Heading into Oregon first time. Any advice

Sound like a good money run there. Never been but I would say prepare for rain.

 

If you are a company driver make sure your permit book is up to date. Also make sure you have chains. It has been a few years so I don't remember all that much.

 

Just make sure you log everything in the last 7 days right down to the minute.

Oh, and make sure to check with your company to see if you need a weight/mile permit. If so, you need to have it BEFORE you cross into OR. It's a $475 fine if you forget.

 

And chains... bloody ####ing chains.

 

I like driving in Oregon, one of my favorite states to drive in. Beautiful scenery. Parking in Portland can be an issue but no different than any other bigger/major city. Try and check out Jubitz truck stop, it has a lot to offer.

 

Make sure you have that Oregon permit. You will hit 3 weigh stations. Also be prepared for the the highway use tax. It's a whopper.

 

As mentioned Oregon sometimes spot checks for chains and proper permit. First scale is well inside the state down near the bottom of a little hill. I always get green lighted on pre-pass, but if you need to go in, it's a bit different then most scales. You'll see.

Before you get to Pendleton, OR you'll come to a significant drop. it will be well marked with signage and brake check area. If heavy give it lots of respect, if not so heavy, give it lots of respect. I recommend first time down, do it in daylight hours if possible.

Weather looks ok for the next 4-5 days after that, things look to go downhill. Hurry up there and hurry back out. Otherwise, it's a beautiful drive the entire way up.

BTW, I recommend US 550 through Cuba, NM instead of over to Gallup and up. I unload Dallas mid-day tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be chasing you to OR or WA, not seen my preplan yet.

If you're not experienced with snow/ice, NE Oregon is probably not the best place to learn. If it get's bad and chain requirements go up, park it and wait. ALWAYS keep abreast of road conditions if Wx turns for the worse. Things can change quickly across ID/OR in fall and winter

Soldier Summit in Utah is nice, easy pull and long, steady but easy drop.

Keep your camera handy. Send pictures.

If you go through Dove Creek, CO during the day, there's a quaint little cafe on the west edge of town on the north side of the road. Great food and amazing homemade pies. The coconut cream is my favorite.

Not much parking in NM/CO once you leave Albuquerque [if you run 550] other then around Cuba (15 miles northwest @ casino), Farmington, S. of Cortez (casino), Monticello, Green River, Soldier Summit, then the Utah basin area.

If you run between Gallup and Shiprock, theres only one tiny place to park/stop about midways on the west side of the road that's hard to notice. But I never go through there any more, so can't remember.

 

East of The Dalles is 65 mph west is 55. Lots of deer and wild turkeys lately. Cop usually hiding exit 268 at bottom of Ladd canyon.