Penciled In....

And the hits just keep on coming....

Califronia hates us it seems... The whole state can kiss my skinny white european male asterisk... let 'em starve I say... pull your load as far as Reno & tell 'em if they want thier ##### they can come over the da*m mountain themselves & come get it.

We grab our load sitting at the yard in SLC & head out across Nevada... I hit a bit of a snowstorm coming over the east-side mountains but nothing serious... we knew they had some snow going on up on Donner as we'd checked on weather before we left but I-80 was open... we pull into the T/A in Sparks for a quick lunch... I-80 open but max chains required on Donner... no problem (or so we think) we've got "chains".

Now, as we're sitting there eating the announcement comes down... multiple spinouts & a fatal up on the mountain, I-80 is now CLOSED.

Well crap... OK, bunk down for the night.... get up next morning, I-80 opens so we grab some quick grub & get ready.... BZZZTTT, wrong answer, but thank you for playing... before we can get rolling it's closed again, & not likely to open the rest of the day or that night... also more bad news... Cables don't cut it on Donner for big trucks.

The sheet Prime has for California is outdated it seems... Here's what we learned...

What is listed for the chain law for California is OK for the rest of the state, but Donner has it's own unique set of rules... that's basically at the discretion of the DOT on site at the time... if the status is minimum chains, then you MAY be allowed over with cables... if they are saying MAXIMUM chains, then cables are not likely to be allowed, & you will need real chains on all required tires... So when the shop is selling you one set of chains & cables for the remainder of the set you may not be allowed over Donner under some conditions... just something to make note of.

So, we ended up buying 2 bags of chains so we could meet the "max-chain" requirements as we figured that was likely to be the call when we could head over.

Also the diagram on your chart is wrong.... chains are NOT required on the inside drives... outside drive tires only.

Min chains on Donner is 2 sets, chains on your 4 outside drives.... Max chains is the same with a set on the outside of one axle on the trailer... you may want to note that on your chain law chart.

So, anyway... while we're shut down we meet a limo driver also trying to get back to CA... we start BSing about heading into Reno to Harrah's & she's up for a casino night... cool, I can play a little poker while were sitting... we bought her dinner at Harrah's for the ride.

The CB chatter about the limo pulling into the truck parking area to pick us up & drop us off was priceless... We were letting 'em all have it.... "Yea, don't you all wish you drove for Prime now, we can afford a limo ride in to the casino.

Finally next day Donner opens so we head out... our limo driver decides to give it a shot with us... she's got chains but doesn't know how to put 'em on, so for more thanks for the ride to Harrah's we tell her not to pay for getting 'em on & off, just stick with us & we'll chain her up & get 'em off.



We FINALLY made it to Sacramento last evening.... more bad news.... recieving won't be open until 7PM tonight... so we get to sit around here for a day... Can we just sell California back to Mexico?