Climbing Cost (of a day out)

[caribe]

I was talking about this with a friend who often drives. We came to the obvious conclusion that we'd much rather pay to ride with someone else because it gets weird when it comes time to pay for gas. Sometimes it feels like people are doing you a favor by paying you for driving. Often people just say goodbye leaving the driver with the tab. I wonder if the Cinci drivers have it worse.

From East side Lexington to the average Southern Region is 66 mi
mpg: ~24, price of gas $3.80
2 x (66 mi) / 24 (mi/gal) x $3.80 $/gal = $21
group of four people = $5/ person.
group of 2 = $10/ person
The math is pretty simple. Either you pay or someone else pays for you.

Now think about previous conversations about supporting climbing venues like Muir and the RRGCC/ PMRP. If climbers feel that they don't have to pay to get to the crag (an immediate obvious cost) they sure as hell don't have to pony up the cashola to support the venue attended.

This post is coming from a guy who often says, "don't worry about the gas, I got this one." I think we all need to shift our perspective a bit. Beer and climbing cost money and that is that.

[dustonian]

Don't forget wear-&-tear on the car: tire wear/oil changes etc. I've always had the attitude that I'll be driving out there with or without the partner, so the money's the same to me either way. But then, I always wind up broke at the end of the month, so... ultimately the gas is significant but still way less than the cost of bolts/glue/gear etc.

We used to drive out to Yosemite or even Tuolumne for a day of climbing, and at Bay area gas prices:

2x 215 miles to Tuolumne Meadows/24mpg x $4.50/gallon = $80.63 + tolls @ $6 = $86.63!

Ouch!! Not to mention the 8.5 hours roundtrip... pretty psycho I guess, & a typical part of the "lifestyle." Lexington sure is nice sometimes... granted, the one-day missions were few and far between thankfully. Now I don't even want to drive back and forth at only 66 miles!

[Clevis Hitch]

We should all quit our day jobs and sell pizzas!

[pigsteak]

Art, Dustin is right..the IRS gives you 55 cents a mile for driving your car for business purposes so that would be a better indicator of how much to pony up. 132 miles at that rate is $72.60. Don't be cheap when you ride with someone else. If they say $5, give them $10. If they say $10, give them $20.

[Brentucky]

24mpg??? What are we a bunch of hippies? I'm a Republican!!!

[dustonian]

I get 37-40 mpg but my "car" is a total boner-killer. I miss the days of climbing trips being business-expense-related.

[bcombs]

I rarely take any gas money. We just usually swap turns driving. I'm sure it doesn't work out totally even in the end, but it's fine. Yas is the exception, she will force feed you at least a ten spot if you try to turn it down. Every once in awhile Ben will be playing in the car and find money she's stashed somewhere.

Pig, I'm going to pick you up next trip out. My fee is 20, so I'll be expecting 40.

[caribe]

24mpg??? What are we a bunch of hippies? I'm a Republican!!!

No way . . .

[toad857]

Right. If you drive a truck that gets 15mpg, you are spending about $30 just for a daytrip to the Red from Lexington... wow. And it's over $70 if you're doing it from Cincinnati. A honda civic cuts the price by more than half.

[caribe]

132 miles at that rate is $72.60.

Piglet rides with me for free. Once in a while he bolts something I can climb.