1 bus to La Crosse WI

... spending the night at Pratt KS

Breakfast. BB had leftover Mexican and I had two breakfast bars from our stash. We wanted to leave at 6:30 local and that is when they would start handing out to-go bags. When I went to check out I did ask about a to-go back and my choices were danish, muffin, pastry. I passed.

1st stop - one hour down road we stop at the TA in Moriarty for fuel. I went from 6 mpg Friday to 10 mpg Saturday.

2nd stop was Tucumcari at Loves for the restroom. We often stop at the Flying J across the street, but they are still working on the street so it is much easier to take a right in and a right out than taking two lefts.

Now we are on a lot of two lane for the rest of today and part of tomorrow. And because we are turning north, we now have a cross wind instead of a tail wind. Not sure what that is going to do to the gas mileage. For most of the day the tumble weeds were coming across the road at a 90 degree angle. Not quite white knuckle, but close.

At one point I hit a bird, it looked like it was taking advantage of the wind break I was creating, and then when it got past the front of the bus ... it flipped back and I hit it. :(

NM exit scale is closed for those exiting, open for those coming into the state so not stop for us.

3rd stop is at Chic Witch in Dalhart for lunch. We park across the street behind the Best Western on their street. Same place as we park overnight when we stay there. I like their food, BB not so much.

Lot's of name changes on the motels. The one closest to the Best Western has now been leveled. The 2nd Best Western in town went from a Best Western to a no-name to being closed in just a couple of years.

4th stop in in Liberal at the Loves for the restroom. No one fueling when we leave. Pretty quite.

Once we get to Liberal, the road heads mostly east again so we are back to having a tail wind. And we are out of tumble weed country so not much blowing in the wind except the occasional flag.

5th and final stop is Pratt KS. 1st we stop at the Arby's and grab food to go, then it is the Comfort Inn for the night.

Last night I looked closer at my hours and I am running really close. If things go well tomorrow, we can make it to Story City as planned, if not, we will be stopping in Ankeny/Des Moines for the night. Either way, we should still be able to make delivery Tuesday.

Looks like Forest City got snow today. But the weather is supposed to warm up so it should be plowed/melted by the time we get there.

Other weather. Weather changes. In WY the road is no longer closed because of the high winds (for high profile vehicles.) It is now closed for ALL because of winter weather conditions.

One of the reasons I have to hang on with both hands on this bus is the steering wheel. If feels like the size they put on go-carts/bumper cars instead of a half million dollar bus.

The other reason is the wind. Yesterday it was 35-49 mph where we were. In WY, the current wind warning is for 40-50 mph, with gusts to 80 mph.

No change in the load board.

We plan on delivering Tuesday and heading home. Depending on where we go next we may not leave town again until Saturday.