Gas prices stifle holiday travel

MORE AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY HOME THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND BECAUSE OF HIGH GAS PRICES. BUT NEARLY 38- MILLION OF US ARE STILL PLANNING TO GET OUT OF TOWN. VALERIE CASTRO CAUGHT UP WITH SOME DRIVERS TODAY AS THEY HEADED OUT FOR THE HOLIDAY. ACCORDING TO TRIPLE A THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2002 THAT LESS PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAY. MOST PEOPLE WE SPOKE TO PLAN ON STAYING IN STATE THIS WEEKEND BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON'T BE SPENDING BIG BUCKS FOR A SHORT GET- AWAY. THE HOT SPOT FOR NEW MEXICANS THIS WEEKEND IS ELEPHANT BUTTE, WITH 100-THOUSAND VISITORS EXPECTED FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY. THAT'S EVEN WITH GAS PRICES NUDGING CLOSER TO THE 4- DOLLAR MARK FOR REGULAR UNLEADED. 'I heard that tomorrow they're going to hit 4.10 so we were like, we should fill everything up before saturday.'BRIAN NEAL IS DRIVING HIS FAMILY AND HIS HUMMER TO THE BUTTE AND HE SAYS THE BIG GAS GUZZLER MAKES HIM FEEL SAFER DESPITE THE COST. 'I've done the math, we're talking 4 or 5 hundred dollars a year, that's cheap insurance for me plus we go off road and take the family out.' ACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A, NEAL WILL BE JOINED BY SOME 31-POINT-7 MILLION PEOPLE DRIVING THIS WEEKEND FOR THE HOLIDAY. OTHERS HAVE LEFT THEIR CARS AT THE SUNPORT TO TRAVEL BY AIR. 'Or i'll be flying places, that seems to be a little cheaper now a days.' IF YOU DO PLAN TO DRIVE, BE PREPARED FOR A HOLIDAY BUST. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF GAS IN NEW MEXICO JUMPED NEARLY 5 CENTS OVERNIGHT LANDING AT 3-DOLLARS AND 82 CENTS A GALLON FOR REGULAR UNLEADED. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE JUMPED FROM 3.83 TO ALMOST 3.88. 'i drive a little car and it used to only take me like 35 dollars to fill it up and now it's like 50 dollars, so it keeps me from going some places.'BUT YOU COULD CONSIDER NEW MEXICANS PART OF THE LUCKY MAJORITY. 5 STATES ARE NOW PAYING MORE THAN 4- DOLLARS A GALLON INCLUDING ALASKA, CALIFORNIA,CONNEC TICUT , NEW YORK AND ILLINOIS. 'Just keeps going up with the cost of living and so you just adjust accordingly.'IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, FILLING UP A FORD EXPLORER WITH TODAY'S PRICES WILL COST YOU ABOUT 87-DOLLARS. A HONDA ACCORD -- ABOUT 72- BUCKS. THERE WILL BE