This is how we rv

[ducksface]

Two of the roads we travelled today.
We passed one vehicle, one vehicle passed us, we slowed to 40 in a 55 to keep from passing a local pos who did it to jack with us. We didn't pass because we were turning down a narrow road in about three miles and would have had to come to a complete stop.
These were the only interactions on the roads.



The HARVEST HOST host appeared to have a bit of dementia, so we politely left and looked elsewhere.

We wound up at the South Dakota State Go-cart championships completely by accident.
We found the fairgrounds had rv spots and was about 25miles away.
Ate a hotdog and a Sloppy Joe from a little league quality stand, watched a 4 year old on a quad give a ride around the parking lot to a diapered kid, parents cheering, 7 year old kids in the State finals...a kid who wouldn't hold his trophy and drive off after newspaper pictures because his parents told him
Two hands on the wheel at all times.

We had no idea the races were going on. We just heard the announcer and walked a mile across the rv park.
Upon arriving We found the fairgrounds had full hook ups on very nice grass. TWELVE HUNDRED or so spaces. Maybe fifty of us here including the races. There isn't anyone within an 1/8th mile of us. $23 and there is no one to collect, you have to mail it in to an address on their sign.
Live music at the fairgrounds bar and bbq, maybe 300 people there(not us).
Aberdeen SD...just where we happened to land today.
Nothing else going on at the fair grounds, dead quiet on our side of the bunny barn and OpenClass Sheep Arena.
.
Rushmore and Crazy Horse and Yellowstone be damned.

We haven't a clue where we'll be tomorrow, but it won't be with
Huddled masses yearning to be free.

2,000 miles so far, only 9 of them on interstates.

 

[paulwadley]

It is always interesting to find some of those out of the way locations. You never know what is ahead of you. We did some of that this past trip driving through Arkansas on some lonely county roads with no buildings in sight for many miles.

Paul

 

[Matthew-THOR]

Thats great.
Nothing better than to wonder.
Spent a couple weeks on the UP last month, nothing but back roads up there.
Great place to get lost, but go out of season and the place is all yours.
Interesting observation from up there...
We stopped at a little roadside flea market and a guy had a few tables of hand tools, junk, and long guns.
The next morning we had to double back that way real early for a kayak trip.
All of the tools and guns were still on the tables overnight, not locked up, no one around.
Crime is non existent.
Like stepping back in time.
Just weekend trips for awhile for us.
Youngest finishing up high school, and business is booming.

 

[Bob Denman]

To quote John Mellencamp, "Ain't that America..." :coolsmiley:

 

[ducksface]

Lakefront.
I could have backed up to overhang the lake if I wanted to.
Lake Kampeska, Watertown SD.
$29 .
Water(we won't)
50amp(we might not. The inverter does just fine)
Dumpsite(we won't)
Showers,(we won't)
Free internet at 12meg(we will.)

See that rv wwaaayyyy over there?
That's the one closest to us.

 

[Bob Denman]

Awesome!

 

[paulwadley]

That looks like a great spot plus no crowds.


Paul

 

[DogLovers]

Actually I'm a bit disappointed you failed to stop to see the worlds biggest ball of twine.

 

[TripleGGG]

This was me yesterday in the Palazzo. I love living in East TN.

 

[ducksface]

Our road today.
About one and a half lanes.
But
We also did a big stretch of i80. I would have never believed how bad the Damn i80 was for stretches of miles.
We've been so lucky with the back roads. Take a look at the little road we travelled today. Its perfect.

The problem with us stopping at places like the worlds largest ball of twine is we've pretty much been there done that, at about every attraction west of the Mississippi.

We're headed to detroit and Henry ford Museum for the second time in our lives. We seldom go to the same place twice unless kismet and the coin toss dictates, but Henry ford is remarkable.

We're somewhere between Chicago and Detroit tonight, I dont know exactly where but I suspect Michigan.
3,000 miles just turned over.
We've paid for three nights so far.
$12
$20
$7
Never a reservation 24 hours in advance, never a problem.
It cost me $100($78+tip included a fifth of their in house made vodka) at the brewery we're staying at, but the food was excellent.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

How much is fuel up there? Still waiting for that big drop in price before our next trip... not holding my breath though... it's the cost of the freedom to travel like this!!

 

[ducksface]

$3.39 ish. I never pay any attention. I just buy it where it's handy and when I'm ready. Usually at half a tank.


And I saw this for the first time ever.
I've seen 100 octane in lake H

​

avasu, but never 94 octane 85% alcohol.

 

[DogLovers]

Gas along interstate 80-94 from the Illinois/Indiana state line to the Indiana/Michigan border runs $2.99-$3.29, Diesel runs $3.19-$3.62. Along the interstate are nothing but profiteers gouging everyone so use “Gas Buddy” or another app to find a good price a couple miles off the interstate. Avoid ever getting off at Lake Station and Gary.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

In a few years I'll be able to tell my grandkids how I paid only 22 cents a gallon when I was in high school... funny that's how much their GREAT grandfather paid too!

 

[ducksface]

In a few years I'll be able to tell my grandkids how I paid only 22 cents a gallon when I was in high school... funny that's how much their GREAT grandfather paid too!

Divide average hourly wage back then by the gas price back then.
Now do it for todays prices.

Be very surprised how gas may have actually been more costly depending on the year you choose.

1972 minimum wage was $1.60
Gas was 38 to 55 cents.
That's $3.80 to $5.50 today...and it isn't.

When your dad paid 20 cents what were wages?

Gas is maybe cheaper now.

(I remember a 9 cents per gallon gas war in Tucson in the early 60's. 11 cents was too often to be memorable.)

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Divide averagr hourly wage back then by the gas orice back then.
Now do it for todays prices.

Be very surprised how gas may have actually been more costly depending on the year you choose.

1972 minimum wage was $1.60
Gas was 38 to 55 cents.
That's $3.80 to $5.50 today...anx jt isn't.

Gas is cheaper now.

Most of my (blue collar) buddies were making at least $2.75 then... and gas where I grew up was between 25 -30 cents (unless a gas war drove it down to low 20 cents) until '75. I remember gas hitting 50 cents in '75 and people thought the sky was falling!

So, relative to everything else, gasoline in typical rural U.S. is a little high... $2.50 would be about right. But my wife says I'm not living in reality...

 

[DogLovers]

Most of my (blue collar) buddies were making at least $2.75 then... and gas where I grew up was between 25 -30 cents (unless a gas war drove it down to low 20 cents) until '75. I remember gas hitting 50 cents in '75 and people thought the sky was falling!

So, relative to everything else, gasoline in typical rural U.S. is a little high... $2.50 would be about right. But my wife says I'm not living in reality...

I visited reality once. I didn’t like it.

 

[MLP-THOR]

Divide average hourly wage back then by the gas price back then.
Now do it for todays prices.

Be very surprised how gas may have actually been more costly depending on the year you choose.

1972 minimum wage was $1.60
Gas was 38 to 55 cents.
That's $3.80 to $5.50 today...and it isn't.

When your dad paid 20 cents what were wages?

Gas is maybe cheaper now.

(I remember a 9 cents per gallon gas war in Tucson in the early 60's. 11 cents was too often to be memorable.)

I was very young, but six cents a gallon advertised as "GAS WARS" in Stanton California on highway 39, Beach boulevard, about 1961. I thinl that Signal Hill in Long Beach was still the oil capital of the world at the time.

 

[Travelin' Texans]

Fall 1971 at Mr Gas between Amarillo & Canyon Texas had gas for .08 cents early Friday afternoons, I drove a VW beetle that held about 12 gallons, if I recall, could drive home for weekend & good for the rest of the week til Friday.

 

[dkoldman]

If I recall back then as I was a kid always sitting in the back seat, but my mom would roll down a window and the mechanic would come out and she would say something like "give me $1 of Regular", and the attendant would pump the gas for us wiping the windshield while the pump was running