Rural smokers and the Cost of Gas.

The total average house hold income spent on gas according to CNN is 9% of household income, and the national average is $3.99 for the month of April. This is very close to what we are paying in Thief River Falls and the surrounding area. With the distances needed to travel in this area it would be interesting to know how much of peoples income here is spent on fuel and how this changes how we locals have changed our spending and driving habits in order to afford gas. For a long time I have known that I will go with out something and not make a special trip into town. In other words if you forgot the milk, then no cereal in the morning and I will get some on the way home from work. This has even led to some quarrels when it comes to those living here who smoke and need a pack of cigarette's. A forty mile round trip just for cig's is really stupid when you consider the cost of gas just to get a pack. Most times a smokers brain does not see the logic in this but a quick phone call and a reminder can save an argument from happening.

Smilie Bridge

The Smilie bridge road is the name given to Pennington County Road 7. The road starts from State Highway 59 and goes to what is called by locals Kratka Bridge Road. Kratka Bridge Road is Pennington County Road 22. The Bridge itself crosses the Red Lake River and has a boat access on the south east side and is located 9.9 miles down stream from Kratka Bridge which is on County Road 22. The boat access isn't very good. It can be washed out and Rocky if the county has not fixed it. It is still popular when river levels are high because of the access to some good fishing holes on both sides of the bridge. Boaters have to be careful even with high water level because the rocks that can take out a propeller. Deeper water comes after the bend north of the bridge. Some people fish off the bridge but there are signs saying not to do this. Motorist speed on this highway so it isn't a good idea. For canoers a nice day trip through beautiful woods is from Kratka Crossing Carry In off the north side of County Road 22 to Smilie Bridge. I have Canoed this and it does take 12 hours with pit stops.

Local gas price in NW Minn. as of May 7,2011

Today was the day to fuel up the old truck. The gas station I stopped at was the Holiday Station on highway 59.

The price is $3.92 every where in Thief River Falls. Oil prices have gone down since the killing of OBL but this has not yet affected the price of gas. Everyone I talk to grumbles about the price of oil versus gas and the same grumblers are very negative that it will go back down to what it was six months ago. I have to agree with them.

Back Side of Thief River Falls Minnesota

It is the first day that we were able to go canoeing. The water was still very cold and as we cast off the dock by 3rd street bridge. Turning over into the water sent waves of dread over us. I normally do not fear tipping the canoe but today with a cool breeze and cold water I did not relish the idea of paddling back in the throughs of hypothermia. We headed upstream from 3rd street bridge taking a look at houses and stopping now and then to take a drink of beer and try to figure out who owned what house. It was interesting to see expensive homes next to normal family sized homes that were built in the 60's and 70's. Most of the docks and decks were still pull up onto the back yards or lifted up out of the water. We paddled around three bends which would put us behind Kmart and Walmart. With the last two beers we let the current and wind push us back towards 3rd street bridge. Of all the places in this area the Red Lake River in the Thief River falls area is one of the nicest and least taken advantage of. I have in the past Canoed from Neptune bridge (the farthest point east you can start from) all the way to Red lake Falls MN. Great fun and great scenery without crowds of people missing it up.

Local gas price in NW Minn. as of April 30,2011

I decided to blog about the effects of the gas prices on myself and my family. I will post each day that I fill up at the pump. I drive roughly 20 miles to and from work which ends up being roughly 50 miles with the driving around town on daily errands. Buying a fuel efficient tin can of a car is nonsense because of the winters here and the type of work that I do requires a truck or a work van. Many of my neighbors and friend and most people in Minnesota are in more or less the same predicament I am in.

I would love for someone to come up with a fuel efficient truck that I could afford. It would require four wheel drive so I and my family would not die in a snow bank when the roads drift over, something that happens in Minnesota. It would have to be able to plow snow and go off road. It would have to hall large loads and be able to pull a trailer ( I make a living by hauling stuff from time to time) It would have to last a while and be easily and affordably repaired. I just do not see Detroit cranking out practical hybrid fuel efficient four wheel drive truck. In fact I am worried that in the future we may be forced to fix our old trucks just to have something around that works as a utility when we are all forced to drive mopeds and peddle cars, and just as a thought I would like to mention how do you heat an electric car in Minnesota when it is -20F. I bet no one has even thought of this problem, because they do not live here.

The answer is probably fuel efficient oil / diesel type of work vehicles and I have done some reading on this being a solution and do know from experience that farmers and contractors in Europe do use diesel for work. Americans view oil and diesel as dirty but used correctly this is not the case and if there were a shortage we could grow oil seed crops that would meet the need for large trucks and farm vehicles. A Prius hybrid just isn't going to haul a load of grain or sugar beats.

Now today I spent over 80 dollars just filling up my work van and my wife's car. I have not filled up the old ford truck yet. I hate to think what that will cost.

Fuel cost: $3.87 per gallon

Total for today $85.53

Not much left a pop and coffee.

Trading Post on KTRF Radio

If you live north of Plummer Minnesota and East of Grygla Minnesota, chances are you have listened to KTRF's Trading Post presented in the mornings 8:35 am Monday through Saturday. Cards that are dropped off at the radio station or are put in the mail are read over the radio, with the older cards from the day before being read first. Then the next part of the show is where people can call in and say what the have for sale or are looking for.

It is fun to listen knowing how the local culture is and some times is good for a laugh. Anything can come up from some one looking to give away "good barn cats" to selling a coil for a model A Ford. The trading post is currently being sponsored by Hardware Hank of Thief River Falls. Transcripts of what was posted can be seen at: http://www.trfradio.com/trading_post . You can also listen live to the broad cast at:http://www.trfradio.com/page/listen_live.

Death of a Mail box.

Sometime last week our mail box was the victim of the county snow plow. I had blogged about it previously and put up pictures before of the mail box with and with out a Christmas ball, smashed and unsmashed. It is a good thing we took down Christmas ball or it may have ended up shattered or in the next county. We had high hopes this one was going to make it to summer. We were even thinking of painting it green.

While driving to work I notice my neighbors mail boxes some are plain and some are shaped like barns, John Deere tractors or fish. I am jealous I would like a mail box like that.

This is the first time that I have seen the mail box pole taken out. I am waiting in great anticipation on how the county handles this. It may be a while its cold and the ground is frozen. Good thing the mail goes to the post office!