In Iron Mountain Friday, gas was at $4.05 per gallon
IRON MOUNTAIN -- With gas prices reaching $4.05 per gallon Friday in Iron Mountain, drivers are understandably worried.
"We're low income, and that's going to cut the low income people out anyways,” said driver Raula Chabarria. “We're not going to have money to buy food or toiletries or whatever anymore."
Other drivers long for a simpler time with cheaper gas.
"We could put five dollars in the tank and ride around all night back in those days,” said driver George Pond, referring to prices in the 1960s. “Today five dollars will get you around the corner."
Drivers are feeling the pinch at the pump this weekend, but they are not alone.
Local businesses, like hotels, are feeling it as well. America's Best Inn General Manager Jessica Luttrell didn't expect much of a holiday boom this weekend. But so far, occupancy is only 10 percent...significantly lower than the 30-50 percent she has on a normal weekend.
"I believe a lot of it has to do with the gas,” said Luttrell. “With gas prices, people can't afford to be staying at places. They're just making a day trip out of things."
Luttrell fears this could be the beginning of a very difficult travel season.
"People aren't going to be traveling,” she said. “They don't have the extra income for the gas factored into summer vacations."
Experts say the U.P. isn't a major travel destination over Easter weekend, so it's difficult to judge how much of a long-term effect these gas prices could have on tourism.
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