To go or not to go? - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

dsprik · 09-01-2005, 11:27 AM

Oldudbob, are you taking applications???

TheCoachPotatoes · 09-01-2005, 11:40 AM

Everything we can do to cut down on fuel costs will not only be helpful to our own budget, but will hopefully send a message to the ones responsible for the high costs. We are trying to think of ways we can cut down on our everyday traveling, not just when camping, as we are not full time yet. We can all do our part. Since everything is based on supply and demand, we need to look at our own demand. It sounds like everyone on this forum is trying to do what they can, and maybe cancelling a trip isn't the worst thing in the world for any of us. Our nation as a whole needs to take action! Let's see if we can come up with some suggestions for our own group!

Al and Nita

ronstan · 09-01-2005, 11:45 AM

One thing my wife and I have started to do is if we need to make a trip somewhere in town we try and make sure that we go to all the places that we might need to that week. Try and make short trips. If you stop somewhere for even just a short time turn off the vehicle. Just a few ideas

richfaa · 09-01-2005, 11:58 AM

Wordsmith hit home with camping being his sanctuary. Exactly, Ours also.It was our quiet time away from the daily stress of working in the Air traffic control system(both of us). No bells , buzzers, alarms, buffer overloads, path fade nearly everyday was a Chinese fire drill. Camping was freedom and we see that freedom in danger.I retired from the system in 99,
Helen is 14 months away.Whatever happens we will not be stopped..We may alter, cut back, revamp..but never stop. There are some hard days/weeks/months ahead But this country will pull through..

Wordsmith · 09-01-2005, 12:44 PM

David, that would indeed be a shame!

And, yes, Rich, we WILL make it through this, hopefully better. Perseverance furthers!

richfaa · 09-01-2005, 01:59 PM

"we will endeavor to persevere" Little big man Chief..can't remember his name...never forgot that..

syplace · 09-01-2005, 04:34 PM

Our plans have changed some. We will head to Del Rio, TX in Oct. & stay into April. It is less expensive to stay in Del Rio, than to stay home with the high heating bills. Our "matureity" (sp) will see us thru this and we can adjust, but the Younger generation will have a very hard time of it. Our daughter has already called and asked how bad can it get? Told her that her Dodge hauling a 36ft horse trailer to Fjord horse shows had better think about staying home for a while.

Just148 · 09-01-2005, 05:31 PM

This is just a though to keep in mind.

>> READ THIS. LET IT REALLY SINK IN.
>>
>>THEN CHOOSE.

>>John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good
>>mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would
>>ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I
>>would be twins!"

>>He was a natural motivator.

>>If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the
>>employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

>>Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and
>>asked him, "I don't get it!

>>You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

>>He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two
>>choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can
>>choose to be in a bad mood.

>>I choose to be in a good mood."

>>Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I
>>can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

>>Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept
>>their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life.
>>I choose the positive side of life.

>>"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

>>"Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut
>>away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you
>>react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

>>You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's
>>your choice how you live your life."

>>I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower
>>Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often
>>thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of
>>reacting to it.

>>Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious
>>accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

>>After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was
>>released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

>>I saw him about six months after the accident.

>>When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd
>>be twins Wanna see my scars?"

>>I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone
>>through his mind as the accident took place.
>>"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my
>>soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the
>>ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live
>>or...I could choose to die. I chose to live."

>>"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

>>He continued, "..the paramedics were great.

>>They kept telling me I was going to be fine.But when they wheeled
>>me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the
>>doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read
>>'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action."

>>"What did you do?" I asked.

>>"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said
>>John. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes, I replied.'
>>The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.
>>I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'."
>>Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate
>>on me as if I am alive, not dead."

>>He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of
>>his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have
>>the choice to live fully.

>>Attitude, after all, is everything.

>>Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry
>>about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew
>>6:34.

>>After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

>>You have two choices now:

>>01. Delete this.

>>02. Forward it to the people you care about.

>>You know the choice I made.

>>God Bless, and smile,it could be contagious.

>>Life is not a Destination
>>it's a Journey
>>Leave Love in Your footsteps !

Montana Sky · 09-01-2005, 08:35 PM

Rich,
First I want to say I am sorry for any toes I may have stepped on with my previous comment. I have to say this, after working for a company now almost 11 years I have received an occupational disease and have been fighting for almost 1 year now. I have lost feeling to my ring, middle and pinky fingers on both hands and this has worked its way up into my elbows. After many different surgeons opinions they have decided to not do surgery as it will leave me mostly disabled in my arms for the rest of my life. I am 26 years old, this has been my first and only job, and I am pretty hurt with the way the company has treated me like a criminal. They have gone so far as to have a PI follow and video tape me at my home, my parents home as well as down at the marina where I keep my boat all summer. The only thing I have done for this company is give them an honest 11 yrs of hard work and dedication, and for what do I get back?? Hostile superiors and a loss of money over the past year. To this day I have made what I normally make in 3 months working and today is the 9th month of the year. The reason I tell this story is for almost 3 months of this year I was ready to give up not only on them but myself as well. The docs tell me I am going to have to cope with the constant loss of feeling in my hands/arms and constant pain that goes with it. I do not sleep for more than a few hours as I am awaken with a fire burning feeling throughout my arms. This little problem of mine has left me with two choices, 1>. sell my coach and truck to get rid of a payment and expense and be angry at those who are involved in this case or 2>. Take the time that I have been off to use my coach more than I have ever before. I chose the second, my job was a work 7 days a week 8-12 hours a day with split days off. No weekends off and no holidays off, so with all this extra time off I have gone and spent every night possible in my coach at the lake. I have stopped spending money so easily, I ask myself do I really need it or can it wait? The point is, I have little to no money coming in, but have decided that the company got 11 yrs of my life and my body, but I will be darned if they get my coach and truck. I just have to re-plan what is important to me and I am taking my life back. Again, Sorry for any feelings that might have gotten hurt by my "positive" but lack of info way of thinking.

dsprik · 09-02-2005, 05:25 AM

Nice thing about MOC is that you can disagree with someone openly, and still know that we are tight knit family with common goals (and common equipment). We all care about each other ~ otherwise we wouldn't even be talking and trying to help each other all the time. Both Dave and Rich, along with many others here, have helped me immeasurably. Thanks, guys!

richfaa · 09-02-2005, 07:47 AM

Dave..I understand.I have a son 36 years old that has gone through a similar ordeal with a uncaring company..and won with the help of Workmans comp, so hang in there.You choose not to be a victim and your determination will insure that you will not be. For some of us there occurs, in our life time a Significant emotional event that will change our outlook on life and how we choose to live it.You are very young and I am very old. I experienced such a event at about your age, and made some life altering choices as you have, and have been better for it as you will be. I do tend to be outspoken as at times I need to hear things I don't want to hear..we all do.This is a unique forum where no matter how we say things they are always said with the intent to be of help. We can..I hope..agree to disagree. Your attitude tells me you will survive. You see I have been there done that and I know that your choices are the proper ones.

Karl · 09-02-2005, 10:54 AM

I thought about making the decision to stay in Wisconsin this winter instead of heading off to Arizona in our Montana as we have done the past 5 years. Then the realization hit me that I would then have to pay the extra fuel cost for heating our home here during those months. (propane heat for a 3,100 sq ft home) A quick calculation showed that I would probably pay more and use more total energy heating my home than I would pay for the extra diesel cost incurred pulling the Monty down to Arizona again.

Maybe that's a rationalization, but it works for me.

When we have looked at our other travel plans with the Monty, we have found that instead of making more shorter trips, we could combine two planned trips into one longer one heading in the same general direction, thus still doing what we planned, but using less fuel. I also have promised myself to drive a bit more efficiently, sacrificing speed for efficiency -- after all, we are retired, why do I have to hurry anyway!

sreigle · 09-03-2005, 08:05 AM

We tried something yesterday while driving into the park. I drove 60 in a 65 zone and a 70 zone. So were a number of others. We didn't tie up traffic. We were only passed once or twice. And the computer showed an improvement in mileage. AND, I actually enjoyed it, I guess because of the increased mileage. We even passed one car doing around 55. Looks like lots of folks are thinking the same thing. Let's see, if I drive 200 miles at 60 instead of 65, total additional driving time is 15 minutes and 23 seconds. I can do that.

dsprik · 09-03-2005, 08:15 AM

I noticed that also, Steve. I think a lot of people are driving much slower. I have a Park Ave that has a "cut off" switch at 110 mph (don't ask) and I am driving 55 now everywhere (not through town) and there are NOT a lot of people passing me.

DarMar · 09-03-2005, 12:12 PM

Interesting thoughts. Maureen and I were just discussing my driving habits last night on the way to our seasonal. She questioned "what's the hurry to get to the lake, your off work now and the lake will still be there whenever we arrive." I always drive slightly above the speed limit, knowing I can get away with it without being ticketed. WELL now I need to drive slightly BELOW the speed limit and like Steve I may actually enjoy it. The best part increased mileage!!!

Bill DeMeulle · 09-03-2005, 02:26 PM

I don't know what happened but I lost my reply. I've been driving 55
since we bought the Montana, and going up the Rockies I averaged 7.8 of course I have a gasser but that is OK by me.

Bill

HamRad · 09-03-2005, 03:57 PM

I generally drive between 55 and 60 or 62 MPH.... Coming up hwy 395 last Friday I got passed by everything on the road! Here in California we haven't slowed down any yet!! Diesel in the Bishop area is running 3.29 to 3.50.

On the way to this area we discussed what we'd be doing in the future.... we had planned a trip back up through Yellowstone and Glacier on our way to the Calgary area. This was planned for next year. Now we're thinking we'll spend a lot more time simply staying near our daughter's place in Ventura..... and over around the Central Coast of California. And maybe even over here in the Bishop area. All this is within about 150 to 250 miles of home.

Nothing wrong with doing that except I'd really wanted to see more of our country as well as that of our great neighbor.... Canada. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

HamRad

melnjoy · 09-03-2005, 03:58 PM

I am glad to see everyone talking about the oil problems. The more we talk the madder we will get and hopefully we all will take our anger out on our elected Officials by calling and or emailing them and and letting them know it is time to stop the greed that is going on. As I told my senator that never in modern history has one industry been able to control the world economy with little or no interference
Sure hope we will still see everyone at the rally.
Just another thought
Mel

dsprik · 09-03-2005, 05:28 PM

I don't know... right now our elected officials are all pretty busy being mad at each other! A lot of finger pointing... even within the SAME political parties!

I agree with you, melnjoy. They really have a strangle hold! Until we discover another energy source, it will be bad. Conservation is something we all need to work on, but the oil companies will still have control of the economy.

wileecoyote985 · 09-04-2005, 05:16 AM

I happened to see this thread yesterday and have been thinking about it on and off since. While I'm sure that my views on this subject may not be popular with some, I'm going to risk writing them down anyway.

In my view, in the aftermath of Katrina, we should all consider curtailing any non-essential travel. As we've heard via the various media channels, Katrina has disabled a significant portion of this countries' refinery capacity, as well as disrupting many of the gulf coast's offshore oil platforms.

I'd personally hate to think that my decision to travel for recreational purposes might contribute to people not being able to drive to work in a week or two when current refinery supplies bottom out, OR to teamsters being unable to get the fuel to haul the goods that we all rely upon.

Looking ahead and anticipating what effect your actions might have is not "running down the street with your hands in the air", it's simply a choice to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

BTW. If you really feel the need to get away, many of us are lucky enough to live near nice recreational facilities. You might want to re-discover something close to home until this crisis passes.

BTWW. My views are not meant to be a form of finger pointing. There's more than enough of that going on in the media right now. I'm personally thankful that I'm in a position to think about whether or not to travel, and not have to worry about where or when I might find my next meal. My heart goes out to those less fortunate on the Gulf Coast.

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