Sticker Shock at the Pump

Gas prices went up by $1/gallon today in East Tennessee. Prices gradually crept up all day long. I paid $4.50/gallon after work (after I found a gas station that still had gas). People who had gone out at lunch in our "greater Knoxville gas run" said that they waited as long as 45 minutes in line in the small town in which I work. I can't imagine what the lines were like in Knoxville itself. They were predicting prices would climb to $5 before tonight, but when I came in just a few minutes ago, the prices were still $4.50/gallon at the stations that had gas. There were quite a few stations without gas. We are fortunate that Knoxville is home to Pilot Corporation. They sent out trucks to other areas to bring gas to the Knoxville area. They have also managed to get a pipeline shipment scheduled for Sunday evening rather than having to wait until Tuesday. From what I hear, it is the independent stations that are really having supply issues. Of course, the "run" on gas didn't help matters. I had a half tank so I just topped mine off, but it costs a fortune when gas is that high! It is time to sit at home or to return to my Amish roots and get a horse and buggy! Since it would cost too much to mow the grass, I'd just have to be really creative to get that horse to graze in just the right spots!