35 cents: Too much of a difference

It always amazes me the difference in the price of a gallon of gasoline as one leaves the Mid-Ohio Valley and travels, especially west toward Columbus.

This past weekend my wife and I went to Delaware, Ohio, to spend Saturday with my 97-year-old mother-in-law and have lunch with her and my brother-in law at an outdoor cafe west of that town.

Coming home on Ohio 37 we saw gasoline at $3.55 a gallon, $3.51 a gallon, $3.49 a gallon, $3.41 a gallon and what we thought would be the least expensive at $3.39 a gallon as we approached I-70 south of Granville, Ohio.

But the prize ... and surprise ... was passing through Zanesville, Ohio, where gasoline was posted at several gasoline stations at 3.29 a gallon.

Wow! What a change from the $3.69 a gallon gasoline posted Saturday morning when we left Parkersburg.

Upon returning to Parkersburg late Saturday night, we noticed gasoline had dropped at our favorite station to $3.64 a gallon.

The oil companies and gasoline sales organizations can say whatever they wish and make it sound as plausible as they wish, I just don't accept a price difference of $3.29 and $3.64 a gallon between eastern Ohio and western West Virginia, no matter what the "experts" say and it makes me angry every time I see that much of a difference.