We were up at 4 AM local in case the roads open up. They have not.

No free breakfast here so we went down to Mel's and had breakfast. Way too much food for this early in the AM.

We sat in the hotel room from 5 to 10:30 AM local looking at the roads/weather. Finally at 10:30 we noticed from the highway cameras that the cops were no longer blocking the freeway, inspecting for chains. We started packing up, a minute or two later the online messages had changed. Chains were no longer required. We were out of our room, checked out and rolling in a few minutes.

Roads on the up side of the hill were clear and the weather was sunny. Once we got past the scale and fruit inspection stations we saw truckers putting on their chains. Lots of them over the next few miles, none looked very happy. Likely less happy once they realized the chain requirement had been lifted.

Lots of chain ties and chains laying on the highway. Trucks are load when running chains, but are pretty good about holding it at the 30 mph speedlimit with chains. We did OK, hardest part was judging the speed of the traffic. Some doing 30, others doing 70. As we were going past the break check area, a semi pulls out into my lane. There is supposed to be a merge lane between the parking and the traffic lane, but that is where the semi's were parking, so he pulls out into traffic at 5 mph. I had a split second to decide to hit the breaks or pull in front of a Greyhound. I hit the breaks, the Greyhound, BB and a few others went past me before I could get over in that lane.

Down where the restrictions had started/stopped, we pulled into the rest area at Gold Run. No stop at all on the ground now.

Another hour down the highway we were at the truck wash. No line, but no help either. They were running a 'rainy day crew.' I sure they took a few pounds of crud off the RV's but not a very good job. Fueled right at the same truckstop. The Pilot, 49er. Back on I-80 and then off at the next exit.

They are new to this place so we are new to this place. Raining good at this point, someone else was ahead of us but I found out where to go first. Once we were talking to the check in person, I let him know the other guy was ahead of us.

Another guy had not had fun either ... said he had spent two days waiting. I don't know if that was two days at Reno, or one day each place. He had been sitting in Reno and seen the roads out of Carson City had opened up. So he headed down there but the roads had re-closed by the time he got there. Also noticed he had used a couple of rolls of duck tape to hold the plastic on the front of his RV, not supposed to do that.

BB had looked as soon as we got to the drop and the pass was closed again. First because of an accident and then the weather. Forecast was for snow through Saturday so if we hadn't made it we would have been setting there a while.

Called bus dispatch as soon as we were at the drop. He said to call back at 5:15. BB had Enterprise Rental come and pick her up. She got back just as the drop wanted me to sign her paperwork. Worked out good. Drop was wondering why BB put 3,000 miles on her RV ... KM. She never did figure it out.

Stopped at In-and-Out for a burger and a half hour break, then down I-5 to Livermore.

About 20 miles from Livermore it was 5:15 so I stopped at an exit and called. Yes, he has one, going to WV. As soon as I am back on the road he calls back, what about Louisana? Or Sioux Falls? BB told him we would be there shortly and we'd talk.

Due to weather we passed on the Sioux Falls, we would have had to wait for Donners Pass to open, then follow the storm across WY and take back roads up to Rapid City. Would have gotten us nice and close to home :)

The WV run would have really maxed out our time, giving us just enough time to get home. With the Louisiana run we have a couple of days to play with.

Thought everything was going well so BB left to return the car. Nope. Low coolant light was on and no one around. Boss said to just leave it until the AM if I have to. But the security guard was sure someone was somewhere and within the hour I was leaving. BB had to come back and sit, just in case.

Got the car dropped, right at dark. Then about 30 miles down to the Days Inn in Wesley. We didn't eat again. Didn't think about it again until now.

Did have to climb over a bunch of 'kids' sitting at the top of the stairs smoking. Thought they might be a issue but we stayed with the room we had and no problems.