Fuel Crisis?

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

 

Is there a fuel crisis?  I think that depends on where you are and where you might want to go.  I pulled up one of my favorite little websites this morning and the headline was about skyrocketing fuel prices.  Our trip south is just ahead of us as are even higher fuel prices it seems.

There’s even more involved  than just the rising cost of the fuel itself.  Many stations in California are shutting down early, not purchasing fuel and are running out of fuel they do have.  Now that is even more scary than the price.  It also makes me think I better get to work on an alternate route south.  Perhaps, California may not be the best one right at this time.

 

California's fuel industry isn't running out of gasoline -- supplies are only 2.5 percent lower than this time last year -- but recent refinery and pipeline mishaps sent wholesale prices to all-time highs this week. As a result, some station owners weren't buying fuel for fear they couldn't sell it. Those who did buy simply kicked prices higher and bet customers would understand.

Many stations closed their pumps as soon as they ran out of the fuel they'd bought more cheaply. Some owners worried that if they paid the current wholesale price, they would be stuck selling that gas at a loss when prices fell.

From Gasbuddy.com – West Coast Fuel Map

A sign at one Costco apologized: "We do not know when we will be resupplied."  Some fuel stops along the highways have already crossed the $5 mark. It seems Thursday was the day that some of the service stations had to shut off their pumps.  Others just increased their prices more than 30 centers per gallon.  I'm thinking if this is just starting it probably hasn't even been reflected yet in averages posted.

I remember a couple of years ago there was another huge rise in fuel prices.  It also meant that many snowbirds decided not to go south.  Some of the most popular RV resorts that were normally full each winter weren’t.  Thus, there were many open sites in parks one couldn’t ordinarily book.  Is this year going to be a repeat?

It’s not that prices aren’t high enough.  We certainly wouldn’t want to be on the road and find where we planned on refueling may be out of fuel or closed.  We’re also not into waiting in long lines to fill up  I’m sure most of you remember the gas lines we had to wait in years ago.  That’s definitely not on our list of things we want to do.    Do we really want to hit the road down California's highways?  Decisions?  Decisions?  Our timing to head south is definitely very poor.

‘Tis life on the road.

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