Were going from WI to Yellowston/Tetons for a round trip of about 3,000 miles. It will cost about $1000.00 in gas alone. When you say it out loud it makes you sick but if you say our vacation will cost $1000.00 it only gags me a little
I'll check on the trailer tires. The ones on the TV are high end Wranglers with the kevlar reinforcement. They're nice!
Well, as much as some people love to camp for campings sake, we don't. The trailer is a portable hotel room for us to use when we go to places we would normally go via airplane. The trailer will never go past the Mississippi, but our future plans for a class c/class a motorhome will take us out west.
I don't think we'll be chucking the lifestyle anytime soon, we like this method of travel too much. I just wish that Detroit and good ol American ingenuity would find a way to produce a vehicle that can tow a load, and not cost a fortune to gas up.
Monkeyman, Lady and little chimp
2004 Trail-Lite 8304S
2003 Ford Expedition XLT 5.4
Reese W/D Hitch
Reese HP Dual cam AND friction based anti-sway
Monkeyman, had you towed at 55 rather then 70, you would have reduced your gas consumption and it's associated cost by about 1/3rd. I tow a KZ Spree 318 with my 2007 Expedition with the 5.4 and I typically get about 12-13mpg.
Yah, I know how the traffic is on I95, but that's what the right hand lane is for.
I've also talked to some folks that bought a air deflector for the top of their SUV and they felt that it helped with better gas milage.
I live in Southern Maryland and am planning to hit Fort Wilderness at Disney next year myself.
Can I ask what your itinary was? Where did you stop on the way down and back?
taborekle wrote: I've also talked to some folks that bought a air deflector for the top of their SUV and they felt that it helped with better gas milage.
This is widely debated. The reason they work on semis is because the cab and trailer are the same size, so the only point of air flow disruption is over the top of the cab at the front of the trailer. The reason it works on semis is that it pushes that air up and over. With a TT, it's 2' wider or so on each side, and 2-4 feet higher, so unless you put deflectors equalling that on both the top and the sides, the airflow effect is minimal. It's unlikely they make much of a difference at all with TT's and normal trucks and SUV's.
KD
Trip of a Lifetime Blog - 10372 Miles, 88 Days, 4 Humans, 1 Mini Daschund...FUN!
Wildwood LE 23BH
2003 Chevy Suburban 4x4 Z71 5.3L 3.73
I am not going to go 55, MPG or no! While gas costs a certain amount, my time also has value, and my free time more so. And I dispute the 1/3 greater efficiency. Even when I started, and only drove 55, I never got 12-13 mpg. If they'd stop mucking with our gas, we'd get the mpg we're supposed to.
Last summer a buddy of mine and I went on a Fishing/Camping trip from Wisconsin to Spokane, WA via Mt Rushmore, Casper WY (North Platte River), and Montana. Because it was just the 2 of us (I got a kitchen pass from the wife) we drove my Toyota Prius. I averaged 43 MPG and the total cost of fuel was about $295 (RT). This summer my family is going on a trip to Grand Teton NP and towing our new 26' TT with my 2004 Tahoe. I'm sure I'll spend $295 just getting to Rushmore this time, if not before that. Driving is still cheaper than flying with a family of 5 and the scenery is a whole lot better. This is our first time traveling with an RV and we are very excited, except for my 14 year old. Happy traveling
I just completed a 6929 mile door to door trip to 11 states. I paid a bunch for fuel. Oh well, when my card is paid in full I'll head out to the Jayco Rally in August and add several more states to my map and several more state golf balls. One way or another, we'll pull that TT to 49 of the states golf in each one of them before I cross over. I'm enjoying it NOW, I'll pay that Credit card off after I get back. I remember the odd/even gas lines in the 70's and cost is not going to slow down my retirement.
Larry and Linda, we are retired from the miltary and teaching,
F250, 6.4l, 2008 Jayco, 25 ft w/slide
Monkeyman_and_Lady wrote: Just got back from a 1700+ mile RT to Orlando. Went about 70 MPH (new tires on the TV help a lot) and averaged about 8 MPG.
Spent a little over $800 in gas for the trip. It was enough for the DW and I to discuss where the break away point for trailer trips is? Could we have paid less if we went on a flight, rented a car and gotten an inexpensive room in the Disney complex? I'd hate to see my enjoyment of taking my home with me negated by sky high gas prices, but there it is.
How is everyone else dealing with this? I didn't see nearly as many RV's on the road this trip as I normally do, so I know it's hitting our community hard.
Remember in the late 90's when the gas was .89 per gallon? Now I sound like my mother.
I think most of us are indeed "doing the math" as we plan our trips this year... whereas we might have made different economic assumptions about our trips in the past.
Last year I figured I was spending about $0.30 per mile just for the "getting from here to there" costs. This year it might well be $0.45. YIKES... a 50% increase!!! But I am willing to live with that assumption. If I am too low then we will bite the bullet and re-evaluate our assumptions. For example... we have reservations at Yosemite this summer so this very likley will be our "first and last" trip there.
Mostly I think it comes down to personal preferences. We hate to fly and we hate to stay in motels. Cost is certainly a factor and we will always check our assumptions. But we are willing to pay more for an enjoyable trip as compared to saving a few bucks for one that did not offer the rewards that RVing does.
All in all, we figure we'll be RV'ing for many years to come... we just won't be traveing as far.
She'd continue to pay any price for gas ... so long as she can continue to use her own bathroom in the RV instead of the toilet at the rest stop or gas station.
And, to be honest with you, lately, I've found myself agreeing with her.
On our last trip, as I sidestepped the filth and puddle in front of the gas station urinal, I found myself thinking ... oh man, I should have used our toilet instead!
The ability to use your own toilet ... on the road ... where ever, whenever ... PRICELESS.
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