The weather was good all the way out west and I was thankful for that.  There was a little snow in eastern Nebraska and some "ice-fog" in Nevada, but compared to a normal December in the west, it was nothing.

I did the drop and hook in Red Bluff, CA without any difficulties.  The roads were even good coming over Donner Pass.  There was a lot more traffic out than I expected for Christmas Eve. 

Dispatch sent a Qualcomm message asking if I wanted to work Christmas or what.  I found this ridiculous -- what am I going to do for Christmas 2000 miles from home where I don't know a soul?  I answered that if they could find a load, I'd definitely want to run it.  They found a load, all right... A driver had had a heart attack at the Alamo Truck Stop in Sparks, NV.  His load was going to Pennsylvania.  It was in a secured drop lot in Sparks, NV and the driver was in the hospital.  After getting an empty out of Red Bluff, CA, I was to deadhead back over the mountain and drop and hook in Sparks.  I felt sorry for the driver and hope he will be okay.  This made me realize that there are worse things than spending Christmas on the road -- spending Christmas in the hospital far from home. 

I thought I should try to get back over the mountain in the wee hours of Christmas morning -- since I knew the roads were good -- but I was just too tired.  This was a borderline stupid decision considering I had an empty trailer and the slightest change on Donner could drastically effect me, but I was just too tired to do it.  Luckily, the roads were in just as good of shape on Christmas Day.   

The trip home was about as uneventful as the trip out with the exception of getting sick.  I have been sick more often in the last couple of years than any time in my life.  I secretly blame the Opti Idle.  I know, I know, that sounds pretty stupid, but I do believe it has something to do with it.  First of all, our trucks are set up so that you cannot override the Opti Idle.  Secondly, Opti Idle doesn't seem to correctly interpret the true temperature inside the cab.  I've had the thermostat sensor checked.  I've asked questions, I've moaned and groaned, but all to no avail.  Sometimes I wake up and it is so cold I can almost see my breath.  Sometimes I wake up and the heater is jammin' and it is worse than a sauna.  I doubt this constant freezing and sweating is good for a person's health.  I remember I had troubles like this last winter, too.  The coincidence that the two winters that I've had a truck with Opti Idle and the fact that these same two winters I've been sick constantly draw me to the conclusion that Opti Idle just may not be all it is cracked up to be. 

Prime driver at an accident scene.  Not sure who did what to who and how.... Cars and emergency vehicles are behind the police car.  No offense, but Prime, what is up with you people lately?  The other day I saw a Prime driver passing a pot pipe back and forth with a shipper's employee on the shipper's parking lot.  Unbelievable. 

On my way up Donner Pass this trip, there was a Prime driver pulling a flatbed that was driving extremely slow and traffic was very backed up behind him.  I didn't hold that against him -- it is hilly and curvy and I thought that maybe it was his first time up this mountain.  As I got closer to him I could see that cars were acting hesitant to pass him.  As I watched, I saw why.  On every single left curve, Prime's trailer was at least a foot, if not two, inside their lane.  Yikes.  I watched him for a bit but decided to get around him.  I waited for a straight away -- I'd seen him on the curves and there was no way I was going to risk getting sideswiped by his trailer. 

As I came up beside him I saw that his entire mirror bracket was bashed in.  It was practically against the door.  There was absolutely no way that he could see anything to his left.  I try not to be judgmental but I am making an exception.  This driver was nothing short of a total idiot.  He couldn't drive, he couldn't see, his equipment was unsafe and it is doubtful that he cared.  These unprofessional drivers give the rest of us a bad name.

My memory is failing me but I believe this monument is around mile marker 275 on I-80 in western Nebraska.  Before you get to it, there is a sign that says, "Monument ahead, do not stop or slow down."  It is a cool looking monument and all, but is that sign really necessary?

You know you are in Cowboy Country once you see this sign.

Top of Sherman Hill, I-80, Wyoming.  I know I've taken several pictures of this throughout the journal, I'm just trying to finally get a good shot of this.

Just after you pass Lincoln and the rest area you start down Sherman Hill. (Westbound)

A dismal driving day somewhere out west.

Top of Donner's Pass, I-80, California, westbound. 

Just as you leave the rest area at the top of Donner's Pass, I-80, California, westbound.

You see a lot of signs like this one out west...