1 bus to Grand Junction CO (delivered)

... spending the night at Sterling CO

When we finally got to bed last night, I found out that my side was like a hammock. Not a good nights sleep. At some point I was able to get close enough to the middle to be on flat bed without bothering BB.

Breakfast. Good eggs, good hashbrowns ... and some leftover bacon from 'recently.'

Last night we had hauled everything out of the bus into the hotel. This AM, only by backpack was going with me, and BB.

We are up in time to call the RV dispatchers when they open at 8 AM. I dial at 7:59 and it goes to voicemail, they are not open yet. I dial again ... 20+ times before someone answers. As does BB. By the time they answer, the OH trips we wanted were gone and we didn't have a 2nd choice. Dispatch does say that that was the last of the push, from now on most days will be five or so RV's released.

So now we have no plan. I do call on a truck in KS, but that is 800 miles away. Going back for another bus is 900 miles away. Going to get RV's is 1,000+ miles away.

When we went to leave the parking lot I had to take a left. Or I could have taken a right and gone down to the round-a-bout. When I tried to go with the bus, it would hesitate and my chance was gone. Finally gunned it and made a left. Somebody likely had to slow down a few seconds sooner for the next light.

We've been to this airport before so no issues or surprises. (Until BB got inside) No flights coming or going so the place was dead. All agents for all companies were on their cell phones texting (?) The one who waited on BB made her wait until he was done with whatever it was he was doing. No hurry to help the person who was disturbing them.

I know the route to the wash (but why?) but to be sure, I do write it down. I still turn one time too early, I forgot the street should have ended at a T. Later BB and I are talking and we both sort of remembered the route but I had never been to the wash before. BUT we finally remembered I did pick up a tool truck in this town, that is likely when we were on these streets.

I get to the wash and pull right in. It takes a credit card so timing is not an issue. The bus in long enough that I can't go all the way around it and I have to flop the hose over the lights on the front of the bus to get to the other side. By the time I am done, there is a line. And when BB comes past later, there is a line. That is why I didn't want to give the drop a time I couldn't make. A few people in line ahead of me and I'm an hour late.

Instead, I am the one waiting an hour. My guy shows up right on time and takes only a few minutes to look the bus over for obvious damage.

We still have no plan.

We head to the closest truckstop to use the restroom before heading ... somewhere. We decided to head to the RV's. We look at lots of pairs. The logistics, the chances of a 2nd leg, the dead head miles, the traffic.

At noon, we leave the truckstop. By 1 PM we call on a trip to UT. By 2 PM there is a truck out of Grand Junction, where we just were ... heading back to CA. A nice 800 mile trip right back to CA. Instead we are spending $500+ deadheading and not getting paid. Bad timing. But nothing we can do about it.

The 1 PM stop was at a rest area in Rifie.

The Glenwood Canyon is always a treat. I got BB to take a few pictures. They don't do justice but it is something. A few people out on the river in the canyon and a few people out fishing beyond the canyon.

BB wanted to stop at a rest area near one of the summits. It was closed, snow to the roof. But the sky / snowmobile area's were open. We pull in because we could not see the buildings. While we were there, BB threw some snow on our windshield as the washer was not working. As we are leaving there was a sheriff there, I thought maybe he would ask for our parking ticket but he didn't.

So now we need to find a restroom. We stop in Frisco at a gas station. I pour in washer fluid, a cup full and it is full. My guess was it must have been frozen and the de-icer I put in must have been enough to melt it. Worked fine after that. But ... they were cleaning the women's restroom so we finally went to a 2nd station just for the restroom. While waiting for BB is when I saw the trip back to CA :(

Traffic is not terrible but there is some stop and go between Frisco and Denver.

Next stop is the Loves in Hudson, north of Denver. Unplanned but gas was cheap. Range of 600+ miles so we are good for a while.

We may/may not get the rental car back in two days. We had the car for almost three hours before we left Grand Junction so that didn't help. If the days were a little longer, that would help too. Last night we were off the road before dark, but the two nights before that were well after dark. Not something we want to make a habit of.

We had hoped to get to Fort Morgan at least, but we've made good enough time we make it to Sterling. From here the next hotel is a hour and half, that would be well after dark.

For food we went for something different tonight. Sonic. They had a BBQ sandwich we both tried. 1st, it took about 20 minutes at the drive thru window ... no one ahead of us, to get our food. And they had my credit card for most of that time. Beginning to wonder if someone had quit and slipped out the door with it. BBQ was OK, more kick than I like. Wrong taste for BB. Malt was good though.

Final stop was the Comfort Inn. There are supposed to be both girls and boys sports teams here. Or they are coming in later, we have not heard them yet. Hopefully not after we are trying to sleep. Long day tomorrow.

Load board

US - 197

IA - 60/59

MN - 1

WI - 9

We plan on being rolling by first light, likely without hotel breakfast. If we can get our car picked up before dark, then we will be close enough to the airport to get the rental back within 48 hours. After that we head back to IA and try to get to Lincoln for our first hotel. Push, push, push. We plan on being back the last half of March to work for my local company and catch up on other things.