I just want to thank Neal Lemerise (and his wife Diane) for their old fashion western hospitality during our (me and my wife Betty's) stay in Reno. Neal and Diane bought Betty and I lunch, then Neal invited me to lunch so his buddy could pick up the tab, then I went out to Neal's ranch so he could assist with a complete maintenance on my truck, including both fuel filters, engine, tranny, PS, etc.., and all the while Diane was preparing dinner! I wish we could've hung around for the next 3K maintenance cycle, but winter seemed to be coming early to Reno this year.

Also thanks to piotrsko for offering to send his boy scout troop over to our RV park if we happened to be in need of having any good deeds done.

Note to all those that are considering a trip westbound from Reno. The stretch of I-80 up and over Donner Pass (especially the right hand truck lane) isn't much better than the original wagon trail that left the infamous party by the same name stranded to dine on their own! The trucks have worn through the 4 inches or so of black top layer, and literally left ruts down to the concrete just like a wagon trail, and large sections of the concrete have cracked and are tilted at various angles. I don't know if this is from the weight of the trucks, frost heave, earth quakes, or a lack of maintenance to discourage CA residents from going to Reno and gambling their money away instead of doing something more useful with it like paying their CA taxes!

The truck did good pulling the long 6% section leading to the summit, and I managed to stay in 3rd the entire time, but I did have to swerve to avoid a slow wide load part way up. I don't know if it was the cold weather or the new Genedad 2 mod, but the radiator fan clutch didn't lock up at any time during the entire climb!

Well, we'll just have to see what the "land of milk and honey" has in store for an elderly retired couple.

 

Neal is a great guy, I would love to have him for a neighbor.
Glad you had a safe trip despite all the difficulties. That sounds like a terrible stretch of road!
Do they close Donner pass in the winter?

 

Glad your back on the road. Those ruts are from vehicles especially semi's with chains on during the winter. I use to travel that pass several time a year and noticed it getting worse and worse. Haven't seen it in about a year, but it was real bad then. A set of 19.5's and some H rated tires would give you a greater peace of mind.

 

Sorry to here you where so close and I didn't get to meet you, I see you all over this site whether it is something from you or someone mentioning your data. As far as Donner Summit goes it is mostly the truck traffic w/chains doing the damage. Kwikkordead's answer is no, except for clearing spinouts or immediately after huge dump of "sierra cement". The only reason I know this useless trivia is that I'm one of two resident deputies that covers that area from stateline to the I-80/HWY 20 split so next time your passing through let me know I buy you a cup and pick your brain.

Take care in Morgan Hill (my oldest daughter graduated high school there)

Dave

 

Neal mentioned how helpful you were in getting the pump for his in-tank installation, and I had a question about that setup but forgot to ask him. It would seem that you'd have to drop the tank to change a pre-pump filter? The reason I removed the in-tank filters and used an external spin-off filter is so I could easily change it on the road if I got a dirty tank of fuel.

It's my understanding that Donner does occasionally get closed down due to snow, and there was snow on the sides of the road when we went through. We even had a trace in Sparks one AM, I think this might be an earlier and colder winter than normal, just like the last time we were in this area.

 

Well that explains the ruts! I guess I should've figured that out about the time I passed the 4th chain-up pullover. Unfortunately, the track of the trailer is wider than my SRW, and the trailer tires followed the ruts, but the rear tires on the truck kept pulling from one side to the other. Maybe the wife will let me get an F-450 for our next truck!

 

We were in Truckee doing some sightseeing one weekday afternoon. We plan on returning within a year or two, and will probably stay in Carson City next time, I'll send a PM next time we're in the area. Morgan Hill is about the right size town for my wife. I wanted to stop in San Fran, but I'm glad now that she nixed that idea. As we were headed south on I-680 we looked in that direction and saw nothing but a fog bank, except at 12 noon it was clearly pollution and not the pretty afternoon fog I remember from the last time I was there in the 70's! We'll probably stay here for 2 or 3 weeks before heading south on hwy 101.

 

The only pre pump filter that I have is the pickup screen scrounged off of the old assembly. Anything small enough to get through that screen will be passed by the pump and caught in the main fuel filter. Not having a super fine pre-pump filter is a non issue. (IMO ). I may be mistaken with that asssumption, but it's been a year now and several trips cross country with no problems other than a broken wire due to poor design.

My 550 still swims around in those type of ruts. The front axle is still narrower than the front axle of the big semi's. You'll have to buy a big truck if you want to just ride those ruts.

 

While your asking, just ask for a F-650 with a Cat engine! Hahaha

You can always go down but it's real hard to go up.

 

Holler up if you make a trip down to the Monterey Peninsula. I'm the primary care giver for my mom so I stay pretty busy, but if the timing is right, we can hook up and I'll buy you and your wife a cup of your favorite beverage!

Stewart

 

Gene, any plans on coming back down to the RGV. I am disappointed that we never got to have that beer.

 

Thanks for taking time to share your travels with us! If you get into San Jose you might enjoy a tour of the Winchester Mystery House.

 

Hey Gene, If you do find your way further South down the 101 into Ventura County and have time for a visit, let me know. I also have room for your RV too if yah need a rest stop or place to stop and camp out. Well, have a good trip. Country

 

What RV park did you stay in? I Grew up around truckee and now curently live in Reno at the Bonanza RV park. LOL and work in Sparks at the Lithia Suzuki store doing Ford Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks so Im sure you passed by that since its off of I 80 also I 80 has got a lot worse in the pasts 6 years or so it never was as bad as it is now. California needs to repair the road but Im sure they dont have the money that would cost millions to repave. Its always interesting to hear someone from this forum was passing through. I have a 1998 35 foot tahoe travel trailer I pulled it up from Marysville California To Reno last January when I bought it. Had it parked and then finally moved in June of this year. My rent is only 400 a month that includes wireless net cable and water and my power bill runs from 30 to 50 dollars a month. I always wonder when I see people pull in to the park with 7.3's if anyone is from this forum

 

We'll make it down that way at least once, probably some weekday afternoon, and maybe stay for an early dinner. I'll send a PM, but we usually don't plan more than a day in advance, which is one of the things I like most about retirement, no schedules. I noticed the sports car race on the 19-21, and since I used to race an A/H Sprite back in the 60's I was considering making it down for one day of that, but I checked their web site, and the parking seems to be sold out already so we'd have to bus in from a satellite lot somewhere? I haven't been to Monterey since the mid 70's when I attended a week long conference at the Naval Post Graduate School, I assume things have changed some since then.