"... on the road again ... " :)

2 RV's heading to Davis / Sacramento CA

... spending the night in Ankeny IA

Alarm went off at 6 AM, rolling at 7 AM. No breakfast today.

45 minutes later we are at the safety meeting. Just before 8 AM I start calling dispatch, no answer before 8. BB is just getting back to where I am and she starts dialing. Gets right in before anyone answers my re-dial. We get two runs to Davis. We had discussed taking to RV's to El Cajon near LA for a change. But after doing the math on the price of the car, extra motel, day spent driving it was going to cost us an extra $300. And that is without taking any extra time sight seeing.

The safety meetings are not all the same. This one had a lot of video's on texting and driving. They also showed us the youtube video from Monday's 100+ car/truck crash in WY. Google/search it at "#DEADLY #WYOMING #PILEUP | #FATALITIES ON INTERSTATE 80" It is a 9 minute video. There are others videos on YouTube.

Another thing mentioned was that we SEEM to be slower this year. But the boss added up the numbers and so far this month there has been 1,700+ RV's. Last year there were 1,700+ RV's. The RV's are just being released more evenly. Normally we get about 25 per day. Last year there was one day where they brought over 600, in one day. There is no way for the office to get that many on the loadboard so we only see about 200 a day.

We should be in that area sometime on Saturday.

We sat a table with two other drivers. One we had met last trip in Adair at the rest area. The other driver was with his wife but it didn't sound like she drove. The 1st driver had just gotten back from Anchorage. And the couple was heading to NB. For the most part it doesn't sound like they have had much for problems at the border.

Wind.

We had to wait about an hour after the meeting before we could get our paperwork because of the wind speeds. Spent more time talking to drivers. Two new drivers were just finishing up their training. The one couldn't find his truck so I pointed him in the right direction, later I saw someone from the office walking him to his truck ... and then back to the office. It must not have been parked where the paperwork said it was.

We did get going right at noon as we had hoped. And yes, it was windy.

Cheapest fuel was a Casey's in Clear Lake per GasBuddy. By the time we got there it was the same price at the Kum and Go. We had picked Casey's because it was closer too food. We picked Taco Bell. Not sure what was going on but it took us 15 minutes to get our food. From where I could see, the 1st 10 minutes there wasn't anyone working in the food prep area. Just one person taking walk in orders and one taking drive thru orders. Then every one hanging around got there food within a few minutes and no one waiting when we left. I had hoped we would be in and out in 15 minutes. We don't need a half hour break today.

Next stop was at the rest area in Elk Hart. When we walked around to the west of our RV's it almost blew us over. The wind assist had been slowing me down every few minutes and at times I had slowed without it's help.

It wasn't going to get any better and we would be bucking a 30 mph headwind for the next two and a half hours so we called it a day.

10 miles down the road we stop at the Sleep Inn in Ankeny for the night. But with this being a short day we will need to do a couple of 500+ mile days to get back on schedule. If we can't do it, it will be because of the weather and we'll deliver on Tuesday instead of Monday.

About 5 PM we walk, or get blown, across the street to Outback. Not my favorite but it is the only place open within walking distance. There is another place that is a fish shop but that it's always open.

We got the blooming (onion) chips to start. We had them bring Ranch dressing besides the usual dipping sauce. When I commented later to the server about how hot it was ... oh that is SPICY Ranch. I think the usual sauce has less kick.

It wasn't listed on the menu but I ordered chicken alfredo. They had chicken AND shrimp alfredo and they had steak and shrimp alfredo so I guessed they could do a just chicken one. I had them put the sauce on the side after tasting the Ranch. But all was good. I was able to eat 90% of it before I got too full. No desert.

When I checked in I asked them if they had cookies or just free pop corn. The guy said 'we don't usually have cookies, but come back down about 8 PM.'

59 left on the board tonight. One of our Davis is still out there. And they added 5 to Bend, OR. El Cajon is 20 miles closer to Livermore CA than Bend OR is. Given a choice I'd do El Cajon this time of year.

Weather looks good tomorrow ... so far.

After I ate until I was stuffed, and then walked against the wind and up two flights of stairs ... my blood pressure was still lower than when I have to see a Dr ... it's a Dr thing.