Fuel Prices are Bumming Me Out

[tlingitwarrior]

I can't help but feel the pinch, and it's not even summer yet. Oh well, I think it was somebody on this forum that puts things into perspective with the phrase "You'll never see a U-haul hooked up to a Hearst". LOL

A good portion of my job is staying abreast of current global financial markets/conditions. Read an article in Barrons this morning from a seasoned oil analyst ~ guy made perfect sense. We will soon find a way to substitute the massive quantites of natural gas for the dwindling supplies of crude. Nuke enegy will eventually become more safe and have less of a negative stigma. Conservation and efficiency will eventually offset the dwindling supplies of crude. All of these things will happen eventually. BUT in his views we'll see crude prices rise by a factor of 2.3 times where they are today ~ this is in today's dollars ~ over the next 15 years.

 

[LuJon]

A good portion of my job is staying abreast of current global financial markets/conditions. Read an article in Barrons this morning from a seasoned oil analyst ~ guy made perfect sense. We will soon find a way to substitute the massive quantites of natural gas for the dwindling supplies of crude. Nuke enegy will eventually become more safe and have less of a negative stigma. Conservation and efficiency will eventually offset the dwindling supplies of crude. All of these things will happen eventually. BUT in his views we'll see crude prices rise by a factor of 2.3 times where they are today ~ this is in today's dollars ~ over the next 15 years.

The key is that we have to stop playing with the economy and actually feel the sting in order to have the motivation to effect change. We should stop the hemorrhage by increasing our own production and investing the tax income from it into clean sustainable energy to set us up for the future. The sad fact is that the nation and it's people will continue to finance the pain away until the only answer is globalization.

 

[Doug from Anchorage]

In just a few years time, what used to be a $2-3 hundred dollar weekend, is now $4-5 hundred. To a guy in my income bracket, that's a significant coin to pay. Somebody mentioned a sailboat. With more time than money (like me), that just might be the ticket.

 

[breausaw]

The way I see it there will be less congestion at the launch ramp. I do however feel a little envy when a faster boat goes zooming buy me, but then I seldom put more than $100 in the fuel tank for a 3 day weekend. If gas prices go beyond $5 a gal I’ll be running at displacement speed more, but it will have to go way higher before I cancel a weekend. The one reason I bought this boat is I can afford to take the family out each weekend. I will sell my car and ride my bike to work before curving my summer recreation habits.

 

[spoiled one]

We saw $5.17 for a gallon of unleaded at the fuel dock in Whittier a couple of seasons ago. It sure didn't slow many people down. It was as busy as last season was and fuel was a measly $3.83+/- per gallon. When I was a kid my dad had a 500 gallon tank at the house. He paid $.24 per gallon in bulk. Those days are long gone unless you live in Venezuela I am afraid. See you on the water.

 

[ocnfish]

Outside of the bay's close in to Whittier, Seward and Homer, fishing might actually get better, has Fish & Game fighred into their estimates of fishing pressure the cost of fuel on the average joe? As for me, I will pay for the experience ... nothing beats a weekend on the water.

 

[halibutcollier]

Outside of the bay's close in to Whittier, Seward and Homer, fishing might actually get better, has Fish & Game fighred into their estimates of fishing pressure the cost of fuel on the average joe? As for me, I will pay for the experience ... nothing beats a weekend on the water.

I am surprised you haven't heard about the new regulations regarding anyone using a single line with less than 5 lbs for weight, that is using the fish to feed their family, instead of selling it to a processing plant to ship outside; the limit is 1/2 a fish, so there has to be at least 2 people in your boat, and there is to be no fishing for flat white meat fish outside of a no wake zone. Enjoy your summer ;p

 

[ACBMAN]

I have thought about the law on getting any compensation other then sharing the cost of fuel, One way I could see this working is trading trips with other boaters so all the other costs and work that goes along with it are shared also, I would like to see if there is any interest in talking about trading trips.

 

[livinthedream]

I understand the pay to play. what really dings my hull is they can just raise the prices on a whim or speculation. wish I had that ability with wages or my interest rates. the gas at the pumps right now was refined in north pole what 4 or 5 days ago when oil was down in the $90s and they are hitting us with prices at the current oil rates? please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Grizzly Man]

ABC, I'd b interested in this. It would give some of us boat owners a chance to be a guest and relax a little more. Anyone else in??

 

[tjm]

the gas at the pumps right now was refined in north pole what 4 or 5 days ago when oil was down in the $90s

not necessarily....the fuel you got could have come from any number of sources, to include the L48...the fuel you got could have been sitting in a storage tank for a few months and delivered once the fuel in north pole rose enough to make the stored fuel REALLY profitable....doesn't matter though, your point is correct, the fuel you purchased today sometimes doesn't cost the station today's rate, but sometimes it does if the station got refilled today, in that case the difference is profit for someone ....either way, high fuel prices suck...

 

[OzAK]

I'll certainly agree with TJM, high fuel prices suck, but with that on the table, all I can do is try and put it in a different perspective. I've always looked at it, especially with the higher prices, like this... What else can you buy for, lets say $5.00, that is as compact, has the "ability" ie stored energy, to propel your (insert vehicle and its size of your choice here) to wherever you may want to go without major hassle as cheaply? I realize we all have to buy multiples of this substance at whatever price and thats where it can hurt but try and do it with umm... how about wood? Lets all built paddlewheelers for river running and use steam power. Yikes I'll need longer weekends and more vacation time. And a bigger boat to haul the tonnage. Personal nuclear reactors are a long way from reality I'm afraid....Until then I'll gripe along with y'all but keep my perspective above intact to help with my attitude. Life's too short to sit home and wish I had done this or that to make memories with family and friends.

 

[Ak River Rat]

I don't do drugs. I don't do bars. I don't do fast food restaurants. I don't do cable. And I don't do strip clubs. And I can continue on. I pay for what I enjoy. I delete the rest. Easy. I bought the house on the river as a launch point for my recreation. I never get a complaint about going out in the boat from my wife. No, I'm not happy about rising prices and what might come. But I do keep it in perspective. I can't go to the movies and get popcorn for much less than $15. The little enjoyment I get from that does not equate to what I get when I am on the river.
Ok, I might end up paddling the canoe or kayaks more this year. The wife will like that. Either way, I win.
As for worrying about whether or not I am a guide if my buddy or in-law pays for something, I've got bigger things to worry about. Just tell them if anybody asks to say NOTHING. KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT! And I'd be happy to play deck hand and bring food or fuel on any one of your boats this year to just have a good time. I don't even care if I get to fish. But I'm not cleaning what you catch. ))
ARR

 

[bigpilgrim]

AK River Rat, I understand the drugs, bars, fast food and cable, but the Strip Clubs, say it isn't so!

I guess we will have to stop buying the $50k pickup trucks, the $14k snow goes, big new houses, another new moose rifle and plan during the six to seven months of winter to save a real dollars for the expected fuel rise. So much for having a camp fire, it probably will cost me seven bucks in fuel to get one going. Definitely going to stop using Mr. Funnel and throwing away a gallon of fuel / water mix. The fuel rise might be a good thing, it will make all of the fewer trips per year more memorable.

 

[bigpilgrim]

Doug from Anchorage, hope I didn't ruin your thread. Man, normally it takes a couple posting for me to kill the mood, or someones interest on a topic. Sorry!

 

[Doug from Anchorage]

Doug from Anchorage, hope I didn't ruin your thread. Man, normally it takes a couple posting for me to kill the mood, or someones interest on a topic. Sorry!

No worries. You're talking to a champion thread killer by the way.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Every day when I return home I empty my wallet of all the $1 bills and change and put it in a jug. When the jug gets full the cash is deposited in the credit union where we opened an account just for the boats.
So far we have never been able to deplete the account in one summer. It is almost painless to save this way and the cash is hardly missed.
Other than that we all should be emailing our Senators and representatives to see what they can due to get our fuel prices in line with other states. But I'll be the first to admit in the past this has been a wasted amount of typing as nothing ever comes about to change anything.
Moose hunting this Sept on the Koyukuk is going to be very expensive this year

 

[greythorn3]

time for yugos!

 

[Bullelkklr]

It sure tickles my scro....er uh ticks me off - when the prices start doing what they are doing right now...but thinking of it this way lessens my brain pain:

2 years ago on a back pack archery sheep hunt - I was thinking on the ride out - riding a bicycle getting my tail side thoroughly bruised due to my lack of bicyling ability and an 80 pound backpack....so I started to tally up the costs of hoofing/riding for that trip once i got to my truck at the trailhead.

On a 4 day hunt i ate 3 mountain house meals a day at about 6 bucks a pop. In those 4 days I hiked about 26miles. My fuel to propel me that 26 miles cost 72 dollars. When I got to the truck I was more than happy - soft seat, turn key, press pedal - drive the 35 miles home effortlessly with the heater on. The 70 miles that I drove to and from the trailhead cost me about 23$ in gasoline. I was never happier to fill up that tank of fuel....not that I mind hiking, but that bicycle will never have to worry about me sitting on it again....

 

[Paul H]

Too bad my boats burried in snow or I'd go and fill it up now

Fuel prices aren't going to be a deal killer for me, I have a harder time trying to find the free time to get out than I do spending another $50-100 for gas.