Does a slowing economy change how much you Hike

[mookie]

i switched to cheap bear so i can afford to drive to the whites/adk's!
its PBR for me now.

 

[Paradox]

Hiking is definately less expensive than some of my previous persuits: ex. golf, sailing, paintball.

BTW gas was $3.039 this morning at the local Irving Never thought I would be all jazzed about paying $3+ a gallon.

 

[Adventurous]

I started taking the bus to work instead of driving and paying for parking. The savings covers my trips to the mountains.

 

[WinterWarlock]

BTW gas was $3.039 this morning at the local Irving Never thought I would be all jazzed about paying $3+ a gallon.

Yea - that's like waiting to stop banging your head on the wall for the pain to stop...I still remember when $10 worth of gas wouldn't even fit in my car!

As for this affecting how much I hike, probably not, but it does affect where I go, or whether I look for carpool buddies.

 

[woodstrider]

Slowing economy...

bad news always makes me want to go on a trip. Good news, too. In fact I always want to go on a trip. When ever I have found myself unemployed the first thing I do is go on a trip..

 

[Stan]

I'm retired so it probably won't effect me at all unless gas prices and taxes go back out of sight.

I would expect hiking to increase in hard times. It is probably the least expensive hobby to engage in nothwithstanding goretex and fancy electronics.

It is also a great stress reliever and the spiritual side of hiking helps put everything in good perspective.

 

[amstony]

No, not really. Other competing events (running/work/travelling) actually affect my hiking more than the slow economy.

What we need to do is be smart and keep car pooling, or using other means to get to trailheads, even though the means (bus/train) are limited up in NH. Any way to keep the gas prices and associated pollution down is good with me. It all adds up! .........

and gas in Nashua was $2.95 today, and in MA it was even cheaper in some areas.

 

[NewHampshire]

Hiking is definately less expensive than some of my previous persuits: ex. golf, sailing, paintball.

BTW gas was $3.039 this morning at the local Irving Never thought I would be all jazzed about paying $3+ a gallon.

Local Irving has it at $2.92! The economy is slow, yes, but gas prices have been steadily dropping! Woo hoo!!!!

Brian

 

[1ADAM12]

NAh I am just still pretty slow

Actually gas here in PA just went down to 2.92 today so I might be hiking more this winter than I did this summer. I will still hike a lot around my home town but as far as travel looks like it will be cheaper this winter. Now all I have to do is hang on to my job

 

[Willoughby]

I am uncertain how to vote, eventually I selected "hike less". Not because I have less money, precisely, but because I have a new job that is taking most of my energy, and something has to give. With the scary economy, the job is even more important, and I don't have the flexibility and vacation time I had at the old place. The only hike I've done since starting the new job is Monadnock with Willoughby Jr.

Maybe by next summer things will have settled down - here's hoping gas is cheap!

 

[peakn]

Not changing my hiking habits. Moved to the mountains (Waterville Valley) a few years ago to reduce the commute. I'm brewing my coffee at home and bringing lunches.

As has been stated- hiking is a relatively inexpensive activity. It should reduce health care costs long term (unless you injure yourself), and is a very modest cost for mental health.

 

[Quietman]

Many of the posts in this thread comment on the price of gas which has declined. But the bottom line is how many of us will lose our jobs because of the economy. I will try to pay for gas for hiking, but oil to heat my home has to come first. For 15 years I had a job that I thought was forever. Was I ever stupid! Now I am working from home but with insurance that requires a lot of $ out of pocket ($7k). I absolutely need to walk whenever I can to keep my sanity, but the need I need to keep it local as the need keep my current employer happy is paramount. I am luckier to have a job, than am able to walk in the woods, and that is a sad state of affairs!

 

[giggy]

still try and get north once a month, but if stuff gets too expensive with oil, and other things this winter, hiking will be the first to go I think. Maybe I get north 3 times rather than 5. At the end of the day its not "expensive" per se, but with gas, food, etc.. its a 100 dollar weekend for me. Been working latemore now than ever before. Used to take lots of 1/2 days on friday to get north - not so much anymore.

whatever, hiking is not (and never has been) my sole purpose in life. To be honest, I could not hike every weekend - that would bore the hell out of me, but the one weekend a month is still doable I think. Might bump that to 2 this winter if things don't get too bad.

But, I have been saying for about a year now, I think things here in the US are going to get very bad for the middle class.

 

[daxs]

Gas in New Jersey has really dropped. I can fill up at 2.62/gal. However, with many civilians and contract personnel on the Coast Guard base I work on getting laid off, including 2 other physician assistants in my department I have no idea of how much longer I will be working. I am concerntrating of saving money. I am choosing a bike ride or run by my house to blow off steam and recreate. Its free. I have 1 winter trip planned for the ADK's which has been paid for. It will probably be my only trip this winter.

 

[timmus]

My answer is no, there's no way I'm cutting down hiking because of money.

There's so many other things I don't really need to buy, like an ipod or cell phone, or a new dress for christmas... I can cook my food instead of going to the restaurant, I can play Monopoly with my kids instead of renting the last Disney princess movie. I can visit my friends/family instead of going out... I could go on and on but that will look like I'm giving a sermon

Sorry Timmus & Neil

Yeah, we're far, but really not that much. I have many peaks on my list that are in Northern NH, and that's pretty close. Some peaks in VT, like the Jays, are 1,5 h.

 

[Neil]

Gas prices have really dropped up here. Down to under $1.10 cdn a litre from near the $1.50 mark (3.8 litres to an American gallon).

But then the CDN dollar has dropped a bunch too. The good news is I don't need to spend a penny to hike in New York State and gas in the USA is still cheaper than gas in Canada.

I either day-hike, camp in wild bushland or stay at a friend's place so my hiking costs are quite minimal.

 

[Sasquatch]

This economy sucks!

The decline in the economy has directly related to the decline in my hiking.5 years ago I used to drive 2 hrs to hike wmnf 5-6 times a month and cost was never an issue.At work I was extremely busy.The last couple years my wife has been having a terrible time trying to find a decent paying job in nh.My wages are frozen and the cost of living is skyrocketing.The last 2 weeks were the slowest and least traffic I've seen at work.Scary.My industry is on the verge of collapse. My hiking has been limited to say the least over the last year due to budget.
On a brighter note my wife now has a very new career that is recession proof and I may actually be able to resume 1 or 2 trips a week.Cheaper gas is good but does not make a huge overall dent. There are bigger problems with the economy than the price of gas and I think everyone feels the pinch in some way and thats why I relish every moment in the mountains.

 

[sapblatt]

well - worst case scenario - I lose my job and house would mean I would have plenty of time off and I would have to live in my trailer in NH - so I guess I would hike more.

Seriously - I will always hike - no one would want to be near me if I did not hike (not to say they want to be near me anyways...)