The Trip (Part 2)

Okay, so we left with our hero(me) heading out trying to get to Cheyenne, WY on the first day.

I leave 24 hour fitness around 5:30 AM pacific standard time (more on this later). I basically will be taking I-84 thru eastern Oregon all the way to the Ogden, UT before changing over to I-80.

My group at work gave me a cooler full of snacks for the trip plus 3 comedy CDs to help pass the time. Since I had just finished a tough swim workout, I decided to drink a Propel and eat a ClifBar. This way I could just start driving and not worry about stopping to eat for awhile.

It's dark and I'm cruising along I-84 doing about 10mph over the speed limit. I get to the Dalles and the sun is just starting to come up. There is a little frost on the sides of the road but it's not too bad on the lanes themselves. There are not many cars at all on the road. I start up my music from my phone via headphones and begin to rock out as I'm flying thru the desert of Eastern Oregon.

Just before I get to Pendelton there is this little stretch of construction. I figure I might as well slow down from 75 to the construction speed. Luckily, that I did because on the other side of the construction is a state trooper shooting his laser down the road. Phew..just avoided a big ticket there. Sweet. I immediately take the speed back up figuring there's probably no more state cops out at this hour. WRONG!

I'm flying at a modest 80mph when I see another state cop. I'm screwed but hope that since I was in the slow lane doing that speed he didn't laser me. I think he was just running normal radar because as I go by at 65mph., he pulls out. Oh great, this should be interesting. I'm just cruising along with him behind me for a bit. I think well maybe he's just hanging. WRONG! The lights go on...I'm busted.

I pull over and he walks up to my car window. I was surprised he actually came up to the driver window instead of the passenger window because of the small shoulder and traffic wizzing by. He asks me the usual question, how fast do you think you were going? I say oh 70, 75. He says nope 80. He asks me where I'm headed and I just mention that I'm starting my trip across the country to the east coast. No details just in case I need to make a quick getaway and be on the lamb for awhile. ;) Now here's where I'm shocked he says I'm not going to give you a ticket but I need to see your license. Wow, I couldn't believe it. I got off.

I continue on my way. Now here's where things are interesting. I'm cruising along at 75mph in a 65mph the rest of the way. I'm still in Oregon though just at the almost Idaho border when I see it. "ENTERING MOUNTAIN TIME ZONE" FUCK!!! I just lost an entire hour on my road trip. I totally forgot factoring in the time zone changes in my estimate arrival times. So I just went from getting to my first stop around 10pm to 11pm. Ouch!

I just keep cruising but once I get to Idaho the new speed limit is 75mph. Woohoo so I start going 80ish. As I stop for gas about every 220 miles or so I get a chance to stretch. My back is already hurting me a little and my gas leg is sore. I move my seat all the way back and my leg immediately feels better. Sweet but my back still starts to get sore about the 100 mile point of the gas stops.

I cruise towards Ogden Utah and hit some small flurries of snow but nothing major as a Jeep blows past me doing 90mph. I get to Ogden just as the sun is going down and begin my trek through the mountains on I-80. It seemed I was going up the whole time until I hit Cheyenne. It was weird.

I'm cruising along making great time when it happens. I start to run into patchy ice and blowing snow. The ice is hard to make out and goes for stretches at a time. There was one section where it was a total sheet of pack snow and ice. There was a semi jackknifed in the median. I slow down to 50 and put it in 4 wheel drive off and on. The big trucks are still doing 65mph at least and passing cars left and right. It was crazy but I guess they're so heavy they don't care about simple little icy spots. This lasted for about 50 miles and then that was it for weather the rest of the trip.

I got to my first destination at 11:30pm mountain time. Woohoo...I was beat and ready to sleep in my car for the first night. Anything to save a little extra money and it really wasn't a big deal. If truckers can do it why not me. I'm tough. I was prepared as I had my massive goose down comforter, wool gloves and wool hat. The wind was howling the whole night and outside the comforter it was in the 20s. I got about 6 hours of sleep.

I started my 2nd driving day at 6:30 mountain time...