Gas Prices Start Their Seasonal Climb

About a week ago, I filled my car's gas tank and the price was $2.279 per gallon in Gallup, New Mexico (photo above).

Since then, the price of unleaded regular in the area fluctuated anywhere between $2.59 to $2.79 per gallon. Still, that is a lot better than paying Commiefornia's ridiculous prices.

According to an article in RV Travel, this is the time where gasoline prices start their seasonal climb.

They begin with:

Gas prices have started their annual spring climb—and, yes, we’re right on schedule.

According to AAA, the national average price for regular gasoline has edged higher as refineries begin switching to summer-blend fuel and spring travel demand builds. It happens most years. It rarely feels good when it does.

The increase so far looks modest. But it signals a shift RVers know well: Once March arrives, pump prices tend to drift north.

 To read more, go here.

Newsom Imports Expensive Gasoline From Bahamas

The Looney Left Report

It is becoming more and more evident that the California state government is run by lunatics.

The latest is from the American Energy Alliance:

This story is baffling. Bloomberg reports that California is starting to import gasoline from the Bahamas, while the state sits on enormous oil resources it refuses to develop. Bloomberg reports:

“US supplies of gasoline are being shipped out of the country to travel thousands of miles via the Bahamas before finally ending up in California, a state battling shrinking fuelmaking capacity and high pump prices. Shipments on the circuitous route are increasing. California imported more gasoline in November than ever before, with more than 40% coming from the Bahamas… After Phillips 66 shuttered its Los Angeles refinery in October, gasoline imports climbed in 2025 to the highest level since at least 2016. With Valero Energy Corp. set to close a Northern California refinery this spring, and no fuel pipelines connecting the US Gulf’s oil-producing powerhouse to the West Coast, the nation’s most populous state will likely depend on imports to bridge the gap.”

Only in Governor Newsom’s California does this make sense. The same governor who tried to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 and has made it nearly impossible to develop new oil fields is now presiding over a state that needs gasoline shipped from the Bahamas because California can’t refine enough of its own fuel.

To read more, go here. 

Why I Left Commiefornia (One Good Reason)

If anyone wonders why I left Commiefornia, here's a great reason: 

This was at a Conoco station today in Gallup.

California Screws Arizona On Gasoline

Think California's gasoline crisis is confined to just California? Sorry, but it crosses state lines to Arizona (and Nevada).

You can thank Gov. Gavin Newsom and the leftist Democrats in the state's legislature for this. It is all their doing! 

The video below explains it all:

Gas Stations and Refineries In California Shutting Down

Above, California's lizard Governor Gavin Newsom.

The Marxist Democrats who control the California state government are hell-bent on making the state so expensive that nobody wants to live there. I got out eight years ago.

Led by buffoon Gov. Gavin Newsom's government is causing oil companies to close up their refinery and gas station shops and leave. This will eventually cause the price of gasoline to skyrocket to $10-12 per gallon according to industry experts.

The Federalist blog (by friend and Clamper Gary Julian) posted an article on this. 

To read it, go here.

The idiots who consistently vote for Democrats deserve this misery. This is what happens when you have a one-party state of Marxists.

10 States With Highest and Lowest Gas Prices

Above, at the Cody, Wyoming KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My recent RV trip that took me through Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota was a good trip. Thankfully, gasoline prices were in the $3.00/gallon neighborhood or less.

The total fuel cost for the trip was $902.88, which is to be split 50/50 with a friend who came along. That, plus campground fees incurred, were still cheaper than a cruise for each of us.

RV Travel has posted an article on 10 states with the highest and lowest gasoline prices.

They begin it with:

If you’re planning to hit the road in your RV this summer, be ready to pay up at the pump—especially out West. With California gas averaging $4.52 a gallon, and prices across the Pacific Northwest states not far behind, fuel is once again one of the biggest expenses for road trippers. Would you like to know the 10 highest and lowest gas prices by state? We can oblige you!

Unlike the West, states like Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas are offering some of the lowest prices in the country—closer to $2.70 a gallon—making them prime stops for filling up. Whether you’re crossing the country or just cruising regionally, knowing where gas is cheapest could make a big difference to your travel budget.

To read more, go here. 

California Gas Isn’t Jumping To $8 Overnight

Above, a gas station near LAX in 2022. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last time I drove into California was last year when I went over to the General Patton Memorial Museum at Chiriaco Summit (off Interstate 10) following a clampout at Rice Army Airfield in the Mojave Desert.

Before doing so, I filled my RV's gas tank while still in Arizona and made it to the museum and back into Arizona with fuel to spare.

At over $5.00/gallon, to fill my RV (even partially) would be expensive.

It was rumored that gasoline prices in California will jump to $8.00/gallon. Fortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case (at least for now) and RV Travel explains why.

They begin with:

If you’re planning to take your rig through California this summer, here’s some good news: Even though the state just raised its gas tax, you probably won’t notice a big change at the pump—at least not right away. Here’s an $8 California gas fact check.

$8 California gas fact check: 65 cents up to $8 is “overblown”

On July 1, California increased its gas tax from 59.6 cents to 61.2 cents per gallon. That’s a two-cent jump. For RVers, who often keep a close eye on fuel costs, that might sound concerning—especially with some headlines warning of $8-a-gallon gas or price hikes of 65 cents per gallon. But fuel experts say those warnings are overblown.

“There’s not a risk that gas prices are going to spike to $8 on July 1,” said Patrick De Haan, a fuel analyst with GasBuddy. De Haan and other fuel experts were interviewed in a news piece by sfgate.com.

 To read more, go here.

How Much Are You Paying For Gas?

Here's the prices by state:

California’s Gas Prices Could Hit $8 Per Gallon

A few days ago, ABC7 posted the following on Facebook:

Gov. Gavin Newsom is demanding to know why California's gas prices are so much higher than the prices in other states.

The governor has tasked the attorney general with investigating why California drivers are paying as much as $1 more per gallon. Is it price gouging? Or something else? https://abc7.la/33OfIUf 

For anyone who either lives (or lived) in California in recent years knows the answer. It is the one-party state government (i.e., Democrats) that over-regulated and over-taxed gasoline and oil in the state. Newsom should take a look in the mirror for his answer.

Now comes a new kicker, and this is from RV Travel:

Hold onto your wallets—California’s gas prices are on track to hit a jaw-dropping $8.44 per gallon by the end of 2026, and experts warn the financial aftershocks could slam Western states too. With two major refineries set to close and a tangle of new state regulations driving up costs, the Golden State’s gas crisis isn’t just a local headache—it’s shaping up to be a regional economic earthquake. The specter of $8 gasoline is enough to make a trip back East look downright inexpensive.

Now nearly $5… $8 gasoline could happen

The highest gas prices in the country are out West. California hits the top of the gauge with an average price per gallon of $4.78 as of Tuesday, May 6. But a new analysis says you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. With the shutdown of two of the state’s refineries in the offing, the findings point to the possibility of pump prices hitting $8.44 by the end of next year. But state lines won’t stop the pump pain—neighbors Nevada and Arizona may feel the big bite, too.

A study released by the University of Southern California took a look at the Golden State’s history of gas prices, its supply of oil, and the capacity of state refineries. It factored in the potential impact of closing two refineries (representing 20% of the state’s refining capacity), and took in the cost of fees and regulations. In the end, this study says $8 gasoline is likely.

Every time I see stories like the above, I have to thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia just in the nick of time before Newsom took over. I've been living in New Mexico, where gasoline is under $3.00/gallon, for seven years. No regrets!

No wonder people are leaving the state.

To read more, go here.

How California's Upcoming State Ban Will Impact RVs

Above, dry camping last month in Quartzsite, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The wacko communists who infest California's Democrat Party passed legislation banning sales of small gas-powered engines such as portable generators, lawnmowers and leaf-blowers.

This will impact RV camping trips.

The Travel spells out how the new law, to be effective 2028, will impact RVsrs.

They begin with:

As part of California’s ambitious push toward a zero-emission future, the state has passed legislation to phase out the sale of small gas-powered engines, including generators.

While this may raise concerns for RVers and campers who rely heavily on portable power, the law doesn’t outlaw personal use—only new sales after 2028. California is one of many states with affordable RV parks perfect for cross-country travel, making it a popular destination despite the shift toward cleaner energy.

With careful planning and a wave of new eco-friendly alternatives, outdoor enthusiasts can still enjoy California’s breathtaking parks and campsites this summer and beyond—while contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment. Here’s what the generator ban really means and how to prepare for the road ahead.

I made use of my motorhome's generator last month while dry camping at a clampout in Quartzsite, Arizona.

To read more, go here. 

California: GOP Introduces Bills To Curb CARB's Regulations

The California Air Resources Board's recent "tweaking" of emissions regulations could potentially ban the sale of gasoline and diesel recreational vehicles and jack up the price of gasoline.

There's a glimmer of hope for California. Republican lawmakers have introduced bills that would curb CARB's regulations with a review process. 

That is, if the Democrats who control the state legislature pass them and Gov. Newsom signs them.

RV Travel reported:

In early November we reported that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) had tweaked regulations applying to state oil refineries. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as the Golden State moves toward a 2045 goal of zero emissions. The fine-tuning of LCFS requires oil companies and other polluters to buy credits to avoid pollution penalties. Critics say the tweaks could blast gas prices up by as much as $1.50 per gallon in the long term. But some California lawmakers want to curb CARB. Bills before the legislature would kill the CARB regulation—and more.

California lawmakers want to curb CARB with a review process

Republican Senator Brian Jones (R-San Diego) and Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) introduced legislation taking aim at CARB’s action. SB2, crafted by Brian Jones, would kill the CARB tweak. Jones told California media abc10.com, “It has an urgency clause in it. So if it passes the senate and the assembly and the governor signed it, which would be great, then it goes into effect immediately.”

The other bill, AB34, would require any new CARB regulations would have to be analyzed by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) prior to going into force. Joe Patterson, the bill sponsor, commented, “Take a look at their proposals and then tell the legislature and the public how much that’s going to increase the cost of gas, or potentially the cost of electricity as well.”

To read more, go here. 

Gulf Oil Left Shiprock, New Mexico

Above, the Gulf station in Shiprock, New Mexico four years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Four years ago, a friend and I were heading back to Jamestown, New Mexico after a camping vacation trip to Durango, Colorado and Mesa Verde National Park.

Along the way we drove through Shiprock, New Mexico and noticed a Gulf gasoline station. It had been decades since we've seen a Gulf station as they left the California (where I used to live) market. I took some pictures of it.

Yesterday, I took the same route while on my way home. I needed gasoline for the motorhome and I was thinking about going to the Gulf station in Shiprock. I didn't see it.

I stopped at a McDonalds in town for a snack and asked one of the workers which way was is the Gulf station. He said they are no longer there and the station has changed to a Shamrock gasoline station. 

As all gas stations in Shiprock were selling gas for around $3.359/gallon, I ended up getting gas at a Marathon gas station. 

Good thing I took some photos of the Gulf station four years ago since it is now history.

Gasoline Prices Fall

Above, my Labor Day drive in Six Mile Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before heading into Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest on Labor Day, I filled the Jeep's gas tank at the Flying J.

The price at the pump for unleaded was $3.139/gallon. With my Good Sam discount, that was brought down to $3.080/gallon for me.

Gasoline prices have been trending down according to RV Travel.

They posted:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 5, 2024)—After idling over the Labor Day weekend, the national average for a gallon of gas resumed its pace of daily declines by falling six cents since last week to $3.30. Key contributors are low gas demand and the plunging cost of oil, which is struggling to stay above $70 a barrel. The national average cost for L2 commercial electricity remained the same for EV drivers.

Hopefully, the prices will continue to trend down in the coming weeks when I head to Ridgway, Colorado to help out with the John Wayne Cancer Foundation's marathons.

To read more, go here. 

Labor Day Weekend Gas Prices

Above, the Beast in Fort Sumner, New Mexico back in June. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I am staying home this Labor Day weekend, the following doesn't affect me that much.

Right now, gasoline prices in the Gallup, New Mexico area is around $3.15/gal. With my Good Sam discount that I use at the Flying J, I bring that price down to $3.10/gallon, which I did the other day when I filled up the Jeep's gas tank.

How is the rest of the nation faring?

According to an article in RV Travel:

AAA says Labor Day gas prices will be down. Still, they’re not dropping as fast as they have been recently. Prices dipped just two cents to $3.36 since last week. A slight uptick in gas demand may reflect the last hurrah for summer travelers. A storm system forming in the Atlantic may pose a threat to falling gas prices, as well. Meanwhile, the national average for Level 2 (L2) commercial electricity, an important number for e-vehicle drivers, did not budge.

Of course, there are always exceptions, such as California where the average price for unleaded regular now stands at $4.629 (according to AAA). I am sure glad I got the hell out of that state!

To read more, go here.

Gas Prices Will Fly For the 4th of July

When I last looked, the price for unleaded regular at the local Flying J was $3.159/gallon. I don't know what it is today, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is higher than that.

Nationally, gas prices are higher for the Independence Day holiday.

According to RV Travel: 

Just in time for holiday RV travel, the national average for gas prices shook off nearly three weeks of stagnation, moving a nickel higher since last week to hit $3.50.

In AAA’s most recent gas price report (June 27), the outfit noted the cost of oil crossed the $80 per barrel mark, putting upward pressure on pump prices. With oil costs accounting for about 54% of what you pay at the pump, more expensive oil usually leads to more expensive gas. Yes, gas prices will fly for the 4th of July.

To read more, go here. 

Gas Prices Expected To Fall and Stay Low

Above, filling up at the Jamestown Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gasoline prices in New Mexico are dropping and are expected to stay low through summer. At least that's what the AAA is saying.

According to the Rio Rancho Observer:

Commuters and vacationers can breathe a sigh of relief at the gas pump knowing gas prices appear to be dropping as the summer travel season kicks in, according to a report from AAA.

“New Mexicans are paying less for gasoline so far this summer when compared to last year,” Daniel Armbruster, AAA New Mexico spokesman, said in a news release. “Supply builds of crude oil and gasoline are helping to keep retail fuel prices in check as many hit the road for summer vacations.”

Although oil supplies are the main catalyst for price drops, there are other reasons pump prices are slowly creeping down.

AAA spokesman Andrew Gross told the Associated Press that demand for gas is declining. “Traditionally — pre-pandemic — after Memorial Day, demand would start to pick up in the summertime. And we just don’t see it anymore.”

The rise in popularity of electric vehicles and other fuel-efficient vehicles is also credited as a reason for declining demand.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in New Mexico on Thursday was $3.20, 4 cents less than a week before and 23 cents less than on June 13, 2023, according to AAA. 

To read more, go here. 

Fuel Tax or Fee Per Mile?

Above, at Red Rock Park Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The state of California is looking into a fee per mile as a replacement for the gasoline tax.

But knowing the Democrats who control the state as we do, it is very unlikely that they would jettison the gasoline tax and replace it with a fee per mile tax. They would keep the gas tax and implement the fee per mile tax. Have you ever known the Democrats end any taxation?

This "fee per mile" subject is the topic of an article in RV Travel. It also includes a poll.

They begin with:

A survey of Americans across the board shows many are willing to take a ten-cent hike in the federal fuel tax. Others think that ditching the gas tax in favor of a “fee per mile” would be better. As an RVer, would you rather pay more for fuel tax or pay a mileage fee? Before you get the chance to answer, there are a few things to know.

To read more, go here. 

Trip Planning: What Will Be The Cost of Fuel?

Above, at the Bar D Chuckwagon show and dinner in Durango in 2022.

A couple of years ago, I was planning to take an RV vacation trip in eastern Wyoming and the Black Hills areas of South Dakota.  

Unfortunately, the high price of gasoline at the time stymied those plans, so I took a vacation trip with my former roommate Jessica to Durango, Colorado to ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and camp at Navajo Lake in New Mexico. Both are only a few hours drive from home.

Now is the time where people begin their planning for a summer vacation trip. One consideration is the cost of gasoline and diesel. 

RV Travel takes a look at how much it could cost to fill up the gas or diesel tank for the trip.

They begin with:

As the weather warms up (more) across the country, a lot of RVers are in the trip-planning phase. One of the big questions that takes center stage: How much will it cost to fill up the motorhome or the tow rig? We’ve probed the petroleum prognosticators to try and get a feel for what you might pay this summer. Depending on who you ask, fueling up may not be so bad.

 To read more, go here.

California's Gas Prices "Gone Ballistic"

Each passing week I thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia. The wacko leftist policies of the one-party (i.e., Democrat) government has made the cost of living unbearable to many people. Small wonder people are fleeing.

The state's oil and gas policies have made California's gas prices one of the highest in the nation. Yet, the stupid asses think they are pulling the wool over people's eyes with their Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law passed last year.

From Yahoo! Finance:

Gas prices have been on the rise nationwide, but for California drivers, they've skyrocketed in a short amount of time.

The Golden State's average at the pump surged by $0.23 to $5.27 per gallon on Friday from a week ago, according to AAA data. Meanwhile, the nationwide average sat at $3.54 per gallon on Friday, up $0.04 during the same period.

Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at OPIS, points to refinery challenges as the main culprit for California's surging prices, including an important Phillips 66 refiner in the Bay Area halting gasoline production in favor of renewable diesel.

“Throw in regularly scheduled maintenance that will occur at two critical refineries in May and the normal penchant for speculative buying in global markets in the second quarter, and you have wholesale prices that have gone ballistic,” he said.

Kloza calculates gasoline in San Francisco, less taxes and other costs, is at a premium of almost $60 per barrel more than current crude levels. 

Last year California passed the Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law, aimed at keeping a lid on refinery margins. Regulators will meet next week to iron out the details for specific rules.

Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, said the law's requirements "may lead some gasoline importers to halt doing business in the state and that could exacerbate the supply situation at exactly the same time supplies from outside the state are needed."

The citizens who voted for Democrats in California have no reason to complain. They asked for it with their votes. The Democrats piled on taxes at the pump.  Another great example of why stupid people should not be allowed to vote.

To read more, go here. 

Gas Prices Jumped Sharply

Above, filling up at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The national average price of gasoline jumped last week.

I noticed that the price for unleaded regular yesterday at the local Flying J was at $3.039/gallon. The last time I checked (last Friday), gasoline in Gallup (18 miles away) was $2.779/gallon. 

According to RV Travel, while demand has lessened, the price of oil is what's driving up gasoline prices.

They wrote:

The national average for a gallon of gas rose 11 cents since last week to $3.52. While demand for domestic gas has been lackluster, rising oil prices helped push pump prices higher. The Midwest may see a bit of a price reprieve, as the large BP Whiting refinery in Indiana is back up and running after being down since February 1.

“Gas prices are a lot like seasonal temperatures. They start to rise with the arrival of spring, said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “And the national average for gas is now higher than a year ago, which we have not seen since late December.”

To read more, go here.