I just got finished hauling a load of hay from the pristine lands of New Mexico and having been on my California to Colorado runs for 3-4 months straight.
I get a preplan for a load assignment going up to Hermiston OR and flip out immediately at this news.
There are a few key reasons I seem to hate going up that routing.
First off, the 5-freeway and pretty much all roads running from CA to WA are all 55 mph for trucks.
While cars themselves can stick between 65 and 70, those of us hauling trailers are stuck doing this traffic-impeding speed that slows everyone else down and could cause more harm than good.
Sure, 60 is allowable under the right eyes, but the downgrades and consistent rolling hills wear your brakes down when having to abide by these asinine speed guidelines.
Secondly, during the winter, the highway maintenance and law-enforcement of western states seem to act like real pussies when it comes to winter/snow driving conditions.
Going through the mountain states like Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, the chain requirements for trucks are such that they only need to be installed where there's power going to the drive wheels.
Have chains there, the grip will pull the rest of the tractor-trailer unit safely along with it.
Also, these aforementioned states have worse grades and weather than the westernmost states, but go with practicality and minimalism that works.
As soon as snow falls in CA, OR, or WA, either maximum chains on all tires including unpowered wheels on the trailers and road closures abound.
By snow falling, it isn't even that much, just a few measly inches that don't do any damage to anything.
So here we are, stuck on this load going up to Hermiston and potentially having to deal with state-government induced weakness along their highways.
I can't wait until I'm moved away from these particular states and the types of shit they make you put or shut up with.
Driving, or just working in a different state and not having to worry about coming back out here.
Coastal scenery, ever-green forests, fuck the 5-freeway and practically any road that branches off of it.
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