All-Star Gas And Traveling

[NJ Coach]

That is why "filling up in NJ" is the number 1 rule to any NY'er when driving through your state. That and they pump the gas for you!

annoying NY'er ;) Is rule #2 to shop at our malls, cause they're ALWAYS filled with NY plates. I mean, I don't blame them with the lower tax rate and all...but go away:p

 

[TheVipersMom]

annoying NY'er ;) Is rule #2 to shop at our malls, cause they're ALWAYS filled with NY plates. I mean, I don't blame them with the lower tax rate and all...but go away:p

Our malls in San Antonio are always filled with people from Mexico license plates and you can spot them in the mall because every person is pulling suitcases around to put all the stuff they buy in it...
So they buy a bunch of stuff and then go to some tax refund place conveniently set up in the mall because international visitors get their taxes back on items that they buy at most stores.

So they come buy stuff and get tax refunds to take it back to Mexico. I promise you there is more mexico plates in our mall parking lots then texas plates!
And they love all these name brand stores!!
Because those are the stores on the lists they can purchase from.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mytriplek]

I guess our commute isn't too bad compared to others. CP's gym is 30 miles away 1 way. It takes us about 45 mins-1 hr to get there during rush hour and 35 mins to get home. We're there 4 days a week though. I probably spend about $30 weekly in gas due to me having an old gas guzzling SUV.

 

[CheerBank]

annoying NY'er ;) Is rule #2 to shop at our malls, cause they're ALWAYS filled with NY plates. I mean, I don't blame them with the lower tax rate and all...but go away:p

I would say yes. I grew up in Riverdale in the Bronx, and we used to shop at the Paramus Mall all the time. It was actually the closest mall to us until they built the Galleria in White Plains.

 

[CheerBank]

Ha! It's the opposite here - if I drove to dance, it would take well over an hour (and parking would be about $20), but the train takes a little over half an hour.

I've never been on nyc public transportation, but my friends say it's not nice. Chicago's isn't luxurious by any means, but I think it's pretty decent. And definitely not super crowded.

I absolutely despise driving here. I would choose the train over driving any day. But if I ever make it to nyc, I may eat those words!

NYC public transportation is actually awesome (although I have never been on Chicago's so I can't compare the two either). I started taking the subway downtown with friends or by myself at age 14, and it afforded me a freedom I never would have had if I lived in an area that was inaccessible to the train or bus. Back then it was a lot dirtier and scarier than now, but that was never a deterrent.
I never even really drove until I was 19 because I never needed to. After my first year of college though, my boyfriend now husband lived in NJ, and that was when I truly started driving.
Now living on Long Island, it is a pain to take the train into the city because you are stuck trying to find a spot in the LIRR parking lots and then timing the train right to get into the city and home. I miss the ease of the subway.

 

[Teacher Mom]

annoying NY'er ;) Is rule #2 to shop at our malls, cause they're ALWAYS filled with NY plates. I mean, I don't blame them with the lower tax rate and all...but go away:p

Hey I am a NY'er who always got gas and shopped in NJ. How can you blame me? Gas is cheaper and I do not need to get out of my car and there is no tax on clothing.... Don't be a hater....ha, ha
Actually, I moved to Colorado 12 years ago and besides missing the ocean, love the easy winters here. But I visit once or twice a year as my family and my husband's are all there. I still fuel up in NJ, tho.

 

[Mamarazzi]

One gym is 6 minutes away, the other is 2 and a half hours. And I've been to both, like twice this season, so...

@Cheerdad still wins for "furthest from CP's gym."

 

[Teacher Mom]

I would say yes. I grew up in Riverdale in the Bronx, and we used to shop at the Paramus Mall all the time. It was actually the closest mall to us until they built the Galleria in White Plains.

But you paid no taxes on clothes in Paramus. That is where I went from NYC, too. Did you go to Paramus Park?

 

[CheerBank]

But you paid no taxes on clothes in Paramus. That is where I went from NYC, too. Did you go to Paramus Park?

Sure did! :D

 

[CheerBank]

One gym is 6 minutes away, the other is 2 and a half hours. And I've been to both, like twice this season, so...

@Cheerdad still wins for "furthest from CP's gym."

But at least he's not driving him anymore. I think @notimeforthat might take that award this season - and every season.

 

[notimeforthat]

But at least he's not driving him anymore. I think @notimeforthat might take that award this season - and every season.

Lol... My trip is appx 120 miles each way... This is Cps 5th season with 3 more to go. Due to heavy traffic we allow 3 1/2 hours travel time to get there. Gas and tolls are appx 85-100$ a trip.
Fortunatley we do have a local "ny" carpool so out of the 3 practices a week i drive one of them.
On a sunday the carpool leaves at 930 am and returns at 8 pm. It is an eternity and very draining... Goes to show the dedication some kids have to be willing to put up with such a grueling schedule!

 

[Cheer Dad]

Lol... My trip is appx 120 miles each way... This is Cps 5th season with 3 more to go. Due to heavy traffic we allow 3 1/2 hours travel time to get there. Gas and tolls are appx 85-100$ a trip.
Fortunatley we do have a local "ny" carpool so out of the 3 practices a week i drive one of them.
On a sunday the carpool leaves at 930 am and returns at 8 pm. It is an eternity and very draining... Goes to show the dedication some kids have to be willing to put up with such a grueling schedule!

I agree with @CheerBank, You win :) @Mamarazzi

 

[SL&AM]

I remember when my daughter first began and the gym was less than 20 minutes away.. even in rush hour traffic! Two years later, after she switched gyms, our round trip commute was over 3 hours! We probably spent about $60 a week on gas alone.

How far do you travel to get to your CP's gym and how much do you think you spend (on average) per week?

CP was at a gym about 15 minutes from home. Over the summer, she stayed there but also went to a gym 45 minutes away 3 nights a week. I typically spend about $120 a month in gas and I easily doubled that. If we stay on the coast we think we will, we'll be about 20-25 minutes from her new gym.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Yes people have and do. I would never. The towns around our gym are very nice but my husband and Is life and jobs are here so it would never be an option to move. Droplet just turned 9 and could decide to hate cheer tomorrow. You just never know!

Given the option between a forever-long commute and a MOVE to be near a gym, I'd almost ALWAYS advise parents to go with the commute for the above reason and more:

1. Unless your job is one of those where you can quit and literally find a new one the same day, your source of income > cheer.

2. A move for your cheer kid means a move for EVERYONE. Is it REALLY fair (for example) for you to move 16-year-old Billy to a new school in Plano during junior year of HS to cut out J5 Suzie's 3 hour commute to CA?

3. ANYTHING can happen. Seriously. Like you said, you could move 3 hours away to be closer to said gym, your child could get injured, mental block, and be out of cheer entirely for a season or even two. Now you have a home in a town that you ONLY moved to for an activity your kid no longer participates in for the year.

4. This gym might fit your needs NOW, but may not in the future. This is especially true for younger kids. J3 at Super Awesome Elite that is 4 hours away each way is amazing and won NCA. So you move there. She stays there for 2 seasons, you're ready for L5 and said gym decides that they are NOT fielding any Worlds Level 5 teams. Ruh roh Scooby.

5. Another big thing that changes and tends to change things for kids: Staff. You may have LOVED all the coaches at Super Far Elite when your daughter was Level 1-4 but they change staff for all of L5 teams and you find that you're dealing with style changes that you are not happy with. If you moved to be there, you put yourself in a bad spot unless there are other programs around.

6. Things happen. Kids get boyfriends and stuff and decide they don't want to be bothered with cheer anymore. Kids burn out. They change their minds. Even highly-dedicated L5 Worlds team kids quit cheer every year because they're just TIRED. People tend to assume that their Suzy is immune to burn out but no one's is. It's not a fun place to be when you've relocated for something and Suzy comes home and says she is "not doing this anymore and you can't make me." Now she feels obligated because well, you moved for it.

7. Moving generally sucks. For those of you who have not done it recently. It sucks. It's expensive and kids are far from friends from home. Your kid may LOVE cheering at Far Away Elite, but (for example) HATE her new school in Far Away town and come home miserable every day because she misses her school friends. Is that worth it?

8. Do YOU as an adult really want to rearrange and relocate for your kid's cheer life. Ex: You have BFFs from college, church home group and bible study that you've been part of for 10 years, and other relationships in life that took years to build. Are you willing to (as an adult) move to a new town and develop new friendships based on your kid's activities?

This is not to say that you should NEVER move for cheer if you're cheering somewhere that is ridiculously far. It's just important to consider your entire family and other factors, not just cheer in a vacuum.

I've known some "moved for cheer/dance" families and it is not to be done without a lot of thinking.

 

[notimeforthat]

Given the option between a forever-long commute and a MOVE to be near a gym, I'd almost ALWAYS advise parents to go with the commute for the above reason and more:

1. Unless your job is one of those where you can quit and literally find a new one the same day, your source of income > cheer.

2. A move for your cheer kid means a move for EVERYONE. Is it REALLY fair (for example) for you to move 16-year-old Billy to a new school in Plano during junior year of HS to cut out J5 Suzie's 3 hour commute to CA?

3. ANYTHING can happen. Seriously. Like you said, you could move 3 hours away to be closer to said gym, your child could get injured, mental block, and be out of cheer entirely for a season or even two. Now you have a home in a town that you ONLY moved to for an activity your kid no longer participates in for the year.

4. This gym might fit your needs NOW, but may not in the future. This is especially true for younger kids. J3 at Super Awesome Elite that is 4 hours away each way is amazing and won NCA. So you move there. She stays there for 2 seasons, you're ready for L5 and said gym decides that they are NOT fielding any Worlds Level 5 teams. Ruh roh Scooby.

5. Another big thing that changes and tends to change things for kids: Staff. You may have LOVED all the coaches at Super Far Elite when your daughter was Level 1-4 but they change staff for all of L5 teams and you find that you're dealing with style changes that you are not happy with. If you moved to be there, you put yourself in a bad spot unless there are other programs around.

6. Things happen. Kids get boyfriends and stuff and decide they don't want to be bothered with cheer anymore. Kids burn out. They change their minds. Even highly-dedicated L5 Worlds team kids quit cheer every year because they're just TIRED. People tend to assume that their Suzy is immune to burn out but no one's is. It's not a fun place to be when you've relocated for something and Suzy comes home and says she is "not doing this anymore and you can't make me." Now she feels obligated because well, you moved for it.

7. Moving generally sucks. For those of you who have not done it recently. It sucks. It's expensive and kids are far from friends from home. Your kid may LOVE cheering at Far Away Elite, but (for example) HATE her new school in Far Away town and come home miserable every day because she misses her school friends. Is that worth it?

8. Do YOU as an adult really want to rearrange and relocate for your kid's cheer life. Ex: You have BFFs from college, church home group and bible study that you've been part of for 10 years, and other relationships in life that took years to build. Are you willing to (as an adult) move to a new town and develop new friendships based on your kid's activities?

This is not to say that you should NEVER move for cheer if you're cheering somewhere that is ridiculously far. It's just important to consider your entire family and other factors, not just cheer in a vacuum.

I've known some "moved for cheer/dance" families and it is not to be done without a lot of thinking.

I agree with everything you said!!
Even though the commuting is hell for everyone involved and my husband would be able to commute to work (NYC) if we moved closer to the gym I think its unfair to ask my entire family to pick up and move for the sake of cheer.
As far as sending my child to a bost family...that is also out of the question! My main job as a parent is to raise my kids till they don't need raising anymore.
To each thier own!