Considering what fuel prices have been doing lately, reducing fuel expenses seems to be
a major topic of discussion these days. I hear everything from: "It's still cheap when you factor in
inflation" to "I'm going to have to quit traveling because of the cost of fuel.

Calm down! I just don't see the need for all the hysteria. Sure it's more expensive than it used to be,
and reducing fuel expenses is an important thing to consider, but let's keep it all in some sort
of reasonable perspective OK?

I mean, are you REALLY going to tell me that you are willing to say: "I suspended my
dream to travel in my RV, before I got too old... because fuel got too expensive" ?

What are you going to do... take all that money with you?

Why don't you just deal with it. Consider the cost of fuel to be a 'speed bump'. You don't
run over those at full speed do you? The same thing will work if you are interested in
reducing fuel expenses.

Just slow down! It really is as simple as that! Literally slowing down makes a huge difference
in your fuel cost, reducing fuel expenses by as much as 19% for me! At 70 mph my Cummins,
dragging our 30 foot fiver, averages between 11 and 12 mpg... depending on the terrain and wind.
Sometimes, a mite less.

If I slow down, jump off that nasty, monotonous, Interstate, and travel the two lane
at maybe 45 mph... my average jumps up to 14-15 mpg. (14.5 mpg - 19% = 11.7 mpg.)

Do the math... at $3.95 a gallon, on a 500 mile run, the difference between 11 mpg and 14.5 mpg is a whopping $43.45!

Now, where Heidi and I eat... that's enough for two nice breakfasts!... or... with my fancy
little card for bein' a Disabled Vet... it just might pay for TEN nights in a Forest Service
campground, if the going rate is $8! (I pay 1/2 for being a Disabled Vet) Five nights for
you healthy folks!

On top of the cash savings... I think you're going to experience a few other, 'unintended
consequences'!

That crook you usually get in your neck, and the ache in your shoulders, from hanging
onto the wheel, white knuckled, with your teeth gritted until your jaws ache; trying to
control the rig as you hammer down the highway, at 75 mph... doesn't happen!

At 45 mph on the two lane... you can actually tool along relaxed. You actually SEE the
things you're passing... Not just sense that they were there... outside your speed induced
'tunnel vision'.

Instead of being all grumpy from the hammering highway at the end of the day... although
you made nearly 50% fewer miles after 6 hours... you have a grin on your face because the
trip was actually fun! You actually 'saw' that Moose along the tree line! You could actually
see that little museum in time to pull over and check it out!

You actually 'see' the things you never even knew were there, when you were zoomin' along
on the interstate.

Now... if you actually slow down your mileage too... reducing fuel expenses hits a new high!
Instead of going 1800 miles a month... at 70 mph... how about cutting it to 1000 miles, at the
slower rate? ... The bonus is you get to see all those things you used to zoom on by in your
rush to get to the next big name tourist mecca!

Even at the slower speed, 1800 miles is going to cost you, at 14.5 mpg, $489.80. (at $3.95 a
gallon)

If you keep the hammer down at 70 mph... burning 11 mpg... you're going to pour at least
$646.22 into your tank! Pull over onto the two lane, travel slower, and while enjoying it one
hell of a lot more, you'll end up reducing fuel expenses to $272.43! (1000 miles/14.5 mpg
at $3.95 per gallon)

Where I come from that's a total savings of $373.79 in maybe a month of traveling! Pretty
fine, I would say, for a program aimed at reducing fuel expenses for an RVing Full-Timer!

Don't give up your wandering. Put a little effort into reducing your fuel expenses and:

... See everything you planned on seeing... Go everywhere you planned on going... Just go a little slower... Take a little longer... See a lot more!