By Trevor Hughes, Reno Gazette Journal
Add high gas prices to the long list of challenges Burning Man participants are facing, from the wildfire outside Reno to the always-fickle Mother Nature.
Burners flooding into Northern Nevada are paying gas prices about 30% higher than this same time last year, according to AAA.
The average price for a gallon of regular in Nevada is $4.82. Many burners will pass through Washoe County, home to Reno, where the average is a staggering $5.17.
“I can feel my wallet crying,” said Drew Peace, 44, as he filled a 55-gallon drum with gas priced at $4.39 a gallon at the Love’s travel stop in Fernley.
Hauling a large trailer with gear for the “Ohm Kar” group, Peace said he did his final fuel fill-up in Nevada because the prices are much cheaper than in California.
Across the gas station plaza, burners complained about the fuel prices, but said there was little they could do. Burning Man has always been expensive for most attendees, they said.
“This is crazy,” said Randy Wolff, 49, after putting $600 of diesel into a battered box truck carrying his camp’s gear. “It’s adding up fast.”
Wolff and a friend drove about 400 miles from Boise, Idaho. In addition to the truck’s tank, the men filled containers for the camp’s diesel generator at $6.04 a gallon.
Wolff said the group increased camp dues to cover the extra fuel costs.
Although it officially opens to participants at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, thousands of people are arriving early to help build out Black Rock City, the temporary community in the desert north of Gerlach.
The Hawk Fire burning just west of Reno gave some burners pause, but with the fire increasingly under control by Wednesday, Aug. 26, participants said they felt comfortable sticking to their plans.
As he made the 2,000-mile drive from Dallas, Christopher Cavender, 46, said he kept an eye on the forecast and the GasBuddy app to help find the cheapest prices along the way.
Cavender said he only comes to Burning Man every other year in part because it can be so expensive. He was disappointed to see gas prices rising as he packed up his camper.
He estimated he will spend at least $1,500 round trip to fuel his Kia Telluride, towing the small camper.
“It’s like when people spend more money on vacation, because it’s vacation,” he said. “Am I happy about it going up? No.”
Burning Man typically costs thousands of dollars to attend, from ticket prices that start at $550 to the $165 vehicle pass, along with all the food and water necessary to survive for a week.
Cavender said he hoped gas prices drop by the time the event ends on Labor Day, but he’s not optimistic. After all, he said, President Donald Trump has been insisting for several weeks that the war with Iran will end in two weeks.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
