Travel
I was glad to finally end the travel day and relax. The traffic was fairly light except for around cities. I ran into 30-40 miles of dense fog in eastern Wyoming, and visibility in much of the way was about 3 stripes in the middle of the roadway. I can't estimate length in feet or yards very well, especially when driving. Fortunately there were few vehicles to be seen until I got close to and drove through Cheyenne.
I've noticed from when I passed Reno that trucks were driving no faster than 65. It finally dawned on me by Wyoming that they were slowing down to maximize fuel efficiency. I have been driving most of the way at 67, and hope my gas mileage is good overall. My last tankful got me 28 mpg, for which I'm grateful.
After 3 days on the road I've figured out why I'm not very enthused so far - I have traveled across country many times completely on interstates, but during the past 3 years or so I've driven on US and state routes where possible. The interstate scenery is so bland compared to the local roads, and I hope to return to the two-lane highways for much of my return trip.
Passing all the wonderful rock formations in the west I wish I had taken a geology course or two. I was going to do that when still in Asheville, but when I went on the road it became an impossibility. I would never take an online course because I know myself well enough to realize I need the interaction with teacher and other students to do well in and enjoy learning. Maybe someday.
The Motel6 in Wells, NV had free wifi that was fast and consistent. The motel at Rock Springs wanted $4 for wifi, so I used my mi-fi which could barely do the job. Tonight I'm using my mi-fi and it looks like it will do well. I will probably have good connections from now on - they are generally better in the east than in some mountain regions of the west.
This motel has indoor corridors which I dislike, but the desk clerk put me in a room near an outside door and I am parked close to the door. I made several trips to and from the car, but as soon as I get my shower I will start taking some things back so I don't have such a hassle in the morning.
Regarding the radio, I got Wyoming NPR all the way through the state, and Nebraska public radio in this state. With the exception of a political segment of about 15 minutes when I turned it off, I've had interesting commentary and music most of the travel day. I will look for some CD's when I get to NY, but for now I think I will stick with the radio from time to time. I couldn't stand constant music or talk for the entire trip, but once in a while it's nice to have something to listen to for a little while.
- Arrived!
I arrived at my destination at about 1 pm today. The last 100 or so miles were pretty hectic, a lot of road work, much traffic, etc. But I made it. I've not changed my mind about enjoying the country roads and not liking the interstates,...
- Wells, Nv
I left home at 7:15 am and arrived here in Wells at 3:00 pm. It was a tiring day for some reason - I-80 to Reno was aggravating because of a few drivers on that roadway, but the road surface was better than I've ever seen it. The aggravation came...
- Frustrations Today
I have enjoyed the scenery in eastern Montana, which is breathtaking. I couldn't take pictures, though, because there is no pull-out or scenic view space in the whole state that I can see. I planned to see something of Butte today, but after 12 miles...
- What A Beginning To The Day!
I finally got everything packed into the car this morning and left a little before 8:30. After driving several miles I noticed the light that warns the fuel tank is low. Of course there wasn't an exit ramp or a gas station in sight, so I touched the...
- Big Timber, Montana
I was on the road this morning at 8:00 am, headed for Jackson, WY and the VC for the Grand Teton National Park. I felt like I had already done half a day's work by the time I made umpteen trips to the truck with all the stuff. After driving about...
Travel
North Platte, NE
I was glad to finally end the travel day and relax. The traffic was fairly light except for around cities. I ran into 30-40 miles of dense fog in eastern Wyoming, and visibility in much of the way was about 3 stripes in the middle of the roadway. I can't estimate length in feet or yards very well, especially when driving. Fortunately there were few vehicles to be seen until I got close to and drove through Cheyenne.
I've noticed from when I passed Reno that trucks were driving no faster than 65. It finally dawned on me by Wyoming that they were slowing down to maximize fuel efficiency. I have been driving most of the way at 67, and hope my gas mileage is good overall. My last tankful got me 28 mpg, for which I'm grateful.
After 3 days on the road I've figured out why I'm not very enthused so far - I have traveled across country many times completely on interstates, but during the past 3 years or so I've driven on US and state routes where possible. The interstate scenery is so bland compared to the local roads, and I hope to return to the two-lane highways for much of my return trip.
Passing all the wonderful rock formations in the west I wish I had taken a geology course or two. I was going to do that when still in Asheville, but when I went on the road it became an impossibility. I would never take an online course because I know myself well enough to realize I need the interaction with teacher and other students to do well in and enjoy learning. Maybe someday.
The Motel6 in Wells, NV had free wifi that was fast and consistent. The motel at Rock Springs wanted $4 for wifi, so I used my mi-fi which could barely do the job. Tonight I'm using my mi-fi and it looks like it will do well. I will probably have good connections from now on - they are generally better in the east than in some mountain regions of the west.
This motel has indoor corridors which I dislike, but the desk clerk put me in a room near an outside door and I am parked close to the door. I made several trips to and from the car, but as soon as I get my shower I will start taking some things back so I don't have such a hassle in the morning.
Regarding the radio, I got Wyoming NPR all the way through the state, and Nebraska public radio in this state. With the exception of a political segment of about 15 minutes when I turned it off, I've had interesting commentary and music most of the travel day. I will look for some CD's when I get to NY, but for now I think I will stick with the radio from time to time. I couldn't stand constant music or talk for the entire trip, but once in a while it's nice to have something to listen to for a little while.
- Arrived!
I arrived at my destination at about 1 pm today. The last 100 or so miles were pretty hectic, a lot of road work, much traffic, etc. But I made it. I've not changed my mind about enjoying the country roads and not liking the interstates,...
- Wells, Nv
I left home at 7:15 am and arrived here in Wells at 3:00 pm. It was a tiring day for some reason - I-80 to Reno was aggravating because of a few drivers on that roadway, but the road surface was better than I've ever seen it. The aggravation came...
- Frustrations Today
I have enjoyed the scenery in eastern Montana, which is breathtaking. I couldn't take pictures, though, because there is no pull-out or scenic view space in the whole state that I can see. I planned to see something of Butte today, but after 12 miles...
- What A Beginning To The Day!
I finally got everything packed into the car this morning and left a little before 8:30. After driving several miles I noticed the light that warns the fuel tank is low. Of course there wasn't an exit ramp or a gas station in sight, so I touched the...
- Big Timber, Montana
I was on the road this morning at 8:00 am, headed for Jackson, WY and the VC for the Grand Teton National Park. I felt like I had already done half a day's work by the time I made umpteen trips to the truck with all the stuff. After driving about...