Redmond OR to Houston TX - Southbound and down

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Don't know of any fuel stops in Bend or Redmond that are easy to get in and out of, but just before you get to La Pine, there is a truck stop on the left called Gordy's that is easy in and out.  There is snow on the ground in that area of Oregon right now.

[paulrobie]

Don't know of any fuel stops in Bend or Redmond that are easy to get in and out of, but just before you get to La Pine, there is a truck stop on the left called Gordy's that is easy in and out.  There is snow on the ground in that area of Oregon right now.

Thanks Ed, appreciate the info..

[paulrobie]

Don't forget to find out where the spare tire is. If there is not one ask if they will give you one. Your road side will put a tire on for free even if not on the rim but they will not just give you one. Also go to your first fuel station and fill up. Get the address of where it is. At the next fuel stop type it into your gps. it will give you exact milage travelled. When you fill the bus up again you will be able to see how many gallons used for that millage. Everyone wants to know how well their milage is. It may be awhile before you get it out on a real trip again to measure it good. I hope they left one passenger seat in it for ya. Your wife will not be happy in a lawnchair that long

The PO has told me that there will be a spare for me. Good idea on using the GPS to track fuel mileage, hadn't thought of that. Unfortunately the wife is not making the trip with me as we anticipated, her work rescheduled their hours last week so it's gonna be just me...

[paulrobie]

In a previous post, I mentioned the MANDATORY pre-trip inspection.  The link I cited, was for the air brake and air supply system and ****MUST**** be done in preparation for your trip.

Equally important are the other pre-trip inspection procedures.  The following is at the same site, but different page:

http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/handbooks/cdl/en/11/1

You will want to perform the 11.1 and 11.2 inspections.  The brake adjustment check in 11.2.3 is very important.  They mention checking slack on mechanical adjuster equipped vehicles, but it is really important to do that on buses with auto-slack adjusters as well, as they can go bad and the brakes could be way out of adjustment.  Too much slack and you will loose a ton of breaking capacity and you are going to go down some pretty good grades.  

Checking slack adjustment is not easy on a bus.  I would have someone apply the brakes and check the stoke on each side of each axle.  You should be able to see the slack from the side of the bus (laying on the ground) without crawling under it.  May have to use a mirror, but IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE for first trip with this unknown bus.

If you need to crawl under the bus to do the brake inspection be sure to block the bus.  It will be hard to check the brake lining thickness without crawling underneath, but I think you might be able to do it with an inspection mirror on a extendable rod.

Probably sounds like I am preaching, but your life and others could be at stake.

Jim

Dosen't sound like preaching at all... I know about the pre-trip (but not as it specifically pertains to busses), from my time driving big trucks in the past. I intend to "arrive alive" with the bus safely intact and am probably over cautious more than anything else. So if ya'll see a MCI heading to Texas driving slower and safer than anyone else... that would be me. 

[paulrobie]

Just so you know you are crossing some 10,000 ft passes and it gets nasty on Elk Mountain with 70 mph winds blowing trucks off the road, only place I know to have a snow ball fight in July lol be careful OR is going to be the most expensive fuel add .25 a gal to the pump price unless you have the permit  

good luck

What permit?

PUC = Public Utilities Commission permit! All commercial vehicles using OR hwys have a PUC # or have to pick up a permit @ the "Port of entry" and it doesn't apply to you since your not commercial anymore.
But don't worry it's not really saving them any $ either the cost of the permit is figured by the number of miles you are gonna travel in their state and equals the amount of rd/fuel taxes that you'd have to report and pay on your IFTA filings if yer were commercial!

SO that said if it were me I'd fuel it up in Redman or Bend, OR to the top, and then go down to Corning, CA (about 350 miles & right now showing to be the cheapest @ a reasonable amount of miles> remember this bus and you are knew to each other and this will give you an idea of how much it uses, gauge accuracy and a feel for when to fuel!) and top it back off! Then onto ...................Tulare, CA (again cheapest area along that rte/area & about 330 miles)
 BK  

Thank you sir! I was unaware, but as not commercial (all markings removed from bus, seats out, etc.) I should be good to go. Thaank you for the heads up on fueling up, I will print and keep this info handy and punch it into the GPS as I go. Essentially I will be shooting for Flying J truck stops when possible, (food, clean-up, etc.) but any port in a storm so to speak... Thanks!

[wal1809]

When are you leaving?  When you get back maybe we can meet up.  I am west of Downtown Houston by 50 miles.

[paulrobie]

When are you leaving?  When you get back maybe we can meet up.  I am west of Downtown Houston by 50 miles.

I leave out of IAH at 9 tomorrow, (thursday). Not sure when I will get back, depends on A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF, if ya know what I mean. Drop me a line via my profile/email with your contact info and I let you know when I get back... BTW I am in the heights area...

[wal1809]

Well that is wonderful.  Safe and happy trails to you Sir.  You will be a bus expert by the time you ger home.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Just checked the Oregon DOT traffic cam site and it looks like most of the snow at La Pine is gone for now. Haven't looked at the weatherunderground site to see what the forecast for the next few days is though.

[Boomer]

www.tripcheck.com

You can view all the cameras around Oregon in real time.