Back Over Donner Pass

Hi Friends,

Just put together another short video of my last trip over Donner Pass. Thought  It is getting late in March so these snow storms will be coming to an end soon, and I will be running to Vacaville on bare pavement again. The Spring and Summer are what make these storms a bit more bearable.  With every trip over now I can see the trees turning green again, many with colorfiul flowers on them as they get ready to celebrate the return of warmer days.

On this trip CalTrans had maximun chain requirements up for the trucks and the roads were covered with ice and a top layer of snow. It was actually not a bad trip over, but I do like to take it a bit slower than the rest of the drivers on the road. My trailer is usually empty heading West over the hill so it has a tendency to slide around a bit more than those with a load. Then again, my thinking is that I drive like an old man so I can live to be an old man.

So it is off on another adventure over Donner Pass heading West. This time I left the video at normal speed and the sound is on so you can hear the rumble of the chains.  It tells a story about a day in my life and reminds me of the glory of Spring and Summer and the warmth of the Sun.

So strap in and grab a warm beverage and lets get on the road.

Don

Up and Over Donner Pass

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.  ~Lao Tzu

Hi Friends,

It has been such a mild Winter so far and it is almost over. I have been waiting for some time to make a video from my dash cam of a run over Donner Pass in the snow. Well I was finally able to put together something for you the other day. It is not high cinema or award winning, but it was fun to make.

These late Winter storms can be interesting. It might be 60 to 70 degrees one day and I can be throwing chains the next day. That was the case this week.  I was riding the horses with Brenda on Sunday and loving the warm sun then on Tuesday we were driving 60 miles with the tires making their chain noise on the pavement.

There was not that much snow, but CalTrans must figure if you let the drivers run wild they will hit something or worse. I understand and just take my time getting over the hill. You will probably notice there are a bunch of cars and trucks that are flying past me. It bothered me at one time in my life, but not any more. I figure my job  is to get the load over the hill safely and it will take the time it takes. One of my first bosses at Mohawk reminded me regularly that it was just rug and nothing more. Lives did not depend on it and a couple extra hours would not make that big a difference.

It is kind of fun driving most of the time. When the season gets toward the end and we have been chaining for a few months, I tend to get tired of it. Mostly I get tired of the smell of the road grime and the wet. Sometimes it feels like I am wet for months.  Then comes Spring and I smile and enjoy watching the season change back to green and life return to the roads I drive. Soon the Winter grind is forgotten until October brings it back. Bliss!

Thanks for stopping by. Be kind and follow your bliss.

Don