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Holiday Drivers See Record-High Gas Rates

Posted on: Saturday, 30 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

Many American drivers got a nasty surprise as they took off for the Labor Day holiday: record high gas prices in many areas of the country that averaged nearly $1.75 per gallon, up 15 cents in the last two weeks.

AAA predicted 33.4 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles from home for the three-day weekend, the highest number since 1995. And 28.2 million, or 84 percent, were expected to travel by motor vehicle.

"I guess that will just mean a few less beers," joked Mitch Painovich, 32, of Denver, en route to Aspen for a beach volleyball tournament. The group had originally planned to take separate vehicles but ended up carpooling to save gas money.

Sporting shorts, sandals and sunglasses, Michael Moses was ready for the beach, and he wasn't about to let a spike in gas prices ruin his fun.

"I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while," said Moses, filling up at a downtown New Orleans service station before departing on a Labor Day weekend trip to Pensacola, Fla., about three hours away. "At most, I may have to spend $10 or $15 more, but I'm not going to cancel a trip for $10."

AAA predicted 3.7 million tourists will fly, down from a year ago. Air Transport Association spokeswoman Diana Cronan said travel was down in May through July, and she also expects it to be off some over Labor Day compared to past years.

Some went to extraordinary lengths to spend the weekend with family.

"Only a couple hours left," said Jennifer Morrow, sitting at the Greyhound bus terminal in downtown Detroit more than 24 hours after leaving Tampa, Fla. "It meant a lot for my family for me to come up and I didn't want to disappoint them."

Also returning home was Boston native Jeff Keller, a New Yorker who normally spends Labor Day with family on Cape Cod. But this year, Keller and his 13-year-old son, Warren, scored tickets to see two games of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox series at Fenway Park in Boston.

"It will be nice to be among fellow Red Sox fans," said Keller, 55, waiting for a train in New York's Penn Station.

The weekend caps a summer travel season that started slowly and was marred by record rainfall in many parts of the country, but picked up toward the end. Travel figures have been strong since about July 4, AAA spokesman Jerry Cheske said.

Cheske said few travelers would change their plans because of gas prices.

"I think bad weather would probably more drastically affect plans," he said.

Gas cost $1.49 a gallon 10 days ago when Jim and Ruth Jackson left Fort Wayne, Ind., for a trip to Canada and New England with great granddaughter Hannahrose. At a rest stop Friday on the Massachusetts Turnpike, it was up to about $1.80.

"We thought we'd bite the bullet," Jim Jackson said, "but we don't like the idea," Jim Jackson said.

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