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Post by Jimi on Apr 1, 2008 14:19:52 GMT -5
How high does everyone think gas prices will have to go before they start impacting visitors to the BWCA and Q? We have a roughly 670 mile trip to make, with the mandatory stop for lunch and pie at the Norske Nook. At $3.51/g it's roughly $162 round trip, which in my opinion isn't so bad. We really don't live all that far.
But I know of folks who drive twice again as far. If you have a truck and it runs on diesel, geez, that alone is practically the cost of our entire trip. This also begs a larger question if higher fuel costs, while leading to fewer visitors? will also have a negative impact on the local economies. I put a question there because I'm not certain visitors will actually drop. I wonder if more folks from Mn. Wi. and Mi. will trip there because of its nearness.
What does everyone else think?
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Post by qpassage on Apr 1, 2008 17:47:56 GMT -5
Personally I don't think you will see any negitive results in visitors BW or Q attendances. The way I see it there are basiclly 3 different types of people who visit the northwoods. Those who make it an annual visit and money is not an object. Those who use to travel as 2 or 4 in a group mixing it up and maxing out the permits with 9. Then you got the guys like me ;D Could careless about the gas. I'd ride a bike to get there if I had to. Might turn my vacation from 10 day to 10 months but hey what can I say. On a serious note I really think the higher gas will increase the the local economies. Most of the guys who I know that go each year are goiing regardless. My trip is 1102 miles driveway to Moose Lake. Gas would run roughly $500 round trip. Take a buddy and split it in half and it's $250. Take three buddies and it's $125. Thinking in these terms would result in extra food, rental, hotet/bunkhouses $$ being spent in those towns. Plus taking the extra people mean less $$ spent on your trip which more than likely will be spent in those towns. I know of several groups in my area that have maxed out the numbers allowed on their permits that usually are 4 or 6 to a group. With that said, would this indicate our beloved BW/Q seeing more pressure could it effect our wilderness? I was told ;D "something only one other person in my house can do" I would not be making a Q trip this year. Hmmm lets just say one is planned qp just isn't talking about it YET! It's very possible I may be in a week long conferance without phone service in Sept. I do have an ace in my pocket though. First time around in marriage it was pure tourcher being allowed a trip each year. Second time around I got a signed contract. Every now and then I have to stragically locate a copy in the house to be sure of being found. The master copy is in the bank safe deposit and only I know where the key is. qp By the way any you guy's planning to get hitch soon needing a good solid contract just email me. ;D If your already hitch and deal with same such issues, I feel sorry for ya.
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Post by Jimi on Apr 2, 2008 14:59:27 GMT -5
I always go with my wife so it's never a problem qp . I also didn't need to have a contract drawn up - it was her who actually introduced me to the Wilderness. ;D I don't think gas prices will change my tripping either, but you, I and most of the 35+ crowd, gas prices would have to double, maybe triple to change our plans. We're economically secure as the financial folks put it. Maybe I'm looking at the long haul. If the younger crowd can't afford to go now, will they ever arrive in the future? I also contemplate that sometime in the future gas prices will be a moot point. If lack of funds forces the Forest Service to contract to the point where they can no longer "manage" the Wilderness, I wonder what will happen. On both sides of the border. We live in interesting times.
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Post by L.T.sully on Apr 3, 2008 16:04:51 GMT -5
I really don't know. I'm not making a trip this year anyway. (we had to cancel) If I was to make 2 or 3 trips a year from where I live I might cut one of them out. I live about 700 miles one way, I take a longer way up to vist freinds.
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