By now—if you’re a reader from Ashevegas—you know there is little to no gas to be found anywhere. It’s sheer madness out there. Schools are closing. Events postponed. Tourists are scared. Mayor Bellamy is pissed off. The Chamber is going into emergency mode. The City and County are closing Friday and monday to conserve. People are freaked out. We’re freaked out! 

After making an attempt at some errands today, I got stuck in gas traffic on a two-lane road just trying to hit a Walgreen’s. Trapped. Turned off engine. After fifteen minutes of sitting, I approached the car in front of me to find a crying person. When I asked how the line was moving, she just looked at me, exhausted, and said she drove from Maggie Valley to Asheville at 5:00 a.m. this morning for gas; this was her fourth stop; and she still had no gas at about 1:00 p.m. I promptly went home to work instead, doing my part in conservation even though I’m sitting on under a quarter tank.

Ashvegas has been frantically blogging all week so far. There’s a Twitter feed on MountainXPress, too.

[Image: Ashvegas.com/Exxon on Leicester Highway]