September 1st, 2005
on schedule: Departed 7:40 AM from San Francisco. Arrived in Salt Lake City at 11:00PM (after adding an hour for the time zone change).
Some time ago I bought an FM radio transmitter for my mp3 player. I had tried this out around the SF Bay Area but didn't have much success. The problem in major metro areas is that the airwaves are jam packed with stations. It's almost impossible to find a channel of dead air, let alone one that will remain dead air for more than a ten mile drive in the city. Well, as you probably know the state of Nevada has pretty much nothing but dead air. I'm pleased to report that this works great once you get out of a congested radio zone. Nothing like having P-Funk at your fingertips on such a drive.
Traffic delays were minimal, mostly just getting out of San Francisco was the hardest part. A truck stalled in a lane added a bit of lag. A long day. The smell of dead fish was almost a welcoming smell. There could only be one thing responsible for that stench here in the middle of the desert: the Great Salt Lake.
I found a guitar pick in my motel room. However, I do not have a guitar with me. Makes for a souveneir.
Here is the data!
Total miles: 737
Overall Average MPG : 27.79
MPG Based on: 581 miles from Vallejo to the Utah border; 20.908 gallons
Gas price range: $2.799 (Puckerbrush, NV) to $3.099 (Reno, NV)
Gallons purchased today: 28.033
Average price per gallon: $2.951
Note: Regular gas in high elevations can be as low as 85 octane. In this case I opted for 88 "medium grade" octane ($2.959)
GPS readings:
N39°10.791 W128°51.803 10:45AM Rest Stop near Gold Run, CA
N39°19.634 W120°17,948 11:30AM Vista Point near Donner Lake, CA
N40°41.605 W118°03.340 2:00PM Puckerbrush, NV elevation 4322'
N40°47.327 W117°07.769 4:20PM Valmy, NV elevation 4532'
N40°40.485 W116°28.752 5:15PM Dunphy, NV
N41°04.642 W114°34.229 7:10PM Pequop Summit, NV elevation 6956'
N40°44.380 W114°03.973 8:00PM Wendover (NV/UT Border) elevation 4400'
N40°46.351 W111°56.919 11:15PM Motel 6, 1990 W North Temple - Salt Lake City elevation 4257'
Tim posing in front of the Puckerbrush, NV sign
Yes, I suppose someone could have some photoshop fun with this sign
This is Nevada
The rest of it looks about the same, it just didn't inspire me to pull over to snap a photo like this landscape did.
Valmy, NV has all your needs centrally located.
< Passing Side || Suicide >
I just saw this on a truck at a rest stop and found it clever. About ten minutes later I passed him on 80 East. I used the passing side.
A Nevada Landscape
Nearing the Utah border now ...
Welcome to Utah!
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