that event. I wanted a Tee shirt that said Deadwood and one from Spearfish. Never found one from Spearfish, but in every town with in 100 miles, there is no shortage of Sturgis tee's.
The fuel costs may be having an effect on folks taking vacations in hotels and motels, but it is having little effect on folks out here full timing.
Frank, sorry that you had to cancel you planned trip.
Barb
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Sorry to hear you had to make the decision to miss out on your planned trip Frank. I hope y'all find something else fun to do on your time off!
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Ok, what am I missing here? If you decide on a motorcycle trip, ride for 6,000 miles and get 40 MPG (my softail gets almost 49mpg), that would require 150 gallons. At $4.50 per gallon, that would cost $675. If gas was back to $3.00 per gallon, it would cost $450, for a difference of $225. You would give up a trip like that for $225?
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MartyAndPeg wrote: Ok, what am I missing here? If you decide on a motorcycle trip, ride for 6,000 miles and get 40 MPG (my softail gets almost 49mpg), that would require 150 gallons. At $4.50 per gallon, that would cost $675. If gas was back to $3.00 per gallon, it would cost $450, for a difference of $225. You would give up a trip like that for $225?
We both have bikes, at 40 mpg, 5000 mile round trip, that a total of 10,000 worth of gas, plus you figure we would ride at least 1000 miles while there (we did over 1500 miles in rides in Sturgis last year). Premium gas which the V-Rods require is going to average about $5.00 a gallon (my best guess) so thats where I get the $700 extra bucks. Difference is gas price is about $2 a gallon from last year.
And like I said, it not that I can't afford it... shoot, maybe I should rethink it. Like someone said, it's only money. Damm, decisions, decisions. he he he.
But we figure the entire trip to be about 6 grand. I think last year to sturgis (only 2 weeks) we spent about 4 grand. So add another week on to that, and it's going to be somewhere between 5 and 6 thousand. That's great down payment on another bike! he he he
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