Ft. Jackson/Columbia, SC to Seattle, WA

[Astrodokk]

Hopefully no bicycles tonight.
The blue and purple are pretty!
Anyone know what the in/off switch is above the power mirror controls?
Doesn’t do anything. Perhaps it was alarm or heated mirrors or e brake...
I’m in TX and it’s sunny and warm, ahhhh.

[Blue~Go]

Black switch with red writing right above the mirror adjustments? That's for heated mirrors. Maybe you can bring them to bed with you tonight

[Astrodokk]

Yes that’s the one. I’ll turn it on just for the heck of it. Might as well have all the heat I can get. Both front seats hear as well.
I’m in Amarillo and just bought myself a twin size warmest down comforter. Hopefully that will help. Almost lost it on the ice though! It’s icy and I slipped a couple of times but due to my almost animal like agility did not eat it. Hope the Chinook does well in it. Looks like a lot of people drive fine in it.

[Blue~Go]

There's ice?! I guess that's left over from the system that's just cleared out. Maybe pack it in for the night? Hmm, then you could make a heroic day tomorrow and get all the way past the cold nights to the other side of Kingman for tomorrow night? Maybe that was already your fiendishly clever plan.

I haven't driven with the duallies on ice, but they tend to "float" in some circumstances (will never forget my first time reversing down a sandy hill at night after that I learned to roll back down in neutral!).

Also, heated seats? Oooh, nice. I have those in my car but not in the Chinook.

[Astrodokk]

The roads are not icy but the store parking lots, gas stations and sidewalks are. I guess the roads are treated with salt.
Have not checked my antifreeze but the PO said it got serviced before Intook possession. Have to trust.

[Blue~Go]

Glad the roads aren't icy. You can give the undercarriage a good bath when you get back home.

On the anti-freeze: I wasn't saying not to trust the sellers or their mechanics. Rather, I just don't know how low they make the anti-freeze mix for. Being from up north, we'd set it to -40ºF. Don't know what they do in the south. If you change your mind, auto stores (or probably even Wal-mart) have little testers that ought to be really cheap. You slurp up a bit of the fluid (like a mini turkey baster) and out of all the colored balls inside the tube, some will float. You then look at their "key" which tells you how low of a temp the mixture is good for (green ball = X degrees; pink one = some other temperature, etc.).

OTOH, if you are going to make the big push tomorrow all the way to the west side of Kingman, you shouldn't see lows tomorrow night below freezing. Just don't stop halfway The purple overnight lows are prettier if you don't actually sleep over in them (Brrrrr)

[Astrodokk]

Oh I see. I thought all antifreezes were the same temp protection. I can check the overflow reservoir, which is not under pressure.
Now an update:
I like to drive to about midnight then call it a night.
Tonight on my way to Albuquerque on I-40, we got diverted just west of Santa Rosa (I lived in a town of the same name in California), onto 84 north, which said Las Vegas 30 miles!
Didn’t realize I was that close!
Anyway, here I am, in Las Vegas (also of the same name of a famous town in Nevada lol.
Spending the night here. We got routed to I-25 S, and there’s heavy traffic. Too tired. More later.
Btw, not too cold in here. The Chinook is rather well insulated. I’m sure it will dissipate in time and I’ll wake up cold. That’s where my Buddy comes in! Gonna go south on 25 to Albuquerque when it’s a little warmer.

[Blue~Go]

It's fun to hear your updates.

With the engine anti-freeze, it is typically mixed with water (now sometimes you can purchase pre-mix). About a 50/50 mix is really good protection. I don't mean to sound alarmist, and there is every chance it's fine. I just don't know how seriously people take it in the south. But by tomorrow night if you make it past Kingman the lows will only be in the mid-30's (however if you plan to stay east of Kingman you could consider checking it -- as you say, you can just dip into the plastic reservoir tank. The Wal-Mart in Winslow is just off the freeway (and of course there will be others).

I Googled to see why you were diverted: Saturday, December 29th, 2018 at 7:55pm. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Authorities are diverting travelers off of Interstate 40 westbound, west of Santa Rosa, Saturday night to 'alleviate traffic' caused by icy roadways and winter conditions, according to a statement on the New Mexico State Police official Twitter account.

Geez, talk about cutting it just right: You arrive there juuuuust as the ice is dissipating, now you'll have a day of bitter cold -- but at least dry/sunny weather -- to travel in (after which another, bigger storm is coming). But by then you should be in the desert and so far it looks very good for your run up CA/OR/WA. It's going to feel good dropping down out of Kingman, AZ into the desert, I'm sure.

A few years ago I came across on I-40 at just about this exact same time of year (from NC). I wasn't quite so lucky (altho it was warmer), and after watching a very close weather window (would it or wouldn't it?) ended up diverting down to I-10 at Amarillo and cutting across that way (then back up to I-40 in the desert). Flagstaff was the big problem area. Adds quite a few extra miles but I did avoid some bad weather.

[Astrodokk]

Well I made it to Albuquerque and will now continue on I-40 West towards Gallup, then on to Flagstaff. Then it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to Kingman, where I will decide either the northern route thru Henderson/Las Vegas (thecreal one), to Reno, then over on 80 to 5N,
or......
40 to Barstow, northwest to Bakersfield, then 5 all the way up or even a little jaunt on the 99 just for laughs.
It’s fun having all these choices (although I-25 was not one of them).
I used the Buddy to heat up the morning air, and I think I’m not too fond of that open flame in such a small place.
Will have to rethink heat. I’d like the furnace to work. I think that would be best.

[SMan]

Hmmm whats up Doc. Should have taken the left turn at Albuquerque.

Glad the trip is going well. Continued safe travels.