I never would have dreamed in a million years that I would be saddened by the closing of a GAS STATION?????????!!!!!!!! Well, the day has come. The Shell station in Taylorsville, MD closed on January 31st. I am officially saddened by this news. I am no longer able to fill up Hao, my 2005 VW Golf TDI, with B100 (100% biodiesel, I think right now since it's winter it did contain some kerosene so that it wouldn't congeal when the temps dropped significantly). This station was only 16 miles from work. My bimonthly ritual was to drive that 32 mile round trip to the Shell station to fill up Hao. It was a welcome break from sitting inside in front of my computer at work, working on test cases, searching through code, writing requirements. The ritual usually involved listening to good music or the Mark Steiner show always with an open sunroof so I could soak up some vitamin D. I'd pump my bio and then go and pay. The same attendant was always there. He was watching his 4x6 black and white TV and seemed to just really enjoy watching the time pass. He was planning to work at Wal-Mart full time once the station closed. He didn't sound like he was looking forward to the change.

So I'm trying to move on. I've been forced to fill up with regular diesel since the station closed (dinodiesel) and I have driven my 550 miles, it is time to fill up again. Dinodiesel just plain stinks! The exhaust fumes stink. It has more polutants. It deposits stuff in the engine (don't ask me what, I just know the bio runs cleaner). It makes your hands stink for the rest of the day when you fill up. It's more expensive than bio. And I don't even talk to the attendant at the dino station, I can just pay with a credit card.

I miss my Shell station. I think of the attendant who now works at Wal-Mart full time. I bet he misses the station too.