Lone Pine, CA

[Lauren]

We are at Boulder Creek RV Park in Lone Pine (once again - third time) and it is really a nice place.

We went to the one grocery store in town which is not huge. But the PRICES were huge. Hey, I agree they are faced with higher costs than a Safeway or something but at least double on most things.

If coming from the north stop at Von's in Bishop. We have not been there but have been to other Von's.

In any case, would have to be much less expensive than here.

Off to hike up at Mt. Whitney!

[wintersun]

It is more the result of no competition. Prices are not nearly so high at Mammoth Lakes stores and this actually is a resort town.

[Us_out_West]

You are right about the high fuel prices along 395 until you get way South into AZ.

Our home base is Reno and when we leave to go to Casa Grande for the winter we appreciate our aux tank which gives us a little over 100 gal. of diesel on board. With that we prefer going over the Sierra's on 80 into CA and down thru Bakersfield then to Casa Grande. We don't need fuel along the way and get to take advantage of the cheaper prices when we get to our destination.

Last winter we filled up before our return to Reno for $3.29 taking advantage of a .30 cent discount for buying groceries at Fry's.

You learn to play the fuel prices.

[Lauren]

We refused to buy fuel there but thought we would get a Dairy Queen as it was so hot. They wanted like $5 a cone as I recall. We walked out.

[mrw8i]

I bought fuel in Needles once. I was desperate. I knew in another 20 miles there would be much cheaper gas in AZ.

[Lauren]

Apology accepted for sure.

We have done this north to south run a few times over the years - and once south to north as well.

Coming south we stay at Likely (get it at the General Store $4.399 on 9/25, Lee Vining ($4.599 Shell to $4.899 Chevron a block away) and then to Lone Pine. Then Needles; we left there this morning, got fuel at Kramers Corner as usual. Interesting that Needles was $4.699 right at the interstate entrance going east...thought they would be over $5.

Arco used to be cheapest at Kramer Junction as they did not take credit cards. They were the same as the cash prices elsewhere.

Got it at Lake Havasu City - north at I40 - for $3.709 but I get 8 cents off the $3.789 with their card. Further down the line at Salome, AZ I paid $3.399....which was, by far the lowest price we saw on this trip that started 8/1.

Home tomorrow.

Lauren

[mrw8i]

I apologize. It was the $5 in Bishop that got me. No, I normally don't purchase fuel in Lone Pine because of the prices. I might if I do a lot of driving in the mountain area when there.

We travel 14-395 quite a bit. Up to about Lee Vining. We try to leave with a full tank, but even where we live west of Los Angeles you have to know where to go to purchase diesel fuel. The further away from Los Angeles the higher the prices get. The best I can do where I live is 3.79 and that is low for the last few years. Mojave is typically .10 - .15 higher than Los Angeles area and there are a lot of gas stations on the main road in a very short distance so there is a bit of competition in town so prices are usually within a few cents of each other at all stations in Mojave. The Shell at Pearsonville and the Mobil at the south end of Olancha usually are the same as Mojave, but sometimes higher. Coso Junction (rest stop) is usually pretty high. Lone Pine - you are correct skip it unless you need a few gallons. Lone Pine gets a lot of European visitors, the Alabama Hills (movies), Whitney Portal, rental cars, visitors out of Death Valley and is cheap compared to Death Valley; so they get you. Independence is usually cheaper than Lone Pine, sometimes the Casino is really good prices (but not always). Bishop is usually cheaper than Independence but not all the time. If headed to Mammoth or north, we'll stop in Bishop to fill up, even if a few more cents than Independence, but most stations in Bishop are not big rig friendly. Bishop is before the Sherwin Grade and I don't want to purchase fuel in Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, Lee Vining area.

You probably passed Pearsonville (tiny small town on the East side of 395 just before Ridgecrest), it was $3.?? yesterday at the Shell/Subway. You normally see big rigs, buses, etc there; easy-in easy-out.

Ridgecrest might have been the town you were speaking of and was probably the lowest price in the area.

Kramer Junction is going to go back up in price just because of the location, at the intersection of 2 major highways.

Hisperia sometimes has decent prices, but you may have to drive a few miles into town - not something you normally want to do with a decent sized rig.

Shell at Pearsonville was probably your best bet for easy in, easy out - not low but under $4/gal normally; and might have been the small "burg" you mentioned.

Mojave is on the 14 north of Lancaster - not the direction you were going. You were on a more major traveled North/South route 395 - which means higher prices.

If you want high prices. Jawbone Store - south of Red Rock Canyon on 14. No diesel. They cater to the off road crowd - so one or two gallons at a time, but I've seen RVs pull in there who were running on fumes.

[Lauren]

Let's see. We were in Lone Pine 4 days. Say what you will but the truth is - based on my checking every place in town in Lone Pine - and there are but 3 I think - the best price for diesel in Lone Pine was $4.09 on Saturday at the Mobil. Down the road south as we had left - in some small burg - it was $3.99 but not sure I could have gotten the rig in there.

There might have been better prices in Bishop, I am only stating what I saw as we drove thru.

I have no idea where Mojave is but it was $4.06 at Kramers Corners. It think it was cheaper at Pilot - and I get a discount there a well - but they were out of diesel.

Please do not accuse me of not telling the truth.

[mrw8i]

Just got home from Lone Pine, was there for the weekend. Stayed at Tuttle Creek. Fishing was great. Fuel prices are typically a bit lower in Bishop than in Lone Pine, but not much. I think I remember seeing 3.99 for Diesel this morning in Lone Pine. Bishop $5.00 for diesel??? No, not buying that; I paid 3.94 in Bishop 3 weeks ago for Diesel. I think Independence reservation was advertised at 3.79 or 3.89 this weekend according to Gas Buddy. But I was headed south and fueled up in Mojave this morning, where for the most part it was around 3.90/gal.

[Lauren]

It was about mid of the range I have mentioned.

[Valkyriebush]

What about the Indian Casino/RV park near Independence for diesel? I remember it being the best price in that area.

[bigmurf]

People go to Needles so they can get scammed on tires. JMHO

[Lauren]

Not totally a rip off; their costs, I am sure, are higher than WalMart! And fuel? Not so with Needles; God only knows why anyone goes there.

[hotpepperkid]

Resort pricing aka a rip off

[Lauren]

There might be the place in Bishop but the only one we saw was like $5.059. Lee Vining (we were there 4 nights and heading south) was $4.599 at Shell and $4.899 at Chevron a block away. Saw a place here in Lone Pine for $3.999. Our next stop is Needles which has the highest fuel prices we have ever seen. At the Pilot at Boron it is - per GasBuddy - $3.999 at Pilot and we get like 8 cents off that with the Pilot card. You skip Needles and fuel up on the interstate north of Lake Havasu City - one time there was a one dollar difference.