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Picked up a new '08 GX at Scott Robinson Honda in Torrance yesterday. Flew down in the morning and started driving back. Kudos to Mike and Juliana for handling the airport pickup and the paperwork. Smooth as silk! I was at the dealership for 10 minutes.
Chart a course that takes you through Azuza. There is an excellent 3600 psi pump there.
Skip Victorville. You have to have a "training PIN number" to use the pump, and you can't get one. The training gadget is busted.
Fill in Barstow.
Drive nice and easy to Vegas so as to conserve fuel. I believe it is possible to stretch it all the way to St. George in a pinch, so just in case you can't work out a fill in Vegas you could try that. (A/C OFF, 65 mph all the way. You'll probably make it.)
In Vegas, the safe bet is to exit I-15 at Washington. Just east of the freeway, toward the strip, is A-Street. I mean JUST east of the freeway! It's almost a frontage road. Enter A-street through a nice concrete block wall. The fueling station is right there. You MUST have a commercial fueling card! Best to call Haycock Petroleum ahead of time and order a pre-paid card. $20 will be more than enough. My CFN card worked, but make sure you call ahead to make sure an "alternate" card will work....and even then I'd recommend getting the Haycock card anyway. My CFN didn't work at another station run by the same people and I thought I was going to be stranded in Sin City.
If all else fails in Vegas, call this number: 1-702-334-4346. That's the personal phone number of a guy who works for the contractor that handles all the CNG stations around Las Vegas. I think his name is Jim, but I can't remember. Great guy! He'll rescue you. Hook him up with a very generous tip, though, or that service might dry up. I didn't end up needing his help, but he said I could pass on his number in case anybody else gets in a jam.
Don't bother with the fueling station way out northwest of the Strip. It's out of your way, you don't need to go there, and cops might hassle you for using the "private" facility. (It's public, but they aren't the brightest bulbs on the string.)
Don't try to use the one on Losee Road. It's closed.
Don't try to use the one at the gas company's facility. Security won't let you in after hours and they're downright insulting at that. To hell with them, I say.
Stick with the one at Washington and A-street, using a pre-paid Haycock card, and you'll be fine. You'll be in and out and back on the freeway in 5 minutes.
IF you get a fill in Vegas you can easily make Cedar City and the 24-hour station on south Main Street. Just take the first exit, and the station is just east of the freeway. There are a couple of budget motels if you're ready to just crash for the night.
If you DON'T get a fill in Vegas, and you're smart enough not to waste your fuel wandering around trying to find some (hint, hint) you MUST fill in St. George. But you MUST get there before 9 pm or you're out of luck. Either way, you MUST top up in Cedar City to make it to Springville. I believe you can get to SLC from Cedar City, but why chance it?
In short:
1. Azuza.
2. Barstow.
3. Vegas at Washington and A-street, if possible.
4. St. George if you missed Vegas. (And I hope you've been driving slow!)
5. Cedar City regardless. Good place to stop for the night and shorten your drive the next morning.
6. Springville Flying J off exit 261.
Those instructions have been won at a tremendous expense to my sanity.
-mickey
Chart a course that takes you through Azuza. There is an excellent 3600 psi pump there.
Skip Victorville. You have to have a "training PIN number" to use the pump, and you can't get one. The training gadget is busted.
Fill in Barstow.
Drive nice and easy to Vegas so as to conserve fuel. I believe it is possible to stretch it all the way to St. George in a pinch, so just in case you can't work out a fill in Vegas you could try that. (A/C OFF, 65 mph all the way. You'll probably make it.)
In Vegas, the safe bet is to exit I-15 at Washington. Just east of the freeway, toward the strip, is A-Street. I mean JUST east of the freeway! It's almost a frontage road. Enter A-street through a nice concrete block wall. The fueling station is right there. You MUST have a commercial fueling card! Best to call Haycock Petroleum ahead of time and order a pre-paid card. $20 will be more than enough. My CFN card worked, but make sure you call ahead to make sure an "alternate" card will work....and even then I'd recommend getting the Haycock card anyway. My CFN didn't work at another station run by the same people and I thought I was going to be stranded in Sin City.
If all else fails in Vegas, call this number: 1-702-334-4346. That's the personal phone number of a guy who works for the contractor that handles all the CNG stations around Las Vegas. I think his name is Jim, but I can't remember. Great guy! He'll rescue you. Hook him up with a very generous tip, though, or that service might dry up. I didn't end up needing his help, but he said I could pass on his number in case anybody else gets in a jam.
Don't bother with the fueling station way out northwest of the Strip. It's out of your way, you don't need to go there, and cops might hassle you for using the "private" facility. (It's public, but they aren't the brightest bulbs on the string.)
Don't try to use the one on Losee Road. It's closed.
Don't try to use the one at the gas company's facility. Security won't let you in after hours and they're downright insulting at that. To hell with them, I say.
Stick with the one at Washington and A-street, using a pre-paid Haycock card, and you'll be fine. You'll be in and out and back on the freeway in 5 minutes.
IF you get a fill in Vegas you can easily make Cedar City and the 24-hour station on south Main Street. Just take the first exit, and the station is just east of the freeway. There are a couple of budget motels if you're ready to just crash for the night.
If you DON'T get a fill in Vegas, and you're smart enough not to waste your fuel wandering around trying to find some (hint, hint) you MUST fill in St. George. But you MUST get there before 9 pm or you're out of luck. Either way, you MUST top up in Cedar City to make it to Springville. I believe you can get to SLC from Cedar City, but why chance it?
In short:
1. Azuza.
2. Barstow.
3. Vegas at Washington and A-street, if possible.
4. St. George if you missed Vegas. (And I hope you've been driving slow!)
5. Cedar City regardless. Good place to stop for the night and shorten your drive the next morning.
6. Springville Flying J off exit 261.
Those instructions have been won at a tremendous expense to my sanity.
-mickey
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