Yesterday we drove 775 miles and believe it or not, the drive wasn’t too bad. True, getting up at 4:30 in the morning and then jumping in the car at 5:15 am and driving for 12+ hours isn’t for everyone, but having a sense of humor about the whole thing, and having an abundance of podcasts to listen too, makes the drive fly by for the most part. {Favorite podcast of the day: The Art of Manliness.}
I was actually a little worried shortly after we took off from Billings because the roads were kind of slick once we hit Miles City and I was really hoping we’d be able to make it to Minnesota before dark. I’m not a big fan of driving at night, and since the boys were not exactly right behind us in the moving truck {more like an hour behind} the urgency to get to our hotel for the night before sundown was pretty real.
I don’t remember where we filled up, but somewhere along the way we paid $2.39 a gallon for gas, and I was thrilled! $0.40 less a gallon than Tacoma, Washington? Yes please!
Also, for the first time ever {I’m not even sure HOW that’s possible} but I noticed on the big gas station price sign you are offered a different price for paying in cash vs paying with a credit card. I can’t even remember when the last time I paid cash for gasoline. Maybe 20 years ago? Before debit cards were invented?
Do YOU take the time to walk in to the gas station, get tempted to buy a Slim Jim and stand in line and pay the attendant? It kind of makes me wonder how much money doing that one small task could save someone over the course of a year.
This picture was actually take the day before…. But God Bless Teddy Roosevelt and the Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906. I’m so glad there are vast parts of this country that cannot be developed.
By the time we hit St. Cloud Minnesota, I had made some serious progress on the outer boarder of my chicken rug. It’s fully, I thought I’d be able to get like 75% of this rug finished before we hit New England, but I totally forgot to account for it’s size {24″ x 60″} Oops. 😉
For the most part, day 2 on our 3,000 journey wasn’t super exciting, at least for me anyway. The 3 bakeries we had on our “potential stops” list, didn’t quite match up to our driving schedule, which was sort of a bummer. Instead of stopping for breakfast or lunch, we just munched on our road trip snacks of trail mix and granola bars.
Dinner time for The Girl though, you would have thought it was Christmas morning or something. She was so excited to try out the MRE’s Mrs. HB gifted us for our journey, it was hilarious. It was all she could talk about for the last 2 hours of our drive. Chili, Mexican corn, a chocolate shake, crackers and some Red Hots. She was enthralled by the whole process. Who knew heating water in a plastic packet could be so exciting?
Life on the road, it’s just one big adventure. 😉
1,400 miles to go!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone,
~Mavis
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Mrs. C. says
Oh, Mavis, I can hardly wait to find out about your new home!
Christy says
You will see the gas prices dip in the midwest and start to rise again the further east you come. State and local taxes play a big part of it. The price between Delaware and Pennsylvania (20 minutes apart) can vary by 30-40 cents/gallon! Safe travels.
Nikki Tabaka says
Wait, you are MOVING to St. Cloud?
UpstateNYer says
They are enroute to their new east coast home.
Jules says
Gas prices fascinate me too. In Oregon you can pay cash, and not even get out of the car 🙂
Heather says
We have a restaurant that charges 3% more if you use a card. I would pay cash everywhere if given the opportunity for 3% savings. But since the majority of places don’t give me an option and they’ve probably accounted for that 3% in the 0rice I pay, I use a card that earns me a return.
Nancy says
We just came back from a trip driving down, back, and around Florida. For some odd reason Canadian credit cards are accepted everywhere except directly at the pumps. So, we had to go in each fill up and pay for our gas and then pump it. Here, we can either pay at the pump or pump first and then go in and pay. When we asked why we couldn’t pump first and then pay, each gas station attendant just looked at us like we were crazy and said a version of…”But then you could just drive off without paying!” I mean, I’ve heard of that happening but it must not happen enough where I’m from (Canada’s capital city) to warrant a “pay first” rule. Kind of makes me proud. Oh, and gas is CHEAP in the States!!! That was a bonus!
Amanda S says
When my husband and I went to Ireland five years ago, we tried to pay before pumping gas (petrol) and were told to pay after. We were dumb-founded! Maybe it’s a US thing to have to pay first.
Brenda says
You used to be able to pump first then go in and pay. It changed when gas prices went crazy 10 years (??) ago. When gas was $4/gal people were doing “gas & go” a lot more than before (at least in Michigan).
Brianna says
One of my first jobs was at a convenience store with gas pumps. We had a buzzer that would sound when people would drive up to the pumps and we had binoculars to write down the license plates on a dry erase board. We got several drive offs every week and would have to file police reports for theft. Some were repeat offenders. I would prefer to pay in cash if I could because I had my debit card information stolen from using a gas pump two years ago where they put a fake card reader on the outside over the pump’s reader. Now I’m always suspicious of them.
Sherry says
I was going to say the same about having debit card info. stolen at the gas pump. It happened to my son. Even with the newer chip cards that are supposed to be more secure. He got hit up for $200 in charges while he was at work & by the time he had gone on break the bank had notified him they shut off his card because of the suspicious activity. They told him at the bank that it happens a lot at gas stations.
The price difference for paying cash or credit has been a thing for years, here anyway. (CT) We always pay cash, the prices are ridiculous enough as it is. Plus, no chance of card info being stolen.
Brenda says
Open up your Bluetooth on your cell phone when standing by the gas pump and if there is a long line of numbers that come up on your phone, avoid because it has a scam reader on it!!
Sharon says
Mavis, I am utterly in AWE of you doing this huge trek across the Northern part of the country this time of year (and this is from someone raised in Western NY) – your can-do spirit in the projects you take on is inspirational to the max. Thanks!
Rita says
You sure are making good time. In the past you’ve mentioned that you dislike driving so I am wondering if you are doing much of it and how it compares to driving where you left from. Is it better with less traffic or do you still dislike it?
Dale Ann Widen says
St. Cloud, Minnesota! Wow! We are just an hour and a half or so up the highway! So sorry you had to see this area so cold and snowy. Normally this time of year it would be warmer and more spring like!
Jennifer says
The scenery is so pretty
Amanda says
Loving your description of the journey to new home.
In the UK, you always pay after filling up, although I don’t think that you can get it cheaper for paying cash.
Marybeth says
Sorry the bakeries didn’t work out. Glad you had the MREs. How were they? I’ve never had one. Get some rest. you deserve it. Enjoy the snow coming your way.
Tammy says
Where we live in SC it is very common for their to be an advertised price for gas and then in teeny print noted that it is for cash, debit/credit is higher. We go to gas stations that do not do this, because we do not pay for our gas with cash!
Betsy in MN says
Hope you enjoyed your stay in MN. It’s a great state. I have lived overseas and in New England and like MN best!
Safe travels on the I 80/90 corridor. I think that is the worse stretch of road in the nation! Driving from Chicago to Cleveland takes a lot of patience!
Marilyn says
Oh Mavis and The girl! Sounds like you are having a blast!!! Please keep sharing your podcasts! I listen to them every night before I go to sleep to get my mind from racing! It really helps!
I can’t wait to see your new place!!! So exciting!!)
Emily E. says
Mavis I am really enjoying reading about your trek across the US. I could never do that much time in a vehicle for days in a row, but good for you! Plus, you just get there faster. And you’re really making some great progress on the chicken rug! Can’t wait to see the new house and property and everything that comes with making it your own! Safe travels
Elaine says
I always pay cash for gas – because it’s almost always cheaper (NY) and I hate putting my cc in those sketchy machines. I pretty much use cash for everything except major purchases, I spend less that way – if I only have $100 cash in my pocket, I’m not spending $120 at the grocery store – forced budgeting! Safe travels…so curious where you’ll be ending up!
Jenny says
After hurricane Katrina we pretty much only had MREs to eat. We were amazed at first but they all kinda taste the same. Cheese tortellini was my favorite…they always came with peanut butter M&Ms.
I hope Mrs HB warned you about the gum, it’s a laxative Many of us after the storm found out through hard way
Anna says
HA! MRE meals in a pouch! Thats awesome. Our kids request them for birthdays and/or Christmas gifts. lol
Aunt G says
We pay cash for gas out of our envelopes.
About MREs don’t eat the cheese. You won’t go number 2 for weeks. Maybe that’s what the gum is for…
Lovin your journey.
Linda says
At gas stations that offer cash price vs credit card, I just found out they consider a debit card as cash. Might want to check that out at the station you use most often. Would mean you would not need to go into the station to pay with cash. I know businesses have to pay a 1-3% fee on everything we buy with a credit card, so that’s why many are now offering a discount for cash/debit card use.
Beth says
I was going to say the same thing, here in CT cash is also your debit card but you can also use stations that save you 10cents if you use there cards and they can be tied to your checking account and this is a huge savings plus they have an app so you just log on with your phone no swiping of a card at all. I am not sure where you are moving to but we have this at Cumberland farms and in Massachusetts Pride gas stations do the same thing. Safe travels and welcome to New England!!!
lynne says
welcome to my part of the country! We pretty much always pay with cash, CC’s are mainly used for internet purchases. MRE’s…how’d she like it?? Tried it once, and not too impressed – very salty! Wigged me out even more seeing the picture of The Girl (the MRE one) with no socks on in a hotel room…Oh. Dear. LOL!!!! Please, Girl…wear socks/shoes in a hotel room!
LynneinWI
Pat says
I saw your video on Instagram and it looks awesome! How much land is there? We have 20 acres and it’s a lot of work but I love it!