Eulogy for the Winnebago

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/green/chi-oped0618keillorjun18,0,6818423.column

Garrison Keillor
June 18, 2008

Eighty-six percent of the American people believe the price of gasoline will climb to five bucks a gallon this year, a big shift in public opinion from a year ago when most people felt that oil prices were spiking high and would soon return to normal—which is 35 cents a gallon, same as a pack of smokes—and we'd be able to head west in our Winnebagos for a nice summer vacation.

This does not appear to be in the cards and Winnebago stock has fallen about 50 percent in the past year. If you are selling a big box on a truck chassis for as much as a quarter-million dollars when gas is at $4 and rising, you are aiming at a rather select clientele indeed, folks who might rather buy a beach house in Costa Rica than go cruising the Interstate.

[Cerridwen]

1. Kick for a good story.

Thank you, NNN0LHI.

[dysfunctional press]

2. my neighbor bought a big motor-home two years ago...he's used it once.

between that and the huge suv he now has parked in his garage, he's got about $125,000 in useless vehicle purchases that he's paying on.

[NNN0LHI]

3. My neighbor has a huge speed boat with a 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile V-8

He pays to store it somewhere all winter and then he tows it here in the spring and puts it into his driveway. It never leaves the driveway even once all summer long and then in the fall he tows it somewhere again and puts it back into storage until the following spring.

All the other people around here think he is nuts. I try to stay away from him.

Don

[Squatch]

7. If it flies, floats or fucks...you're better off renting.

[melody]

4. Probably make an okay vacation cabin if you sunk the wheels into concrete n/t

[Mountainman]

5. It is already $5 and above in Santa Barbara, CA at some stations.

Chevron is $4.99 9/10 for 87 octane and over $5 for the other two.

[tabasco]

6. Light weight travel trailers will be more popular.

I never liked the idea of combining the vehicle and RV.

[justinthebull]

8. Maybe they'll recover...

...once they figure out how to make this:

[dysfunctional press]

9. and if you want to do any driving when you get there, you also need to tow a "dinghy"...

motels are SO MUCH cheaper...and if you want the nature experience with a bit of comfort- get a tent and an inflatable mattress that you can put in the trunk of your car.

[XemaSab]

10. Shoot, my tent and thermarest could go on a BIKE

The car is to haul the beer. :D

[dysfunctional press]

12. thermarests don't cut it for me.

arthritic spine and all...

but an inflatable mattress is generally more comfortable than the things that pass for beds in motor homes.

[pamela]

11. K & R

It's a good read.