I was curious about Topaz Lake (figured it would be much cheaper than the Bridgeport area). I may end up taking a short detour to get fuel there if coming over Monitor Pass from 88, 50, or 4, especially if heading back home via Monitor, Sonora, or Tioga instead of continuing to points south.

SeanReedy wrote:

Noondueler wrote:

Bob Burd wrote:Furnace Creek last week:



They say it's hard to get the Techron to remain stable below sea level, thus the increased cost.

I remember being there in '98 and it was $1.75 which seem equally as high then as the pic above. Bridgeport to my knowledge is the highest in the eastern Sierra. Usually about a dollar pg more than the cheepest stations in the central valley.

Yep, for the Eastern Sierra coming from the north, get your fuel somewhere between Reno and Gardnerville along the 395 and try to avoid getting fuel again until Bishop. Coming from the west/Central Valley, when the passes are open, top off in the lower foothills. Generally, Bridgeport will be most expensive with better prices the farther south one travels.

http://www.gasbuddy.com/

As far as Death Valley, top off in Ridgecest (and/or possibly elsewhere along 395 if heading in from farther north; no fuel in Trona right now). Fill up in Beatty, NV if you have reason to be anywhere near it (e.g. Titus Canyon area) and are doing a lot of driving in DVNP. Compared to buying fuel inside the park, I saved enough money on fuel in Beatty last month to pay for the only sit down restaurant meal of the trip (family of four). BTW, rumor has it that sometimes Stovepipe Wells is cash only (credit card system was down recently). Similarly, buy fuel near the Nevada border if heading to the eastern edges of Mojave National Preserve.

We traveled to DV and back 4-5 weeks ago while prices were rising most quickly. I'm hoping it will only be a bit more costly if we go back for spring break. It was fun to see then, and now, that I would pay less per gallon for diesel than for gasoline at Furnace Creek. I haven't seen that situation much, if at all, over the past few years anywhere I've been. At the same time, I avoided buying diesel there. I've been paying attention to this stuff because our method of travel on long family trips uses 3 times the amount of fuel as my more efficient sedan, but has allowed us to visit and hike in places we wouldn't have otherwise experienced.

All this talk of travel and diesel reminds me of a song:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTHRg_iSWzM[/youtube]

That Janis Joplin song reminds me of when I was young - The whole family packed into the Ford Station Wagon driving from NY to Florida to check out the brand new Disney World resort. It must have been 71 or 72 soon after Joplin's death because Bobby McGee and her other songs were all over the radio. The station wagon only got about 10 mpg and if you adjust the price of gas for inflation you have to wonder if we're really spending much more today on gas than we were back then.

WML wrote:

Kerstin wrote:The cheapest gas I know of between Carson City and Bishop is at the Topaz Lake casino.

Incorrect, AM/PM in Gardnerville (either one) and a few other g-ville places have cheaper gas than Topaz. Gas up there and you will cruise into Bishop to enjoy the Paiute Palace's relatively cheap gas.

Yes WML is correct here.

butitsadryheat wrote:

KathyW wrote:The station wagon only got about 10 mpg and if you adjust the price of gas for inflation you have to wonder if we're really spending much more today on gas than we were back then.

without spikes, here:
http://inflationdata.com/inflation/images/charts/Oil/Gasoline_inflation_chart.htm

another view...
http://energyalmanac.ca.gov/gasoline/gasoline_cpi_adjusted.html

seems we are paying more now than then

You're paying more per gallon, but if your vehicle gets twice or three times as many mpg you might not be paying more overall. It's interesting to see the switch from the modern day station wagon (the SUV) to more fuel efficient vehicles. We just keep repeating the past. Now I'm waiting for stagflation to return.

I gotta IDEA ... couldn't a person FLY (take a plane) to a major city such as Bakersfield or Las Vegas, then RENT a compact car to your destination ???

It'd be much faster, and you'd be saving gasoline by driving the compact car. It'd be up to you to decide when and how you'd depart for home.

I ALWAYS have plenty of gas, 'cause I carry a big can of beans in the car ..

And of course ...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqPMJFaEdY[/youtube]

Excellent point Roberto. If gas is $2.55 a liter in Italy and there are 3.7853 liters per gallon, then the effective gas price in Italy is $9.65. Yikes! Maybe Americans are spoiled? My guess is you have smaller more efficient cars in Italy with gas prices near $10 per gallon. Worldwide we have two issues: 1. Americans (and maybe other countries too) have an inelastic demand for gas (we don't decrease quantity as price rises) and 2. as emerging economies like China and India grow a larger middle class they will naturally desire more goods (like cars) and services. Hence increased demand for oil derivatives like gas, jet fuel, etc. All of this makes me wonder if people will continue to drive long distances to visit National Parks and climb remote peaks?

ScottHanson wrote:Excellent point Roberto. If gas is $2.55 a liter in Italy and there are 3.7853 liters per gallon, then the effective gas price in Italy is $9.65. Yikes! Maybe Americans are spoiled? My guess is you have smaller more efficient cars in Italy with gas prices near $10 per gallon. Worldwide we have two issues: 1. Americans (and maybe other countries too) have an inelastic demand for gas (we don't decrease quantity as price rises) and 2. as emerging economies like China and India grow a larger middle class they will naturally desire more goods (like cars) and services. Hence increased demand for oil derivatives like gas, jet fuel, etc.

I took a peek at prices around the world in terms of U.S. $/gallon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_and_diesel_usage_and_pricing

The current forecast is for U.S. prices to come down a bit in 2013 compared to 2012. After purchasing a diesel, I have noticed that emerging economies have particularly contributed to increased demand for diesel fuel: http://205.254.135.7/forecasts/steo/report/us_oil.cfm

All of this makes me wonder if people will continue to drive long distances to visit National Parks and climb remote peaks?

I have been wondering what I will do. I've got great places to trail run, mountain bike, and/or cycle very close to my house. However, aside from some coastal areas, if I want to be close to well known public lands and near high peaks to hike, I'd need to move. Of course, I could have it worse than being a 3-5 hour drive from almost anywhere in the western Sierra or California Cascades and a bit farther to the Eastern Sierra or the Mojave Desert.

I won't be surprised if technology helps us out a bit differently than in the humorous images above, but for now, most of my family trips do involve a large, heavy 4WD vehicle.

Regardless, I'm sure Mel Torino won't be deterred in his travels by high fuel prices.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/mel%20torino/Holsti97/MelTorino.jpg

Here is my review of gas stations you might encounter on your way to or through the Eastern Sierra:

Fresh Pond
Yeah, gas here costs more than it does in the Central Valley, but the folks are nice and the restrooms are clean. No waiting for a pump either. Hillbilly wine glasses for sale in the gift shop!

AM PM in Gardnerville
If you enjoy people watching while the guy in front of you fills up his motorhome with Hummer in tow, then this spot is for you. The gas is cheap, but you pay for it in aggravation.

Topaz Casino
The last place to get cheap gas before entering Mono County. The people are nice, but they don't give change on Tuesdays. At least that's what they told me yesterday. The cashier said I could put the remainder of my gas in her car. They have restrooms open to all, something you won't find in Bridgeport.

Bridgeport
I think the people who live in Bridgeport won't even get gas there. Expect to fork over the big bucks for gas and snacks. You better open your wallet if your kid needs to use the john, restrooms are for customers only.

Lee Vining
The Shell station charges ten cents less for gas than the Chevron. I don't know what they charge up at the Whoa Nellie Deli. Do people buy gas there too?

June Lake Junction
Still pretty pricey for a fill up. Ouch.

Mammoth Lakes
Ten cents discount at the Chevron on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Stuffed mountain lion on the wall inside the station. Little cheaper than Bridgeport and Lee Vining.

Crowley Lake Store
Gas gets a little cheaper than Mammoth here. The pizza is pretty good too. Nice place to fill up without fighting the crowds of Mammoth or Bishop.

Piute Palace Casino, Bishop
Great place to people watch while you are waiting for the guy with the motorhome towing a Hummer with a fishing boat on top to fill up. Yeah, it's the cheapest gas around, but what a hassle.

Vons, Bishop
Mega discounts with your Vons Club card.

Benton Station
Very interesting crowd in the summer. Lots of Euro's on their way from Yosemite to Vegas, bikers too. Gas was priced about the same as Mammoth last time I was there. Indian Tacos looked good, with locals coming by for take out.

Lee's Frontier Gas in Lone Pine
My buddy's VW microbus quit in front of Lee's place a few decades ago. Lee let him store the bus for a week in the parking lot until towing to Mammoth could be arranged. You just have to reward such a good deed, so I have stopped at Lee's ever since. Chickens running around add character. I don't even know how much the gas is, I'm stopping anyway.

Hope you all find your own favorite stations.

Roberto,
So I am curious how many miles per gallon (or kilometers per liter) your car gets in Italy? Are hybrid cars popular in your country? If your car does not have high clearance, do you ever have trouble driving on rough roads to reach a trailhead to begin a hike or climb?

Thanks,
Scott

It sounds like Fiat/Jeep is going to be selling some type of Panda in the United States before long. It sounds like a small crossover with all-wheel-drive that is smaller than and gets better gas mileage than most of the crossovers (car chasis) with AWD on the market in the United States now.

http://www.insideline.com/fiat/panda/20 ... 51710.html

Thanks for sharing Roberto and other folks. If my math is correct I think 15 kilometers per liter converts to 35 miles per gallon. NIce! I have heard of Fiat, but am not familiar with Panda 4x4. In 1988 I went into a car dealership and asked the salesman if he had a 4 cylinder Chevrolet S10 truck 4x4. He looked at me like I was an idiot. There were none in Portland, but he found one in Seattle. I owned it 12 years and odometer ended at 225,000 miles before it died. If gas prices continue to rise, then 4 cylinder cars may become more popular in USA.