With Memorial Day less than a week away, drivers in the Hudson Valley and beyond are keeping their eyes on gas prices before making plans to hit the road.

Analysts expect a gallon of regular gas to reach about $2.50 across the Hudson Valley in time for Memorial Day, but they do not foresee a hike similar to the one that sent gas prices skyrocketing past $4 last summer.

"I really think it's manipulation of the prices," says Galia Kislova, of Goshen. "Just a couple of weeks ago it was 40 cents less, so what happened in two weeks?"

According to Terry Grosselfinger, director of Consumer Protection for Rockland County, the annual spike in gas prices in not rooted in a global conspiracy forged by oil companies.

"Prices are rising from a slightly accelerated rate from when they were rising in the winter, but we believe this is more of a supply and demand situation than anyone taking advantage of the consuming public," he says.

However, Matt Marrone, of Orangeburg, is not convinced.

"They know that people will be driving a lot during the Memorial Day weekend," he says. "And they increase gas prices to make as much money as possible during a short period of time."