1 Bus to Salt Lake City UT (delivered)

... spending the night at Las Vegas NV

Bang, bang, bang ... sometime during the night I hear three shots ring out. A pause and then a single shot. Then two more. But I realize I do not hear any sirens or screams. I hear a few more, then my heater shuts off and with everything silent I hear nothing. So I roll to my back and ... Bang. That one was close. Right next to me ... it was all my wife's version of snoring :)

Either the hotel knows it's customers or the customers have adapted. While we were getting our yogurt, a couple of construction workers came through and pocked their HoHo's and some fruit. They didn't even look at anything else. No eggs or meat at this location.

We head out at 8 AM local. The UT scale is closed but a whole bunch of cars are there. I'm not complaining.

1st stop was the Flying J in Tooele. There were two pumps empty so I took a chance and drove around and came in backwards. If it is crowded I will back in so I don't loose my spot. Not sure I will get so lucky again, ever. I stick my fuel tank and it is right where it is supposed to be at delivery. I have 30 miles to go so I add another 5 gallons. Then I add my DEF.

When we leave the Flying J we head to the airport. I haven't looked at the airport other than to see there is a Greyhound stop there so I know buses can get in. So when we get there I follow the bus signs ... until I see that you need a pass to get past. Opps, luckily there is a crack in the concrete barriers that I am able to get a 40 foot bus through. I end up back with the cars. I drop BB off and I am gone.

I had looked at the map to see where the roads went, but not at the road numbers. But I guessed correct coming out of the airport and in a few minutes I was at my next stop.

2nd stop was the Blue Beacon in Salt Lake City. Five trucks ahead of me and two wash bays open. Not sure why but the people ahead of me miss guessed and I end up behind a trailer washout and a cargo van. Just a few minutes each and it was my turn.

I did have enough time to call back my insurance company about a chip in the windshield of a rental from last month. Easy call ... then two hours down the road in todays rental and ... crack. We caught another rock. This one hasn't spread, yet. Insurance isn't going to like paying out <> $500 a month for windshields.

As soon as I am done I pull across the street to the Flying J and meet BB. When she got there the lot was full, when I got there there was a nice drive thru spot. A couple of minutes to move stuff and gone again.

3rd stop - Straight down the street past the Blue Beacon and Flying J and I am at the back of my drop. This place I had looked at so I knew where I was going, but I was expecting a security guard (per my phone call.) No guard so I had to guess where to go. Within a few minutes someone told me the person to check me in was on their way.

This time I did remember to take off the plastic but forgot to write down the mileage. While I was waiting someone was asking me how to get hired on doing what I do.

No issues, 12 noon and we are ready to go. Go where.

We decide to head south through Las Vegas. It will take about three hours longer but is a sure thing. Going back I-80 could get us delayed in western NV or over Donners Pass. Even a few hours delay would delay us getting work until the next day.

For a minute or less we think about taking one of the trucks on the load board going back to CA. Without the weather situation we might have. If it was a different dispatcher we might have. We don't.

4th stop is at a Chik-fil-A in Sandy. We waited until the highway was down to less than five lanes each direction before we stopped to get something to eat.

5th stop was at a Flying J in Scipio. Eagles Landing. They have one location in Avoca IA, I didn't know they also had locations in UT, NV and TX. The ones we saw out here today are new, new since the last time I was this route. The one in IA is old. As long as we were stopped we get a DQ. Good but not as good as custard.

Two or three of the rest area's on our list were not there that is how we ended up at the Flying J. We both remember being at this Flying J before but it wasn't a Flying J yet. It was snowing and they had no power. They were not supposed to let anyone in but they did let BB in to use the bathroom but I think she was the last.

6th stop is the Pilot in St George for fuel and restroom. My rewards card still isn't working right, I am going to have to get yet another one. When I go to leave I am not watching the street signs and the 2nd round a bout must have six roads attached, I got on the frontage road instead of the freeway. Two miles down before I can get on the freeway.

By the time we get to NV it is dark. So another hour of night driving.

We had wanted to get to St George tonight because the snow in this part of the country was going to be just north of there. We made it. But BB had done the math wrong and we should get to Las Vegas tonight in order to make it to Livermore tomorrow. So we push on.

6th and final stops are in Las Vegas. There is a Capriottis' just a mile from our hotel. We ate at one in Reno and it was really good. We got one here to go. It was good, but it would have been better if they had remembered to put cheese on our CHEESEsteak sandwich. :(

Comfort Inn in Las Vegas. We have stayed here before but I do not know with what or when.

Load board

US - 312

IA - 133/132

MN - 2

WI - 9

Tomorrow if we get going by 8 AM we should be in Livermore by 3 PM. We will find out then where we are going. We should be far enough behind the storm to go I-80 if needed.

BB has been watching the weather and it keeps getting worse in WY and Donners Pass. This AM it looked like we could have headed home via MT and ND but not so by afternoon. The forecast had shifted. The maps are a lot of pretty colors.