During the construction of our new home, I've been commuting from Charlotte to the homesite each weekend. It's a respectable drive and one that I'm not particularly fond of. To make matters worse, the current gas crisis makes the weekly trek an expensive one. While I was born in the 1970s, I've never witnessed this absurdity in my adult life. Last night, for example, I drove around two states (I live near the NC/SC border) looking for gas and was able to find it in only three places, all of which had ridiculously long lines. Even the local Sam's Club ran dry. Prices are hovering around $4 per gallon in Charlotte, if you can find gas at all. Many stations are simply out of fuel, and sometimes lines form at gas stations that are expecting to have a fuel delivery. To combat the madness, I've been carpooling to work during the week with a coworker who happens to live the same apartment complex. On a related note, I've rented an economy car until our mortgage is approved and I can buy a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle. Needless to say, we are not driving the 14/16 mpg Suburban much.
