In line with our plans to head through southern Wyoming enroute to Nebraska, Art set the GPS to direct us to Cheyenne. He wanted to see what route it would suggest through the Salt Lake City area. As we left highway 395 onto the I-80, Gillian began to laugh at the GPS instructions for out next turn: Turn Left in 800 kilometres! We wouldn't be doing that today!
No matter where we stopped it was likely a long tiring day. The road is good but it gets high as it nears Utah and Art didn't want to spend the night high in the mountains with a risk of morning frost.We joined the I-80 at mile 15, at the Utah border the mile marker is 410.
The weather was good, sunny with some high cloud but the solar panels were re-charging the batteries nicely.
At mile 175 we stopped for fuel and a lunch break. After filling the tank--51.5 gallons, $223.50--Art move the rig to a parking space as the signs directed then went in to pay for the fuel and fill his coffee mug. Gillian stayed in the rig (She had already walked the dog while Art was fueling) making sandwiches for lunch.
When Art got back Gillian said "Well that was weird!" :
She had heard the door open and said "That was quick!" and turned to the door. Trekker meanwhile had jumped off the bed and was standing facing the door. A stranger stepped up one step, and then turned and left the rig without saying a word, closing the door behind himself. Trekker seemed surprised but was not upset. Gillian thinks he too thought it was going to be me.We're not sure if he had seen me leave and not lock the door or if he had entered the wrong rig by mistake. There was a bus parked next to us. Still it was a bit unnerving!
We left Flying J, Gillian driving and Art navigating (napping) until the next exit an hour and a half or so later where we switched back again. Meanwhile Art noted the GPS was still telling us that we would arrive in Chyenne at 5:16 AM and that we had done almost half of the 800 kilometres it noted earlier in the day!
We also were making good mileage. The Silverleaf reporting our recent mileage at 10.8 while our mileage from home this trip was 9.0 US MPG -- almost 11 MPG using Imperial measure. Better than my nephew's old pickup truck!
The rest area we thought we might stop in for the night was closed! Well the sign said there was another one is 36 miles so we carried on. We must have miscalculated because we adding 35 to the milemarkers we figured that the stop should be at the Utah border. There was no sign of it! According to the road atlas the next one was an hour away!
A few miles later we saw flashing red and blue emergency lights a long way ahead. As we got closer we noted that they seemed to be off the highway a little. Then we saw the sign Rest Area 1 Mile! At Mile Marker 10, there was the rest area and yup, the flashing lights were in the rest area! We pulled in anyway and as we began to enter the Truck and Trailer parking area we realised that most of the spaces were taken up by a helicopter and and ambulance!
We managed to change our turn into the car parking area. We parked at the far end. Gillian took the dogs out for a break while Art wandered over towards the helicopter and ambulance. As he approached he was met by the helicopter pilot. Art said with a grin "I'm not one of your usual Looky Lous, I did this for a living for more than 30 years and almost miss it". He and the pilot had an interesting chat for several minutes exchanging a few stories then Art left as they began to load the patient into the helicopter for a flight to Salt Lake City. Art remembers his work fondly but he is enjoying his retirement even more!A few semis pulled into the car area, most of them getting out their cameras for a picture! Anything to offset the boredom!
Other than the trains rolling past regularly we passed a reasonable peaceful night after a long day. We had arrived at 6:50PM.
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