Up and Down the Golden State; Historic El Camino Real; Reunion with Longtime Friend
Dec 18, 2014, 12:50 am
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Up and Down the Golden State; Historic El Camino Real; Reunion with Longtime Friend
Tour of Duty 30th October 2014 to 3rd November 2014
Got word that the truck I took from Pacific Grove, CA to Long Beach, CA was ready to go back up to Pacific Grove. I hired a taxi to the shipper and got the truck.
Trip: Long Beach, CA to Pacific Grove, CA 350 paid miles
Make: 2009 Sterling
Model: Tank/Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: California 1 to Interstate 710 to Interstate 405 to US101 to California 154 to California 246 back to US101 to California 68
Maximum Elevation: 2,225 feet at San Marcos Pass California 154 somewhere north of Santa Barbara, CA
Diesel price USA: $3.999/gallon at Pilot Salinas, CA
After I put my gear into the truck and did a quick inspection, I got underway. There was congestion on parts of Interstate 405 and US101. I dislike the interchange between the northbound 405 to northbound 101 as that entails a left entrance to the 101. There are signs at periodic intervals on US101 saying , "Historic El Camino Real." El Camino Real in California went from San Diego to Sonoma and the stretch of US101 between Los Angeles and San Jose corresponds with Historic El Camino Real.
The truck was only two axles so I was able to go 65-70mph as posted instead of being limited to 55mph as is the case with three axles or any vehicle that is towing in California. Traffic was moving slowly to about Topanga Canyon Road then picked up some.
In Thousand Oaks just before the Conejo Grade, the weigh scale/inspection station was open so I had to enter and I was pulled in for inspection. The inspection took about 15 minutes. My logbook was checked, my licence was checked and inspection was done on the lights, brakes, signals and play on the steering wheel. This was a Level 1 DoT Inspection and I was given a sheet saying "No Violations." Later after I turned in the sheet to Safety I got a 200$ bonus for passing the Level 1 DoT Inspection with no violations.
I continued north and made a pit stop in Summerland, just south of Santa Barbara. I saw that gasoline and diesel was priced very high at 4.599/gallon for unleaded and 4.999/gallon for diesel. I took some pictures, got some soda and continued north. I took a shortcut mileagewise but not timewise when I took California 154 over San Marcos Pass then California 246. On the 154 I got some panoramic views of the Santa Barbara area as well as Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez Valley. I stopped in Solvang and took more pictures. Then I continued to Buellton and resumed my journey on Historic El Camino Real/US101. I stopped in Santa Maria and had Evening Rations at Pappy's just next to truckstop. Santa Maria is famous for its Tri-Tip so I had some for my Evening Rations and it was delicious.
I continued north into San Luis Obispo County and went over Cuesta Grade, elevation 1,522 feet, highest on US101. After Atascadero and Paso Robles I saw the speed limit change to 70mph at San Miguel then it went back to 65 near King City. I spent the night in Soledad, CA.
Friday it was partly cloudy in Soledad but clouded up by the time I reached Salinas where I took on fuel. I got on California 68 which I took all the way to my destination and rain started to fall about 12 miles shy of my destination. A moderate rain was falling as I delivered the truck in Pacific Grove, CA.
I hired a taxi to MRY where I got a rental car to Vallejo, CA. The next truck was in Benicia, CA. It was raining pretty good as I headed up California 1 to California 156 back up to Historic El Camino Real/US101 however the rain diminished in Gilroy and quit altogether in San Jose where I departed El Camino Real and got on northbound Interstate 680. Traffic moved well until I got into Alameda County around Fremont then I encountered bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic for a ways up to Pleasanton. I headed east on Interstate 580 and took the Airway exit in Livermore and had my Evening Rations at Cattleman's. Then I continued back to the 680 and headed to Benicia and put a bag I was not going to need for overnight in the truck and I made sure the truck started then I secured the truck and went to Vallejo, CA where I spent the night.
Saturday I headed to Benicia. I took some pictures of the Historic Downtown, the Carquinez Strait and the first State Capitol (Benicia was State Capital before Sacramento was) before I headed to the truck, put the rest of my gear in the truck then I headed to Vallejo where I got fuel for the rental car which was 3.099$ per gallon at Safeway. I turned in the rental car then got taxi after long wait and headed to the truck in Benicia.
Trip: Benicia, CA to Compton, CA 400 paid miles
Make: 2014 Peterbilt
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard Straight 10-speed
Route: Interstate 780 to Interstate 680 to California 4 to J4 to Interstate 205 to California 120 to California 99 to Interstate 5 to Interstate 605 to Interstate 405 to Interstate 710
Maximum elevation: 4,144 feet at Tejon Summit Interstate 5 one mile south of the Los Angeles/Kern County line between Gorman, CA and Lebec, CA
Highest diesel price USA: $3.929/gallon at Pilot Castaic, CA
Lowest diesel price USA: $3.499/gallon at Speedy Long Beach, CA
I finished the safety inspection then got rolling and made a pit stop in Ripon, CA to eat. There, I saw sub-3$/gallon fuel in California for the first time in years. I saw the ground was wet from recent rainfall and I saw portion of a rainbow. I continued south and spent the night in Visalia, CA.
Sunday morning I was picked up by a friend of mine who I have not seen for something like 21 or 22 years. He took me to his church, Grace Community Church in Visalia. The message was on the subject of Firstfruits. One notable aspect about that church is that the main sanctuary had Mood Lighting in which the sanctuary could be bathed in green, orange, purple or blue and that was used during the music before the message. After the service my friend took me to downtown Visalia where I took some pictures then he took me to a restaurant where we had Midday Rations. The Tri-Tip I ordered was not very good at least not compared to some I've had elsewhere.
After some visiting I was taken back to the truck and I continued south on California 99 to Interstate 5 and traffic moved well. I spent Sunday night at home. Monday I stopped to take on fuel then delivered the truck in Compton and hired a taxi back home and got word of the next trip.
Got word that the truck I took from Pacific Grove, CA to Long Beach, CA was ready to go back up to Pacific Grove. I hired a taxi to the shipper and got the truck.
Trip: Long Beach, CA to Pacific Grove, CA 350 paid miles
Make: 2009 Sterling
Model: Tank/Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: California 1 to Interstate 710 to Interstate 405 to US101 to California 154 to California 246 back to US101 to California 68
Maximum Elevation: 2,225 feet at San Marcos Pass California 154 somewhere north of Santa Barbara, CA
Diesel price USA: $3.999/gallon at Pilot Salinas, CA
After I put my gear into the truck and did a quick inspection, I got underway. There was congestion on parts of Interstate 405 and US101. I dislike the interchange between the northbound 405 to northbound 101 as that entails a left entrance to the 101. There are signs at periodic intervals on US101 saying , "Historic El Camino Real." El Camino Real in California went from San Diego to Sonoma and the stretch of US101 between Los Angeles and San Jose corresponds with Historic El Camino Real.
The truck was only two axles so I was able to go 65-70mph as posted instead of being limited to 55mph as is the case with three axles or any vehicle that is towing in California. Traffic was moving slowly to about Topanga Canyon Road then picked up some.
In Thousand Oaks just before the Conejo Grade, the weigh scale/inspection station was open so I had to enter and I was pulled in for inspection. The inspection took about 15 minutes. My logbook was checked, my licence was checked and inspection was done on the lights, brakes, signals and play on the steering wheel. This was a Level 1 DoT Inspection and I was given a sheet saying "No Violations." Later after I turned in the sheet to Safety I got a 200$ bonus for passing the Level 1 DoT Inspection with no violations.
I continued north and made a pit stop in Summerland, just south of Santa Barbara. I saw that gasoline and diesel was priced very high at 4.599/gallon for unleaded and 4.999/gallon for diesel. I took some pictures, got some soda and continued north. I took a shortcut mileagewise but not timewise when I took California 154 over San Marcos Pass then California 246. On the 154 I got some panoramic views of the Santa Barbara area as well as Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez Valley. I stopped in Solvang and took more pictures. Then I continued to Buellton and resumed my journey on Historic El Camino Real/US101. I stopped in Santa Maria and had Evening Rations at Pappy's just next to truckstop. Santa Maria is famous for its Tri-Tip so I had some for my Evening Rations and it was delicious.
I continued north into San Luis Obispo County and went over Cuesta Grade, elevation 1,522 feet, highest on US101. After Atascadero and Paso Robles I saw the speed limit change to 70mph at San Miguel then it went back to 65 near King City. I spent the night in Soledad, CA.
Friday it was partly cloudy in Soledad but clouded up by the time I reached Salinas where I took on fuel. I got on California 68 which I took all the way to my destination and rain started to fall about 12 miles shy of my destination. A moderate rain was falling as I delivered the truck in Pacific Grove, CA.
I hired a taxi to MRY where I got a rental car to Vallejo, CA. The next truck was in Benicia, CA. It was raining pretty good as I headed up California 1 to California 156 back up to Historic El Camino Real/US101 however the rain diminished in Gilroy and quit altogether in San Jose where I departed El Camino Real and got on northbound Interstate 680. Traffic moved well until I got into Alameda County around Fremont then I encountered bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic for a ways up to Pleasanton. I headed east on Interstate 580 and took the Airway exit in Livermore and had my Evening Rations at Cattleman's. Then I continued back to the 680 and headed to Benicia and put a bag I was not going to need for overnight in the truck and I made sure the truck started then I secured the truck and went to Vallejo, CA where I spent the night.
Saturday I headed to Benicia. I took some pictures of the Historic Downtown, the Carquinez Strait and the first State Capitol (Benicia was State Capital before Sacramento was) before I headed to the truck, put the rest of my gear in the truck then I headed to Vallejo where I got fuel for the rental car which was 3.099$ per gallon at Safeway. I turned in the rental car then got taxi after long wait and headed to the truck in Benicia.
Trip: Benicia, CA to Compton, CA 400 paid miles
Make: 2014 Peterbilt
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard Straight 10-speed
Route: Interstate 780 to Interstate 680 to California 4 to J4 to Interstate 205 to California 120 to California 99 to Interstate 5 to Interstate 605 to Interstate 405 to Interstate 710
Maximum elevation: 4,144 feet at Tejon Summit Interstate 5 one mile south of the Los Angeles/Kern County line between Gorman, CA and Lebec, CA
Highest diesel price USA: $3.929/gallon at Pilot Castaic, CA
Lowest diesel price USA: $3.499/gallon at Speedy Long Beach, CA
I finished the safety inspection then got rolling and made a pit stop in Ripon, CA to eat. There, I saw sub-3$/gallon fuel in California for the first time in years. I saw the ground was wet from recent rainfall and I saw portion of a rainbow. I continued south and spent the night in Visalia, CA.
Sunday morning I was picked up by a friend of mine who I have not seen for something like 21 or 22 years. He took me to his church, Grace Community Church in Visalia. The message was on the subject of Firstfruits. One notable aspect about that church is that the main sanctuary had Mood Lighting in which the sanctuary could be bathed in green, orange, purple or blue and that was used during the music before the message. After the service my friend took me to downtown Visalia where I took some pictures then he took me to a restaurant where we had Midday Rations. The Tri-Tip I ordered was not very good at least not compared to some I've had elsewhere.
After some visiting I was taken back to the truck and I continued south on California 99 to Interstate 5 and traffic moved well. I spent Sunday night at home. Monday I stopped to take on fuel then delivered the truck in Compton and hired a taxi back home and got word of the next trip.
