I [do not] heart California

I love my hometown, and I moved back home to be with my family again and to live at home again, although neither I nor any of my family likes California or its backward politics. I knew the prices I would pay for moving back home, but it still pisses me off.

As I am fortunate enough to be able to run the business I work for from my home for the time-being, I rarely ever have to leave my hermit-home in the mountains 20-miles out of town which makes me very happy. Had to go to town today, and here is a follow-up on Teo's thread regarding the price of fuel in California.

Price of fuel in town:



I got 4.4 GAL of gasoline for $20:



Price of gasoline out where I live (!!!):



Damn California.

What are you all paying in the Panhandle right now?

You know I saw you in cali on the map not long ago.

here in S fl we are paying about 3.68 a gal

Heres a song for you sexy.

and YOU ARE SEXY..............................................................



Wish they could all be california girls like you.....

Rogue wrote:You know I saw you in cali on the map not long ago.

here in S fl we are paying about 3.68 a gal

Heres a song for you sexy.

and YOU ARE SEXY..............................................................

[flashYOUTUBE[/flash]

Wish they could all be california girls like you.....

LOL! I haven't seen that in a LONG time. Funny, there are not a lot of places you're likely to run into a rebel flag in California (beginning of the video). I happen to live in one of those places, but Venice Beach (in the video) is NOT one of them.

I save all of my fuel receipts and track my mileage to keep track of mi/GAL for a number of purposes. Last time I filled up I paid $4.09/GAL at one of the fuel stations that's out in the sticks because I was down to 1/4 tank and wasn't going to town anytime soon, otherwise likely would have paid ~$4/GAL.

Get a Prius.

I saw gas at several stations going over toward Mobile and the price was $3.50 or so. It is around $3.70 in Pensacola, I believe.

2seaoat wrote:Get a Prius.

I need a pick-up and 4WD where I live, and have a customized '97 Tacoma that I've owned for about 12 years. I take very good care of her and she treats me right in return. She's about to turn-over 200k and if I'm lucky I can get another 100k out of her... at any rate, I'll drive her 'til the wheels fall off. Not to mention, I don't believe in vehicle payments.

Plus, I don't even think you can buy a pick-up with manual locking hubs anymore, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a pick-up with a manual transmission. That's troublesome for me, as those are non-negotiables for me... Hopefully, demand for those features will change the market before I make my next purchase.

That being said... It's awfully tempting!

When I drive my 1 ton dump truck, I get 8mpg. When I drive the Prius, I get just under 50mpg. I spoke to somebody who has a 2012 who is getting 53mpg. The best my wife usually gets is 51mpg. It burns me when I have to pay six times as much when I am driving the truck. It sits a great deal.

Yomama wrote:I saw gas at several stations going over toward Mobile and the price was $3.50 or so. It is around $3.70 in Pensacola, I believe.

Sooo jealous! But, I do not long for the hurricane fuel bubbles! ACK! I have a picture somewhere of the most I paid for gasoline in SR County or Escambia County before or after some hurricane, but I can no longer recall what it was. Outrageous, no doubt.

My ex husband and I did keep 50 GAL of diesel and 50 GAL of gasoline on-hand for hurricane emergencies, but never had to tap-into it... although we did cycle it through so it didn't age. In retrospect, we would have just used it. But we moved there a year after Ivan (which we watched, glued to the TV) and I was on the first flight allowed into the airport after Ivan and stayed for 6-wks, so we were paranoid, understandably I think.

riceme wrote:

2seaoat wrote:Get a Prius.

I need a pick-up and 4WD where I live, and have a customized '97 Tacoma that I've owned for about 12 years. I take very good care of her and she treats me right in return. She's about to turn-over 200k and if I'm lucky I can get another 100k out of her... at any rate, I'll drive her 'til the wheels fall off. Not to mention, I don't believe in vehicle payments.

Plus, I don't even think you can buy a pick-up with manual locking hubs anymore, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a pick-up with a manual transmission. That's troublesome for me, as those are non-negotiables for me... Hopefully, demand for those features will change the market before I make my next purchase.

That being said... It's awfully tempting!

You are not a weak lady, you are a very awesome LADY.

My most fav truck ever was my nasty looking chevy truck that I pulled my boat with in pcola. It was loud. had tires 2/3 my hieght. It was SEXY in a grungy kind of way. God I loved that truck.

Dont let people take away your simple joys. Drive your truck woman. and do it in style. Nothing sexier than a sexy woman like yourself getin out of a big truck in heels.......

and you know it....

2seaoat wrote:When I drive my 1 ton dump truck, I get 8mpg. When I drive the Prius, I get just under 50mpg. I spoke to somebody who has a 2012 who is getting 53mpg. The best my wife usually gets is 51mpg. It burns me when I have to pay six times as much when I am driving the truck. It sits a great deal.

I hear you. My folks have two vehicles: My dad's is a 2007 1-ton 4WD Ford diesel, my mom's is a 2003 3/4 ton Ford (which is pretty cute since she's 4'11") diesel, now permanently outfitted with a 4WD camper since my dad is now 78 and has two total knee replacements and a hip replacement. They camp out enough that it's worth it to keep it permanently on the 3/4 ton so that my dad and (very tiny) mom don't have to constantly put it on and take it off. I would be of more help if my knee was worth a damn.

My mom has suggested a number of times that they get a small car or truck for running errands, but my dad won't have it... he was a firefighter for 37 years and saw too many MVCs where folks in "roller skate cars" were killed. Better safety ratings since his retirement aside, his experience has scarred him, I believe.

But hey, if you need a dumptruck... or a pick-up with which to tow, you gotta have 'em, right?

The best investment I have made on the truck is a multi ball hitch with easy pins for changing balls to line up with the different trailers we have. The thing which is funny is that I can haul my Bobcat and trailer, and I get the same 8mpg as I get running empty. I think I can hear the gas being sucked down as I drive.

2seaoat wrote:The best investment I have made on the truck is a multi ball hitch with easy pins for changing balls to line up with the different trailers we have. The thing which is funny is that I can haul my Bobcat and trailer, and I get the same 8mpg as I get running empty. I think I can hear the gas being sucked down as I drive.

I agree that is a great investment when you have several different trailers to haul. At least (I think... right?) you're on flat ground for the most part, which I believe accounts for your ability to achieve 8-MPG no matter whether you're hauling a load or empty. We have very steep grades around here, so 8-MPG running empty can equate to 4 when you're pulling a grade, nevermind when you're under-load. Of course, the flip-side is putting it in neutral and getting ~10+ on the down-grade (empty, of course)... provided you've got confidence in your brakes and a solid manual transmission.

Your truck is gasoline, I take it... What year?

My "truck" gets 25 mpg. It has so far served me well. 4 banger Nissan Frontier. It would be worthless in the mountains.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:My "truck" gets 25 mpg. It has so far served me well. 4 banger Nissan Frontier. It would be worthless in the mountains.

2-WD, I guess? My Tacoma is also a 4-cylinder, but with 4WD, BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A's, four chains (real chains, not cable chains), various hand tools, and 4-low, I have never found a place I wanted to go that I could get into and out of.

I get about 20 if I'm on a FLAT highway, about 16 in town (in 2WD). But, I don't encounter those conditions all that much. I only use premium fluids and parts (plugs, wires, filters, etc...) and tier-one gasoline, and change my fluids religiously, before mileage recommendation, all of which I believe accounts for the above-average mileage I get on my pickup. No doubt I could do a bit better if I ran different tires. For years I sent oil samples into Herguth Laboratories for analysis, and should probably start doing so again, since I'm creeping up on 200k mi.

riceme wrote:

TEOTWAWKI wrote:My "truck" gets 25 mpg. It has so far served me well. 4 banger Nissan Frontier. It would be worthless in the mountains.

2-WD, I guess? My Tacoma is also a 4-cylinder, but with 4WD, BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A's, four chains (real chains, not cable chains), various hand tools, and 4-low, I have never found a place I wanted to go that I could get into and out of.

I get about 20 if I'm on a FLAT highway, about 16 in town (in 2WD). But, I don't encounter those conditions all that much. I only use premium fluids and parts (plugs, wires, filters, etc...) and tier-one gasoline, and change my fluids religiously, before mileage recommendation, all of which I believe accounts for the above-average mileage I get on my pickup. No doubt I could do a bit better if I ran different tires. For years I sent oil samples into Herguth Laboratories for analysis, and should probably start doing so again, since I'm creeping up on 200k mi.

It's better to run the lower octane if your engine isn't high compression..
It's cheaper and burns better.. the mileage will go up a bit..
I run regular in the car and high test in my Harley because it's high compression and air cooled..

Yes it's a simple little truck. I got a beemer for the less simple things like comfort....I find myself driving the Beemer less and less though as it requires premium gas. I also have a couple motorcycles in case it gets really crazy....then Bicycles of all different uses.

Like this one..my recumbent...

I bought it in LA and rode it in Kernville....



Here I am taking a spill on my mountain bike...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNZFUgquQmk

Lurch wrote:

It's better to run the lower octane if your engine isn't high compression..
It's cheaper and burns better.. the mileage will go up a bit..
I run regular in the car and high test in my Harley because it's high compression and air cooled..

Yessir, agreed. For clarity I only run tier-one fuel, but exclusively low-octane. I don't drive a hotrod, as you well know No reason to waste my money on high-octane fuel. It was tough for me when I lived in Kansas to find tier-one gasoline... MAN those folks love their cheap-azz gasoline!

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

Don't you have a horse? That would be cheaper..

California is not the place to live. Taxes,housing, food is one of the highest in the country. Illegals have taken over San Diego County.I urge my family all the time to get out of there.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Yes it's a simple little truck. I got a beemer for the less simple things like comfort....I find myself driving the Beemer less and less though as it requires premium gas. I also have a couple motorcycles in case it gets really crazy....then Bicycles of all different uses.

Like this one..my recumbent...

I bought it in LA and rode it in Kernville....



Here I am taking a spill on my mountain bike...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNZFUgquQmk

Very cool. Good lookin dog. There's a couple who lives way out past where I do who uses a pair of those recumbent bikes for primary transportation for 2/3 of the year (whenever there isn't completely foul weather). Gotta give it up to them!

What kind of bikes do you have (uhh, motorcycles)? I've owned many in my day, but my solo days on 2-wheels are over. My favorites were two that I owned w/my ex husband after I could no longer ride solo on 2-wheels because of my knee: A KX500 and a KLR650. We decided to get rid of the KX500 after one of our friends (who was about 3X my husband's size) nearly killed himself on it. Those are monster dirtbikes, not for the faint-of-heart. I loved riding on back of it AND the KLR 650! I would have never been able to ride either of them by myself anyways, as I could nowhere near touch the ground with my feet. WAY too tall and heavy for me... both of them. 'Specially with my bad left knee.

We did have a custom built quad that was stretched-out (long-ways and in the ass-end, for steep hill climbing and side-hill stability) and had 4-wheel independent suspension before you could purchase anything of the sort on the market. Had a bored-out KX500 motor in it and was built for two. Now, THAT I could ride by myself. Only almost killed myself once. Pretty good record for as scary-fast as it was. Ex husband tried to get me to take it in the divorce, but I made him take it since he and his dad built it. Kind of regret not taking it now. But, I think it was the right thing to do to have him keep it.

Ahh, the good ole days! Why'dya hafta go and mention motorcycles, T??

Lurch wrote:Don't you have a horse? That would be cheaper..

Horses are extremely expensive, but ja... at this point would probably be cheaper than driving in this darn state!

My parents have a mule and a horse... I'm sure I could commandeer one of them. The mule is much easier to ride, plus is quite a hauler and worker. I love that guy!

Sorry Rice but bikes may be the transpo of the future. Right now I have an old Honda Shadow VLX. I had a couple others but I gave one to a girl friend and another, a Kawasaki 500 still in my garage is slated to go to the helping hands mission. By this time next year I want a brand new Iron 883 Harley...a buddy of mine got one and now I am smitten....

Here's me and my little Honda....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h43rnqaDjG4


I am a walking video camera..so I got video of everything...

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Sorry Rice but bikes may be the transpo of the future. Right now I have an old Honda Shadow VLX. I had a couple others but I gave one to a girl friend and another, a Kawasaki 500 still in my garage is slated to go to the helping hands mission. By this time next year I want a brand new Iron 883 Harley...a buddy of mine got one and now I am smitten....

Here's me and my little Honda....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h43rnqaDjG4


I am a walking video camera..so I got video of everything...

What year and model Kawi?

Lurch wrote:

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Sorry Rice but bikes may be the transpo of the future. Right now I have an old Honda Shadow VLX. I had a couple others but I gave one to a girl friend and another, a Kawasaki 500 still in my garage is slated to go to the helping hands mission. By this time next year I want a brand new Iron 883 Harley...a buddy of mine got one and now I am smitten....

Here's me and my little Honda....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h43rnqaDjG4


I am a walking video camera..so I got video of everything...

What year and model Kawi?

1993 Vulcan

Dreamsglore wrote:California is not the place to live. Taxes,housing, food is one of the highest in the country. Illegals have taken over San Diego County.I urge my family all the time to get out of there.

Agreed. If my 90-year old granny weren't still here and if my folks' custom build home (which our family built in the late 70s / early 80s) had not been built here, none of us would be here any longer and I would not have moved home. Everyone else has long-since moved to Alaska, Idaho, Colorado and Kansas. It pains me to think of this, let alone to put it into words but after my granny is gone, my dad (78) will be too old to move to Wyoming, as my parents have long wanted to do.

Fresh produce is actually pretty cheap here, as we grow a lot of crops in the valley I live in, and are just up the mountain from the San Joaquin Valley. Milk is also not too bad, so far as California prices go... lots of dairies in the San Joaquin Valley as well of course, and if you prefer higher-quality meats you're in the right place, as there are lots of beef, sheep and hog farms around. I do not believe people who buy bargain meats net any savings. Everything else (frozen, processed, canned, etc.) foods are absolutely outrageous. I just don't cook like that though.