Tour of Duty 22nd to 31st August 2007

I was home about a week longer than intended due to work being slow. Finally a trip from Shady Grove, PA to Bakersfield, CA popped up. I took it and booked a one-way saver award ticket in coach on Alaska from LAX to DCA. I got shuttle van to LAX, checked in, cleared security with minimal wait. There was no secondary screening and no search of carry-ons.

Alaska #6 LAX-DCA B-737-800 Seat 12F Initial cruising altitude 35,000' later 37,000'Estimated flying time 4:22, actual 4:37 Scheduled departure
12h40, actual 12h43 Scheduled arrival 20h59, actual 20h42 Cost: 10,000 miles plus 2.50 security fee.

Plane was nearly full but middle seat was open next to me. My seat did not recline since I was directly in front of the exit row. However the lady directly in front of me did not see fit to recline her seat which was fine by me. I found part of an unfinished bagel in the seat pocket in front of me.

Pushback was 3 minutes late followed by taxi/hold of 18 minutes and takeoff to the west. I saw Venice and Santa Monica through the haze. There was a turn to the south then I saw the Marine layer, clouds to the south. I saw Santa Catalina Island. Announcement was made that passengers were to use the lavs in their cabin and that would be strictly enforced.

Landfall was made in Orange County around Laguna Beach. I saw the junction of Interstate 5/California 73 Toll Road. I saw the coast of north San Diego County around Camp Pendleton, followed by the Temecula area and south junction of Interstates 15/215. I saw the Santa Rosa Mountains, Borrego Springs and the Salton Sea to the south and the lower Coachella Valley closer in.

At 0:17 Digi E Players were rented for $10 in coach. I saw Interstate 10 and the Chiriaco Summit to the distance. A little later I saw Desert Center and even later the Colorado River around Lake Havasu. I felt that we reached cruise altitude at 0:28 and seatbelt sign went off at 0:35. Northern Bites was offered; I had Turkey Pesto Sandwich consisting of Turkey, Provolone Cheese and Pesto Sauce on Whole Wheat Bread with packets of mustard and mayonnaise and a 3/4 ounce (21g) bag of Fritos. I did not like that near as well as the cheeseburger I had a little while back from BOS to SEA.

There was drink run and I got cup of soda. Also Fiesta snack mix (1 oz/28g) consisting of mini pretzels, red pepper sesame sticks and chedder chiptole bagel chips was given out. I saw Winslow, Joseph City and Holbrook, AZ along with Interstate 40. Seatbelt sign went back on at 1:23 and we climbed to 37,000' and I saw clouds building. I got second cup of soda at 1:29 and we had some bumps.

I saw Interstate 25 through an opening in the clouds along with what I thought was Wagon Mound, NM. Seatbelt sign went off at 1:53 and back on at 2:06. I saw Topeka, KS at 2:27. We crossed the Mississippi River at 2:54. There was a third drink run and a chocolate chip cookie was given at 2:58. Seatbelt sign went went off again at 3:03. I saw Indianapolis and we flew almost directly over IND at 3:24. At 3:49 it was announced weather at DCA was scattered clouds and 70F. Seatbelt sign went back on at 3:52.

I thought I felt descent begin at 4:07. At 4:17 announcement was made to prepare cabin for landing. Darkness fell during descent. I saw the Potomac River on final. We landed and during landing and rollout I saw the Washington Monument and Capitol. Taxi was 4 minutes and we arrived 17 minutes early. I got first bag at 30 minutes and last bag at 39 minutes after arrival.

I got in rental car and drove toward Hagerstown, MD. Early in the drive I pulled out and took a few snapshots of Washington, DC. Next day I turned in the rental car and got cab to Shady Grove, PA where I picked up the truck.

Trip: Shady Grove, PA to Bakersfield, CA 2,582 paid miles Routes: Pennsylvania 16 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 465 (IND) back to Interstate 70 to Interstate 270 (STL) back to Interstate 70 to Interstate 470 to Interstate 435 (MCI) back to Interstate 70 to Interstate 470 to Interstate 335 to Interstate 35 to Kansas 96 to Interstate 135 to Interstate 235 to US54 to Interstate 40 to Interstate 15 to California 58 to California 99 Maximum Elevation: 7,335 a few miles west of Flagstaff, AZ

This was another International with 6 speed standard transmission with crane mounted in the back. Weather warmed up as I progressed. There was a brief thunderstorm as I approached Breezewood, PA. Next evening in western Ohio I saw lightning as I approached the Indiana line but the storm went to the north and I got only a few drops of rain.It was warm and muggy in Illinois, Missouri and eastern Kansas. I paid $2.709 for diesel in Indianapolis, IN, the lowest on this trip.

On Sunday morning I was in Columbia, MO and was taken to the University of Missouri where the School of Evangelism was being held. I attended the worship service and heard two speakers. One of the speakers was a street preacher who lives not far from where I live when home. He mentioned he was in Sturgis, SD to preach to the bikers and he gave a rundown on how he riled up the Hells Angels. Then there was another speaker. After that I was taken to a residence for lunch consisting of ham, pasta and garlic bread along with tea. One person flew in from the Philippines for this conference and another person flew in from Norway and others came from various parts of the USA.

After lunch I was taken to the truck and got rolling. I attended evening service at Free Presbyterian Church in Lees Summit, MO. Then I proceeded to Topeka for the night where it was very warm and muggy.

Next day I proceeded and entered Greensburg, KS. The east side of town did not look too bad but the central and western parts of town had almost nothing left except the grain elevator and one or two other buildings thanks to a tornado this past spring. I saw many trees that were greatly damaged due to the tornado. The parking lot of the truckstop had piles of debris. However the main highway was clear. I paid $2.999 per gallon for diesel at Pratt, KS, the highest on this trip. I spent the night in Liberal, KS.

Following day I went through KS, OK, TX and NM and had a few rain showers between Tucumcari and Santa Rosa, NM and spent night in Albuquerque. The next day I continued west and had a rain shower between Prewitt and Thoreau, NM (just east of Continental Divide along Interstate 40) and saw lightning. Later on I saw lightning in eastern AZ near Sanders but no rainfall. I also saw lightning and a rainbow just west of Williams, AZ. I spent a very warn night in Kingman, AZ.

I made it to Bakersfield and en route I saw more lightning northwest of Boron, CA and northeast of Mojave, CA though I did not get rained on. I spent a final night in Bakersfield, CA and had a good steak sandwich at Milt's Coffee Shop.

Next day I delivered in Bakersfield and the high there was 106F. I got a taxi to the train station and got a ticket to Anaheim. I took the Amtrak Thruway bus to Union Station in Los Angeles where I connected to the Pacific Surfliner. The ticket cost $36. The Pacific Surfliner was jammed and was standing room only. I did not get a seat. I arrived in Anaheim and got a ride home and thus ends this latest tour of duty.

Another great read - thanks again for the reports!

How do you decide when to stop for the night? Is it a maximum number of hours you can drive, and the nearest city/town to that limit is where you stop? Do you find the most convenient place to the highway?

And do you prefer the interstates or the state/US highways?


And people say there's no free domestic meal services anymore! Yuck!

Various factors go into where I decide to stop for the night. One is is hours of service constraints. There are indeed a maximum number of hours I can drive; additionally from the time I go on duty (such as doing safety inspection or fueling even though it is not driving) I must be shut down no later than 14 hours later for a minimum break of 10 hours.

Hours of Service is not the only factor. I need to find a place of lodging that accepts truck parking. Furthermore I try as best as possible to get economical lodging so that may mean shutting down sooner than I otherwise would. Same would go if I found there was not a reasonable chance of obtaining lodging farther along.

The Interstates are usually easier to drive although four-lane divided highways are usually not bad. However the Interstates are often more boring.