[Paul_Guraedy]

I will be “off list” for the next week or so as I attend the Silver Dollar City & Ozark Mountain Woodcarvers Seminar in Branson, MO. Yesterday I was helping set up tables for the 35 instructors. The Club President mentioned that we had more tables/chairs than last year so, with attendance down, there should not be the pinch we have felt in the past.

We started discussing our progress over the last 12 years and ended up talking about the reduced participation. We peaked about 3-4 years ago with around 400 carvers. Each year has seen a small decline; but, this year we are just under 300 participants. Although this is still a lot of woodcarvers, we are concerned.


The seminar constants seem to be:
Power carving numbers seem to be holding steadier than most others (but then, there are not that many opportunities for the “dust makers”). The well-known instructor’s classes continue to fill rapidly. There is a large percentage of returning carvers each year. Although registration prices have gone up, they are still relatively cheap (most classes being under $50/day).

The consensus was that the price of travel has gone up and folks are making fewer trips each year. This has put things like the seminar into balance with other family plans for travel and vacation.

The cost of fuel alone seems to make inflation inevitable. It has gotten me to thinking and wondering about the its impact on woodcarving. How do you think it will impact your participation in our avocation?

For me, it means that Diana and I will be limiting our RV travel plans. Usually we make about 3 long trips (2500+ miles) each year with at least one involving woodcarving. We have decided that we will limit this to only one long trip each year and that we will add/replace with a woodcarving event every other year. I have been building a woodcarving studio and find that building materials are already feeling the impact of inflation. I have decided that I do not need a 10’ deck (8’ will suffice) and the walkway between the carving building and the house is not really necessary, especially when compared with dollars that need to be spent on our driveway.

[Callynne]

Yes, it has pretty much ended a dream I've had......hubby will be retiring in 36 months (not that we're counting, or anything! ). Our plan, mine big time, was to buy an RV and travel all over the country competing in Carving Shows. We could literally vacation anywhere in the United States, there are Shows everywhere, all the time! Winter down south or out west.....how wonderful would that be?!!! I'd be coming to visit you big brother and our adopted Mother too!!

We'd done a lot of research, learned a lot (like you can't pull a travel trailer with a regular size SUV)! Ben decided the only thing he was interested in was a motorhome, a smaller one, maybe twenty-seven feet at the longest and found a couple that were just exactly what we wanted! It was the perfect dream, we could travel, I could take my carving stuff along and work any where we went. We could stay away as long as we wanted, our home away from home......it was a beautiful dream, and it might still come true....if gas prices come back down to a reasonable amount....but I'm not holding my breath on that one! Deborah
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[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

gas prices have put a dent in everything...and when people reduce the amount of driving, that slows down other industries i.e. food, entertainment sites, campgrounds etcetcetc..........we just don't take long trips, all relatively close in and mostly withGood Sams.....! With some research, I bet you can find some activities fairly close to where you live...and it really doesn't matter if you move your RV 2000 miles or 50 miles...you are still out, still camping, still having fun with others. Don't give up!

[North Wind]

I used to live on the road and home school 3 kids along the way. Unless shows are making more money these days there is no way I could do it now. It was very hard back then. With that being said I believe the rising prices have made a large impact on travel. I would go more places if I did not have to spend the money in gas that I used to have in my pocket when I got there. Vince

[Just Carving]

I used to think about doing the same thing some day--touring the country. But I've trimmed my idea back a bit. Since it's just me, and I own a Honda Element--which can be converted into a hardtop tent (the seats all fold flat or I can fold the rear seats up against the walls or just take them out, and I can tack on what Honda calls a "cabana" on the back for more room--probably cheaper and better to bring a folding table and set up a canopy)--and it's been years since I've roughed it and camped, I decided as I get time, I'll toss the gear in the truck, and head out local--maybe a 1/2 day's travel. Gas is better than it was for me--I used to fill up every week--$30-40--when I had a Tahoe (which was also a dog in repairs). Now I fill up every other week and it's about $25. I hate packing and flying and unpacking and so on. Besides, once I get to where I want to go, and see who or what I want to see, and then what--sit and carve in a hotel room? NOT!! I'd rather hop in the truck, go where I want to, see who or what I want to, and when I want to. And to boot, I get to carve for free! So, in a sense, yes, cost is affecting me since I wouldn't want an RV or to fly but I really don't want to do that anyway. I guess if you really think about it, you can figure out a lot of ways to trim expenses or find a way to justify the cost--how about using the trip as a business expense--I mean there's never a limit to exploring where you can get carving tools or wood for a better price!! ;o)

Bob L

[Kenny_S]

We sre feeling the pressure on gas prices that other countries have felt for 20 + years. Americans have been spoiled on cheap gas prices where other countries have paid the high price all along. Australia for one has paid high gas tripled gas prices compared to Us here in the US, Back in 1968 on leave to Singapore, gas prices were 69 cents a liter back then where in the states about 25 cents a gallon.
I am the type that if a gallon of gas in $5.00 and I need it, I will pay, but if I don't need it, ya can't give it to me.
Consider this, Gas is the cheapest item you can put in an automobile.
You run out of gas, what will ya do. Now a days, you will use the cell phone and have someone bring you some gas. No problem. Run the auto out of oil or water and see the cost rise for repair.

We have several trips planned this year and at least one is a carving class and yes, it will not be cheap, but barring any problems with our health, we are taking those trips. Why, because we can.

What we need to be doing is allowing for oil companies to drill back here in the states and build more refineries. None has been built here ein the states for 20 + years. Just added on to. Alternative fuel sources and renewables, yes, we need them.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Buy a couple of horses. Those saddle bags will hold your knives and a few cutouts plus a sandwich or two. Tie a bedroll behind the saddle and hit the trail. Grass is still free or pretty cheap and after a couple of nights under the stars you'll foget all about gas prices.

Kenny is right to a degree. We've had cheap fuel for a long time while those poor Euro's have been paying through the nose. But remember.....those high prices across the pond are caused by TAXES not oil. There is no oil shortage, never has been, never will be. By the time we actually run out there will be something else to fill the tank...provided a tank is still necessary by then. The actual problem right now is that somebody over there in Sandland has us by the short ones while all the enviromentalists over here have us by the long ones! However, as long as Basswood is still affordable and WalMart continues to carry blades for Old Reliable I think I'll be okay!

[RonB]

With all the conversation on gas prices, I don't see anyone putting the blame where it really belongs, "On the wall street speculators", What a novel idea it would be for Congress to just say, You cannot play games with the commodities the public uses. Outlaw the Buying and selling of "Futures", and all this price gouging would settle back down. Wasn't this Countries economy originally based on actual supply and demand? I am upset because I for one am not able to afford the planned trip to Branson this year.

[Kenny_S]

No Mary, Not totally their fault but Lyn did hit the nail on the head when hesaid Sandland. OPEC is the driving force and if we free people don't stop the terrorist, which comes from Sandland, we will be paying more ofr gas, that is if we have vehicles to drive. Price gouging, no, just in the minds of people who don't see the total picture on who is controling the price of oil. The price is set by OPEC before the spectulaters even see it. But themn to, they have to make a living also. Just my thought from an oil patch guy.

Of course it isn't just the gas prices that keep people from traveling, motels, resturarants, sight seeing are all figured in to the price of a trip. I am not an RVer nor a travel trailer person. Looked into it but the initial cost of what we wanted and then the price of insuranc eon the Rv plus other factors. I can make a lot of trips fore the price just to get started. But then, those are just my thoughts and not those of the management. However all, I do pray you all have a nice weekend and safe one at that,
or CIAO or just plain see ya

[gene messer]

Since I live and work in the heart of oil country and have been in it for over thirty years ... I admit the price of oil and gas is changing alot of lives and the pocket book is suffering everywhere .. But Lynn is right ..

Right now the oil companies down here are booming ! .. They are building and building and building .. The Motiva refinery down here is expanding to be the largest oil company in the world .. The other oil companies are building also and the expansions are unbelievable ..

The crisis to build larger oil refineries are under way .. But it's more our dependency upon foreign oil thats driving it .... Opec is killing us and we are already building for oil alternatives down here already ... A new Bio Diesel unit is being built as I speak in the refinery I work at .. but there is a even a more serious problem that is keeping the production of our own oil companies at a stand still to grow and become less dependent on foreign oil .. and I have talked with plant mangers and production techs alike ..
Government taxing and the demand for skilled labor ..

If you knew how bad the the government taxes each and every little thing you do .. you would be angered .. every move , every project .. every thing you suggest .. often times taxing and state taxing is unbelievable also ..

I have seen alot of good projects to help the consumer go under because of state and government scrunity involvement in every project .. Someone with their hand out to move forward ..

Yes refineries make money .. I dont deny that .. but refineries and gasoline are also heavly taxed by state and government agencies that I have seen first hand stop projects because someone wants a cut .. Now Iam not defending that oil companies dont make alot of money .. but alot of that goes back into research and expanding like whats going on right now to provide more jobs and better products .

The politicians wil have you believe that big oil is the problem .. but our government doesnt tell you about the amount of state and government tax thats on a gallon of gasoline .. If they would cut that .. you would see gasoline drop unbelievable ..

Just to get a project started in a oil refinery to expand takes at the least a five year wait to get government permission and permits and the cost is unbelievable .. I know .., I have seen this first hand .. so many projects never get built ..

And right now .. the biggest problem is unskilled labor ... We cant get any skilled labor to do the work .. thats why Iam working so many long hours ..
if you have any kind of skills .. you are in the top 5 percent ..

This is not a problem down here .. it is a crisis ! and I see it everyday ..

the young were not taught to work with their hands and now we are in crisis because the baby boomers are leaving and retiring with all the skill ..

I tell you this is a serious problem down her and the training programs are in jeopardy .. No one wants to work with their hands and their importing people out of this country to do the work ... and their not very skilled themselves ..

Recently .. we hired 500 people on a shut down project and the first time they ran a drug test .. we lost 40 % of them .. Iam not joking ..

Right now they are paying retired workers who have left as much as $100.00 a hour to not retire right now and help out with these expansions ..

So please dont misunderstand me .. Iam not defending oil companies making a profit .. but with government and state taxing and unskilled labor holding up expansions .. it is costing the oil companies a fortune that they will pass over to you also ..

Sorry for the sermon .. but Iam seeing this first hand everyday ..

Gene