Saturday, August 23, 2008

We've Learned Our Lesson

We both slept great and woke up early enough to be on the road before 8:30 this morning. The traffic wasn't bad, and it was cool enough to be tolerable without running the dash a/c.

I had a comment on yesterday's blog from a reader, Jay. Hey, Jay, we did give a honk somewhere around your exit on I-69, but I think it was more to alert a silly driver who didn't know how to merge onto a busy interstate! Thanks for the heads up, and glad to have you as a reader.

To Anna of Galeanna, we did not make a stop close enough to you to get together this time, hopefully when we get to come back to your beautiful state, we'll have more time to sit a spell.

We'd planned on getting fuel just south of Indianapolis, before our stop for the night. Many of our friends with diesels make a point of filling up at Flying J. We are pretty new at this diesel business, and had been stopping at whatever convenient truck stop, or regular gas station we could get in and out of easily.

Today we stopped at an exit where there was a Flying J, but the Pilot Truck stop looked like it would be easier to get in and out, so se stopped there instead. The sign advertised diesel cash price of $3.97 per gallon, and credit price of $4.05. We got positioned at one of the truck pumps and I went in. There I got my first hint of trouble. The clerk wanted to know how much we were going to buy. I questioned them as to just turning on the pump, and paying when we're full, which is what usually happens when I go into the store and stay there while Jim pumps the fuel. They said their computer system is new and it won't let them do that now, they have to authorize a certain amount on the card. As we discussed that, I found out they were charging us not $4.05, the credit price, but $4.32 per gallon! Where did that come from? Well, it seems if you're not a semi truck at the truck island, you get to pay a higher price!!

When we got to our destination today, we e-mailed them a complaint, and promised to let all our friends know of their sneaky, underhanded, deceitful, rip-off advertising practice. So, here's your notice, please pass it on, Pilot is a rip-off! We've learned our lesson and will make a point of never stopping there again!

Now, as to our destination for the night, we are at the Woods-n-Water Campground near Columbus, Indiana. If you have a small rig, this is probably just fine. But we had a heck of a time getting the Castle in here! We brought several tree branches with us. Oh, well, we did get in and we're settled, so enough said there.

We traveled 298.8 miles and got 8.8 mpg for the day. The only picture I took was of the Indiana State Line, and I think I'll save that for tomorrow. We're just about 420 miles from Red Bay, so we'll probably go about another 300 tomorrow and make a short travel day Monday. I'm ready to get there and sit still for a bit.

3 comments:

Tumbleweed Dee said...

I hope that you can spend some time in Indiana at another time. Thanks for the heads up on the gas station. I hope no one else follows their "pricing".
Dee

Traveling Along said...

Ellie and Jim
I will also never stop again at a Pilot station. We pulled into a Pilot station in New Jersey. They also asked for an amount. Then the pump nozzel was larger than normal(I was told for the trucks it pumps faster)so we had to be very careful that it all went in the tank.

Our choice is Flying J first, TA truck stop second and a Pilot only if we are running on fumes with no other choice!

Linda and Ed Lavin

Speedy said...

I have never liked Pilot. We always have trouble there. They are real snots if your not a truck driver. I don't know why our money is as good as their's??? Flying J has a special pump for RVs plus propane and dumps...Gee you can't ask for more than that ....and they don't treat you like dirt. Oh well Don't worry we will not be stopping in there again. Thanks for the heads up I am passing this on to all the Dreamers

Joe and Sherri