-Dateline: June 9, 2004-

I was driving Peter, Jay, and I back to Pocatello when I noticed that we'd left Jackson and I hadn't gotten gas. Being stubborn when it comes to turning around, I decided that I'd find a gas station on the way. If there is a more beautiful drive than that of Jackson to Idaho Falls, I'm not sure what it is. But there is a notable lack of people (perhaps that's why it's such a beautiful drive) and a really notable lack of cheap gas. Nothing even close to $2.00.

But as stubborn as I was not to drive back, I was even more stubborn not to pay more than $2/gal. So I drove. And drove. I kept waiting for my gas gauge to start ganging up on me, but it never really did. This was particularly surprising since it's not a peek drive (up, down, lots of turns that require slowing down).

It's also a really bad stretch to run out of gas. Had we done so, it would have quite possibly ruined our weekend. But $2/gal is insane! I would pay $2.00 for a gallon of gasoline when they'd extract it from my cold, dead, fingers (okay, so that's a really crappy cliched metaphor).

Somehow, in a miracle that will likely never be repeated, one gallon of gas lasted for over 400 miles. A car that had been struggling to get 30 miles to the gallon had gotten 38.

I was rewarded when the next time I had to refill my gas tank, the prices were falling again and it wasn't a concern.

[$199 9/10]
[$199 9/10, Part Two]
[$199 9/10: The Eelmobile]
[$1.99 9/10: Still Fighting The Losing War]
[$1.99 9/10: From Jackson to Idaho Falls]
[$1.96 9/10: Victory!!!]