1 bus to La Crosse WI
... spending the night at Needles CA
Breakfast ... was selected off of a menu last night. I got a nuke-your-own breakfast sandwich, yogurt and fruit cup. I should have ordered a water, we always can use water.
Went out started the bus. Heat was still not on. So I called the shipper, covered the basics, and they said to come back to the shop.
Then as I am ready to pull out ... LIGHT BULB.
Picture this. A fan with switch, plugged into a power strip, which also has a switch and is plugged into the wall. Everything las to be turned on/plugged in, for the fan to work. On the bus, I missed one of those.
I called the shipper back and said 'Driver error.' They didn't ask any questions, I didn't offer an explanation.
BUT this may all have been a good thing. While I was on the phone, BB was checking the weather.
Donner's Pass requires chains. I-80 in WY is closed.
We went south. It will add 200+ miles. But we will be in warm weather and shouldn't have any weather issues.
1st stop is at the rest area near Firebaugh.
We are way off on our scheduled. We rarely leave Livermore in the AM heading south. So it looks like our stops aren't going to mess with our usual stop. Which isn't a bad thing.
Our usual lunch stop is Lost Hills, but it is way to early when we are there so we keep going.
2nd stop is at the Flying J / Subway for food. And to call for permits.
When we got out of the bus, we saw the plastic wrap on the front of the bus was already dragging on the ground. Four hours down the road. It usually lasts the whole trip, I've never seen it fall off this this before.
The next 100+ miles are non-freeway and lots of hills, and some wind. Later today or tomorrow there is a high wind warning for this area. A few years ago we had to turn around part way down this road because they had closed the road because too many semi's had blown over. We had to run all the way down to LA to get from Barstow to Bakersfield.
3rd stop is the Flying J in Barstow for the restroom. I remembered their driveway being too steep for a bus to get into the car lot but it wasn't. So we parked there instead of with the trucks.
... as I am walking back to the bus, someone hits me up for cash. Clean cut kid, not the usual homeless look.
Both rest areas are closed so it is a non-stop trip.
4th and final stop was at the Quality Inn for the night and McDonalds for food. This places is one of those that has two desks in the check in area. This one has both a Quality Inn and Rodeway Inn. Same building. One is $25 less than the other. I have no idea what one has that the other does not.
McD's. Half their menu is gone. For ever? I realized today that cutting my sandwiches into little pieces would be a good thing to do to try to save my tooth. So far so good.
Donners Pass dropped the chain requirement about three hours after we left this AM, but we were heading the opposite direction.
In WY the closure was lifted but it was still no travel for high profile vehicles. I-25 was still closed later in the day so the weather wasn't good.
Load board
US - 443
IA - 208
MN - 2
WI - 6
NC - 22
All the runs from NC back to MN are gone but plenty of runs still heading from IA that way.
It looks like the weather should have moved on by the time we are getting north.
Saturday night we should make it to Albuquerque. Sunday night to Pratt, Monday night to Story City IA. That would leave 240 miles for Wednesday plus pick up our van and get the bus washed and delivered.