Tour of Duty 1st November 2013 to 4th November 2013

On Friday the 1st of November I got word of another short trip within California. At first I thought I would fly out bright and early on Saturday but alas, the company found and booked me a flight that very same evening on WN from SNA to SJC. It was a good thing the flight was out of SNA as that was the day the shooting took place at LAX and I would not have been able to fly out of there. I booked a hotel in Gilroy and transportation from SJC to Gilroy and threw some things in a bag. I packed light as the truck was coming to Long Beach, a short hop not even a skip and jump from where I live.

I hired a taxi and got to SNA. I checked my bag which weighed 23.5lbs. I cleared security after a queue and was patted down after I opted out of the machine. I learned that the flight was delayed. The time from being dropped off to being clear of security was just under 30 minutes.

Southwest #552 SNA-SJC B-737-700 Boarding Pass B23
Seat 23A Cruising altitude 40,000 feet Estimated flying time not given, actual 0:51
Depart: Gate 18 Scheduled 18h20, actual 18h52 Taxi: 6 minutes
Arrive: Gate 22 Scheduled 19h30, actual 19h53 Taxi: 4 minutes
Reclaim checked bag 13 minutes after arrival

The plane arrived late from PHX. We boarded via jetway. Plane was not totally full with 107 out of 143 seats taken. My row had an empty middle seat. It was announced it was 70F at SJC. Pushback was 32 minutes late and takeoff was to the west, over the ocean within 2 minutes and I saw Newport Center and the coast. We turned north and I saw the lights of Avalon at 0:06. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:18 and we made landfall at 0:19.

I saw the lights of Santa Maria at 0:23 and at 0:26 saw lights of San Luis Obispo. At 0:27 I got cup of soda. At 0:29 I felt descent begin over northern San Luis Obispo or southern Monterey County. Descent was announced and seatbelt sign went on at 0:34 and it was 66F at SJC. I saw lights along Monterey Bay and Salinas, CA at 0:38 and saw lights of Santa Cruz to distance at 0:43. I got first glimpse of lights of the Silicon Valley at 0:45 and then saw part of San Jose on final and landed south to north and arrived at gate 23 minutes late.

After I got my bag I headed to Ground Transportation and got shuttle and someone was dropped off in San Jose and I got a little look of San Jose at night before heading to hotel where I checked in and spent night in Gilroy, CA.

Saturday morning I got a hold of the shipper and was picked up and taken to the truck. After I got the truck I found a safe and legal parking place as I learned I would not be able to deliver the truck until Monday. I took a stroll and took some pictures of downtown Gilroy and saw some fall colours. Gilroy is know for being the garlic capital of the world as a lot of garlic is grown in the area. However it did not smell much like garlic as perhaps this is not the season. However I did see a sign at a roadside stand saying that garlic ice cream was for sale.

Trip: Gilroy, CA to Long Beach, CA 375 paid miles
Make: 2013 International
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard straight 10-speed
Route: California 152 to Interstate 5 to California 58 to California 99 to Interstate 5 to Interstate 605 to Interstate 405 to Interstate 710 to California 1
Maximum elevation: 4,144 feet at Tejon Pass on Interstate 5 2 miles north of Gorman, CA and one mile south of Frazier Park,CA
Diesel price USA: $4.139/gallon at Pilot Castaic, CA
Permits required: none

I headed east on California 152 which started off as two-lane head on traffic but later on was twinned over Pacheco Pass (elevation 1,368 feet) all the way to Interstate 5. I stopped and took a look at the San Luis Rey Reservoir in western Merced County before catching the southbound 5. I saw sunset in Avenal, CA and made a pit stop there.

I continued south on Interstate 5 then exited at Buttonwillow and headed east on California 58 into Bakersfield. I got a look at the Crystal Palace then ate at Zingo's before getting a room and spending night in Bakersfield, CA.

Sunday morning I had plans to attend Crossway Baptist Church but was unable to get a definitive answer if there was suitable parking for truck on the street and also I could not get an answer if it was even legal for me to drive the truck on all the streets I would need to in order to get the church which was meeting at a school. As a result I went to "Plan B" which meant I attended McKee Road Baptist Church for the morning service as the lot across the street was legal and safe for the truck. The message was on the purpose of thebook of John which was to get people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus is the Son of God and Jesus is the only way to eternal life.

After church I headed south, made a pit stop in Wheeler Ridge, cleared the weigh scale at Grapevine and headed up the Grapevine and then had lunch at the Ranch House in Gorman, CA. Then I headed to Castaic where I took on fuel then headed south on the 5 and traffic moved well until Dodger Stadium where things slowed way down for a bit then after the East LA Interchange things picked up and I headed to the 605 where I headed south and parked the truck in a safe place and spent the night at home.

Monday morning I phoned the receiver to confirm directions, headed to Long Beach and made delivery. The area of town was not that great so I understand why no after hours delivery was available. I hired a taxi and went home.