2 RV's to IN, 1 to Burns Harbor, 1 to Auburn

... spending the night at Porter IN

Hot breakfast, same as yesterday.

We leave out a little after 7 AM.

1st stop - Our lot to pickup our RV's. Office door is open before 8 AM, we go in and wait as they are answering phone calls. Terminal manager and yard person are out in the lot so they mustn't have thought it would be too busy. We find our RV's where they are supposed to be and get them inspected in under an hour. I supposed it helps that we didn't talk to anyone else. Lot is pretty empty as is the shippers lot in some places. A few others were picking up when we were there.

The gas station next to Casey's in Forest City is back open. It had been closed, mostly closed for months. Now the gas price is current and the lights were on, cars in the lot.

2nd stop was for fuel in Clear Lake. Our usual place is Pilot but gas was fifteen cents cheaper across the street so we drive across the street. Saved $3 for that move.

Wind. Most of the day we are fighting the wind. Does not help the gas mileage.

3rd stop was Center Point for lunch. As we are walking in, another driver asks if we had heard that 'WHO just changed their minds on masks.' No, we hadn't and we can't find anywhere that they have. Today it was Subway. We were heading back to our RV's and saw that there were cement tables in front of McD's so we ate outside at a table today. The building blocked enough of the wind so it wasn't too bad.

4th stop was Walcott for fuel at the BP Iowa 40 truckstop. Could have saved five cents across the street but both Pilot's at this exit are very congested. This will be BB's final fuel so she just puts in a few gallons. I had looked earlier to see how much fuel I would need, but when I was fueling I was off by 100 miles. Luckily shorted myself 100 miles instead of putting in that much over on fuel. I took a guess that it would be cheaper here than later so I added enough more fuel for the 100 miles, plus.

Shortly after we were back on the freeway, there was a semi on the shoulder and I wanted to give him room and so wanted to get over. The semi next to me backed off so I go in the left lane and back to the right. That semi followed me back to the right lane, except there was a car next to him. The car drove on the shoulder for a while before slowing and getting behind the semi. That was likely the closest we saw to an accident today.

I was busy watching that and lost BB. I exit onto I280 like we do 90% of the time and I don't see here behind me. I've been driving five under so she can catch up but after a few miles I decide I better go the speed limit in case she went the other route. She did. Where the two freeways meet again she was just going over the overpass as I was coming up. She took the cloverleaf and pulled in behind me.

5th stop is at the Road Ranger in Ottawa. BB had picked the exit and about two miles before the exit I could finally picture the place. We have stopped here a couple of times before. This was just to use the restroom and to decide if we were going to make it to Portage before dark. We can if traffic stays as is so BB makes a reservation.

While we were there I wanted to pick up another rewards card, didn't see them but I saw some lit. Turns out that to get the commercial rewards like being able to turn on the pump without coming into the station you need to have purchased $500 of fuel the month before. Not sure when that would happen. I'm guessing my old rewards card was stolen with my backpack. Not sure where I would use the card, Road Ranger is a small chain and we don't take the same routes too often.

Google showed there should have been some slow traffic going through Chicago but it was pretty normal. When we got near the toll booth the signs said 'right lane closed.' And I'm thinking ... good thing I was through here a couple of days ago in the oncoming traffic, I now know that the lane that is closed is the one going into the toll booth. WRONG. On the east bound traffic there are two lanes closed and I had to get over at the last minute.

6th and final stop is Portage, first at the TA Taco Bell for food and then just down the street at the Comfort Inn. We have stayed here a few times and BB's drop is just on the other side of the freeway. We are the last building against the freeway on the north side, Flying J is the first building on the south side where she will put in 'dealer fuel.' And then the next driveway south is her drop. All nice and close. Then 150 miles of off freeway to my drop.

:( just saw emails that there are problems on the home farm and I'm no where around.

Lots to look at on the load board. There are some RV's out of IN including one to CA but we need two to make any money. BB got a text message about moving a CDL truck from IN to NE ???

Load board

US - 159

IA - 30

MN -0-

WI - 4

The truck in NC that dispatch couldn't tell me what it was last week is still sitting there.