Need gas availability help next week on I-75

[GeeJay]

Hi you all,

This is off the photography subject but we're trying to make our drive down from northern Michigan to the west coast of Florida. We've been here all summer. Our dilemma now is that we don't know what the gas situation is in the states along I-75 going south so don't know when to start the trip. (Michigan,Ohio, Kentucky,Tennessee, Georgia etc)

Any of you in those states or along or near I-75 please jot me a note on my email or on this thread... We don't want to get out there with three dogs and health problems and find no gas available.

Any insights you can give me would be helpful.

Many thanks and much appreciated,
Gaye

 

[marsh]

Re: gas

Hi Gaye,

I live in Knoxville, TN which is situated at the junction of I40 and I75. Gas is currently available, but it's not necessarily affordable. Regular unleaded was around $2.48/gallon Tuesday morning. This morning on the way to work, it was $3.10/gallon. According to a energy trader interviewed by local news, prices may increase another $1.10 by Monday.

On an aside, the Interstates in and around Knoxville are in pretty rough shape with construction north of Knoxville on 75 and through the busiest part of 40/75 (they merge for about 15 miles in Knoxville). I mention this because rolling roadblocks have been common during the day (9 am to 3 pm) and at night (after 7 pm). Check out the following link to the state dept of transporation: http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/tdotsmartway/

Good luck with the trip,
Marshall

 

[Dave Rosser]

I am realy shocked about the devastation in Louisiana, it is terrible.
But, even at $4.20 per US gallon you would have people this side of the Atlantic queing for miles to get petrol so cheap, here in the UK the price is expected to go through £1 per liter (£4.54 per imperial gallon, £3.63 per US gallon which equals $6.53 per US gallon) any day now. The problem is the usual one of supply and demand, US refining capacity has been hit hard, supply has fallen, demand is constant or rising so price will rise till demand matches supply.

 

[GeeJay]

Hi Marshall,

Thanks for the tips about Knoxville. We'll be going through KNoxville next Wednesday and will stop overnight in south Knoxville on I-75. We'll try to roll through that area in late afternoon so hope to miss some of the roadblocks you warned about. Thanks very much for that information.

Also, at this point we're more concerned about whether we can actually get gas than the price because it's urgent that we get home...We can't take a chance,because of medical problems, on getting stuck somewhere with no gas. So by next week we hope the gas supply will be okay and that people will be over their hysteria about gas.

We cry for the people affected in the southern gulf states by the hurricane. It is beyond imagination what they are going through. Certainly our little gas problem is insignificant in comparison.

I hope to hear from anyone else along I-75 and also, Marshall, please keep me informed at the end of the weekend. That would also be helpful because we'll depart on Tuesday morning.

Thanks very much and my best to you,

Gaye

 

[GeeJay]

Hi Dave,
I hear what you're saying 'loud and clear'......... thanks for your input about gas prices over there across the Atlantic. That helps us put it all into perspective.

Also, I ventured through much of your gallery of pictures and the information about you and your wife. I have a slow line up here but when I get home to Florida I'll continue to view it with my fast cable line. The orange eyes of that owl are haunting. I enjoyed seeing your work and look forward to more,

Thanks and my best to you,
Gaye

 

[Dave Rosser]

Thanks for the kind comments. I hope you get home safe and sound without any problems.

 

[Jarrell]

Here in central Georgia

gas is still available and the going price is about $3 per gallon. Now what it will be in a couple of days no one knows.
Jarrell

 

[Gale]

Gaye,

I am on the East coast and some gas stations have no gas as of this morning..

Wishing you a safe and easy trip home. Perhaps everytime you see a station with gas....Just fill up.

Yes 3.00 a gallon here also. Think lowest I heard was 2.91 today a one station a Hess.

Take care sweetie. We are eith you all the way.

 

[GeeJay]

Hi Jarrell,
Thanks for the help about your area in Macon. We will go right by you next week. If things change drastically by Monday please jot a note on this thread. Our big concern is not being able to get gas on the way down.

So far we're hearing it's available but higher prices every day. If we hear it's not available and very hard to get then we'll have to postpone our trip to home.

Thanks and I'll wave to Hannah and you on the way around Macon :biggrin:

 

[GeeJay]

Hi Gale,

You're across from me on the other coast in Florida so what is going on there is surely going on in my home city. Thanks for your help and please keep me posted.

We hope to start home but if gas too hard to get we'll have to postpone the trip...

The doggies sure won't like that because the three of them are eager to get home. They're tired of all the squirrels, chipmunks and raccoons... they're ready to get home to cockroaches, alligators and lovely wading birds.

 

[Odonata]

Gaye,

First, I hope you make the trip down there safely.

Although I am not in the areas you are traveling, have you considered buying a small gas container? Though it may only be a gallon or two, it may be helpful if you were running low in search of gas (which I hope you won't have to do). I recognize there are safety/health issues with carrying gas so that is something you will have to decide. After 9/11, I keep a new gas can in the car which I can fill up if needed. I hope I am wrong, but I don't believe the gas situation is going to get any better in the coming weeks.

Best wishes on a safe journey,
Eugene

 

[Ken-L]

I'm not in that area.....but from the news stories I have read, it is likely that on your route, especially in Florida's west coast you may have some problems finding gas at times. It seems that as of now, many of the "shortages" are due to panicky people filling up all they have and maybe storing some gas in the event that there is a true shortage, so the run at the pumps has left them short, and unless they can get delivery the problem will snow-ball. That area does potentially have a problem in that all the gulf states are, will be or can be, severely affected by the oil rigs, refineries and delivery systems that have been shut down. Even the release of Federal Emergency Reserves may not help.

If I were planning a trip there I would try to postpone it until the situation became more clear, and stabilized.

 

[GeeJay]

Hi Eugene and Ken,

You have both given me/us much to think about. Good idea about the gas can. Think we'll take an empty one and fill it when we find the situation changing from available to unavailable.

Also the new storm forming in the Atlantic will be an issue... They don't know anything about where it might go as of now but in a few days they will make some predictions.. That also would make gas scarce in Florida if people had to evacuate.

Maybe it's time to move out of Florida but after 34 years there it doesn't make much sense to 'cut and run'------- and the bird photography in the winter is sensational down there and I'd hate to miss that...Lots to think about :biggrin:

Thanks for all your help and good insights,

Gaye