Gas Price Rapidly Falling In Wichita Falls

 A couple days ago I got gas at the gas station you see here, across the street from my neighborhood ALDI. At that point in time filling the tank was $2.61 a gallon, about 40 cents cheaper per gallon than the previous time I got gas.

And now today, back at ALDI, gas has dropped to $2.49 a gallon.

Just read on CNN price of gas is falling across the country, with the average now being something like $3.33 a gallon.

Apparently the price is going to continue falling for a while.

Now, back when the price of gas was rapidly rising, due to things like Russia destabilizing the world by invading the Ukraine for no sane reason, and other factors, the chronically clueless rightwing nutjob sorts were blaming Biden, indicating their lack of understanding about what causes the price of gas to fluctuate, and that the president has little to do with it.

That and the price of gas soared world-wide, you know, the part of the world of which Biden is not the president. America's gas price did not rise as much as other developed countries.

Same with inflation, which the nutjobs also blamed on Biden. America's inflation rate is far lower than what has been happening in the rest of the world...

Getting Gassed In Texas Is Way Cheaper Than Getting Gassed In Washington

 A couple days ago I listened to a Washingtonian whine about gas in Washington inching towards six bucks a gallon.

Yesterday I went to ALDI and saw the station where I regularly buy gas has dropped back under three bucks a gallon.

It is interesting how one gets acclimated to the price of gas.

I can remember way back in the previous century filling up the tank of my 65 Mustang for 25 cents a gallon, in Mount Vernon. I remember when an oil embargo in the 1970s caused gas to go over 50 cents a gallon.

And to cut consumption the freeway speed limit was lowered to 50 mph. 

That did not last long. 50 mph seemed so slow.

The last time I drove back to Washington, in early August of 2001. I filled the tank in Amarillo for, if I remember right, 74 cents a gallon. Two days later I needed gas again. I was in La Grande, Oregon. All the gas stations had gas at over $1.75 a gallon.

Outrageous, I thought.

So, I got enough Oregon gas to get me to Washington, where I was sure it would be cheaper.

It wasn't.

I ended up filling up in Prosser, Washington for a little under two bucks a gallon.

Gas prices rose the entire month I was in Washington.

On my return to Texas I once again needed gas, in Amarillo, went to that station where gas was 74 cents a gallon a month before, to see it was now $1.44 a gallon.

$1.44 a gallon sounds cheap now.

$2.99 a gallon sounds cheap, compared to what it costs in Washington, and the rest of the west coast.

And now the Middle East is once again in extreme turmoil. That always seems to cause the price of gas to rise...

Cheaper Gas Fills Tank For First Time In Months

Today, on this first Sunday of the 2022 version of August, I filled my gas tank to the fully filled level, for the first time in what seems a long time.

As you can see it took 19.71 gallons to fill the tank, for a total of only $68.18. That works out to being $3.45 per gallon.

I think the last time I got gas it was about a dollar more than $3.45.

A year ago, $3.45 a gallon would have seemed absurdly high, and now, with just a few months of psychological conditioning, $3.45 seems like a bargain...

Icy Saturday Lucy Park Walk With Gas

On this final Saturday of the 2022 version of February my smiley face was able to get outdoors for the first time in a couple days of being icebound. 

There are still some slippery spots, but they are now navigable.

Russia had not yet invaded Ukraine when last I had exited my abode. So, today was the first chance to get gassed before the price goes way up.

On Thursday, that being the last day I saw the gas station I gassed at today, gas was $2.98 a gallon. Now, a few days later, it has only gone up a dime, to $3.08. 

This time of year, when the temperature hovers around freezing, I tend not to fill the tank. Today the tank got filled, figuring who knows what is coming next. Huge price hike. Or a disruption to the gas supply. Who knows?

Had a relatively fine time walking around Lucy Park after getting gassed. I did not expect there to be many people in the park today. I was wrong. There were multiple groups of disc golfers. And a couple joggers. And one guy finding pecans in the snow.

By tomorrow ice should no longer be an issue.

I hope...

At ALDI In Hurst I Found Gas So Cheap I'm Regretting Buying A Chevy Volt

In the picture you can likely guess we are not in Fort Worth, due to the telling clue that the roadway we are looking at appears to be landscaped.

We are in Hurst, standing on the ALDI Food Market parking lot, looking west, across Precinct Line Road at a RaceTrac gas station where gas is currently selling for $2.98 a gallon.

I recollect that before he quit running for president, Newt Gingrich promised he had a plan to get the price of gas down to $2.50. That did not seem to me to be all that promising a promise.

I remember when I was up in Washington for a month, almost 4 years ago, July 20 til August 20, that gas had almost reached 5 bucks a gallon upon my arrival. And then began to fall. If I remember right by the time I was being evicted back to Texas gas had fallen to $2.99 at the Puyallup Tribe gas station by their casino in Tacoma, causing a line that stretched to the freeway exit.

Soon upon arrival back in Texas I recollect gas going under 2 bucks at some stations, also causing lines. Just a few months later, the first week of 2009, my mom and dad were here, with gas costing only $1.31 a gallon, up from the low of $1.15 that I'd paid at a QT in North Richland Hills in late December.

With gas suddenly being so cheap I am sort of regretting buying a Chevy Volt. But am relieved to remember that that only happened in my dreams.

Israel, the Gaza Strip, Gas And My Mom & Dad

That's the view through my window at this very moment, at 10am, as I sit at the keyboard. It's a blue sky day in Texas.

I have absolutely nothing that is giving me an urge to be blogged about. Nothing.

I would blog about the current Israeli/Gaza Strip Middle East conflict. But it just makes me cranky. Israel shows great restraint for a ridiculous amount of time. And finally decides to do something about the incoming rockets. And then the world reacts. Where was the world's condemnation of Hamas during the month upon month of firing rockets into Israel?

And then you have those who deny that the Holocaust ever happened. And are now comparing Israel to the Nazis. It's like there is way too much insanity running way too rampant in the world.

I forgot about the sudden jump in gas prices. I don't know why it went up 20 cents over night. Did a couple of the Muslim nations cut us off of the black stuff?

I'm hoping it gets into the 70s by the time I take Mom and Dad to the Fort Worth Stockyards to go to Riscky's for BBQ Ribs, so we can sit at the outdoor patio.

My Mom wants to go to the Gulf Coast. I'm going to take them to Lake Grapevine today and try and convince them that it's saltwater. There are clams shells on the beach. And seagulls. The only thing missing is that telltale saltwater smell. And big waves.

Anyway, by the time I get back here, later today, I should have myself some blogging material.

Hiking, Eating at Zorro's Buffet & Getting Gas

Like I said earlier, the plan for the day, that day being Thanksgiving, was to go hiking then eating at Zorro's Buffet, it being the biggest buffet in Texas, or so Zorro's claims.

The hike took place at Oakland Lake Park, which happens to be on the way to Zorro's, which is located south of downtown Fort Worth on the east side of Interstate 35.

That's Oakland Lake you see above. It was looking very much like a fall day there today. Before I did my pre-eating hike I needed gas so I went to the nearby Tandy Hills Gas Station. To my shocked mortification the price had gone up. It was $1.61 when I drove by there yesterday. Today it was $1.65.

After I got gas and drove back to Oakland Lake I called my Mom in Phoenix to tell her I got gas. My Dad answered so I told him instead. After talking to my Pa for a bit my Mom demanded the phone so she could tell me something.

They are coming to Texas. In January. I'll have a long list of chores for them and a few gallons of berries they can turn into jam. I can't wait.

The merciless hiking went on for about an hour. Then it was time to go to Zorro's. I expected it to be busy, but when we got there it obviously was not. As in there were plenty of parking spaces. Zorro's was good today, but I didn't like it as much as the previous 2 visits. And I didn't get stuffed.

As you can by peeking through the Zorro's covered walkway, the gas at the Zorro's Racetrack gas station is the lowest I've seen here in Fort Worth. $1.59. But I didn't need any.

Fort Worth Gas Price, Rats & Zorro's Buffet

Earlier today I blogged about obesity. And then a few hours after that I found myself talked into going to the biggest buffet in Texas. That being Zorro's Buffet.

I've blogged about Zorro's Buffet before. Sadly, for Zorro's Buffet, their official website is badly designed, so my blog shows up before their website when someone Googles "zorros buffet fort worth."

The Race Way gas station next to Zorro's had gas at $2.64. There was no line. You can get the stuff in the $2.60 range all over this zone now.

A large percentage of the Zorro's Buffet customers today were obese. One sat near me. Obese people can really eat a lot of food.

Today was Mexican food day at Zorro's. Which included chile rellenos, which is my favorite Mexican food. I had 5 rellenos. They were good. I always judge the quality of a Mexican restaurant by the quality of their rellenos. Zorro's was not quite as good as Esperanza's, but like I said, I had 5 of them.

Two guys sitting behind me, judging from overhearing their conversation, were exterminators. They were having their best extermination year ever. Getting rid of rats.

And now the weird part. One of them said the rats were on the move due to all the gas drilling disturbing their habitat. So, the rats move into people's homes and garages.

Now, as much as I find much to be disturbed about regarding all the urban gas drilling, I find it hard to believe that it has caused a mass exodus of rats.

I've not seen any rats in my neighborhood and I've got a gas operation going on right across the street.

Gas Price War Breaks Out In Fort Worth

Lucky me. My zone of Fort Worth, that being the eastside, has had a gas war break out down on Lancaster Avenue. As you can see from the photo it's under $3.

There are pumps on both sides of the Race Track gas store. Goofballs coming from the west were backed up onto the street, waiting their turn for relatively cheap gas.

Meanwhile on the east side of the store I drove right up to a pump and started pumping.

Awhile back Gar the Texan blogged about the absurdity of waiting in a long line to save a dime on a gallon of gas, as if your time had no value, nor did the gas you wasted waiting in line.

I suck at math and keep in mind I didn't wait in line. The cheapest I saw gas today, other than the gas war zone, was $3.19. So, I got it for a quarter cheaper than that. My tank holds 25 gallons. Okay, like I said, I suck at math. I need to get the calculator. I saved $6.25 over the $3.19 station. Plus I found a dime on the ground while I was pumping, which brings my total net gain to $6.35.

I was feeling so fortunate, as soon as I was done pumping, I called my mom in Phoenix with my regular gas report. She was also very happy to hear about the dime.

Gas Below 4 Bucks in Washington

Last Saturday the Puyallup Indian Tribe lowered the gas price at their casino station to $3.99. This caused long long lines at their gas pumps. Lulu and I filled up her van there in the wee hours of Sunday. The lines were short at that time.

Now, moving forward just a few days, the price here in the Puget Sound zone has fallen under $4 all over. People seem thrilled, near as I can tell, from what I read in the paper, hear on the radio, see on TV and in person.

Which leads me to wonder if we are not a nation of easily manipulated sheep. I remember when I moved to Texas, in 1999, filling up in Amarillo. Gas was $.77 a gallon. Two years later I was driving back to the Northwest for my mom and dad's 50th anniversary. Gas in Amarillo was $1.19.

On that trip I needed gas in La Grange, Oregon. It was $1.79. I'd never seen such high gas prices. I did not fill the tank, figuring it'd be cheaper when I got to a less isolated spot. It wasn't. By the time I passed through Amarillo again, a month later, gas was $1.39 a gallon.

A couple years ago gas was hovering in the 2 buck zone. I was down in Dinosaur Valley at the state park. People were abuzz with the fact that a gas price war had broken out in the nearby town of Glen Rose. Two stations were selling the evil liquid for $1.50 a gallon. I filled up. There weren't lines waiting to get the cheap gas.

A year or so ago, (it's easy to lose track of time regarding the ever rising price of gas) gas had gone over $2. People were not happy. And then it went back down under $2 and people were so grateful.

Which leads me to the point of what I'm rambling about. As in it seems we are being constantly conditioned to accept ever higher prices. It goes up suddenly and we are appalled. And then the price drops a bit and we are so happy. And then the cycle repeats.

It's like some clever manipulator somewhere is gleefully amazed that they are so easily conditioning people to paying an amount per gallon that is beyond their fondest hopes of what they could get away with.

I think the same clever manipulator must be handling the milk prices too.

Gas Price

I very willingly admit I don't know much about a lot of things. And a lot of things confuse me. Lately I am perplexed by the constantly rising gas prices.

Sometimes I listen to Rush Limbaugh on WBAP-AM, out of Dallas, because that is the only station my cheapo headphone radio will pick up. Rush Limbaugh gets quite riled when people blame the oil companies for the rising prices. Yesterday he went on and on and on along the line of what would we do if the nice oil companies didn't supply us with gas.

I took an economics class, maybe two, in college. I did not get good grades in those classes. I did learn, though, that the price of a commodity is determined by supply and demand. If you have a high supply and low demand, the price is low. Low supply and high demand, the price is high.

I get it that China and India, with their supposedly booming economies, are sucking up a lot more of the world's oil than they did a few years ago. I believe the supply of oil being pumped has increased. Has the demand jumped by an amount that explains the price increase? How would I know? But it seems unlikely.

Rush Limbaugh thinks the oil companies deserve every penny of their multi-billion dollar profits, as do their CEO's deserve their huge salaries and bonuses. This from a man who makes over $30 million a year yapping on the radio for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, with a lot of time off. Among the many things I don't get, is if demand is outstripping supply and forcing the price to rise, how is it that the oil companies, like EXXON, report quarterly profits in record breaking amounts? Isn't that sort of capitalism run amok?

The airlines are struggling to make a profit. For some reason they can't increase their fares hugely and suddenly have quarterly multi-billion dollar profits. But, for some reason the oil companies can increase the price of their product and get away with having huge profits. The airlines need money to invest in new planes and keep their existing stock in good shape. But they struggle along, while the oil companies make record breaking profits.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the oil companies generating enough money to cover their operations, and it is the excess cash flow that is being accounted for as a profit? So, EXXON is charging Joe Driver 4 bucks for a gallon of gas. Of that, part goes to pay EXXON's cost of operation, including acquiring the oil, part goes to taxes. The rest is profit.

Doesn't that sort of indicate they've been charging a tad too much for gas and the over charging is showing up as record breaking profits?

Now, Rush Limbaugh will say that these profits are what the oil companies use to hunt for new oil, drill it, refine it and bring it to market. Well, if they are spending money on doing so, how are they reaping such huge profits? Like, in the last quarter if EXXON was plowing $8 billion into some new refineries, where are the new refineries? Isn't a profit, just that? A profit. It's not investement capital, is it? Or are they using these huge profits for something good other than plumping up stockholder's pockets? If so, why don't they let us know? Because these record breaking profits combined with record breaking prices are making people cranky.

Another thing I really don't get is how do the gas stations decide when to raise the price? In my zone there is a QT, a Chevron, a Shell, a Conoco and several other gas stations. Two days ago the QT was $3.85 a gallon, yesterday, when I bought a gallon, it was $3.89. Today I drove by QT and it is $3.95. Now, I know they did not get fresh gas trucked in 3 days in a row. Usually the Chevron is the most expensive in my zone. Today it was $3.92, making it cheaper than QT. By tomorrow I'm guessing Chevron will be back being the most expensive.

How does this work? This constant changing of the price at all the random gas stations. Do they get a call from someone telling them to up it a nickel? QT sells a lot of gas. There is a small independent station across from them. When QT goes up, the other station goes up. Why? Did the supply change? Did the demand change?

I just as well try and understand nuclear fission, or is it fusion, than try and understand how the gas pricing system works.

Gas Prices. What Are You Going To Do?

A cottage industry seems to have sprouted up giving people advice about what to do, travel-wise, what with gas costing a little more than last summer. Like here in the D/FW Metroplex, in the local papers and on the radio, I've heard advice to stay close to home and visit the local attractions.

And then a few days ago in the New York Times I saw a pretty goofy variant under the title, "The 31 Places to Go This Summer." The article starts off with, "Traveling this summer may sound like a cruel joke: airlines are getting worse, gas prices are creeping toward $5 a gallon and the euro continues to go up, up, up. It's almost enough to make you stay home. Almost."

And then proceeded to offer 31 suggestions. I'd been to quite a few of the suggestions, so I slightly know whereof I speak. One suggestion that made sense, yet oddly named, as in the label was "Pacific Northwest." The suggestion was to ride AmTrak and stay in Glacier National Park.

Another suggestion that sort of made sense, if you were already in Washington, was to take the ferry to the San Juan Islands. I have not done that since the summer before I moved to Texas. Walked onboard in Anacortes and for only 4 bucks you could ride to all the islands. Lulu informed me yesterday that it now costs something like 60 bucks to take your car and one passenger out to Friday Harbor in the San Juans. She did not know how much a walk on now costs.

As for goofy gas and money saving suggestions, one was houseboating on Lake Powell. I've done this twice. No matter which marina you find your boat, it is gonna be a long drive to get there, even if you fly into the nearest airport and rent a car. And renting a houseboat is not cheap, as in over a couple thousand bucks for 4 days. And you pay for the gas. The houseboats do not get good gas mileage.

That is a Lake Powell pic at the top. Me in the lotus position high atop a redrock bluff in a place we called Bobcat Cove, misnamed because it was a Mountain Lion, not a Bobcat, that I heroically saved everyone from in the middle of the night. You can read all about that trauma here. That is me being the Captain of what I came to call Hell Houseboat in the photo on the left.

Another goofy suggestion was to go to Monument Valley. Now, Monument Valley is very cool. And the drive there goes through some great scenery, like the Painted Desert. But once more, there is driving involved. Monument Valley is in a rather isolated location.

One of the suggestions was to go to Las Vegas. I can get behind this. Easily flown to and once there you don't have to drive. Lulu would suggest you fly to Vegas and then rent a car to drive to Lake Powell. Or Monument Valley. I think I make mention of why Lulu would suggest this in the Lake Powell link above. Or just click here.

# 1 on the NY Times list is Texas Hill Country. Been there done that. I wouldn't suggest it. Unless you've not seen hills before. I believe Texas Hill Country is #1 on the list due to the list being arranged in no particular order, not due to it being in order of supposed merit.

The Western Road Trip suggestion goes through some nice scenery, starting in Vegas and having you go to Bryce Canyon NP en route to Capitol Reef NP. Why it has you skipping the North Rim of the Grand Canyon or Zion NP, I do not know. But, once more, a lot of driving would be involved.

I can get behind the suggestion to visit Portland, Oregon. But it makes no mention of nearby Mt. St. Helens. Another suggestion is to drive Highway 101 along the Oregon Coast. I've not done that in a long time and would love to.

Anyway, go here to check out the rest of the list in the New York Times.