Much more expensive

[Marathoner]

47 minutes ago, WilliamL said:

People who live in the middle of nowhere (like me) tend to be more adaptable to changes in the outer world, because they rely on it less than those who live in more populated areas.

I would love to return to the middle of nowhere, my friend. It's a better life to be sure, and more rewarding by far. I didn't have cooled air out there, just a wood stove when temperatures plunged low. Splitting wood was a pleasant way to occupy idle hours, and the antics of livestock and my dogs were better entertainment than the garbage on TV and movies. 

It's a better life. 

[WilliamL]

16 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

...rattlesnakes are better neighbors than our fellow man often proves to be. At least we know where we stand with them.  

As far away as possible. Just like we do with the far-more-dangerous snaky people.

 

[Marathoner]

15 minutes ago, WilliamL said:

As far away as possible. Just like we do with the far-more-dangerous snaky people.

 

Ah, I see from your profile that you're my neighbor to the north. 

They're all over the place in the East Mountains of NM. I'm an expert snake-spotter, so I learned how to navigate terrain with my head tilted slightly downward. That way, I could view what's up ahead but also what I was getting myself into on the ground. 

I discovered something: rattlesnakes don't like bull snakes. Our land was surrounded by rattlers, but the only snake I encountered on our land were bull snakes. I left them alone and let them do their thing, and it paid off handsomely in my greenhouse. The bull snakes grew fat on the deer mice who are like a plague up there, and they kept them out of my greenhouse. It was a fine arrangement. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Marathoner

[WilliamL]

On 6/14/2022 at 1:00 PM, Marathoner said:

They're all over the place in the East Mountains of NM.

There are no rattlesnakes here in the Northern Sangres. Only some water snakes, and a rare bull snake. Rattlesnakes are in the valley floor and in the San Juans. Go figure.

Now bears -- sneaking stealing no-good bears -- that is another story.  Don't get me started...

Edited June 22, 2022 by WilliamL

[Starise]

As to the opening post. I looked at going to Norway once for a vacation. I investigated them in depth. It is VERY expensive for a tourist to go there. 

If you were to attempt to live there, it would be very difficult. You need a certain net worth. Same in Canada however that number is much lower.

Norwegians tend to favor their own people over others giving the lower paying jobs to those not born there. Norwegians have a healthy state retirement system getting much of it's wealth from offshore oil drilling. Their life is not idyllic with winter lasting long each year. Temps get very low.

Their currency matches their goods but it is high when compared to some other currencies. Many of them vacation to Spain.

The least expensive place to vacation? Viet Nam. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Starise

[walla299]

11 hours ago, Marathoner said:

"A car in every pot, and a chicken in every garage."

I think we can bet on some kind of subsidy to pave the way, brother. Some folks who live in the middle of nowhere (I was one myself!) will be highly resistant to change. That Tesla has to be able to cut the mustard in the boonies to stand a chance.

It doesn't matter if the car offers a shiatsu massage. Can it do what my F250 can do? 

I had to get a new (or new to me) vehicle when my old one quit in May 2021. Changing out the transmission on a 14 year old car with 200k miles just wasn't worth it. The choice was pretty easy:

1. EVs: too expensive. Not even on the radar.

I live in Arizona and charging can be a problem with the distances we encounter here. Also, I can't help but feel the battery and other tech isn't quite "there" yet. So I'm willing to wait.

2. Hybrids: good possibility for short trips & longer road trips. Great mileage and no recharging worries. Good transition vehicle until the EV tech and charging infrastructure get there.

Problem: there were none available - anywhere in the state - and there was a long waiting list. That makes it really impractical when you need a vehicle now.

3. Standard Engine vehicle: New actually turned out to be cheaper than buying used. First time in my life that ever happened.

Problem: None. I live in an apartment and there are no outlets to plug anything into outside, much less the heavy circuits needed to charge an EV. There's a gas station literally across the street for a fill up if needed, and finding fuel is not a problem for a road trip - but find the money for it could be an issue! 

Love the massage idea: but you're right. You can do jobs with an F250 that you can't with an EV just yet.

 

[Ani Tefillah]

8 hours ago, Starise said:

As to the opening post. I looked at going to Norway once for a vacation. I investigated them in depth. It is VERY expensive for a tourist to go there. 

If you were to attempt to live there, it would be very difficult. You need a certain net worth. Same in Canada however that number is much lower.

Norwegians tend to favor their own people over others giving the lower paying jobs to those not born there. Norwegians have a healthy state retirement system getting much of it's wealth from offshore oil drilling. Their life is not idyllic with winter lasting long each year. Temps get very low.

Their currency matches their goods but it is high when compared to some other currencies. Many of them vacation to Spain.

The least expensive place to vacation? Viet Nam. 

If I were not a Norwegian, I would not have moved to Norway 🇳🇴 I think, as for the reasons you mentioned. 

[Ani Tefillah]

I believe that I started this thread, and the strange thing is that now we're actually thinking of getting a car again. 🚙😂

Oh well, we've been without a car on the road for nearly a year now, and started to miss having one. May the Lord's will be done with it. 

[Marathoner]

13 hours ago, walla299 said:

I had to get a new (or new to me) vehicle when my old one quit in May 2021. Changing out the transmission on a 14 year old car with 200k miles just wasn't worth it. The choice was pretty easy:

1. EVs: too expensive. Not even on the radar.

I live in Arizona and charging can be a problem with the distances we encounter here. Also, I can't help but feel the battery and other tech isn't quite "there" yet. So I'm willing to wait.

2. Hybrids: good possibility for short trips & longer road trips. Great mileage and no recharging worries. Good transition vehicle until the EV tech and charging infrastructure get there.

Problem: there were none available - anywhere in the state - and there was a long waiting list. That makes it really impractical when you need a vehicle now.

3. Standard Engine vehicle: New actually turned out to be cheaper than buying used. First time in my life that ever happened.

Problem: None. I live in an apartment and there are no outlets to plug anything into outside, much less the heavy circuits needed to charge an EV. There's a gas station literally across the street for a fill up if needed, and finding fuel is not a problem for a road trip - but find the money for it could be an issue! 

Love the massage idea: but you're right. You can do jobs with an F250 that you can't with an EV just yet.

 

My Subaru Legacy Outback is 22 years old. My adopted mother bought it for $1,200 when it had 220,000 miles on it (the original owner used it to commute between Santa Fe and Albuquerque for over a decade); all it needed was a new thermostat. She put my name on the title. I didn't ask for this --- she just did it --- but I know it was the will of the Lord. 

The radio never worked. 

It survived many years in the high desert performing all kinds of work. The all-wheel drive made that possible. When she passed away and the Lord took her, I informed her estranged daughter... gave everything away to people in the community (we had stockpiles of canned/preserved food)... and when everything was done, prepared to start walking. The Lord revealed three things to me:

The car was mine. I was shocked to find my name on the title.  
My mother had hidden a few thousand dollars in cash; I was to take it with me. I found the envelope where He said it would be. 
The money in our joint checking account was mine to use as I saw fit. When she was bedridden and in and out of the hospital, she created an account giving me access. It was a substantial amount. My mother trusted me with her life and because I was her faithful steward, spending money very wisely, it belonged to me. 

She had wanted to give her land to me, but this wasn't the will of the Lord. 

I had everything I needed to drive where I was to go next, which was here in Albuquerque. I needed some of that money for repairs on the Subaru --- $800 total --- and also to provide for my needs once I arrived here. I don't need much, so the inheritance lasted for a long time. I still have some left all these years later. It's part of the "padding" in my checking account.

As for the Subaru, it's getting close to 250k miles but still going strong. I keep it maintained with new tires every few years. I rarely drive it these days.  

[Marathoner]

The broken radio is a blessing. Peace and quiet so I can sing hymns on the road! 

A few years ago, someone decided to break into that Subaru. They smashed the driver's side window. I saw where they had tried in vain to steal that radio which never worked. They even had the owner's manual opened up on the floorboard... hahahaha! 

Yes, I laughed and laughed at the botched theft. They even left a few tools behind, too. I still have them. 

It didn't cost much to replace that window. Poor thief.