1 bus to Lubbock TX

... spending the night at Amarillo TX

Spent last night at the Clarion in Winslow AZ ... from walking the streets of Bakersfield to standing on a corner in Winslow AZ :)

Breakfast was leftovers from last night for both of us. I ate half my chicken last night and the other half this AM. Never did eat my noodles, too much food.

We thought not going down for breakfast had saved enough time to get rolling a few minutes early, but something else must have slowed us down because we got going at the usual time. Just before sunrise.

So lots of time looking into the rising sun this AM.

We did see a lot of transporters today, I should have counted. I'm guessing we saw two dozen UPS vans and another dozen while vans. Lots of RV's, dozens of stacks of trucks. A few tree trucks, mixers and one city bus. Not much if any mixers or school buses today.

1st stop of the day was just before Gallup NM at the welcome center. Three people behind the desks and they all had to talk to us. All we wanted was the rest room.

At the scale, first they motioned me to 'swing around back,' but then they saw my permit and I was good to leave.

Before we get to Gallup, I see a billboard that a new one9 truckstop is coming. I was hoping that they were re-doing the one by the TA and Loves. It is a huge place that started out big but wasn't tied to a chain. It died and a few have tried to re-start it. We stopped in once. It seems the only things being fixed are things that would shut them down.

... but, when I get to the exit, I see that One9 is building a brand new station on the other side of the freeway. This is the 2nd-3rd new One9 we have seen this trip.

2nd stop was Casa Blanca at a casino travel stop. Big signs saying not to drive in backwards, so I didn't. I swung around and backed in. I'm not sure how that is safer, but I didn't ask them. Personal card wouldn't work at the pump so I had to go in to get the pump turned on and then again to get a receipt.

I think there were eight pumps. Only three, including me were being used while I was there.

Oncoming traffic was having some road work done so traffic was down to one lane. That caused a few mile back up even out here in the desert. When we were leaving, I noticed the the sheriff was now screening traffic at the exit and not letting semi's go the back roads.

3rd stop was for fuel and food at the TA in Moriarty. Ever fuel island had a line. I pick one, the slowest one. Finally the guy comes back out and starts pumping. By the time he pulls ahead, the one that came in behind me on the right is fueled and gone and the one on the left is fueling.

When it is my turn I find out why. The pump doesn't respond. I had to go in to get it turned on. BB had done the math and I will be putting in 35 gallons here. If I need more for delivery, I will be stopping at the Loves near the drop to move luggage from the bus to the rental car.

BB goes in and gets food and is back before I pull ahead. Today's food is a Whopper Jr. Because of the wait ... today took 45 minutes at this stop.

I am in the habit of moving over one lane anytime I can when someone is on the side of the road ... I did that today and then realized it was a bus ... one of ours. So I pull over quickly and start backing closer. The other bus pulls around me and stops again about a quarter mile ahead of me. As I get closer, I see they are waving me on ...

4th stop is at the rest area near Newkirk, just before Tucumcari. While we are there, the other bus passes.

Somewhere before Amarillo, I catch up to the other bus. We are going close enough to the same speed that I'd be blocking traffic for quite a while to get past and it would only save me 1-2 minutes. So I follow.

We would have had time to wash the bus yet tonight but that would change where we stay and where we eat. So we wait until tomorrow. It is supposed to rain and there are usually fewer people at the wash if it is raining.

Tonight we are at the Comfort Inn on the west end of Amarillo. Once we are checked in we walk across the street to the Red Robin. Good thing we did not order desert first. Our meals were more than enough.

Oh, when we got here, I was too busy watching where to turn and not how to turn. I ended up going over the curb without knowing I was going to. I do hit the curbs once in a while but I usually know that I am going to.

Load board

US - 128

IA - 1/0

MN - 9

WI -0-

We were mapping out plans to pick up a truck in KS on our way back and then looked to double check the mileage ... it's gone. After hours we think. Now we have nothing. I could still call on the Sioux Falls, but those are usually chassis.

Plan for tomorrow is leave out at the usual, get to the wash. With any luck we will be in and out in an hour. So we'd be to the airport by 11 AM. The airport is just off the freeway and across from the Loves truckstop. And then another couple of miles, just off the same freeway and we are at the drop. Should be dropped by noon ???