So here I am in Portland, 30 minutes past an appointment time that I arrived 2 hours early for. No big deal, except that they just started unloading trucks, one at a time. Smells like some detention is coming my way, but it's still a pain in the ass.
One of my PrimeDrivers.net friends asked why I chose to take the very northern route of I94 across instead of I80. Here is why:
This place is just as exciting as you'd expect, minus any excitement. I did get a few pictures in North Dakota and Montana, though. Nice country, just not much population. Of course, knowing how cold it gets up here in the winter certainly keeps me away, too.
This is a duck lagoon in North Dakota next to a rest area. Supposedly some waterfowl habitat paid for by "duck stamps". Hey! The posted signs said it, not me!
My truck parked at said rest area.
View from the Rosebud rest area in Montana, westbound I94. 
...but it was on purpose. You see, I was driving from Wilmington, DE to Shelbyville, IN and wanted to avoid the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Qualcomm says to take I68 across Maryland to US40, up through southern Pennsylvania to I70 and then across.
In the past, I always assumed that the Qualcomm routing is on crack because US40 looks on the map like a little 2 lane highway going through some pain in the ass Pennsylvania mountains and would just proceed on to I79 and go up to I70 from there.
This day, I had a little time to spare and was feeling adventurous and decided to see what US40 was all about.
In reality, US40 is a little 2 lane highway going through some pain in the ass Pennsylvania mountains. In short, my reasons for avoiding the route were well-founded. Now, to be fair, US40 is a far cry from the worst roads I've driven on, but it is still a time waster. The terrain dictates slow speed through a lot of it.
Here are some photographic highlights of the route:
9% downgrades are always fun!
Woohoo! "Dangerous Mountain"! Could they have been just a little less specific? 
10mph truck speed on this downhill. Yes, it was steep and curvy. 
If your driving day didn't end in one of these, then your day didn't go so badly after all!
Last week I had an opportunity to be pissed off at myself. I did something incredibly stupid. Unbelievably stupid.
I decided to heed the Qualcomm's routing advice and take I895 through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. Not really a problem except that only trucks 96" or less in width are allowed there. My truck measures 102". Somehow, some way, I missed the sign announcing the width restriction and I just don't miss signs and get pissed off at people who do.
So, the Maryland Transport Authority police were kind enough to pull me aside AFTER getting my $8 EZPass toll deduction. The officer scolded me a little bit and proceeded to give me a level 3 (paperwork) DOT inspection. Nothing else being wrong, I left with a only a warning.
Seriously, I can't believe I did something that damned stupid. Ugh.
