Got Gas?
by Charles P. Eberson
Senior Moments
Before embarking on this cross-country adventure, I did a lot of research and watched quite a few YouTube videos in an effort to glean some knowledge from more experienced travelers and avoid any preventable pitfalls. Feeling pretty confident that I was as prepared as I could be, we almost became a victim of my own hubris.
The next leg of our journey was from Custer, South Dakota to Buffalo, Wyoming: a very manageable distance of 183 miles. On one of the videos I watched, an experienced RVer cautioned against driving across Texas without ample fuel, warning to never let it get below a half a tank. After managing to coast into the gas station completely out of fuel, he wanted to pass along his cautionary tale. However, I was only going 183 miles and not across the vastness of Texas. Besides, I had the advantage of an onboard computer which said I still had enough fuel for 256 miles: to me, an acceptable 85 mile cushion. I was confident that we had enough fuel to make it.
As the miles ticked away, we were enthralled with majestic scenery on the left and breathtaking vistas on the right. Then a glance at the onboard computer caused me some concern. My estimated range as displayed on my screen was decreasing faster than the mileage we were actually covering and my “cushion” was evaporating before my very eyes. The vast wilderness and open plains started to lose their luster, and in my “beautiful mind” I was trying to figure out the cause. It turns out that what I failed to take into account was that the cruising range was an AVERAGE. The long, climbing hills on the way to Buffalo in a heavily loaded van were rapidly eating away at my mileage. I was constantly running the numbers through my head and hoping for the terrain to flatten out, but the hills continued to rise up in front of us.
Perhaps my wife noticed my silence or the beads of sweat on my forehead. When she asked “Is everything alright?” I explained our dilemma as diplomatically as I could, resulting in the two of us sitting silently and me kicking myself for putting us in such an easily avoidable situation. Down to an eighth of a tank, I finally saw signs for our exit and began to unclench. However, the next sign said that our exit was closed and to proceed to the next exit. I now had only a 20 mile cushion and could feel my wife silently reaching critical mass. Mercifully, the next exit came up quickly. We found our way to the gas station and then the motel in Buffalo.
I knew beforehand that on this trip, we were going to learn some lessons along the way. The vast emptiness of this part of the country was something I was unprepared for, so filling up the gas tank at every opportunity has definitely been one of those lessons. Another is to remember to replace the drain plug on the cooler before putting it in the van. I look forward to sharing what else I’ll learn on this journey.
Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson.fineartamerica.com
