Idaho March 2025
We try and drive up/back twice a year to keep in touch with family / friends up here because its a good drive and because I enjoy the break from working from a remote office that is different from the home office (Amy and Coles camper).
We were keeping an eye on the weather, but my chosen week away from HQ are complicated because reasons, so we were locked into this week.
A little earlier in the year we normally travel, but the weather looked good a few days ago... so off we went.
Yeah. Nah.
Those cars were not just gassing and going. They parked there for a good 40 min.
We were parked out in the lot looking back and so the snow piled up all over Rocky.
We tried to nap for 30 min or so, rang Amy for suggestions and ended up putting Rocky in snow mode and doing 25mph along the 'freeway' (the snow plows were nowhere to be seen). Fair amount of chaos around us, cars, trucks and vans off the side of the road. Many with bashed in nose/tails and one car on its roof.
We got north of Salt Lake City after a very exhausting 3.5 hours driving through the city at a top speed of 50 and mostly at 30. All the time it was both hands on the wheel keeping Rocky going straight as the snow and slush tried to jerk the wheel one way or the other. The two white knuckles on the wheel matched the white outside the windows all the way.
Once we got north north, the sun came up. A barmy 14F, that's -10C in the real world. But the road soaks up the heat pretty quick and at least there is less slush.
It was our longest drive. 8 minutes short of when we left. So yeah, 24 hours of driving.
I'm told it was worth it for this little guy?
Eh. I still am called grumpa for a reason. I'm sure I will soften. But that day is not today.
Took the chance to upgrade the Iridium antenna and far out was that ever worth it.
Like tripled at least the range. Wish I'd taken better before gif of the range plot, but trust me, it was mostly covering Idaho and not much else. Blows my mind that it now gets from almost the North Pole to Mexico.
1 hour of 1 minute updates speed up about 15,000%.
The Iridium sats are low earth orbit and really move over the sky dragging spot beams with them as they go. Very cool that any aircraft that send messages while overhead in the blue blobs we can pick up.
That little HC610 antenna with the Airspy r2 antenna is just bees knees for Iridium. None better.
Most Monday nights are 'Truck Night'. Not just trucks, any job that any of the guys has a need for more hands on. Great way to get a few blokes together, make a mess of someone's shop and then leave after drinking some/most of their beer.
John needed a V8 motor stripped. Its been years since I wrenched on something like this and I loved every minute.
We head back in a few days. The forecast is not looking great... <deep breath>