I’ve been having a wrestling match with myself about whether or not to get a car. I live in a city that is very bike friendly, and I’m glad that I can reduce my environmental impact by not driving. If something is too far away for a bike ride, Portland has a great public transportation system, so I can usually catch a bus or train to where I need to go.
But we need to have a moment of honesty here. The truth is that it’s not all about the environment. Hello, I’m Adelaide Brown, and I’m a extremely cheap. If you were to look at my debit card transactions over the last month, you’d find that 90% of them are groceries. I have people over, but I don’t go out to eat much. I buy a few things new, but I prefer to barter or buy used instead. I’m not saying all of this is a virtue, I’m just saying that it’s a fact: I’m cheap. And the idea of paying several thousand dollars for a car feels like pulling teeth. And not in the good way.
Reader: What is the good way to pull teeth?
Addy: Don’t question me. I am having a vehicular crisis and cannot be expected to make sense.
The problem is that it’s very difficult to get out of the city without either owning a car or mooching off someone else. Tomorrow I am going snowshoeing with some friends, and if my roommate Willow did not have a vehicle, we would have to put studded tires on our bike and pedal up the mountain. (Does having a vehicular crisis give you an excuse to make bad jokes?)
I’m going to have to take the plunge. Writing that check will be painful, but I’m sure that on my first trip out, I’ll be grateful to have made the decision to buy a car. I’m thinking I will join the herd of Portland Subaru drivers, because some Oregon trails are hard to access. More as this develops.
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Oh gosh, I remember when I moved down here to CA from PDX & I wondered where all the Subaru’s went to!
I bought a “new” car this summer — a Dodge Caliber R/T with AWD. So far it’s held up nicely on the mountain roads! It isn’t necessarily made for those roads like Subaru’s are, but its a cheaper competitor. My fiance has taken it for some “mild” off-roading to get to hard to reach campsites, & he’s also used it driving to & from the Yosemite area during snow and icy roads. It’ll definitely get a work out from me once my schedule allows!
Good to know! I will check out the Dodge Caliber. Thanks.
Hey Addy, Love reading your stuff. i dream of hiking someday.
Anyway, have you considered renting a car for the very rare occasions you need a car? You would save tons of money by not needing insurance, upkeep, and all that hassle.
Brenda in Minnesota
Thanks Brenda. I hope you can get out there soon. I have considered renting a car, and that does seem like a pretty good option. However, I’ve just picked up some work being an assistant guide for snowshoeing and backpacking trips, so I’ll end up needing a car anyways. Ah, well. I would definitely prefer the renting option.