An apology

[jclary]

IT MUST BE MY FAULT

[gordr]

John, a word to the wise. A good friend, he always likes to go to the Portland Swap Meet. It's about 800 miles from us, so a trip kind of comparable to the one to York for you. One year, the Canadian dollar was very low, maybe 85 cents on the U.S. buck, and he told his wife he was going to take a pass on the trip. She, knowing how much he enjoyed those trips, reamed him out: " You are going to let a little thing like that ruin your trip? How much do you spend? Maybe a thousand bucks? The dollar is five cents lower than usual, so a thousand times five cents is, what, fifty bucks? You going to give up your trip for a measly fifty bucks?" He went that year, and pretty well every year since, except for the one when that lady passed away.

The moral is, the one thing we cannot replace is time. If you have the time to do a trip like this, go for it. If the fuel costs you an extra couple hundred bucks, so be it, because that couple hundred bucks won't buy you another year, nor will it buy another Stude swap meet if the promoters of the York meet have a really poor year, and decide to wind it up for lack of interest.

Maybe you could hook up with another Stude fan somewhere along your route, and share driving expenses. When we do the Portland trip, there's usually at least two of us in the vehicle. Four, last year, in the Suburban. Split four ways, the fuel bill is no trouble at all.

[jclary]

Thanks for the perspective Gord...When I originally posted, my tongue was planted so deep in my cheek, I nearly bit it off! Too often, we allow the little things to become big stumbling blocks. I have not attended any of these events enough to be a familiar face. However, the times I have gone are some of my best Studebaker memories.

In my home, the mention of such a trip to my wife is followed by a reminder of all the chores that are still not completed. Then...she tops that off with a caution about the chances of getting "snowed-in" somewhere in the netherworld of the north!

I love her dearly, but a risk taker she's not. I recall only a year or so after we were married. We were renting a small three room duplex for forty dollars a month. A whole house about four doors down the street became available for only ten dollars more per month. (It had a whopping 4 rooms and gas heat!) I had to practically drag her to that house because she was afraid we couldn't afford the extra ten bucks a month!

I'm still thinking about making the trip. Anybody wanting to share expenses, let me know.

[wolfie]

Thanks for the perspective Gord...When I originally posted, my tongue was planted so deep in my cheek, I nearly bit it off! Too often, we allow the little things to become big stumbling blocks. I have not attended any of these events enough to be a familiar face. However, the times I have gone are some of my best Studebaker memories.

In my home, the mention of such a trip to my wife is followed by a reminder of all the chores that are still not completed. Then...she tops that off with a caution about the chances of getting "snowed-in" somewhere in the netherworld of the north!

I love her dearly, but a risk taker she's not. I recall only a year or so after we were married. We were renting a small three room duplex for forty dollars a month. A whole house about four doors down the street became available for only ten dollars more per month. (It had a whopping 4 rooms and gas heat!) I had to practically drag her to that house because she was afraid we couldn't afford the extra ten bucks a month!

I'm still thinking about making the trip. Anybody wanting to share expenses, let me know.

Good luck John. I would love to make the trip but have so many demands on time and money coming up we are dealing with one day at a time. We WILL be in the new house on or before Jan 31 so you are required to make a visit some time soon afterward. The Stude stuff will move among the first items (giving up the rented storage ASAP) so there will be deals a-plenty. Steve

[Roscomacaw]

I'm lucky, I guess. My spouse is like the gal Gord talks about. Often, I'll lament that I don't wanna spend the time and/or the gas to attend some event I have an interest in. She'll remind me I'm not gettin' any younger and it won't likely break the bank. Not that I take her advice - but it's nice to have someone on my side - even when I'M NOT on my side!

And John, if it makes you feel any better..... I appreciate now having "someone" to blame when gas prices start to climb. I won't have to throw useless curses to the winds - knowing full well the oil companies won't hear or CARE. No - now I can mumble: "Doggone it Clary! Think about something else!"

[woodysrods]

I agree with Gord
This past summer we made the long trek to South Bend for the International!
Logged close to 6500 miles by time we made it safely home.
Fuel!! Guess I could have saved some out there on those bald prarrie roads we travelled, if I would have driven at 60 mph.
But 85 + was way more fun in the old M Series, but it did mean the RPM's were up and the Secondaries were open like toilet bowls.
Managed to average a whopping 12 mpg on the trip.
Do the math.........truck ate more than we did.
Good thing I didn't have my trailer finished for that trip.
But "Miss Piggy" will be in Colorado Springs! You only go around once!
Oh I did get to go around twice at the "Proving Grounds" and not at 60 mph either??? I prefered it with the GPS reading 3 didgets.
Again.......I don't think I will ever have that chance again. So I took it!
Good Roads
Brian

[Aussie Hawk]

John, Put yourself in an Aussie's position - would you travel 12,000 miles by plane, then hire a car to drive to where ever the swap / meet was being held ? I had been planning to attend the Colorado Meet from last year, with my eldest son. Just before Christmas I found out my three teenage kids, (second batch), were coming to live with us from January 19th, a huge life change for them and us. I said to my wife 'I'll cancel the trip, it's not fair on you to have to look after my kids without me here for two weeks'. She said, 'Go, you'll kick yourself otherwise, we can manage for two weeks'. To compound things even further my wife is my office manager and my son my 2IC, so she'll not only have to fly solo at home, but deal with our stuff at work. Great gal, we just clocked up 10 years last Tuesday. GO !