Got Gas?

My honey and I sped through Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey last night to arrive in Hudson Valley, NY (well, Kingston, NY more specifically) for the 19th annual Hudson Valley Garlic festival. I've been to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, but this is the largest one on the East Coast. They expect 40 to 50,000 people to descend on the small town of Saugerties, all for the love of the stinking rose.

I will, of course, have a "post game" report tonight upon my return from today's festivities. For now all I can say is that New Jersey has some very odd laws. We stopped to get gas last night only to find men in yellow coats doing all the filling. Thinking this peculiar to the station, we drove on to the next rest spot. Turns out it's against the law to fill your own tank. Illegal? Huh? All the more frustrating is that they've installed self-serve pumps which require you to slide your card payment. But, God forbid you go as far as selecting your gas level and you will incur the wrath of the Gas Attendant. You do not want to get these guys mad. Apparently it's a very stressful job. Either that or their about to die from prolonged boredom and are trying to maintain control of the few duties they have. Hostile, inefficient and irritating.

We asked the hotel clerk what this was all about. "I guess people just like to be treated." No, that's called "luxury" not mandatory law. Very strange.