Turning Back at the Pump

The Fuel Stop in Copper Harbor.

 After taking pictures of the Copper Harbor Range lights it was time to find a gas station.  

 There aren't a lot of stations on the peninsula, if you need gas you better get it when it's available.

 I pulled into the Fuel Stop where a man was sitting outside the small station watching the pumps on the single island in front.

 This wasn't anything like the Kwik Trips or other stations you see in Wisconsin or a city of any size across the country - where there are frequently four pumps on two islands, each able to handle two cars and three more islands just like it, so the station can fill up 32 cars at a time.

 As I took the top off our tank, an All Terrain Vehicle pulled up on the other side to refuel and continue off-roading down the west side of the peninsula.

The station is cute, cozy, and brought back memories of stations where I used to fill up in some of the small towns where we lived over the years.

A vintage pump

The gas pumps didn't have televisions or a pay at the pump feature so drivers could swipe their cards, fill, and go.

After you take the cap off the gas tank, it's time to lift the handle, pull down the lever to re-set the pump, and pull up the handle on the nozzle to start pumping gas.

This pump felt faster than the fancy pumps back home but maybe it seemed faster because the dials click and whir with each tenth of a gallon poured.

It was a trip down memory lane back to a time when cars got fewer miles to the gallon.  The AMC Rebel, Ambassador, and Pacer would have felt at home filling up at the Fuel Stop.

The one modern touch was the price, as the law of supply and demand meant a gallon of gas cost more than $4.00.