Tour of Duty 27th June 2018 to 28th July 2018
Part III: 4th July to 9th July

Wednesday the 4th of July I awoke in State College, PA and it was hot and humid with temperature of at least 90F resulting in considerable discomfort. I headed to the shipper and found the person who was working (it was a holiday) and loaded the truck, did the inspection and got the bill of lading signed. Then I staged the truck outside the gate. I headed into downtown Bellefonte and took some pictures and then I headed to Sheetz where I had midday rations. While at Sheetz a thunderstorm hit with heavy rain. I waited until the rain let up and went to SCE to drop off the car and I got transport back to the truck.

Trip: Bellefonte, PA to Gastonia, NC 545 paid miles
Make: 2019 Isuzu
Model: Small Tank Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 80 to Interstate 99 to US30 to Interstate 70 to US522 to Virginia 37 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 77 to Interstate 40 to US321
Maximum elevation: unknown but over 2,500 feet in Hillsville, VA
Highest Diesel Price USA: 3.519$ per gallon at Valero Milesburg, PA
Lowest Diesel Price USA: 2.999$ per gallon at Liberty Cross Junction, VA

The rain was over but it remained cloudy. I got started and headed east on Interstate 80 then south on Interstate 99. I took US30 to avoid the Pennsylvania Turnpike then headed east on Interstate 70 and saw some fireflies in far southern Pennsylvania. I got off the 70 in Hancock, Maryland and before I knew it I was in West Virginia. I saw fireworks in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. I stopped outside Winchester, Virginia for fuel then started my run southbound on Interstate 81. I spent the night in Harrisonburg, VA.

Thursday I contacted the customer about delivery. The day was free of precipitation except perhaps for a few raindrops. I caught the southbound 77 and descended the grade near Fancy Gap and entered North Carolina. I considered my routing options and one option was to continue south on the 77 then take the 485 ring road around Charlotte then head south (actually west) on Interstate 85. With the new ring road around Charlotte the road system around Charlotte looks sort of like a web. Because of past experience in the Charlotte area I opted not to risk getting caught in