1 Bus, heading to Johnsonburg PA

... spending the night at Oklahoma City OK

Leftovers for breakfast. Then on our way out we stock up on more emergency supplies, breakfast to go.

My first trip out to my bus the parking lot lights were on, but the next trip the lights were off. They must be on a timer to go off at 'first light.' We pull out of the hotel at 6:30 local. Then seven miles down the road to our first stop.

1st stop - Moriarty at the TA for fuel. Luckily I picked a line where, when someone did come back to their truck, they fueled and pulled ahead. When I pulled in, no one was by the truck ahead of me. Still, that driver came out, fueled and left before any other truck we could see had even moved. The truck to the right of me never did move the whole time we were there. No idea where the driver was. These places need a yard cop. No one leaves their truck when it is anywhere in line at the fuel island.

I don't have the receipts from last trip, but I seem to be making the same mileage with a short bus as I did with the 40 foot bus. I hope the pay is the same.

Not too long after we got back on the road, I am watching a Penske truck (rental) coming up from behind in the left lane. The sun is just coming up and I can clearly see the driver. He is looking down and doing something. When he gets closer, he drifts into my lane. I hit the breaks and the shoulder and let him go past. Not too much later, the same truck drifts from the right lane all the way to the left lane and then back to the right shoulder. And then got off at the next exit. Good idea.

Not sure where this was, but early. Miles before we got to it, we could see the fog in the distance. Visibility was down to 2/10's of a mile in places. It was interesting when we first saw it, we were above it and it looked like a band of snow around the hill tops. We would go down into it, then up out of it and back down into it. From the hilltops we could see it went on far miles, in some directions it was as far as we could see.

When we went past the Pilot in Santa Rosa I looked at their fuel lines. Every island had a truck in it that had fueled, one that was fueling and one or two that were waiting. So at the big truck stops it is a waiting game.

2nd stop - Flying J in Tucumcarri for a rest break. Usually this place is a transporters hangout. Last trip there was no one else here, this time there is one RV transporter. So lots of room to park.

3rd stop - Loves in Amarillo and the Subway. Parking lot is a lot more crowded that Thanksgiving weekend but still not full.

OK scale says closed, but it is only closed because it was full. Good timing for us.

I had planned on changing things up and putting in DEF in Sayer, the next town past Erick but I was still not down to a half a tank on DEF so I will plan on doing that tomorrow. And that will mean one fewer times to put in DEF.

4th stop is at the rest area near Erick. But not likely again. They are remodeling so it amounts to parking spots and two out houses. Both were empty, the first thing I noticed was the last person had not lifted up the seat. Then I noticed what looked like a industrial sized roll of toilet paper in the tank. So when I was done, I checked and yes, that was the toilet paper, none available to use. When I walked out BB wanted to use the one I had used because hers was just as bad, plus hers had a 'driver's jug' sitting in it.

I hadn't noticed, but BB did that the remodeling crew had their own out house. She used that one. It was clean. So if they are not done remodeling by next time, it will be Sayer even if I don't need DEF.

Another two hours and we are in OKC.

5th stop - the east TA in Oklahoma City. The same TA I had issues with last time. But my issues were with trying to use my personal credit card for DEF. No DEF this time so no issues.

Another 15 minutes and we are at the motel. Getting there we go past their local amusement park. I think the park is spending more on electricity for holiday lights than they earned this summer by being open.

6th and final stop - Sleep Inn in north OKC. Same as last time. Even the person at the front desk recognized us. Once checked in we order Mexican from next door. Chips are extra :( but the food is good and quick.

I wish I had been counting transporters today. Maybe close to 100 driveaway units plus another almost 100 travel trailers. Plus all the stuff that was on flat beds that we sometimes drive.

Buses, 4 Van Hool coaches, 1 city bus driven (1 other on flatbed), school buses, short, long. RV's of all sizes. UPS vans, many including 4 in one group. Lots of white UPS style vans. Cement trucks, trash trucks, water trucks, bucket trucks, boom trucks. Bottle trucks, stacks of trucks. Truck tractors, truck chassis.

Weather has been great again today. Forecast is not so good for tomorrow forward. We are catching up to a storm.

Load board

US - 279

IA - 113

... so IA got rid of 11 from the load board today. Sorry. We don't expect to drive for them again until next year.