2 RV's to El Cajon CA

... spending the night at El Centro CA

Rough night but feeling some better today. Moving slowly to not get light headed or dizzy. BB had grabbed some yogurt a couple of days ago at a hotel so that was breakfast this AM.

A little frosty this AM but our units are facing the rising sun and with the defrost on all the frost was gone by the time we are ready to pull out. Sun is right at eye level so it was a slow move.

I could not see this behind me, but BB told me later that as she started to move she noticed that her right window was down a couple of inches. To start with the window would not move with the control on either the left or right door. So BB headed out expecting a cold AM ride. But she had a long wait at the stop light and she tried again. Finally the window would go down, then up all the way but drop down a couple of inches. As it warmed up it finally would go all the way up and stay there.

Around Flagstaff they must get enough snow that they know how to deal with it. Roads are plowed full width. There are still areas of hard pack and most places on I-40 are not down to the pavement on both tire tracks. But we are after rush hour so traffic is fairly smooth.

Once we start heading south on I-17 it looks like the road is going to be better because of the angle of the sun. But there is a lot more hard pack on this stretch. I didn't remember how far the road stayed at the higher elevation. A few miles before Camp Verde we drop below the snow line.

1st stop is the rest area in Camp Verde.

Glad we did not try this when it was snowing or in the dark. Today it is a clear day. We were able to see all of Mt Flagstaff when we got on the freeway in Winslow. Beautiful snow covered trees. Surprisingly we did not see much if any stuff in the ditch.

Today BB was paying closer attention that I was. When we got close to Buckeye there were signs that said ___ exit is closed. So she took the prior exit. I did not know which street exit that was so kept going until I couldn't exit where I needed to. So I ended up taking the next exit and making a four mile u-turn around a field. I could see where I wanted to be so I wasn't feeling lost.

2nd stop was the Loves in Buckeye. BB waited for me to fuel because we are running all the fuel for this trip on my card. When I go in to pay there is an old guy wanting to fuel and get his 'corporate discount.' The clerk doesn't know what he is talking about and they both leave to go somewhere (without asking me.) Then I see the guy moves his RV without fueling. I could have told him how it worked but they didn't stand there long enough.

BB's pump starts, mine does not. When I go back in the clerk gets on his phone and lets someone else know that 'pump six is STILL now working.' So I had to move. But both fuel stops today the people knew how to handle the corporate card, but not how to run both pumps on one transaction.

Subway for lunch, we ate outside. It's about 60 degrees.

3rd stop was another rest area near Dateland. From here I call the dispatcher for this trip and let them know we will deliver tomorrow, two days late. And I leave an updated message for the drop. Then I call the west coast dispatcher. He sounded happy to hear from me. "If we can't get you something tomorrow (Friday,) we will put you up for the weekend"

Lots of farm labor out in the fields. Not sure what they are doing.

Somewhere today there were huge feed lots, likely larger than those in the Dalhart area. I didn't find the Dalhart numbers but the location near Yuma can hold 130,000 head of cattle.

4th stop is the Loves in Yuma for our last fuel. I miss guessed and need to add more. When I get here I have 3 miles more range than I need. I prefer to have about 50 extra miles range. Both BB and I add more fuel. She only adds one gallon and the computer does not the range. From here we decide to keep going. Otherwise we had planned on getting off at the next exit and staying in Yuma tonight.

5th and final stop is the Comfort Inn in El Centro. We are using points as hotels are getting up closer to $200 a night. We are in early enough to do laundry. Laundry is in the Main Stay hotel across the parking lot. It would have been closer to have walked to the laundromat behind the hotel in Winslow. And then we had nothing but time.

We have enough to do one load so we get that started. After we put it in the dryer we walk across the dead end street to the In-n-Out Burger for food.

Load board

US - 609

IA - 332/330

Plan is the leave out early enough to get fueled and to the drop when they open at 8:30 (we are still 90 miles away.) Then BB will walk to the rental car place and be there when they open at 9 AM. Assuming we are done at the drop by 10 AM we should get near the buses by 6 PM about the time it gets dark. Or we will wait until the AM ... but I need to get permits before 6 PM. Hmmm.

LOG

8:00 - Winslow AZ - Quality Inn - left

10:00 - Camp Verde AZ - rest area

12:30 - Buckeye AZ - Loves - fuel

12:45 - Buckeye AZ - Loves/Subway - eat

2:45 - Dateland AZ - rest area

4:00 - Yuma AZ - Loves - fuel

5:15 - El Centro CA - Comfort Inn

6:30 - El Centro CA - In-n-Out Burger