Trip Reports - Georgia on my Mind; Getting my Kicks on Old 66

Tour of Duty 21st September to 5th October 2007

A word of explanation is in order regarding the description "Getting my Kicks on Old 66". Route 66 also known as the Mother Road or America's Main Street ran from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA going through eight states. Route 66 roughly parallels Interstate 55 to St. Louis then Interstate 44 to Oklahoma City then Interstate 40 to Barstow, CA then Interstate 15 to Devore, CA then Interstate 215 and Cajon Blvd into San Bernardino, CA then Fifth Street and Foothill Blvd. through various towns in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley to various streets in Los Angeles finally ending at the beach in Santa Monica, CA. A small portion of Old 66 goes through the extreme southeast corner of Kansas but I have not had occasion to travel that stretch yet.

I dare to say that the majority of my time this tour of duty was spent on Old Route 66. On the eastbound trip I picked up 66 in Devore, CA leaving it as I continued east on Interstate 40 from Oklahoma City while 66 went northeast through Tulsa, Joplin, St. Louis and on up to Chicago. On the westbound trip I picked up Old 66 in Bloomington, IL and left it in Flagstaff, AZ as I took Interstate 17 south.

It was time to go to work again and I got word of a run from Rancho Santa Margarita in southern Orange County to Marietta, GA in the northwest part of the Atlanta metro area. I hired a taxi for just under $100 and made the pickup after a little wait.

Trip: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Marietta, GA 2,182 paid miles Routes: California 241 to California 91 to Interstate 15 to Interstate 40 to Interstate 55 to Interstate 240 (Memphis) to US78 (Future Interstate 22) to Interstate 285 to Interstate 75 Maximum elevation: 7,335 feet at Arizona Divide on Interstate 40 about 5 miles west of Flagstaff, AZ

The truck I drove was a box truck with a six speed manual transmission.
I got started and California 241 was a toll road and I ended up stopping twice and paid a total of about $5 in tolls. Traffic flowed smoothly on the toll road but bogged down on California 91 in the Corona area. There was more slowing on Interstate 15 between California 60 and Interstate 10 in Ontario. I took on some fuel at the TA where diesel was $3.159 per gallon. That price was highest I paid not only for this trip but also for this tour of duty. At that price I did not fill up. Even more slowing awaited me as I joined Old 66 at the junction of Interstate 215. TI did fill up at the Flying J in Barstow where diesel was $3.019 at the time. There was no rainfall in California but rain was predicted to hit Los Angeles for the first time since April. I spent the first night in Barstow, CA after eating a fair dinner at Bun Boy restaraunt.

Next day I encountered rain while climbing east of Kingman, AZ. Diesel was $2.949 per gallon in Kingman. The rain intensified as I approached Seligman then backed off then got hard on the east side of Williams. There was off and on light rain in the Flagstaff area then some pretty good rain and a lightning show from Two Guns to Winslow. The rain quit in Winslow though I saw more lightning as I made my way on dry road from Winslow to Holbrook. I spent the night in Holbrook.

Sunday morning there was light rain at times in eastern Arizona. I attended the morning service at Bible Believers Baptist Church in Gallup, NM. The sermon topic was "Don't fall out by the wayside." There was a little rain approaching Grants and had an all you can eat buffet of Chicken, BBQ Beef Briskit, rice and salad at the Petro in Milan, NM. There was a rain shower in Milan. Fuel was $3.039 at the TA in Moriarty, NM. I saw lightning as I approached Santa Rosa, NM and experienced some light to moderate rainfall as I entered Santa Rosa. I spent the night in Santa Rosa, NM at an American-owned motel for a total of $26.90 including tax and was quite pleased with the room.

Come Monday it warmed up as I headed east into the panhandle of Texas and finally into Oklahoma. I stopped in Adrian, TX and had a good BBQ beef sandwich. It was breezy at times and I spent the night in Yukon, OK.

Tuesday morning thunderstorms rolled through the Oklahoma City area. The rain quit and I filled up the fuel tank at the Flying J at exit 140 in Oklahoma City. Exit 140 off Interstate 40 in OKC usually has some of the lowest if not THE lowest fuel prices in all of the USA. However diesel seemed a bit high at $2.939 per gallon. I picked up rain and thunderstorms about 50 miles east of OKC and it rained off and on until I got into Arkansas. I spent the night in North Little Rock, AR and was not happy with the fact the remote control for the telly did not work.

Following day I fueled up in West Memphis. Diesel fuel at the Flying J there was $2.919 per gallon, lowest I paid this trip. There was some rain, heavy at times and it rained off and on while I was at the fuel stop. I got on US78 which is scheduled to become Interstate 22 when construction is complete. Interstate 22 is supposed to run from Memphis, TN to Birmingham, AL. Enough construction was complete that there are no longer two-lane stretches in Alabama. The limited access highway is complete as far as Jasper, AL and there is at least four lane road all the way to Birmingham. I spent the night in Birmingham, AL.

To be continued

Blowout

Thursday the 27th of September I started my run east on Interstate 20. Well east of Birmingham I encountered a thunderstorm with heavy rain around Heflin. This was about 15 miles shy of the Georgia state line when I heard a "bang". I did not detect any loss of control so I reduced speed and cautiously made for the next exit which was within sight. I pulled into a filling station and found that the rear inside tyre on the passenger side went. I rang dispatch and shortly later heard from a repair shop. To make a long story short I went cautiously to the next exit and the tyre was replaced at no expense to me except for time.

I planned to deliver that afternoon but due to the blowout and the time it took in the shop I had to wait until Friday morning to deliver. I was in contact with dispatch regarding where the next run would be and first I was told either Wisconsin to Red Deer, AB or Minnesota to Sherwood Park, AB (near Edmonton) and I said I preferred the latter. Later I received a call from dispatch saying a run from Streator, IL to National City, CA may become available and I said I would take it if it did indeed become available. I ended up spending the night in the Super 8 in Marietta, GA practically around the corner from my destination. The $55.86 I paid for the room that night was the highest I paid for lodging this tour of duty.

Friday morning I delivered the truck in Marietta, GA and was taken to the Atlanta airport. I was dropped off at Air Tran as the company booked me on a flight to Chicago Midway. I checked in outside, checked baggage and unfortunately no window seats were available so I had to settle for an aisle seat. It took about 24 minutes for me to clear security due to queues. There was no secondary screening and no search of my carry-ons.

Air Tran #35 ATL-MDW B-737-700 Seat 29D Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 1:25, actual 1:32 Scheduled departure 14h05, actual
14h09 Scheduled arrival 14h56, actual 14h56 Ticket cost: unknown

Plane was full or nearly full. Pushback was 4 minutes late followed by taxi and hold of 11 minutes and takeoff to the west. At 0:17 there was a drink run and I got cup of ginger ale and a half-ounce bag of pretzels. At 0:21 the seatbelt sign went off. I listened to the XM radio during the flight. During approach I saw Lake Michigan. On approach there were some turns and I felt some bumps and it felt at times like the pilot was losing control of the plane. There was a hard landing to the northeast followed by taxi of 4 minutes and arrival right on time.

I don't know how long it took my bags to arrive at baggage claim since I took my sweet time getting there. I stopped at Potbelly's to get a roast beef sandwich. I find their sandwiches to be excellent. I was to meet another driver who was arriving about an hour after I was scheduled to and finally did meet up with him after he arrived from PIT. We rode together down to Streator, IL where we both got our trucks.

Trip: Streator, IL to National City, CA 2,033 paid miles Routes: Illinois 23 to Illinois 17 to Interstate 39 to Interstate 55 to Interstate 270 (STL) to Interstate 44 to Interstate 40 to Interstate 17 to Interstate 10 to Arizona 85 to Interstate 8 to California 125 to California 94 to Interstate 5 Maximum elevation: 7,275 feet at Continental Divide on Interstate 40 in NM

I got the truck and it was late so I elected to stay in Streator the first night. I stayed at the Town and Country and was told there was no hot water available as there was a problem with the gas heater. I was given a reduced rate due to no hot water and the next morning I took a cold shower.

I finally got started for real and soon thereafter I saw an ornamental piece of metal on top of the hood was coming loose. I ended up securing that loose metal piece with some tie-downs after notifying dispatch.

Sunday morning I attended Bible Baptist Church in the Maplewood section of St. Louis, MO. I heard a sermon about hell and after chatting with some people afterward I resumed my journey. I stopped at Mr. Fuel in Villa Ridge, MO and had a very good deli sandwich made to order. I got some rain around Lebanon, MO and stopped in Strafford, MO (it was dark by then) to see about lodging in Springfield, MO. I saw lightning and I pulled into motel in Springfield, checked in and was just getting into the truck to park it for the night when a downpour hit. I parked and waited about a half hour or so until the rain let up. Then I got my things into the room for the night.

Monday morning I went to shop in Springfield to see about the loose piece on top of the hood. About 45 minutes later I was good to go as it turned out the piece was not fitted into the bracket properly. I did not fuel in Joplin, MO as prices were higher than usual. Joplin usually has some of the lowest fuel prices in the USA but not this time. Diesel in the Joplin area ranged from $3.019 to $3.049 per gallon. I ended up fueling at the Flying J in Tulsa, OK for $2.989 per gallon. I ended up listening to the latter part of the baseball game that would decide who got the National League wildcard playoff position. The San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies were tied 6-6 and the game went into extra innings and I heard the Padres go ahead 8-6 in the top of the 13th inning then heard the Rockies come back and win it 9-8 in the bottom of the 13th as I pulled into Clinton, OK where I spent the night.

On Tuesday thunderstorms were predicted but I did not encounter any. Instead I encountered breezy/windy conditions at times. I stopped for the night in Santa Rosa, NM and had a light dinner at the Silver Moon. I thought much of the food was overpriced at that restaraunt.

Wednesday I took on some fuel but did not fill up at Love's in Santa Rosa, NM. Diesel was $3.069 at that location the highest I paid for this trip. I did not experience any rainfall but did get into a traffic jam in a construction zone west of Albuquerque. Diesel sold for $2.959 in Gallup, NM at Love's and I saw some lightning to the distance west of Gallup. I had problems getting a room in Winslow, AZ but finally got one for a good price at the Rest Inn.

Next day I experienced light rain as I entered Flagstaff and the rain got hard for a little while. I started my run south on Interstate 17 and the rain was replaced by wind. I fueled at the Flying J in Phoenix and paid $2.879 per gallon for diesel, the lowest price not only for this trip but also for the whole tour of duty.

It got windy starting in Gila Bend and visibility dropped somewhat as I progressed west on Interstate 8. There was a brief rain shower right at sunset in Dateland, AZ. I pulled into Yuma and stayed at the Torch Inn. I was pleased with the room considering the price I paid. I was going to eat at Bubbas Restaraunt but found it was closed so I ended eating at El Pollo Loco instead.

Friday morning it was windy when I started out from Yuma and crossed the Colorado River back into California. Visibility was satisfactory to El Centro where I stopped to get a weigh ticket for the truck. I was told I would need a weigh ticket to deliver this truck. I heard winds were gusting as high as 51mph in Imperial, CA. The elevation in El Centro was 45 feet below sea level.

Sandstorm

I progressed west and got back up to sea level at Drew Road and a dust cloud enveloped the truck and other vehicles. Visibility quickly dropped and I reduced my speed. I was going to pull off on to the breakdown lane but I saw other cars so I had no choice to crawl along very slowly and hope I didn't hit or get hit by anyone else as visibility dropped to almost zero. The truck was being rocked by the winds and was receiving a good sandblasting. I finally got out of the dust cloud and resumed speed and I got a good look at the dust cloud I went through as I approached Ocotillo. Then I climbed up the In-Ko-Pah grade into the mountains. Near the San Diego/Imperial county line I saw the CHP was holding eastbound traffic.

I made a pit stop at the Golden Acorn Travel Center and Casino (I did not gamble) in Live Oak Springs in far eastern San Diego County. The wind was cold due as the elevation was over 4,000 feet above sea level. I was waved through a Border Patrol checkpoint just east of Sunrise Highway. After I crested Laguna Summit I started a long downgrade toward San Diego. There was a brief traffic jam as I got on to California 125 south. I got to National City and made delivery at the Port of San Diego. Delivery went very well especially for a port. I had excellent views of downtown San Diego, Point Loma, Coronado and the Coronado Bay Bridge and took snapshots of same.

I took a cab to the train station in downtown San Diego and got ticket for the Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim. I saw that the train station in San Diego has no public restrooms! I feel this is unacceptable. I don't know if that situation is temporary or permanant.

Pacific Surfliner #589 SAN-ANA Scheduled departure 17h50, actual 17h53. Scheduled arrival 20h04, actual 20h07 Ticket cost: $20.00

Train was not totally full in San Diego but filled up at the next stop in Solana Beach. I went downstairs to the Cafe and got dinner: Chicken Caeser Salad for $5.00, Jumbo Beef Hot Dog for $3.00 and Pepsi for $1.50. Other stops were made in San Juan Capistrano, Irvine and Santa Ana before I got off in Anaheim. I claimed my bags and then got a ride home and this tour of duty came to an end.

Always a pleasure to read your trip reports. Thanks for sharing.^

Even your report titles are good.

So, at this point, you must have every inch of I-40 memorized. :D

Nice report, as always ^

So, at this point, you must have every inch of I-40 memorized. :D



Almost but not quite. There are sections of Interstate 40 in North Carolina that I've never travelled (east of Raleigh) and other sections in that state I'm not as familiar with

As usual, a nice report to read. It's like being in the passenger seat when you tell about your journeys. Glad you made it home safe and sound. Did the sand do any damage to the paint job on the truck?

airline brat