Gas just above $2 in Virginia City " by half gallons

Bob and Madeline Reutzel, owners of Virginia City Station on North C Street, have learned to be patient when explaining gas prices at the historic town's only fuel retailer.

When gas passed the $4-a-gallon mark, the Reutzels were forced to sell fuel by the half-gallon because their four aged pumps can't register prices above $3.99 a gallon.

"It is annoying, but hopefully soon it will be fixed," Madeline Reutzel says. "It's not too bad once you explain it to customers. We have more problems with people that don't speak good English they just kind of look at you like you have three heads. Most people understand, but there are some that don't."

Several months ago the Reutzels spent $500 to upgrade the computer inside the pump delivering diesel fuel so it now registers as high as $9.99 a gallon. But the units they need to upgrade the three other pumps are on a lengthy backorder, Madeline Reutzel says.

"The whole country went crazy," she says. "We have been waiting 11 weeks for this, and it's still not here."

Reutzel says because of wildly increased demand she expects to pay from $700 to $800 each for the additional three computers.