The Test Of Time

Did you ever see those little booklets they sell in gift shops that show you what the popular music, books, and movies were the year you were born, as well as the price of everything from a loaf of bread, to a new car, or a gallon of gasoline? It’s fun to look back and see life as it was back in the “good old days.”

I was reminded of those little booklets a couple of weeks ago, when was I formatting my book Meandering Down The Highway as an e-book for Amazon’s Kindle bookstore. This was my first RV book, and it chronicles our transition from career oriented workaholics to fulltime RVers, and our adventures during our first year on the road. 

We spent part of that first year here on the Oregon coast, and it’s been interesting to compare our experiences then with what we are seeing and doing now. We have found that many of the same businesses we visited, and restaurants where we dined back then are still here, and still thriving. There were also a couple of places that we were not very impressed with back then that have since shut their doors, perhaps victims of their own poor businesses practices.

One thing I have really gotten a chuckle out of are fuel prices. Back then we had a gas powered Pace Arrow Vision, a Fleetwood lemon that we quickly christened the Motorhome From Hell. (It’s of interest to note that Fleetwood, at the time we started out the largest RV company in the world, has gone out of business, and since been reborn, with new investors and management.)

Back in June, 2000, I wrote: “So what’s with these ridiculous fuel prices? I promised Miss Terry I’d give up editorializing when I quit the community
newspaper business, but I just have to comment on the way the American public is getting shafted by the petroleum industry.” Reading on, I find that a jump in gas prices, from $1.29 a gallon to $1.76 just a month later, had set me off. I remember asking Terry what we’d do if fuel prices continued to skyrocket? Why, they could conceivably go up to $2.50 a gallon! We both agreed that would never happen, but if it did, we’d park the RV and work for a while to earn enough money to buy another tank full, and go on down the road. Ah yes, those were the good old days! 🙂

I’ve been working away at the new issue of the Gypsy Journal, and I do believe I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Assuming it’s not an oncoming train, that’s a good thing.

I took a break long enough yesterday afternoon for us to go to the Sizzler here in town for dinner. It was not nearly as good as the Sizzler where we ate a couple of times when we were in Camp Verde, Arizona a few weeks ago, and Terry said the salad bar was a joke. After dinner, we stopped at the Fred Meyer supermarket to pick up some things, and then it was back to the motorhome and back to work. I want to get the paper finished, so we can get back to playing tourist.

Thought For The Day -  I’m going to live forever, or die trying 

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