From Seattletimes · · 1m 50s
Gorda's $10 Gas Station
Gorda, California's remote gas station charges $10.49 per gallon, a price that sustains its off-grid community.
In brief
Gorda, California's remote gas station charges $10.49 per gallon, a price that sustains its off-grid community. Gorda, California's isolated gas station sells $10.49 gasoline to keep its off-grid community running. Originally reported by Seattletimes.
Gorda's Remote Location
Gorda is a modest hamlet in Big Sur with no cell service, located 27 miles north of Hearst Castle on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Gas Price Anomaly
A gallon of premium unleaded gas cost $9.999 at Gorda, the highest price many pumps display, with diesel being even more expensive.
Price Adjustment
By the end of summer, the price increased to $10.49 after Vargas Flores updated the software to move the decimal point on gas pumps.
Community Reliance
Gorda relies on tourism and its remote location, using generators that consume thousands of gallons of diesel monthly.
Owner Background
Leonardo Vargas Flores, 61, began working at Gorda in 1997 after moving from Mexico and has managed the station since Sherwin Miller's death.
Restaurant Shifts
Whale Watchers Cafe now serves fewer customers, with lunch menus offering expensive options like bacon cheeseburgers for $36.
Tourist Tolerance
Visitors accept the high gas prices as part of the remote adventure, with some purchasing $60 worth of gas despite the cost.
Solar Power Plans
Vargas Flores plans to install solar power, but the cost has risen to over $3 million, with backup generators still needed.
Youth Perspective
Victoria Nuñez-Lazaro, 15, works at the cafe and worries about Gorda's 'old-timey vibe' but calls it 'like visiting grandma.'
Community Resilience
Gorda's residents have weathered wildfires, landslides, and generator failures, maintaining operations with minimal external help.
Future Price Projections
Vargas Flores expects gas prices to reach $12 or $14 in the future, though the station has an unused electric vehicle charging station.
The takeaway
Gorda, California's isolated gas station sells $10.49 gasoline to keep its off-grid community running.
