I need a hat, a chain for my wallet & a can of snuff.

Nitro Dude said:
It has probably changed a little since 1980. Give yourself plenty of time to drive anywhere you go and make sure you stay in the right two lanes in a truck. There are a lot of truck stops and truck washes in Barstow.
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I've got four options that I'm looking at to stay within an hour of my delivery point. The closest places charge $25 for a reserved spot. Money's not an issue as the company pays for it. Even so, the reviews on those two spots are not too favorable. Tight spots and mostly gridlock because of backups at the fuel islands. There's a brand new Pilot close by that I may give a chance but there's not a lot of information to go on for that location. Another option about an hour away looks decent. A bunch of spots to park with a lot of room to maneuver. I'll decide in a couple days and then reserve a spot.

This run is 1844 miles. I'll be working off of a fresh 70 hour clock so that won't be an issue. Because of the later load time on Monday, I plan on only driving around 300 miles. 600 on Tuesday/Wednesday. 300 on Thursday. That'll put me in a good position for Friday morning. They're doing all the work both loading and unloading. I've just got to hold the wheel.

After delivery I should get dispatched out of one of our Arizona terminals. Who knows where I'll end up going next. I hope to stay South for a while.
 
My guess is you will come across 40 through Amarillo Tx. If you have the time the Russel's Truck and Travel Center is located about 70 miles west of Amarillo about a mile inside the New Mexico state line at Endee NM exit 369. They have a really cool car , movie stars, and other memorabilia museum inside and it's free or you can leave a small donation if you choose to.
Between Albuquerque and Grants NM there are 3 or 4 truck stops with large casino hotels. The Route 66 casino, hotel, truck and travel center is at exit 140 just west of Albuquerque. I checked the 10 day weather forecast for Flagstaff and there is no forecast for any snow until next Thursday night so you shouldn't have any problems up on the Flag. I hope this info might help you a little and if you have any questions don't hesitate ask me. Have a fun and safe trip.
 
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Nitro Dude said:
My guess is you will come across 40 through Amarillo Tx. If you have the time the Russel's Truck and Travel Center is located about 70 miles west of Amarillo about a mile inside the New Mexico state line at Endee NM exit 369. They have a really cool car , movie stars, and other memorabilia museum inside and it's free or you can leave a small donation if you choose to.
Between Albuquerque and Grants NM there are 3 or 4 truck stops with large casino hotels. The Route 66 casino, hotel, truck and travel center is at exit 140 just west of Albuquerque. I checked the 10 day weather forecast for Flagstaff and there is no forecast for any snow until next Thursday night so you shouldn't have any problems up on the Flag. I hope this info might help you a little and if you have any questions don't hesitate ask me. Have a fun and safe trip.
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Thanks for the info. I will keep that stop in mind. Hopefully it will work out.

Done for the day err weekend. Sitting at a Flying J not too far from where I pick up my next trailer. I'm 70 miles from my load point but I've got to wait for my trailer to be ready. What really sucks is that my load point is east and I'm going to have to backtrack to get going on the right direction Monday.
 
I know it has been said before but the posts between the guys who drive for a living are the best!! The absolute best!! I love reading of the drops, stops and pickup points, planning for the days to come and different types of loads you haul as well as the places you deliver.

After watching the video of Russel's Truck Stop, I had to smile and think back to my limited time driving in the late '50's. GOOD GOD, Man!!! That is more than sixty years ago!! Truck stops were pretty much non-existent and buying fuel was at service stations where ever you could find them. Eating establishments were usually little shacks along a busy highway unless you were traveling south then there were Stuckey's or Howard Johnsons.

Keep the good times rolling and keep us informed. It is great stuff.

When do you start again, Nitro Dude?
 
493 miles including loading up the tanker in the books. My plan is to get in 600+ miles on each of the next two days. That can easily be done running the areas I normally haul through. With this trip though..... well, I'm not sure what to expect. Looking at the elevation changes ahead of me, which my GPS displays, it's almost all up hill from here. I'm running 78,500 lbs with full fuel tanks. Step inclines are my downfall. I've got a destination in mind that could be stretch but I'll see what I can do.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
493 miles including loading up the tanker in the books. My plan is to get in 600+ miles on each of the next two days. That can easily be done running the areas I normally haul through. With this trip though..... well, I'm not sure what to expect. Looking at the elevation changes ahead of me, which my GPS displays, it's almost all up hill from here. I'm running 78,500 lbs with full fuel tanks. Step inclines are my downfall. I've got a destination in mind that could be stretch but I'll see what I can do.
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I'd pay more attention to downgrades I learned the hard way going down immigrant pass (cabbage). It is what it is uphill. If you are on 40 after Flag that downgrade will creep up on you. It isn't terrible but it is decent steep. Going into and thru Albuquerque is fun, but going up the other side isn't that great.:D
 
Nitro Dude said:
My guess is you will come across 40 through Amarillo Tx. If you have the time the Russel's Truck and Travel Center is located about 70 miles west of Amarillo about a mile inside the New Mexico state line at Endee NM exit 369. They have a really cool car , movie stars, and other memorabilia museum inside and it's free or you can leave a small donation if you choose to.
Between Albuquerque and Grants NM there are 3 or 4 truck stops with large casino hotels. The Route 66 casino, hotel, truck and travel center is at exit 140 just west of Albuquerque. I checked the 10 day weather forecast for Flagstaff and there is no forecast for any snow until next Thursday night so you shouldn't have any problems up on the Flag. I hope this info might help you a little and if you have any questions don't hesitate ask me. Have a fun and safe trip.
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I'm 446 miles from Russell's Travel Center. I'm going to try to stop there today to check it out.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I'm 446 miles from Russell's Travel Center. I'm going to try to stop there today to check it out.
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The dot works pretty hard all the way across Texas and around Flagstaff AZ, Kingman AZ, and Needles Ca. The steepest pull you will have is needles just inside of California and the steepest and longest mountain you will go down is cajon pass right after you pass Hesperia CA. There is a brake check area at the top and there is a runaway sandpit about halfway down. Just take your time and you will be fine. When you get to the bottom then the real fun starts "California idiots and California traffic.:) Make sure you stay in the right 2 lanes in California.
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The maximum truck speed limits are.
Oklahoma City to the Texas State line 70 mph
Texas 70 or 75 "But if you were on 10 there are a lot of 80 mph zones in west Texas".
New Mexico 75
Arizona 75
California 55 :(
 
Whizzer said:
I know it has been said before but the posts between the guys who drive for a living are the best!! The absolute best!! I love reading of the drops, stops and pickup points, planning for the days to come and different types of loads you haul as well as the places you deliver.

After watching the video of Russel's Truck Stop, I had to smile and think back to my limited time driving in the late '50's. GOOD GOD, Man!!! That is more than sixty years ago!! Truck stops were pretty much non-existent and buying fuel was at service stations where ever you could find them. Eating establishments were usually little shacks along a busy highway unless you were traveling south then there were Stuckey's or Howard Johnsons.

Keep the good times rolling and keep us informed. It is great stuff.

When do you start again, Nitro Dude?
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Whizzer, we usually don't test but as Magnethead said the first race is the first week of Feb in Pomona CA about 15 minutes from our shop. I usually take off after the world finals and I don't go back to the shop until around the middle of January. So I have only been there a couple of times since the middle of November. But as of right now I don't know if I will be in Pomona as a crew guy or a spectator because I informed them at the end of the season that I want them to start looking for someone to replace me because I'm going to retire. I'm still going to help them until they find some one that fits their program and that they are comfortable with.
 
672 loaded miles in the books today with 14 minutes left on my 11 hour driving clock.

I did get to do a break at Russell's Truck Stop this morning. Talk about the middle of nowhere. I'll stop again sometime when I can make it an overnight stop.

Tonight's stay is in Albuquerque. Today's longer run will pay off over the next two days.
 
Nitro Dude said:
The dot works pretty hard all the way across Texas and around Flagstaff AZ, Kingman AZ, and Needles Ca. The steepest pull you will have is needles just inside of California and the steepest and longest mountain you will go down is cajon pass right after you pass Hesperia CA. There is a brake check area at the top and there is a runaway sandpit about halfway down. Just take your time and you will be fine. When you get to the bottom then the real fun starts "California idiots and California traffic.:) Make sure you stay in the right 2 lanes in California.
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The maximum truck speed limits are.
Oklahoma City to the Texas State line 70 mph
Texas 70 or 75 "But if you were on 10 there are a lot of 80 mph zones in west Texas".
New Mexico 75
Arizona 75
California 55 :(
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Thanks for the info. I've got nothing but time after today. I plan on enjoying the rest of this run and whatever comes next.

Speeds not an issue for me. I'm governed at 65. I do have a pretty good dent in the floorboard. As hard as I try, I just can't go faster.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
672 loaded miles in the books today with 14 minutes left on my 11 hour driving clock.

I did get to do a break at Russell's Truck Stop this morning. Talk about the middle of nowhere. I'll stop again sometime when I can make it an overnight stop.

Tonight's stay is in Albuquerque. Today's longer run will pay off over the next two days.
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When we first put the E-log in I was hauling ass westbound trying to get to that Russell's truck stop and I ran out of hours and pulled into the rest area right before you get there and even though I could see the truck stop I still spent 10 hours at the rest area. That's when I felt like throwing that E-log out the window.:)
 
Nitro Dude said:
But as of right now I don't know if I will be in Pomona as a crew guy or a spectator because I informed them at the end of the season that I want them to start looking for someone to replace me because I'm going to retire. I'm still going to help them until they find some one that fits their program and that they are comfortable with.
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Hell haven't you been saying that for a couple years now? And to think, you "un" retired when you went from a part-time team to a Full Time team.

Come move to DFW, We could use somebody that won't have to lie through their teeth when the DOT checks the GCVWR tags.....and allow us to work more days before being at the track. ;)
 
Getting in a 34 hour reset before delivering tomorrow morning. I'll have a brand new 70 hour clock when I head out allowing for dispatch to anywhere they need me to go.

What an awesome ride it's been this week crossing the country. The changes in topography are interesting. Never knowing what's around the next bend. Can't wait to take in more of it.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Getting in a 34 hour reset before delivering tomorrow morning. I'll have a brand new 70 hour clock when I head out allowing for dispatch to anywhere they need me to go.

What an awesome ride it's been this week crossing the country. The changes in topography are interesting. Never knowing what's around the next bend. Can't wait to take in more of it.
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Where are you at now? Well you only have 2 options for loads ether going back east or going north. I think you would really enjoy the scenery if you go north towards Seattle. If you go north I can tell you about 2 different truck stops with casinos and hotels. One is in northern California and the other one is in Oregon.
 
Nitro Dude said:
Where are you at now? Well you only have 2 options for loads ether going back east or going north. I think you would really enjoy the scenery if you go north towards Seattle. If you go north I can tell you about 2 different truck stops with casinos and hotels. One is in northern California and the other one is in Oregon.
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A little east of Barstow.

They'll probably just send me back east but you never know.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
A little east of Barstow.

They'll probably just send me back east but you never know.
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Damn! the only thing a little east of Barstow is a rest area and a small truck stop in the desert between Newberry Springs and Ludlow. That wouldn't be an ideal spot for a 34 hour restart. You didn't have enough time to make it to Barstow?:(
 
The reason it would have been nice for you in Barstow is they have a Pilot, TA, Flying J, Loves truck stops and a Vernon truck wash, Little Sisters truck wash, and a Blue Beacon truck wash. If you park at the Flying J you have a lot of restaurants including an In&Out Burger and a sports bar within walking distance.
 
Nitro Dude said:
Damn! the only thing a little east of Barstow is a rest area and a small truck stop in the desert between Newberry Springs and Ludlow. That wouldn't be an ideal spot for a 34 hour restart. You didn't have enough time to make it to Barstow?:(
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Yep, not enough time. At 78,000 those hills were a time killer.

My reset is almost complete. Just sitting here watching some Netflix waiting to leave in the morning.

I think I'm way more fortunate than most. After sitting for 14 hours I then get paid hourly for the next 10. As long as I'm away from my home terminal I get paid every day that I sit. I'm guaranteed 10 hours a day. I also get paid for completion of a 34-hour reset when I'm away from home. By completing this reset at my delivery point the possibilities are endless.

If I could have done it differently I would have driven more the first day out. I was concerned about getting through Oklahoma City during evening rush hour. Had I not stopped short that first day, I'd be sitting much further right now. Live and learn.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Yep, not enough time. At 78,000 those hills were a time killer.

My reset is almost complete. Just sitting here watching some Netflix waiting to leave in the morning.

I think I'm way more fortunate than most. After sitting for 14 hours I then get paid hourly for the next 10. As long as I'm away from my home terminal I get paid every day that I sit. I'm guaranteed 10 hours a day. I also get paid for completion of a 34-hour reset when I'm away from home. By completing this reset at my delivery point the possibilities are endless.

If I could have done it differently I would have driven more the first day out. I was concerned about getting through Oklahoma City during evening rush hour. Had I not stopped short that first day, I'd be sitting much further right now. Live and learn.
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If for some reason you can't get reloaded until Mon just let me know if you need anything.
 
Nitro Dude said:
How was your trip up Needles and down the Cajon pass?
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It went fine. Came through in the dark. Offloading now. Well, they are. Dispatch is working on getting me a load from here to anywhere but that's not sounding to promising. If I'm going empty, I'll be heading to Pasadena Texas. It's a nice long drive but it doesn't pay as much unloaded. Hopefully they'll find something. I'll know in the next hour or two.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
It went fine. Came through in the dark. Offloading now. Well, they are. Dispatch is working on getting me a load from here to anywhere but that's not sounding to promising. If I'm going empty, I'll be heading to Pasadena Texas. It's a nice long drive but it doesn't pay as much unloaded. Hopefully they'll find something. I'll know in the next hour or two.
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When you came in to Ontario if you were on 10 our race shop is about 3 miles south on Mountain Ave. If you were on 60 our race shop is about 3 miles north on Mountain Ave.
 
Nitro Dude said:
When you came in to Ontario if you were on 10 our race shop is about 3 miles south on Mountain Ave. If you were on 60 our race shop is about 3 miles north on Mountain Ave.
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I used to stage out of Colton not too far from there. Had a high wall around it so one could idle and I also over nighted a lot in Barstow and went down the hill early to the LA area to drop. I've delivered all over that place.
 
Nitro Dude said:
When you came in to Ontario if you were on 10 our race shop is about 3 miles south on Mountain Ave. If you were on 60 our race shop is about 3 miles north on Mountain Ave.
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I did come across 10. I'm in the City of Industry area.

Still waiting on dispatch. This offload is taking a while. Much longer than it should. I'd like to be moving again soon.
 
I put California behind me. Tonight, it's a rest area in Arizona. Just made it with 7 minutes to spare after doing a post trip. I should be able to make Pasadena Texas with a couple 600 plus mile days ahead of me.

Heading out in the early am once my 10 hour clock expires.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I put California behind me. Tonight, it's a rest area in Arizona. Just made it with 7 minutes to spare after doing a post trip. I should be able to make Pasadena Texas with a couple 600 plus mile days ahead of me.

Heading out in the early am once my 10 hour clock expires.
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Get a gas mask before you cross Houston city limits. If you can put your cabin HVAC on recirculate instead of exterior/vent, do it.

Seriously. If you're not a native used to the fumes, you will want to puke. It makes Los Angeles and New York seem completely sanitary, healthy, and clear.
 
Magnethead said:
Get a gas mask before you cross Houston city limits. If you can put your cabin HVAC on recirculate instead of exterior/vent, do it.

Seriously. If you're not a native used to the fumes, you will want to puke. It makes Los Angeles and New York seem completely sanitary, healthy, and clear.
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You paint an ugly picture. I've got enough PPE to handle Houston. ;)
 
661 miles behind me today. Slightly over 600 to go tomorrow. I intend on making it to the terminal to drop off this empty. Then, bobtail to one of the local truck stops to get some layover pay and another 34 reset. There's no dispatch for me until Tuesday where I'll be starting with a fresh clock.
 
Magnethead said:
Get a gas mask before you cross Houston city limits. If you can put your cabin HVAC on recirculate instead of exterior/vent, do it.

Seriously. If you're not a native used to the fumes, you will want to puke. It makes Los Angeles and New York seem completely sanitary, healthy, and clear.
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I've made some runs down to Houston and I had 6 different Haz Mat placards on my trailer. I've done my share of contributions. :D
 
StandOnIt said:
I've made some runs down to Houston and I had 6 different Haz Mat placards on my trailer. I've done my share of contributions. :D
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dpkimmel2001 said:
You paint an ugly picture. I've got enough PPE to handle Houston. ;)
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First time I crossed 610 East-South coming from 45 into Pasadena over Buffalo Bayou, I damn near threw up while driving.

Tollway-8 over the bayou isn't much better.
 
Magnethead said:
First time I crossed 610 East-South coming from 45 into Pasadena over Buffalo Bayou, I damn near threw up while driving.

Tollway-8 over the bayou isn't much better.
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Hereford Texas when the wind is blowing right off the feedlots rivals Houston IMO
 
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