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Sin City to Sacramento Valley; Sierra Nevada to Sonoma Valley

Sin City to Sacramento Valley; Sierra Nevada to Sonoma Valley

Old Mar 24, 2017, 5:33 am
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Sin City to Sacramento Valley; Sierra Nevada to Sonoma Valley

Tour of Duty 12th March 2017 to 19th March 2017

I got word about trucks in Las Vegas at a trade show. I was told there was a deadline of noon Monday for the trucks to be removed so I needed to either get up real early Monday morning to catch a flight and risk not making the deadline if the flight had a significant delay or travel Sunday. I ended up settling on a Sunday evening flight. I checked in online and got an "A" boarding pass so I expected a light load on the flight.

Sunday morning I attended Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. After the afternoon service I drove home and got my items together and got transport to LGB. I checked in and checked two bags free of charge. The bags weighed 44.5 and 40lbs. I cleared security and got TSA Precheck so I did not have to opt out. My boot bag was looked at and swabbed before I was cleared and it took about 15 minutes from arrival to clear of security.

Southwest #4476 LGB-LAS B-737-700 Boarding Pass A42
Seat 23F Cruising altitude 29,000 feet Estimated flying time 0:44, actual 0:40
Depart: Gate 1 Scheduled 18h30, actual 19h17 Taxi: 7 minutes
Arrive: Gate B14 Scheduled 19h35, actual 20h08 Taxi: 4 minutes
Checked bags arrived at baggage reclaim before I did


The plane was late arriving from OAK. We boarded from the outside via stairs or ramp. I used the stairs to board via the back door. I don't get to do that very often anymore. The load was indeed light at 63/143. I had a whole row to myself. Drink orders were taken while still at the gate. Pushback was 47 minutes late followed by takeoff to the northwest. I saw the lights of the Los Angeles Basin immediately after takeoff. We turned left after 34 seconds to head south and I saw the encroaching Marine Layer in the gathering darkness. I saw Palos Verdes Peninsula and we went overwater at 0:03. I saw part of Catalina Island sticking up above the clouds.

We made landfall over Seal Beach at 0:05 and I saw the lights of Disneyland at 0:06. Then I saw the lights of Orange County and the Inland Empire. At 0:13 I got cup of soda. At 0:16 it was announced we would be starting descent in 3 or 4 minutes.

I felt descent begin at 0:20 and saw the lights of Baker, CA at 0:25. Seatbelt sign stayed on the entire flight. I saw Primm, NV to the distance at 0:31 and I saw Jean, NV and the lights of Interstate 15 at 0:34 as well as the lights of the Las Vegas area. I saw South Point a short time later and we landed to the north northeast. I saw part of the Strip on taxi and we arrived at gate 33 minutes late. We deplaned via jetway. I got transport to hotel and checked in and then had late evening rations at Peppermill. I spent night in Las Vegas, NV.

Monday morning I got transport to the Convention Centre and located the truck I was going to take to West Sacramento. I got word to take another truck off the grounds and stage it for another driver. I got the truck I was assigned out and had to do some backing to get out and I got out to look one time too few and hit an object at a slow speed. There was some minor paint damage so I had to report it to safety but I was unable to do so until later on when I got the truck to truckstop. I took on fuel and parked the truck I was assigned at nearby truckstop, made the call to safety regarding the incident and sent a picture of the paint damage to safety. Then I and got transport back to the Convention Centre and got the other truck. I had to go to the nearest filling station to get some diesel as the needle on the fuel gauge did not budge when I put the key in the ignition position. I was concerned I would run out of fuel but I made to a filling station across the street. Then I staged that truck for the driver who flew in the following day. That was done with the permission of the person at the fuel desk.

Trip: Las Vegas, NV to West Sacramento, CA 551 miles
Make: 2017 Peterbilt
Model: Fuel Truck. New truck that never had fuel in tank so no placards
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 15 to California 58 to California 99 to California 46 to Interstate 5 to US50 to Interstate 80
Highest elevation: 4,730 feet at Mountain Pass Interstate 15 15 miles south of the CA/NV state line
Highest diesel price: 2.929$ per gallon at Wild West Truckstop Las Vegas, NV
Lowest diesel price: 2.689$ per gallon at 7-11 Las Vegas, NV


Enough time was burned up and it was well into the afternoon by the time I staged the truck for the other driver. I got caught in traffic heading south and I stopped in Primm to top up the fuel as the gauge indicated a high burn rate. Afterward I went into Whiskey Pete's and saw that there was no buffet open so I went to take the monorail to the other side and that was not operating but a shuttle bus was operating and I was taken to the Primm Valley Resort and I did not find a buffet there either but I settled for the Original Pancake House and had a burger and fries for evening rations. I took the shuttle back to the other side and looked at the situation and phoned up the only place of lodging in Baker, CA and that place wanted 86$ for a not so great room and I was going to run the risk of exceeding my 14 hour workday if there were any significant delays going to Barstow so I opted to stay at Buffalo Bill's for about half of what it would have cost in Baker. I spent the night in Primm, NV.

Tuesday I had a rather late start. I headed south into California and after just a few miles I was directed by signs into the new weigh scale/Port of Entry. After clearing the weigh scale without being pulled in I stopped in Baker, CA for midday rations at the Mad Greek. Later on I took on fuel in Barstow and then started my run on California 58. I stopped to stretch out and take pictures in Boron, CA. I was shocked to see Domingo's restaurant closed as in out of business. Then I continued to Mojave where I had a short nap and made a phone call and I saw the sunset there before continuing over Tehachapi Pass and on to Bakersfield. I had evening rations at Milt's. Afterward I took on fuel for the final time then cut west on California 46 to Lost Hills. I spent the night in Lost Hills, CA.

Wednesday I phoned up the receiver and found out they would stop receiving before I would be able to arrive. I started my run north on the 5 and stopped in Kettleman City for midday rations. I was going to eat at Bravo Farms but their restaurant was closed I hope temporarily. I ended up having a burger at Jack in the Box. I continued north afterward and made a pit stop and had a short nap in Firebaugh at the Fresno/Merced county line. Then I continued north to Westley where I saw the sunset and had evening rations at Dickey's BBQ. I looked at the lodging situation and found that rooms in Sacramento and West Sacramento were either unavailable or very expensive. Later I found that was due at least in part to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I ended up spending the night in Dixon, CA.

Thursday I headed to the receiver and made delivery. Afterward I got transport to rental car centre near SMF and got in a rental car bound for RNO. I stopped in Old Town Sacramento and took some pictures then took other pictures of Sacramento. Later I stopped in Auburn and Colfax to take more pictures before heading over Donner Summit into Nevada and I had late evening rations and spent the night in Reno, NV.

Friday I headed to the shipper to load my gear into the truck. There was other items in the cab so I was going to have to get creative to get everything in so I put my gear in the truck and headed to a filling station then turned in the rental car at RNO before getting transport back to the truck. I burned up a considerable amount of time getting the items in the cab situated along with my gear in a way that my view of the passenger side mirror would not be obstructed even in part. Otherwise there would have been a potential safety hazard. I was finally good to go.

Trip: Sparks, NV to Windsor, CA diverted to Santa Rosa, CA 241 miles
Make: 2017 Freightliner
Model: Water Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 80 to California 37 to Lakeville Highway to US101
Highest elevation: 7,239 feet at Donner Summit Interstate 80 about 10 miles west of Truckee, CA
Diesel price USA: 2.919$ per gallon at Petro Sparks, NV


I headed to the Petro and took on fuel and parked. I checked out the buffet and alas I found there was all you can eat tri tip. No way was I going to pass that up so I had evening rations there. I also had salad, something I rarely do when on the road. Afterward it was getting dark but I wanted to put on some miles. I phoned up the receiver and a Saturday delivery would be able to be arranged; otherwise if I was going to be stuck on the truck until Monday I would have spent the night in the Reno area. I headed west through Reno into California and went over Donner Summit and though the road was basically dry there were still some very high snowbanks. I made a pit stop at the rest area in Gold Run and another pit stop in Sacramento. I found out the 80 was going to be closed in Vallejo but I continued west and spent the night in Fairfield, CA.

Saturday was cloudy and I continued west then took California 37 past Sears Point and there was traffic as the 37 bottlenecked from two lanes to one lane in each direction. There was more traffic once I got on the northbound 101 in Petaluma. I got off the 101 to make a pit stop and had midday rations at a sandwich shop and phoned up the receiver to give a heads up that I was 30 minutes or less away from delivery. I was told to take the truck to a yard in Santa Rosa rather than Windsor. I arrived at the place in Santa Rosa and the gate was closed and locked so I waited for the receiver who came a short time later after I completed paperwork and offloaded my gear. I parked the truck where the receiver directed me to do so then was given a lift to STS Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa.

I got in a rental car that was bound for SJC but due to the traffic and wait for the receiver I knew there was at least a fair chance I would not make the flight I had planned to take out of SJC. As a result I had the drop location changed to OAK at no additional charge. I got a flight for Sunday late afternoon so I could have close to 24 hours with the rental car.

I headed to downtown Windsor and took some pictures of that city. Then I headed to the Railroad depot section of Santa Rosa and took pictures of that area then to downtown Santa Rosa and took more pictures. Then I headed south on the 101 toward the Marin Headlands as I wanted to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco around sunset. I got to the Marin Headlands and low clouds and fog rolled in so I did not see much of anything. Then I went to Cattlemens in Livermore where I had late evening rations. Afterward I booked a room and headed to Fremont, CA where I spent the night.

Sunday I attended morning service at Grace Baptist Church in Fremont, CA. The message was on Offensive Christians. I was unable to stay for the afternoon service but some of the parishioners talked me into staying for the midday rations and I loaded up on lamb. Afterward I drove by the business place and house of someone I know in the Fremont area then I took some pictures of the historic Niles section of Fremont before heading toward OAK. I stopped at a filling station and unleaded was 3.099$ per gallon. Then I dropped off the car at OAK and got transport to terminal.

I secured my luggage then checked in and checked my bags which weighed 44 and 39lbs. I cleared security and did not opt out in the interest of time but my boot bag was given additional screening.

Southwest #4898 OAK-LGB B-737-700 Boarding Pass B3
Seat 23A Cruising altitude 37,000 feet Estimated flying time 1:05, actual 1:02
Depart: Gate 28 Scheduled 16h40, actual 16h38 Taxi: 8 minutes
Arrive: Gate 1 Scheduled 18h00, actual 17h52 Taxi: 4 minutes
Reclaim checked bags 15-17 minutes after arrival


We boarded via jetway and the plane was almost full with a load of 131/143. There was an empty middle seat next to me. It was announced it would be clear and 70F at LGB. Takeoff was to the north and I saw San Francisco Bay before we circled left over San Francisco. I saw SFO and the south part or San Francisco before we went in the clouds at 0:05. We went above the clouds at 0:12 but the clouds blocked the view below.

I got pretzels at 0:15 and seatbelt sign went off at 0:17. Clouds started to break at 0:19. I got cup of soda at 0:25. I saw US101 as well as Buellton and Solvang at 0:35. I thought I felt descent at 0:38 and clouds blocked the view below. Seatbelt sign went on at 0:39 and descent was announced. We stayed pretty far offshore during much of the descent. We went abreast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula at 0:54. I saw San Pedro and port of Los Angeles and Long Beach at 0:55. We made landfall over Sunset Beach at 0:59.

I saw Seal Beach then a power plant then CSULB and Los Altos Shopping Centre followed by Bethany Baptist Church and School before we landed to the northwest. We arrived at gate 8 minutes early. I deplaned via rear stairs and got my checked bags at baggage reclaim then I got transport home to end this tour of duty.
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Last edited by Loose Cannon; May 29, 2017 at 4:56 pm
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 7:50 pm
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Fun detailed report. Thanks.
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Old Mar 25, 2017, 10:27 am
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Nice report. Too bad about the scratch on the truck, hope you don't have to pay for it as you always are so careful. Nice views you got from the planes though!
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Old Mar 26, 2017, 2:50 pm
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Came through my stomping grounds twice in the same trip! Very nice.

Old Town Sac has just finished getting some infrastructure upgrades on the end close to the tower bridge. Seems to make getting in and out easier.

And any excuse to go to Cattlemen's for dinner is a good one!

Safe travels
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Old Mar 30, 2017, 12:30 am
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I enjoy reading these reports. The word "rations" always amuses me.
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Old Apr 5, 2017, 3:58 am
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Originally Posted by 18hours
I enjoy reading these reports. The word "rations" always amuses me.
Many, probably most people call the midday meal "lunch" and the evening meal "dinner". However there are those who call the midday meal "dinner" and the evening meal "supper". I solve that by simply saying Midday Rations and Evening Rations.
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