Fuel Availability

[Mike and Carol]

On our way out of Tennessee this morning (Fall Creek Falls State Park) the majority of small town gas stations had pump handles covered with bags.  Once we got on the interstate, we stopped at a Love’s and everything appeared normal.  We were able to get diesel in Tennessee and Arkansas with no problem.  It seems the only issue was off of the freeway.  Mike

[topgun2]

I just returned home from a 20 mile drive (one way) up to the Asheville airport which is just off Interstate 26 south of Asheville.  On the way up ALL gas stations were out of gas but most had diesel.

On the way back home (after dinner) there was one large grocery store that had obviously received a shipment of gas.  There were approximately 20 vehicles in line at each of the 20 pumps waiting for gas.

An Oliver owner who is currently in LGSP advises me that at least one of the gas stations in Gunthersville has gas with no lines,

Bill

[topgun2]

According to Gas Buddy, some 70% of gas stations are out of gas in North Carolina.

However, some gas has begun to flow in the affected pipeline and while it might be as far out as Memorial Day before things return to "normal" (in all areas) there should be significant improvement by the middle of next week.

Bill

[SeaDawg]

Costco in Spartanburg SC, early this morning.  Plenty of gas, no lines. Delightful, after 150 miles of mostly bagged pumps.

It will get better. Diesel seemed available most places.

This is one of the times it was really helpful to have a 35 gallon fuel tank. 

While Paul slept, I  found a semi to follow. Got 15.5 mpg in its draft. The semi drove like dad taught me... slower up the hills, carry the momentum down. Probably aggravated a few behind us, but, hey, we may not have a lot if gas in WNC til later in the week... I  was in total conservation mode. (Except that I can't drive 55 or 60 unless mandated by law.  Lol.

 

[Patriot]

5 hours ago, topgun2 said:

According to Gas Buddy, some 70% of gas stations are out of gas in North Carolina.

However, some gas has begun to flow in the affected pipeline and while it might be as far out as Memorial Day before things return to "normal" (in all areas) there should be significant improvement by the middle of next week.

Bill

Most if not all of the fuel stations in our area are completely out including diesel. Bags are on pumps everywhere. We saw one tanker this morning as we had a few errands to run. Topgun2, I agree it may take a few weeks before we see fuel in our area with all these stations out.
 

An upside world we live in.🙃

 

[SeaDawg]

5 minutes ago, Patriot said:

. We saw one tanker this morning as we had a few errands to run. Topgun2, I agree it may take a few weeks before we see fuel in our area with all these stations out.
 

I only saw two tankers from Columbia to Spartanburg, esstbound.  Might be because the Colonial storage terminal is somewhere near Greenville.

Columbia lines for gas (out onto the shoulder of the interstate) made me grateful we had stopped in Kingsland,  Georgia, and again in a more rural area near Orangeburg SC. Both good stops. No need to join the lines in Columbia. We carried 20 gallons on Jerry cans. Just to be sure.

[StillGame]

Left CT Tuesday heading south to take Delivery of our Elite II Friday. Made a few stops along the way. So far heading down Rt. 81, gassed three times, had to hunt only once in northern VA, but able to keep the tank full. Thursday evening. Just gassed up in Hohenwald. Picking up our Ollie Friday morning. Hope the trip back north finds enough gas to keep going as scheduled.

[BackofBeyond]

The local stations received fuel today.  Back to normal it seems.

RB

[SeaDawg]

9 minutes ago, StillGame said:

Left CT Tuesday heading south to take Delivery of our Elite II Friday. Made a few stops along the way. So far heading down Rt. 81, gassed three times, had to hunt only once in northern VA, but able to keep the tank full. Thursday evening. Just gassed up in Hohenwald. Picking up our Ollie Friday morning. Hope the trip back north finds enough gas to keep going as scheduled.

I think "think" you will be fine.

Check gas buddy. You are heading out of the difficult areas.

Go north, then east, probably. 

[Mike and Carol]

On our way back to Texas from Tennessee we found that the interstates had fuel, some of the small towns on the backroads did not.  North of Tennessee should be okay.

[topgun2]

Today (Friday May 14) two of the three gas stations nearest my home did not have gas.  However, yesterday all three had gas at least for part of the day.

News reports tell us that the pipeline that was shut down is now fully functional.  Therefore, once the "panic" stops and once there are enough fuel delivery drivers to deliver the product from the pipeline terminal to the individual stations, everything should return to "normal".

Bill

[SeaDawg]

I think I'm good, sitting in the woods, till it all gets straightened out.

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:

think I'm good, sitting in the woods, till it all gets stratened out.

Yep - I can make a bunch of trips to the grocery store (2.5 miles round trip), to Lowes (7 miles round trip), or even WalMart (8 miles round trip) before I start to be concerned about that large gas tank in the truck getting below half full.  I do feel a bit sorry for those that do not have as much choice as we do regarding how and when they must use their vehicle.

This evening's local news still said that upwards of 70% of the gas stations in the Asheville area are without gas.  But, by early next week things should be greatly improved.

Bill

[Patriot]

We topped off the car with unleaded and topped off the Tremor with diesel. All is well for now.

 

[Patriot]

4 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

I think I'm good, sitting in the woods, till it all gets straightened out.

Best place to be, the sound of silence in the woods is perfect. 👍🏻
 

[SeaDawg]

7 minutes ago, Patriot said:

Best place to be, the sound of silence in the woods is perfect. 👍🏻
 

Yes, it is 

[topgun2]

11 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

11 hours ago, Patriot said:

Best place to be, the sound of silence in the woods is perfect. 👍🏻
 

Yes, it is 

But those 17 years cicadas are driving me crazy!

[SeaDawg]

12 hours ago, topgun2 said:

But those 17 years cicadas are driving me crazy!

We have no cicadas yet.

But yikes.  You're probably looking at first frost late August/ early September? Usually 90 to 110 days up here, after we hear the first cicadas .

Its another weird year.

[Patriot]

 

[topgun2]

Given that the "Costco Gas Truck" has arrived -

As of last night approximately 33% of the gas stations in North and South Carolina and Georgia didn't have gas.  Things ARE getting better and if you're traveling in or through these states over the next week or so, just keep an eye on your gas gauge and try to fill up when you are at half a tank.

Bill

[SeaDawg]

We drove from Asheville to Franklin NC today to pick up some scaffolding. 

I only saw a few stations with bags on some of the pumps . I think the crisis is over in Western North Carolina,  at least on the highways.

It was a really pretty day for a drive.

[BackofBeyond]

One of the few times diesel was an advantage  - same last week - no unleaded - plenty of low Sulphur diesel. Heading out this  morning - with fuel prices on average 80 cents higher than last year.  Oh well - gonna have fun no matter what..

RB

[SeaDawg]

29 minutes ago, BackofBeyond said:

One of the few times diesel was an advantage  - same last week - no unleaded - plenty of low Sulphur diesel. Heading out this  morning - with fuel prices on average 80 cents higher than last year.  Oh well - gonna have fun no matter what..

RB

Have a great trip!

[connor77]

41 minutes ago, BackofBeyond said:

One of the few times diesel was an advantage  - same last week - no unleaded - plenty of low Sulphur diesel. Heading out this  morning - with fuel prices on average 80 cents higher than last year.  Oh well - gonna have fun no matter what..

RB

Gas is a $1.00 more where I am.  Prices started to steadily rise beginning in February.  Pretty discouraging.  

[topgun2]

In the Asheville, NC area we are slowly getting back to "normal".  Yesterday's news claimed that some 25% of North Carolina gas stations are still without gas.  In my local area, one out of the three stations nearest me usually has gas for at least part of the day and its never the same one of the three.

I guess that the lawn mower will just have to wait for gas for at least another week 😁.

Bill