Gas

[Captain]

When I first retired, I got followed for miles by the County Cops........
I think "Running the Plate" wasn't connecting the Unknown Vehicle to the KNOWN address,
to Who is This Guy ? As I was hardly ever home when I was working.......
I Still get the "STINK EYE" from the Village Police new young guy going about my business.
Just Smile at them......
Like you don't give a shit......
The less they know, the more it must bother them.
This is a Very Small community here, I've lived here 21+ years, and I'm Still the NEW GUY.
They are ALL Related by Marriage, or Money......

[Thumpin455]

Same thing going on here, I am an outsider but have lived here for 16 years this August. The only friends I have are either outcasts or transplants like myself. The locals have this arrogant superiority about themselves. Didn't notice it as much when I had a yooper wife, but I sure as hell notice it now.

If land in Nebraska had been more affordable in 2013, I would not be here. If a 4x8 sheet of 5/8 OSB wasn't worth a trade for a 2018 Corvette, if the Vette guy throws in a few thousand, I would be moving right now since I found land I can afford. Just can't build anything there. Everything but land is less expensive there, and 87 octane is just about $4 now. Any excuse to gouge the populace.

The cops in the township west of me, know me, and they don't give me a hard time. If they get a new guy I will end up meeting him, but then they just wave at me unless I am doing more than 7 over. 11 over got me pulled over, but no ticket, the GPS speedo I use in teh 65 was bouncing around between 50 and 375mph. I looked down when the cop was going by and it said 66 in a 55. Something about when it switches between cell towers the mph goes nuts. It was fun seeing 375mph as my top speed.

I go the other direction, and the sheriff is ok with me, the staties are ok with me, but the city cops have a hardon for me. No idea why.

Gas will be $7 before the end of summer. Probably $12 by this time next year. They want you riding the bus if you can't afford a $150k plug in electric.

[Dan Barlow]

Still have about 15 gallons left in the 3rd barrel from last year. the thaw came too early this year and caught me unprepared to collect sap, so I am stuck with E85 in the cars and gas in the trucks. Going to fill the barrels in Nebraska this year, the station in Wisconsin called the cops on me last year, so screw em. The local cops tried to say the blue 55 gallon hazmat rated drums I use are not hazmat rated, despite the fact you can look them up and it says they are hazmat rated and designed to fall 6 feet while going 60mph and not break. It actually pains me I have to drive through Wisconsin at this point, they have become very unfriendly to veterans and car guys. I get pulled over all the time going to the VA in GB, no reason other than my plates say Persian Gulf Veteran on them. They always ask to search my vehicle... fun times. I say no.

Have to move a bunch of cars from the farm to the camp, so the price going up and all the inflation on its way is gonna hurt.

Was planning to buy a 5 acre plot near Kearney where Scott lives, decided against it because a $2 2x4 is now $16. So I am stuck in the north for now. Probably for at least the next three years if not longer. On the bright side, my land and buildings are all paid off now.

All set for next year, and I could do some cattail vodka this fall, no shortage of those things around here. Next spring though, I will be able to make 1000 gallons of fuel, other than moving rusty hulks from Nebraska, that is my main project.

Follow along if you want. I am not dead, I am just busy and being somewhat anti social.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbU...zfLi4Hny7MSXFA

I've been watching . And I'm drooling over the camaro convert you have for sale . Were going to have to work on the price though .

[Captain]

Thumpin,
When it gets Closer to leaving for the Detroit Concours d'Lemons mid July,
We will have to get in touch, as I going "Over The Top" this time.
Leaving Early for stopping at several Places.

[tedly]

Still under $3 a gallon for regular here.

Only 18 states are averaging over $3 a gallon with most being just above that. California is the only one currently over $4 a gallon.

When I first got the Suburban I very vividly remember $75 only giving me about 3/4 of a tank the first time I filled it up. It has a 32 gallon tank and was basically on fumes. Everything's going to be alright guys.

https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/

[SuperBuickGuy]

Still under $3 a gallon for regular here.

Only 18 states are averaging over $3 a gallon with most being just above that. California is the only one currently over $4 a gallon.

When I first got the Suburban I very vividly remember $75 only giving me about 3/4 of a tank the first time I filled it up. It has a 32 gallon tank and was basically on fumes. Everything's going to be alright guys.

https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/

people get so spun up about gas prices - that said, you own a car for 5 years, put 65,000 miles on it... let's do that math
If your car gets 10 mpg, that's 6500 gallons of gas
If your car gets 30 mpg that's 2170 (rounding) gallons of gas.

Now let's be really bullish on fuel prices and say you spend $2.00 per gallon more for fuel for 1/2 its ownership. You've spent $8,600 more for fuel over the life of the car....

okay, you trade in your Suburban for a fuel sipping car.... You'll easily lose twice that amount on the trade it "because no one wants a gas guzzler"

but wait, there's more

If you buy the Suburban during the 'guzzling deduction' from a dealership, the amount they saved gets passed onto you. Let's just say it's 10k less.... see where I'm going? yeah, you'll actually save money by buying when everyone else is 'getting rid' of their vehicle.

Same math works for diesels and electric cars. Problem with electric cars is they're so much more expensive (on average 2x more - e.g. Spark v. Bolt) that you'll never save enough in fuel to ever offset the increased price. Add in incidentals - e.g. you have to rent a Uhaul to tow something or haul something, and the 'money saving' decision most decidedly gets worse.

I know that if I sell my Colorado.... oh wait, people are stupid when it comes to buying used diesels... nevermind. I was offered more then I paid for my Colorado by some random person recently...

[tedly]

I drive the hell out of Tatanka. It’s SOOOOO comfortable in any kind of drive more than 10-15 minutes. Keni and I aren’t bumping into each other’s arms trying to fit on a tiny arm rest. On long trips we take an air mattress so the one that’s not driving can lay down and stretch out if they want. Use it for the drive in too, just back in, kick the doors open, and stretch out. I can fit full sheets of plywood and 8 foot 2x4’s in it with zero issues... yeah filling it up stings, but worth every cent. Only way I’d get rid of it is if I’m getting something better or it’s just plain worn out.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I drive the hell out of Tatanka. It’s SOOOOO comfortable in any kind of drive more than 10-15 minutes. Keni and I aren’t bumping into each other’s arms trying to fit on a tiny arm rest. On long trips we take an air mattress so the one that’s not driving can lay down and stretch out if they want. Use it for the drive in too, just back in, kick the doors open, and stretch out. I can fit full sheets of plywood and 8 foot 2x4’s in it with zero issues... yeah filling it up stings, but worth every cent. Only way I’d get rid of it is if I’m getting something better or it’s just plain worn out.

I have 3, standing offers for my 94 'Burb. I can't imagine selling it. It hauls dogs, it's hauled bodies (SAR), it is my nominal travel rig, I camp in it, I tow with it, haul anything. I could take it to California but I'm still having trouble with the PMD putting the truck in limp mode when I go WOT for too long. I do think that someday soon I'll completely rebuild it - at that time, I'll probably try something like a MS2 to control the injection pump.... Tentatively, next winter I'll get onto making it new again.... sure there's newer, but I'm not convinced that it's better for me.

and more generally, I don't honestly know how many people that I know who bought a Suburban and never went back. It seems like there's the mockers who never owned one, and the people who will never be again without one.

[tedly]

Amassing the parts to re-do the steering system as we speak. Once big girl is stabilized out, I can’t wait to take it for a cruise.