Subj: Larry's Adventure: Day 3.5
Date: 10/28/99

Well gang, I'm here!
I left Tinker AFB at 0600 without incident. As you travel out west (if you haven't) the elevation starts to steadily increase from OK to the Continental Divide. My leg took me below the high "Rockies" but still increased to 7000 feet MSL ( I brought my altimeter). I enjoyed watching the combines harvest the grain from fields as far as the eye could see. In the middle of a field (approx. 6 miles from the interstate) you would see a few trees, a house and barn, and then not see another house for another 6-8 miles down the road (I just hate it when your neighbors are that close, don't you). I passed wind generators, oil pumps, large stock yards, grain coops. The temperature was in the 70s with low humidity. It wasn't as hot as I expected. As the say in Arizona, "There me be a lot of heat, but it's a dry heat." How true, last year when my son and I toured the West, we hiked, in the desert temperatures of 123 degrees. With the desert winds it didn't feel that hot, but you sure got dehydrated fast. You loose moisture from sweat and moisture given off while breathing. When we drove, if we had the air conditioner on, we could only travel at 55-60 MPH without the car over heating. Having an electric cooler to keep plenty of cool water, we found it better to turn of the AC, put the windows down, drink water, and drive at 75-80 MPH whiled the auto coolant remained at normal temperature. We did pass several cars that had over heated.
I bucked 30 knot winds most of the daylight hours and had numerous attacks from tumble weeds. As the altitude increased, so did the pressure in my cellophane wrapped snacks. They were ballooned out looking like they would blow any minute!
There are several advantages when traveling west. 1: The air gets dryer and warmer; 2: You know how many miles before the road ends or gets to another state because of the numbering system; 3: You gain an hour every time you cross a time zone; 4: The speed limit increases! Most western speed limits are 75MPH! With the roads being smoother, free from frost heaves, and no trees to give you a sense of speed, it is easy to find yourself doing 80-85 MPH thinking you're still at 75 MPH (that's my cop story and I'm sticking to it).
My first incident was in Albuquerque, NM. Ah yes, the infamous Albuquerque that MR. B Bunny always talked about. Out west they seem not to warn you as early about lanes closed by construction as they do in the East. So here I am in the left lane, crest a hill, and see a sign stating: "left two lanes closed". Now the dilemma. It was heavy traffic and nobody wanted to let people move over in the only open line. So I continued with my directional on trying to find someone kind enough to let me in. No way! Now the further you travel in the closed lane trying to move over, the more of a scum ball you become in the eyes of all the people that are stuck in the through line that isn't moving. (So remember people, there are two kinds of drivers: Those that are inconsiderate, won't take their turn in line and race to the front in hopes someone will let them in; and those who try to get in line early, but are refused entry) So I'm going slow hoping someone will let me in, the truckers won't cut me a break, and finally a car lets me in, in front of this trucker who had refused my entry. Well, the car that lets me in takes an exit and now this irate trucker is in back of my Honda pissed that I'm in front of him. As the line slowly advanced, he would hang back, pick up speed, and stop quickly almost ramming me. Twice, so close that had I not moved as he braked, he would have rear ended me! So what does one do? The truck could crush me into a ball behind the truck that was in front of me, or he could have a gun and shoot if I got out of my car. This was road rage in the making! My military training has my mind racing on how to neutralize the situation. Unfortunately, what you can get away with in war, is frowned upon by civilians, when done to civilians. Luckily he didn't get out, and the situation defused after we got through the construction site.
With the increased speed limits, and lack of traffic, I'm making good time and decide to continue on later "into the night" (which is also a movie with Jeff Goldbloom). The wind reduction has increased my fuel range so I decide, what the heck, I'll continue to CA before I put up for the night. I don't know if all roads leading into CA are this way, but the major roads seem to be. ROAD BLOCK! It's like traveling into a foreign country. They want to know where you are from and do you have any fruits (I guess looking for insects). I tell them on, and they let me through. I pass a gas station and a sign that states "no services for 30 miles." No sweat, I gave 3 gallons of fuel on board and will wait until the next stop in hopes they have the brand that I have a credit card for. Up the foot hills I go, fuel mileage dropping, and came to the next service area. They have services; just no gas! I have a driving computer on board that reads instant gas mileage, so I select a speed that gives me the best range. But wait! The fuel on board is accurate if the car is level. I don't know how much is usable on inclines. The next major town shown on the road signs is at estimated flame out distance! (The plot thickens) Do I back track and hope the fuel station will still be open (it is down hill)? Do I continue and hope another town shows up that wasn't listed on the road sign; that has gas at midnight (at least some of the travel will still be up hill)? Do I continue on to the far town using all the tricks up my sleeve, like drafting, coasting, or do I play it safe and stop at a gas station, even if closed, and wait until it reopens (better then walking)? What the heck! No guts, no glory. Hey guys, I'm not flying, I can pull over and get out. So I continue on. Drafting with the trucks on the level parts (not much drafting taking place going 30 MPH uphill), coasting down hill, and driving like I have an egg between my foot and the gas pedal. Low and behold! An Oasis on the horizon! I pull in and they want $1.88 for a gallon of the cheap stuff (*&#X=@%- Now I know I'm in a foreign country)!
I take on a couple gallons and head on to the town listed on the sign. I take on some gas there but it is still high priced $1.50 @ gallon. I calculate what I need to get to March AFB, my intended stop. I get on I15 and head south to Riverside, CA, but somehow once I exit I15 for I215 I get on to some other road (no signs to indicate which road I'm on). I remember from looking at the road map the general direction that March AFB is located from Riverside, and things don't look right. When flying tactically, you are taught to make barriers so that if you can't find the check point, there is some point at which you stop and don't keep flying aimlessly into enemy territory. I use this technique when I drive. Upon hitting my barrier I get off an exit, stop at a filling station, and get a city map. Sure enough, I'm on the wrong road. With map in hand (and being 0130 with no traffic), I get brave and head on back streets without incidence to March AFB.
19.5 hours and 1330 miles later, I be here! When Military base hoping, unless you are performing duty there, rooms are given out as "Space A" (space available). When I left PA I checked with March and although they couldn't reserve a room for me, they felt it wouldn't be a problem. I tried contacting them 24 hours out to reserve for the night, but no one answered the phone, so I arrived not sure if I would have a room. Luck was with me and I will be able to stay here for the duration until I head for NV. At $14 @ night, it is MUCH better then the open economy that is now charging over $100 @ night because of seasonal rate changes/race weekend.
Time to go explore, Larry