Last year when we started this journey, one tank of diesel cost us somewhere around $80. This year, the pump shuts off at $99, and we have to slide our credit card again, for another $22 or so in fuel. Today, I just heard that prices are going up another 25 cents per gallon in the next few days.
I’m glad we’ll be workamping in Lake City Colorado during the so-called “peak driving season.” Maybe prices will stabilize after summer, when we hit the road again (one can always hope, right?). But if you’re on the road now, here are a couple of websites that can help you find the best prices in your area.
 MSN’s gas price lookup map by zip code.
If you know what ZIP code you’re in, MSN’s site will display a map with gas prices in your area (if you’re in a strange place and don’t know your ZIP, you can look it up here). MSN’s map feature is great, but the downside is that it doesn’t show price differences between regular unleaded, supreme, etc. And it also doesn’t have diesel prices.
My preference is GasBuddy.com, an easy way to lookup high and low gas and diesel prices without having to know your zip code. The downside is that it won’t find prices in small towns.
And finally, if you’re a masochist (or just a realist) and want to budget for even higher fuel prices in the future, check out the KOA Fuel Cost Estimator. This tool also allows you to estimate fuel costs for specific distances traveled.
Now I’m scared.
UPDATE: The MSN gas price lookup tool is apparently gone. Below are a few other tools that have since become available.
Well Dan, ya just gotta keep telling yourself that it’s all relative. What’s it cost to maintain a home? Even with fuel prices the way they are, it’s still less money to live in a rig than it is to go to Home Cheapo every weekend for home maintenance things. At least for now, while you’re houseless, you can look at it that way.
Exciting times ahead for you, good luck! You’ll love it.
I feel ya’lls pain on the gas and to think we haven’t even left yet..and I’m scared, but the wheels are in motion..no turning back now…the 5th wheel is loaded and where heading out $5..$10…or $15..won’t stop us. I hope 🙂
Dodge must put them sissy fuel tanks on board. Ford knows their mileage sucks, so they slapped a manly 40 gallon tank on our truck. Last fillup was close to $180!
Thankfully the scooter gets ridiculous gas mileage if you can stand climbing mountains at under 10mph. We’ve spent about $20 on the last 450 ‘local’ miles of siteseeing. I think we need to cough up for helmets though… NC requires them and so far we’ve been lucky.
Ya they have a wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to go.
Top speed of 50mph and range of 35-45miles???
That will get me about half way to work 🙂
Just hit the 100,000 mile mark on my way in today on the 04 VTX.
Oh don’t think I’m not jealous of the bikers we see out all over the Rockies. Sweeeeet!
By the time we’re ready for bike touring, those nifty electric motorcycles will be way more affordable and touring-friendly, I hope!.
Well you could ditch that huge RV and get one of these Aspen motorcycle camper trailers to pull behind a bike and go back to traveling like you did before you guys were married 😉
Of course you still need gas for those bikes 😉
Hey I like that thinking, Brian!
I’ve been reading “Little House on the Prarie” books to my daughter Abby, and those people used to travel accross the country in the prototype campers, AKA the Covered Wagon. Maybe its time to downgrade to a team of horses. Whats a 100lb sack of oats go for these days? Or you could just “Boondock” and feed them on the side of the road! Think of how much more you would see, since you would be traveling a a very leasurely 2-3 miles per hour! And your carbon footprint would be limited to the methane output of your team! It was good enough for the Ingalls family! Just a thought.
$5.00 by the 4th of july ! ain`t that “patriotic” ?
Thanks Rikki, appreciate your letting me know about the bad link, it’s fixed. The link you gave is great too!
Hey, if you’re looking for a great place to eat in Santa Fe, be sure to check out La Boca. Fabulous!
…my links didn’t show up in my previous post. i linked back to your old posts for Loretto and Santa Fe, and
i found “this” would be:
http://mashable.com/2008/05/05/check-gas-prices-online-11-handy-tools/
Thanks for the useful links! (However, “Lake City Colorado” links to “www.laka”?)
MSN and GasBuddy are really helpful on the road, and if you have an internet browser on your mobile, you can (patiently wait and) see if there’s one near you while on the road (DONT TEXT AND DRIVE!)
i found this recently, too.
Rene and Jim, we are re-enjoying your Loretto Chapel and Santa Fe, NM posts as we are there/here enjoying this colorful town! Thanks for a great lead!