Millions Of Southern Californians Hitting The Roads for Labor Day Weekend

If you think filling up your car is painful enough, talk to John Bowers. It costs the Norco resident between $600-$800 to put gas in his truck and boat.

“[My truck] takes three tanks in this, and two tanks in that [boat],” he said. “That’s 127 gallons. This one is 37 gallons.”

His family heads to Lake Havasu every Labor Day weekend. The soaring gas prices have never scared them away.

They just pay it. “[Gas prices are] about the same,” said April Bowers. “It feels the same.”

According to the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA), gas prices jumped during the past week. It broke records in many areas and made this year’s Labor Day weekend the most expensive one ever.

As of Friday, San Diego had the highest gas at $3.91. The Inland Empire had the lowest at $3.87.

Families from outside California noticed the big price difference.

“In Phoenix, it was $3.21,” said Elaine Beech, who was traveling to Menifee.

AAA said gas prices went up around the country over the past week but not by the double digits we saw in the Golden State. Nevertheless, some road travelers said the pain at the pumps was all too familiar by now.

“They are what they are,” said Doug Sharkey, of Montana. “You going to go somewhere, then you got to pay it. It’s as simple as that.”