2 RV's to Medford OR

... spending the night at Eugene OR

Breakfast. The person at check-in last night was bragging it up. Not 'great' but lots of choices. Scrambled eggs or omelettes. Bacon, ham or sausage patties or links. Also this is the first place ever ... including grocery stores that I have seen mango yogurt. It was good.

When I went to check out, I looked closer at the bill because yesterday the hotel charged me a safe fee and I didn't see it to have it taken off. Today ... no taxes? I asked, and they said they were taken off ??? I didn't ask again. Not sure what that was about.

We pull out on time but in the fog. Actually we pull out just before first light and with heavy fog, first light is running a little late.

Fog is thick and thicker. Once it does get to be daylight we could see <> 1/8-1/4 mile until we got past Spokane. Then it mostly cleared. But that happened a few more times today.

1st stop is the Loves in Ritzville. We've eaten at a place there that used to be a Perkins. Now it has been the Ritz for years, still listed that way on the blue freeway info sign. But the sign on the building is now Mi Jalisco, a Mexican restaurant.

Lots of memories coming down US-395. This was the main road when I was out working harvest in my teen years. But also a not so good memory from more recent. Still remember where I was when I got the call saying <> 'Come home.' (And that trip end ended up being the one the tax person looked at when we got audited the next year)

A billboard early on said there was a Loves in Pasco now. But when we got there I could not see it. Fog again.

When we crossed the Columbia River, twice, we could not see the water below because of the fog. So I missed seeing my old apartment, the park, etc.

When we got on the freeway, trucks were going less than 55 mph with their flashers on. Visability was down to a few car lengths. Not the worst I have seen it, but had enough to wonder at what point do we get off the freeway. But then you are more likely to get hit. Here at least everyone is moving, slowly.

Scales in WA only want to see you if you are over 16,000# and OR only wants to see you if you are over 20,000#. So no scales today.

The signs for the scale are still up in Tokio WA but the scale house is gone. There were crews there today. Too early to see if they are removing it or re-building it. West bound. The east bound one still stands. This is on I-90 between Spokane and Ritzville.

At the intersection of I-82 and I-84, we are within a few miles of a cousin of mine but no time to stop this direction.

2nd stop is Boardman at the Loves for fuel and food. We were wondering how it would go. Oregon was one of the last states where they have to pump your fuel. Not here, not today. So no issue there. But the pumps were slow. So slow that the guy ahead of me ran a bunch of fuel on the ground because there was not enough back pressure to stop the nozzle when it got full. Luckily he was standing right there. He had been sitting in his truck most of the fill.

When we are done fueling we eat at Carl's Jr. Chicken strips.

Still in and out of the fog. One place we could see the wind turbines on top of the fog, but no ground below them. The Gorge is not as beautiful when you can not see it. Didn't see Mt Hood today either.

3rd stop was a rest area near Moiser. Still snow on the ground and on the ice. My cousin had told me how much they got recently. A few years worth, but I don't remember the amount.

No major issues with traffic in Portland, we are going through mid-day. Saw a few homeless including one that looked to be. I was looking at all the graffiti on the sound walls, the city doesn't even seem to be trying to keep it clean. And one place where the sound wall was short because of a hill ... there looked to be a pile of belongings, and a young lady ... and a young kid :(

4th stop was in Wilsonville at the rest area. From there we finally remember to call our drop. Had to leave a message.

Missed seeing the big Multnomah Falls. We had talked about that being our break but the restrooms are quite a ways from the parking lot. Today when we drove past I was watching the semi that was in the parking lot ... sign says no trucks. So I missed the falls. But because of no leaves on the trees, I did see a few other falls in the next mile or two west of the big ones. Something else to see if we would get off the freeway.

5th and final stop was the Comfort Inn in Eugene. We had enough day light we could have pushed on another hour but the forecast has changed so we shouldn't need to be beating the storm.

The roads have changed. We can no longer take a left turn into our hotel so we had to go down the road ... we ended up turning around in an apartment parking lot.

Food is right across the street. BB had wanted to go to Sizzlers and get their salad bar but didn't want to walk our drive. Not drive because how far we would have to drive to get a few blocks because of no left turns. Not walk because we have seen enough homeless right near the hotels. Not that we would be in an danger, we just like to keep our distance.

Load board

US - 114

IA 4/3

MN - 1

WI - 4

We have four hours to our drop. We will likely stash one RV and then the rental car a few blocks from the drop to avoid a taxi.

The weather forecast has changed from snow to rain.

The one truck in norther CA is now gone. The one in OR would require a permit. Now there are a few short trips from CA-CA but they are day cabs and are just over my 100 mile limit for day cabs. Plus they don't pay great. Better than the midwest short trips but still not enough that I am likely to do one.

I have not called the bus dispatcher yet. I usually give him a few days notice ... and maybe I still am :) If I don't work until next week?

Both BB and I had been look at places we 'should stop' if we weren't working today ...