Midwest Leads Gas Price Spike

As Tim Sauer stopped to get gas in Luverne, Minnesota, he made it clear that he would not likely forget his vacation any time soon.

"We lost transmission in the suburban and in another car, so we bought this old junker from this guy. We're just trying to get home now," Sauer said.

Sauer was a long way from his home in Kellogg, Idaho, on Monday morning. He has had plenty of sight seeing along the way, but not all of it has been good.  For example, he has not been a fan of signs for gas that say gas is $4.28 per gallon in Minnesota.

"I only put in $8 worth in to get me over the border, so I can fill up over there," Sauer said, referring to South Dakota.

Minnesota is way ahead of the national average of $3.65 a gallon and according to AAA, it is second only to Hawaii in terms of price per gallon.  It is not much better in South Dakota.  AAA also reported on Monday that gas was $4.18 in Sioux Falls.  That figure broke the previous record high - Sunday's price of $4.12 per gallon.

"It appears at least part of the reason for these breathtaking price spikes is limited gas supplies caused by a couple of refineries in the upper Midwest going offline and the temporary closures of two large refineries in Chicago," spokeswoman for AAA South Dakota Marilyn Buskohl said. "But these shortages have only impacted selected locations. For example, the Rapid City average price today is at $3.373. The silver lining is we expect the price spike to be short-lived."

For Melissa Nielsen, that means a whopping $65 to fill up her van.

"Sometimes I let the light go on.  If I notice it [the price] goes down, I might fill up," Nielsen said.

Though it might be more cost effective to drive less, for moms like Nielsen, it is not practical.

"With a family of six, we usually drive.  It's not easy to run errands on a bike, unless it's jut for exercise.  Not to run errands," Nielsen said.

Sauer hoped the price drops before the summer holidays, so he can actually enjoy his next trip.

"Politics, big business; they all want more money. That's all. I don't know how much they think they need," Sauer said.  "Us poor folks can't afford any more.  I don't know what they want."

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