High Gas Prices and Geocaching

[+Tweedledum & Tweedledee]

With driving being a large part of Geocaching for us, especially now that we are having to drive further and further to get to caches, we are starting to cut back on how often we go. I was curious as to whether or not others have started to cut back on Geocaching because of the 9 strait days of recorded setting high gas prices?

[+StarBrand]

Not yet - but it has caused us to scale back a planned geo-vacation weekend for late June.

[+Miragee]

For me, I am extremely grateful to other cachers who allow me to join them on Geocaching adventures. If not for them, I probably would not be caching at all.

[+Mule Ears]

I walk to work (total 6 miles/day) and use gas exclusively for Geocaching.

[+Torchbearer]

It has definately changed my plans. I haven't found a cache this Spring yet. I went out after the torrential rains we had which was a huge mistake and got caught up in the mud. This past weekend I had planned on going the whole day until gas went to $3.49 a gallon. So I stayed home.

[+Team LaLonde]

I walk to work (total 6 miles/day) and use gas exclusively for Geocaching.

 

AMEN! I live less than two miles from my job and would rather ride a bike or walk than waste precious gasoline on something so ridiculous as work.

[+QSparrow]

No... I drive a Prius.

[+Team Crime Scene]

I usually cache on the way home from wherever my job takes me for the day. I'll stop and grab a cache or two. All the fuel expense gets passed on to the customer in higher costs. As for a driving vacation, We have discussed staying closer to home. There is so much right in our backyard that we haven't experienced.

[+Trucker Lee]

I cache while I'm supposed to be working, and let the company provide my diesel fuel.

 

At home, on my fuel, I plan routes to save miles, and cache while running other errands.

[+froldt]

We aren't caching as much, partly due to the fact of new job and new schedules, partly due to the gas prices. We've been planning on focusing on placing some caches, so the gas prices have helped us to get started on that...

[Mushtang]

No, the extra cents per cache doesn't keep me from caching.

[+CYBret]

Back in April I challenged myself to find a cache a day for the month. I had slacked off a bit for a few weeks, and there were several caches close by, so it really wasn't a problem even on busy days.

 

April ended and there were still plenty of caches close, so I kept going.

 

Yesterday I called it quits. With gas prices like they are, I didn't see the point in driving 25+ miles a day (one way) just to find ONE cache. It was tough, though. I was looking at the clock around 9:30 last night and wondering if I could make just ONE more.

 

Eh...I challenged myself to 30 days and made 51. Not bad.

 

Bret

[+rdaines]

I have cut back on other hobbies that require driving but it nay come to less caching too. Very sad what has happened to the country.

[+Redcap the Druid]

I have had to skip out on checking one of my caches so far this year. Not good, since it is deep in the forest and I want to make sure it made it through the winter OK.

 

Plus, we are scaling back our summer trip as well which will halve the states I can cache in on the way!

[+DocDiTTo]

I've found that siphoning gas out of my neighbors cars really helps cut down the cost of caching.

 

(Ok, I'm kidding... but some #$@% got about 10 gallons out of my Durango earlier this year)

[crtrue]

*puttputtputtputtputtputtvrrrrooooooooooooom*

 

Nope

[Braff-n-MandaRue]

Luckily for us, we saved many a local cache for just such an occurrence. So, we've been kinda just staying close to home and getting some of the caches we've passed on for a while, so gas hasn't been as big an issue.

 

Our vacation trip did get down though. We will only be traveling about half as far as we originally planned, and going to a place were we will be able to do lots of walking and not so much driving while we are there.

[+Renegade Knight]

My geo-rig's a diesel. out of the shop for the first time in the past 2 years.

 

Diesel prices have held constant. Which is to say HIGH.

[+Sioneva]

It's definitely cut down on caching for me - I scrubbed a weekend trip to a Des Moines event because of gas prices. Looking into getting a bike - I figure it'd pay for itself in three weeks, the way gas prices are rising!

 

I have to do some cache maintenance on two caches of mine about 15 miles away, and I've been putting it off until I have other reasons to be in that area, too. Yep. It's hurting.

[+007BigD]

Yep I drive a diesel too!

 

Hasent put me out one bit! Even though we dont get many when we do go out, we go often and usually distances way out in the sticks.

 

My little 82 Jetta gets about 45-50 MPG and even runs on BioDiesel! It goes to some of the craziest places and just took a new geobuddy along for some wheelin in "the magic Jetta" at the event this weekend!

 

So at that rate, I can go anywhere I want and not hurt the wallet much. Ive also got a Diesel Rabbit im almost done with...will it be my next Georide????

[+Exocet]

Hah. Gasoline here (Krakow, Poland) is (USD) $5.75/gallon and the average wage is between $800-1200/mo.

 

You can, however, buy LPG at $2.32/gallon. A latest-generation LPG kit for our car (Citroen Xsara) was about $1200.

 

My wife and I usually geocache by car but do most of our daily traveling via tram or bus. An all-bus/tram/areas pass is a bit more reasonable at about $30/mo.

 

Prices in the rest of the EU are between 10-15% higher for LPG or gasoline.

 

As I said in a very similar topic... no. To quote myself.

[+Scotsbob]

Over here in Britain petrol is currently running at about 98p/ litre which (if my maths are right ) is about £4.50 / gallon ($9.00) so count yourself lucky if you're only paying $3.45

[+C&C+COMPANY]

here on the east coast of canada it's about 1.19 a litre so more than what it is in either spot

[+outdoorsaddix]

Electric cars are the way to go but i normally use public transit so im not cutting back at all

[+Exocet]

Over here in Britain petrol is currently running at about 98p/ litre which (if my maths are right ) is about £4.50 / gallon ($9.00) so count yourself lucky if you're only paying $3.45

 

$8.85 I think is a bit closer. Still that's dadgum high. But in England... everything is expensive. Norway, too.

[+Miragee]

Electric cars are the way to go but i normally use public transit so im not cutting back at all

Considering how high gas prices are now, the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car," is even more distressing . . .

 

If only GM had continued what they started in 1996 . . .

[+ke6n]

I'm resorting to "geo-ridesharing"... It works out well, though, as the ones who do it all like to geocache together anyway.

[+PJPeters]

First off, I realize that non-Americans tend to pay much more per gallon for gasoline. Yeah, we're lucky. But $3.65/gal? Gak! (Oh, yeah. Happy Memorial Day Weekend! )

Yeah, I've cut back quite a bit, but as CYBret was doing, I'm trying to do one- or two-a-day. It works out fairly well, since there's bunches in town, and there's so many between/near the here to work route that I can just make a very short side trip.

I'd love to rant about the oil companies, but that's not what this topic was set up for.

[+Miragee]

When I started caching a little more than two years ago, gas was about $1.30 a gallon less than it is now. Unless your income has increased quite a bit since then, that is taking a much bigger bite out of your budget than it used to . . .

[+Renegade Knight]

...If only GM had continued what they started in 1996 . . .

 

GM broke ground on many technologies, only to abandon them. Then they would get caught flat footed as other companies hit home runs with technology that GM pioneered.

 

I swear Toyota became what it is by watching what GM was, and wanted to be, and then actually doing it.

[+Chuy!]

Doesn't anyone else use Gas Buddy?

 

I too am lucky enough that driving is part of my work and will cache during lunch or any other downtime I can find. And believe you me, I can find alot of down time .

 

Additionally, I commute home from work once a week. Why once? 'Cause it's a 25-mile commute! I actually look quite forward to it. It's very relaxing and I always take a different route home, depending on where the caches are sprinkled . In case you're wondering how I get back to work: I hitch a ride from co-workers that reside nearby.

 

Don't forget to take the adjustment of inflation into account. Yes, today's gas prices have reached the highest they ever were (the early 1980's) but today's cars get better gas mileage and our disposable per capita income is greater than than the 80's. Source.

 

Regarding Who Killed the Electric Car, here is a worthy counterpoint, imo.

[+Miragee]

Doesn't anyone else use Gas Buddy?

 

<snip>

 

Regarding Who Killed the Electric Car, here is a worthy counterpoint, imo.

I live too far out of town to take advantage of Gas Buddy, although I do go to the least-expensive stations on my "errand route."

 

As for the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?," you really have to see it. It is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It was well-edited to make its point -- and for irony -- which made it very entertaining.

 

I enjoyed the movie immensely and would sure like to have one of those EV-1 cars today.

 

That car was way cooler than the "Volt" GM was touting at this years Auto Show, and it came out 11 years earlier.

[+Dryphter]

50 mpg on my geo-motorcycle ;-)

[+VeryLost]

I just bought a Suzuki Burgman 650 maxi-scooter, which gets something around 50 mpg. Now all I need is to take the motorcycle license test, and I'll be caching on my nice new wheels.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

My pay increases with the cost of living. Gas prices are included in that index, so it really makes no difference to me. As long as the world doesn't suddenly run out of fuel, I'm okay.

[+Knight2000]

Doesn't anyone else use Gas Buddy?

I tried it once just because i actually thought about the gas i needed to buy before leaving. The prices appeared to be recent on the site but when i got there 15 minutes later they were all different.

[+michigansnorkelers]

The higher price really doesn't affect me so much.

 

Think about it.

 

Lets say you drove 4000 miles last year, out of your way, geocaching. (80 miles/week for 50 weeks?)

 

Lets say you do it again this year. How much MORE will it cost you to geocache?

 

At 20 MPG, thats 200 gallons.

 

If gas went from $2 per gallon to $4 per gallon, that's only an additional $400, or only$8 per week more than you paid last year! I'm sure most of us blow a lot more than $8 per week on junk we don't need.

 

Anyway. I'll eat out less often and put the money into what's important, geocaching (and snorkeling and kayaking and sailing).

Edited May 24, 2007 by michigansnorkeler

[+sTeamTraen]

Over here in Britain petrol is currently running at about 98p/ litre which (if my maths are right ) is about £4.50 / gallon ($9.00) so count yourself lucky if you're only paying $3.45

 

$8.85 I think is a bit closer. Still that's dadgum high. But in England... everything is expensive. Norway, too.

 

You can knock about 20% off that because the UK gallon is bigger than the US gallon. But it's still around double US prices. But then, those Americans who have big SUVs probably spend the same amount per mile as Europeans with 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engined compacts.

Edited May 24, 2007 by sTeamTraen

[+simplyred]

Just went on a 2 day caching trip, travelled 1100kms, cost was just over $100 for gas. We brought drinks and food from home. Found a cache where we were able to spend a night (free). We got 32 caches, 10 of which were totally awesome caches. Caching, even with the price of gas, is still one of the cheapest entertainments.

[+Exocet]

Over here in Britain petrol is currently running at about 98p/ litre which (if my maths are right ) is about £4.50 / gallon ($9.00) so count yourself lucky if you're only paying $3.45

 

$8.85 I think is a bit closer. Still that's dadgum high. But in England... everything is expensive. Norway, too.

 

You can knock about 20% off that because the UK gallon is bigger than the US gallon. But it's still around double US prices. But then, those Americans who have big SUVs probably spend the same amount per mile as Europeans with 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engined compacts.

 

How'd I miss that stupid UK/US gallon conversion? So, $7.35/gallon. England still wins the highest price game although I did pay $6.30/gallon for LPG in Norway - the cheapest fuel you can buy in Europe. To be honest, though, that was the only LPG station for, oh... probably 100km. I don't think regular petrol was much more, probably $6.40 or $6.50/gallon.

 

PS: When can we all start using metric?

[nobby.nobbs]

Over here in Britain petrol is currently running at about 98p/ litre which (if my maths are right ) is about £4.50 / gallon ($9.00) so count yourself lucky if you're only paying $3.45

 

$8.85 I think is a bit closer. Still that's dadgum high. But in England... everything is expensive. Norway, too.

 

You can knock about 20% off that because the UK gallon is bigger than the US gallon. But it's still around double US prices. But then, those Americans who have big SUVs probably spend the same amount per mile as Europeans with 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engined compacts.

 

How'd I miss that stupid UK/US gallon conversion? So, $7.35/gallon. England still wins the highest price game although I did pay $6.30/gallon for LPG in Norway - the cheapest fuel you can buy in Europe. To be honest, though, that was the only LPG station for, oh... probably 100km. I don't think regular petrol was much more, probably $6.40 or $6.50/gallon.

 

PS: When can we all start using metric?

 

when you move to france.....

[+RCDispatchersx2]

I have had to cut back on caching, because of gas prices and other price increases that have occured because of the increase of gas prices. Geocaching and other hobbies of mine that required making trips have all been cut along with lots of other things. Before I was barely living pay check to paycheck, just a little for the extras. No I live pay check to pay check in a two income family. We don't have money for any extras. The last two months we have struggled to keep what we had before. Not only has our gas cost went up but so has our grocery price, our electric and other increases. But not our paychecks.

 

I am traditionally what is called a road runner, I dislike staying home but I am becoming a homebody.

 

Sorry I didn't mean to go on a sob story, I came here to read some forms to get my spirits up after being down with all the pretty weather I wanted to go caching and couldn't.

[+NyRosie & Racepics]

With driving being a large part of Geocaching for us, especially now that we are having to drive further and further to get to caches, we are starting to cut back on how often we go. I was curious as to whether or not others have started to cut back on Geocaching because of the 9 strait days of recorded setting high gas prices?

 

We have not slowed down much yet. Trying to get to 1000 finds. We do see if local cachers would like to go with us or we with them to cut down on fuel costs. Will keep going but closer to home and to and from work.

 

Cache on

[k_statealan]

I was at 660 at Christmas, having gotten about 200 since August of last year. Was planning on 700 by the end of January. Then a bitter cold January and February, a new truck instead of a rice burner, a new job, going back to school, a very wet spring, few caches within 40 miles, and high gas prices hit. Currently sitting at 695.

 

But dating again has cut into it more than anything. Although she's found about 15 or so with me.

 

700 is coming next weekend com hell or high water. The latter we have plenty of around here. Rivers are flowing backwards because the bigger rivers they flow into are backing up.

[+MOphoto]

A major change in vehicles at the end of '06 has changed my caching habits, along with increased fuel costs. I went from a Jeep Cherokee 4.0L to a F250 4WD V10. The truck is sure nicer, roomier, and more up to date, but the mileage sucks!

 

Consequently, my caching now is usually limited to caches that are relatively close to a route or destination I'm already headed to. Caching with others is an option I haven't explored yet, I'll have to look into it.

[+kg6dfh]

Even with the cost of gas, geocaching is a very inexpensive hobby. The gas prices have not affected our entertainment nor vacations at all. Yes, it is higher this year, but add up the diffence...

 

Los Angeles, Ca to St. George, Ut - 800 miles, round trip. Our Explorer gets 20 MPG highway. So, 40 gallons of gas used round trip. IF AND ONLY IF gas was $1.00 per gallon higher this year as opposed to last, the trip would cost us only $40 more. I don't know what the increase was from this time last year, but it definitely was not $1 per gallon.

 

my .02 (put it in the tank if you want!)

[vagabond]

I usually cache 1 or 2 Sundays a month using about 10 to 15 gals a day fairly cheap entertainment.

I'm planning a 600 mile round trip starting the first weekend of June, I,ll be hitting the central valley of Ca. Porterville, Tulare, Visually. and Fresno

while caching in those towns I'll probably use at least 40 gal of gas added on to the 600 miles so I'm guessing somewhere around 1200 miles altogether.

Hey its only the kids inheritance

[+TrailGators]

I usually cache 1 or 2 Sundays a month using about 10 to 15 gals a day fairly cheap entertainment.

Geocaching is still a very cheap activity compared to many others.

[+CoMotion]

When I get back to the US in August, I try to squeeze my caching in on bike rides so don't have to spend much on the petro. But, for the big cache days, just set the money aside and don't worry about it. I also like to find the caches along a route when driving on vacation so it doesn't use too much extra. Over here in Korea, I spend a bit on subways/buses to get to the caches, but it's minimal. I then try to do something in that area for a few more hours (like museums). It's a lot cheaper hobby than many others I can think of.

[Gublerian]

just take the bike and you have no problem... it's healthier and better for the environment