1 bus to Lubbock TX

... spending the night at Winslow AZ

Spent the night in Bakersfield, same as the night before.

And ate the same breakfast, egg and cheese omelette plus yogurt and juice. This place has their juice machine set to fill one cup. I'm used to filling half the cup with each so the first time I did it, I drank some of the cup thinking I had held it too long and then tried the 2nd juice, of which half went into the drain.

I had two trip permits to print this AM as I had forgotten last night. First couple of times I went down to print, there was someone eating their breakfast at the desk and cruising the internet.

Finally it was open and then I realized that I did not need the computer, the jump drive plugs right into the printer like the place a couple of days ago. Got them printed.

When we went out to start the bus, a warning light was on. We re-checked everything and then I called the shipper. Got the head trouble shooter, he knows his stuff. He had to walk me through where to even find what I should have been checking. It is different on a hybrid than on the other buses. I didn't know that.

System is OK, sensor is set wrong. I'm good go to, just keep checking.

NOW we are ready to go. I soon find out that this bus does not have any get up and go on the hills. Yesterday was mostly flat so not an issue. Today I was down to 30 mph a few times going up hills. No way I was going to pass anything going up hill.

1st stop was the Loves in Boron near the Borax mine. I park with the cars, lots of room. Restroom break only.

2nd stop is at the rest area near Essex. Not much to say about this area, any farming ends at Bakersfield and won't start again until Texas. Hills, brush, rocks, a few cattle.

Somewhere around Needles I saw what we think was a huge drone. A UFO to us. Not shaped like either a chopper or a plane. It was in the distance, I'm guessing a mile away at first and finally lost sight at five miles so it had to be fair sized.

I do need to cross the scale coming into AZ, they just looked at my permit through the window and I was good to go.

Recently, within the last few years, someone had put in a Pride truckstop selling one9 fuel just past Lake Havasu. Now Flying J is putting in a truckstop at the next exit. Somewhere east of Kingman we see a brand new one9 station going up. It seems most one9's are existing stations who join the fuel network.

3rd stop is the Petro truckston east of Kingman. My low fuel light comes on just before I get to the exit. Gauge still shows over 1/4 tank and when I stuck the tank I still had 3+ inches of fuel so I was not ready to run out.

All fuel island were full with some having lines when we got there. When we left, half the islands didn't even have a truck at the pump.

BB only leaves $500 on our company credit card when we are done with a trip ... in case I don't get paid soon enough on the next trip. Like today. $460 went in the tank at this stop and this dispatcher hasn't dispatched me yesterday or today, so no new money on my card. I did put in 90 gallons in a 125 gallon tank. Not sure how many of the 125 is 'usable.'

When I'm done fueling I call dispatch looking for money and where to wash before delivery. Amarillo. ??? That adds a few miles and a few extra hours to our trip. We were already looking at delivering with only an hour to spare on Friday. We need to adjust.

While I was fueling, BB went into the station and grabbed two sandwiches off the shelf. Chicken salad for me, egg salad for her. On texas toast style bread. I took most of one slice off the sandwich. It is already 2 PM local and we only have two hours to our hotel.

DID only have two hours to the hotel. We decided to get another hour down the road. So all the research BB did for hotels in Flagstaff is now for 'future stays.' Instead of Flagstaff tonight, we will get to Winslow. Instead of Santa Rosa tomorrow, we will make it to Amarillo.

Now we will stop in Bellemont at the rest area. Closed ... but truck parking is open and there are port-a-potties. While BB is using one, a semi-tractor pulls up right in front of them, the driver hops out and runs ... leaving his tractor blocking the travel lane. When you gotta go ...

Final stop for the day is Winslow ... The Quality Inn is now the Clarion, the EconoLodge is now the Quality Inn. We stay at the Clarion. Still no food inhouse. Sign is still up but they closed in 2016 per the desk clerk.

Lots of place to park. No large truck parking up lots of empty car parking.

Once we are in our room we walk to the asian place. We will likely waste half the food but we can't agree on what we want. Not sure the difference on eating a $20 meal or throwing half of a $20 meal away because it is too much.

Load board

US - 145

IA - 7/6

MN - 2

WI -0-

Plan is to eat leftovers so we don't need to wait for breakfast. Desk clerk listed off what was for breakfast and neither of us heard eggs or bacon.

I should still have enough hours to run tomorrow and Friday. We should be able to get to the hotel in Amarillo before last light if things go like they did today.

Plan after the drop is to head home, the three trucks that were there last night are all still there. I haven't had time to call on any of them yet. Likely we will take the shortest one, it is the least pay but by far the fewest out of route miles.

Oh, more local rental trucks on their load board ... when we are not in town.