Saturday, January 18, 2020

I don't have another load yet, but yesterday my dispatcher said to head east.  Since the weather here and, more importantly, up on Snoqualmie was not good at all I decided to just stay put for a day.  I can get caught up on laundry and get a reset out of the way.  Did 4 loads this morning.  Always feels good to get that done.  Really needed it too!!  Weather permitting, I'll head east when my 34 hours is up.  This time of year everything is always weather permitting.

Friday, January 17, 2020

They dropped all restrictions along I-90 at about 7:30 PM PST.  I debated for about an hour as to whether or not to go.  I decided to go.  I pulled out of the truck stop at about 9:30 PM PST.  Smooth sailing until I was about 10 miles from Snoqualmie Pass Summit.  Notice how fast the road gets bad.

Up ahead on the east bound side there were a bunch of wrecks.  They closed the east bound side and enabled the chain law again.  I stopped at the chain up area off to the side of the road to wait.  I got lucky the other day and was able to continue.  Wasn't going to press my luck and continue.  If I got caught continuing the cops would pull my permit and ticket me with a very costly fine.

I sat in the chain up area and waited for the restrictions to lift.

When I woke up in the morning...

I continued to wait.

Here is how deep the snow is up here...

I sat there for almost 13 hours.  Finally a Road Department supervisor came by and said we will get you out of here.  He said to go and he would let the State Police know I was going through and to leave me alone.  I immediately left!!!

Here are some pictures of Snoqualmie with fresh snow...

Here is a short video of Snoqualmie...

I finally made it to Tukwila, WA Caterpillar dealer and delivered the wheel loader.  Headed straight back to the TA truck stop in North Bend, WA.  for a big meal and a long hot shower!!!!!  Weather is supposed to get even worse this weekend.  Glad I'm empty!!!!!

Thursday, January 16, 2020

We got a little more snow here last night.

It doesn't look good for getting over Snoqualmie anytime soon.  Here is what it looked like at 8 AM PST.  I called up to the truck stop that I want to get to, and they are overflowing with trucks. So I just stayed in Yakima for the time being.

At noon PST it was still a no go...

At 3 PM PST still a no go, but it looks better...

At 6 PM PST things are looking better.  Maybe tomorrow....I hope!!

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Compared to yesterday, today was pretty boring.  This morning I still didn't have my Washington permit that was ordered on the 8th.  I decided to get a little closer to Washington State so I left and drove to the Pilot truck stop in Stanfield, Oregon to wait.  After about an hour my permit arrived.  It expired yesterday!!!  Good job!!!!!!  I sent an email telling my dispatcher that it was expired.  About 15 minutes later a current permit arrived.  I left there and drove to the Gear Jammer Truck Stop in Yakima, Washington for the night.  It is snowing.  There is no hurry to go further.  My next (and last for this load) mountain pass is Snoqualmie.  Conditions up there are not good.  

Went to take a shower.  I went in the shower room and could not believe it.  Horrible!!!!   Took the key and towels back and refused the room.  That is the first time I have ever done that.  Tomorrow I'll move to the Flying J in Ellensburg, WA to wait for Snoqualmie to open.  Should get a real shower there.  Weather reports do not look favorable to getting across until next week.  We'll see.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

What a game last night !!!!!!!!!!!! 

The trophy is back where it belongs in the SEC.

We got some more snow last night and this morning.

The roads got worse.  Chain Law is still in effect in more sections of the road.

  There are 6 other oversize loads sitting here waiting along with me.

At about 1 PM PST they dropped the chain law on I-84.  Most of the oversized loads left, myself included.  Roads were real good for quite a while.  But then it changed.

I had gone past the "point of no return" when they put chain restrictions back in place.  Just a few miles past that photo, traffic came to a stand still.  Up ahead at the chain up parking area, along side the road, a driver was putting his chains on his truck.  Another truck hit him.  They did CPR on him while waiting for the ambulance.  Sat there for 2 hours. When I got past that, I stopped and chained up.  Once my tire chains were on, I continued.  I had cleared it with the Highway Patrol to keep going.   Here is a time lapse video of part of my trip. Sorry about the annoying amber warning light.

Once I got over the mountain and past Cabbage Pass the next problem was where to park.  The only place was at Arrowhead truck stop in Pendelton, Oregon.  There is also the Wildhorse Casino there with a large truck parking lot.  Of course by the time I got there both parking lots were full to capacity and security was turning trucks away and sending them to an overflow area.  Fortunately the casino had other property on the other side of the Interstate and they were sending the overflow of trucks over there to park.  They also provided a shuttle back to the casino.  Here is a video of how I got to, and where I parked for the night.  It took 6 hours, 15 minutes to drive 91 miles. 

After parking I took the shuttle to the casino and had dinner.  Then back to the truck for some much needed sleep.  Hopefully the weather and traffic cooperates better tomorrow.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Cabbage Hill was still bad this morning.  Chain law still in effect.  But where I was it was nice.  There is another truck stop about an hour north of where I was so I decided to move a little closer.  Here are some photos of my short trip this morning.

Stopped at a small truck stop in Baker City, Oregon.  Great restaurant here.  The place is packed.  Was lucky to get a parking place.  A guy was pulling out as I approached.  Had to parallel park to get in. 

Have no idea how long I'll be here.  Here is the DOT camera at the top of Cabbage. Chain law still in effect.  I can't go if chain law is in effect.

At least the food is good here.  Had a second breakfast.  Well, at least I can watch the last college football game of the season.  The National Championship between...

GO LSU !!!!!!

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Left at sunrise this morning.  The weather seemed to be holding.  Here is my view as I left Ogden, UT.

Then the snow started.

Followed a plow for a little bit until there was enough room to go around him.

After a little while I drove out of it.  The rest of the day went pretty good.  Made it all the way to Oregon, much to my surprise!!  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Ontario, Oregon.

The most challenging section of the entire trip lies ahead.  If the weather permits, I'll be going through Deadman Pass also known as Cabbage Hill.  It is a very treacherous portion of I-84.  Click here for more information on it.  For a live traffic camera from Oregon DOT, click here.

If chains are required, then I can't move.  Permit loads are not allowed if the Chain Law is in effect.  The weather there is not supposed to be very good, so we'll just have to play it by ear.  Right now, I'm about 3 hours from there.