IS IT TIME TO TANK LONG TRIPS?

If gas prices remain at present levels, many RV owners, particularly those who drive big gas guzzlers, likely will curtail their outings.

Already, there are indications that some anglers who own motor homes, travel trailers and pickup campers are considering costs when they plan trips. High gas prices may have been one of the reasons for the big drop in the turnout for the fishing season opener.

Some RV owners may not like the high prices, but they're not concerned. Fishing buddies who share costs aren't likely to cut down on their trips to far places. When two or more share the cost of gas, the cost to each isn't a big expense. However, when a family travels, the costs can't be shared.

And, of course, people who own $200,000 motor homes aren't going to worry about the price of gas. If they can afford big, expensive gas guzzlers, they can afford gas at any price. The typical medium-sized motor home gets about 10 miles per gallon of gas. Big motor homes gulp a gallon every 4 to 6 miles, making travel expensive when gas prices are high.

Half-ton pickups, large four-wheel drive station wagons and most sports vehicles get 14 to 17 miles per gallon. My half-ton pickup averages 17 miles per gallon on the highway and 12 to 13 miles in the city.

The rapid rise in gas prices has probably irritated more outdoor-oriented people, particularly RV owners, than any other group. They're the ones who drive 250 to 500 miles a week to fish, hunt, camp, boat and, as Bob Dole would say, whatever.

Not long ago gas was selling for about $1.10 a gallon in the Spokane area. Now the price is about $1.45.

My pickup's tank holds 42 gallons. Many pickups have two tanks that hold twice that much. At today's prices, it costs $61 to fill my tank. Owners of two-tank pickups and motor homes have to spend more than $100 for a fill up.

Fishermen and hunters are wanderers. Most of my friends think nothing of driving 250 to 400 miles at least once a week to fish such lakes as Lenice, Dry Falls and Lenore lakes in the Columbia Basin, Montana's Clark Fork and Missouri rivers or Idaho's upper St. Joe. Many Spokane area anglers drive more than 400 miles to fish Lake Mary Ronan and British Columbia lakes.

Spokane area owners of medium-sized motor homes that get about 10 miles to the gallon of gas now spend $35 to fish the Potholes Reservoir or Lenore Lake, compared to about $26 earlier this year. They've got to spend about $44, compared to $33 in January, to fish the Grande Ronde or Methow rivers.

Most anglers drive to the upper St. Joe via St. Regis, Mont. A round trip from Spokane is about 400 miles. A motor home that gets 10 miles to the gallon consumes about 40 gallons of gas. Forty gallons now costs about $58; last year the cost was about $44.

Although driving a pickup, 4WD station wagon or sports car isn't as costly as traveling in a motor home, owners of such vehicles already are thinking about gas prices. It now costs me about $22 to fish Lenore Lake or the Potholes Reservoir, compared to about $16 a few months ago.

When I fish Chopaka Lake in the Okanogan country, I'll have to spend $36, as against $27 a year ago. And when I fish one of my favorite lakes in British Columbia next month, gas will cost me $50, compared to $34 last year.

Fishermen who have 100- to 150-horsepower engines on their boats already are curtailing their long-distance forays. One of my friends who has a fishing-equipped 19-foot boat powered by a big outboard said his engine gets about 5 miles to a gallon. When he fished above Chief Joseph dam recently, he said gas for his Suburban cost more than $40 and gas for the boat amounted to $20. And he caught only a couple of fish.

Anglers who trolled Lake Pend Oreille during the K&K derby day after day spent a lot of money on gas. Generally, anglers, when leaving Sandpoint, Hope or Bayview, run at full speed to where they believe they'll hook a big rainbow or two. The long runs to and from fishing spots cost them big bucks.

It won't be long before water skiers will be active. You can imagine the gas bills they'll run up during a day of pulling a couple of skiers.

Maybe gas prices will drop. Fishermen, eternal optimists, think so. The pessimists, quick to blame the oil companies, doubt it. We'll know by July.

Copyright 1996 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.