0730 MDT: Depart Rock Springs KOA
Breakfast stop
0830 MDT: MM 68 – stop at Little America for breakfast.
0925 MDT: Back on the road.
1012 MDT: MM 17, I-80. Eray calls for advice: while passing a semi on the left in a construction zone, the semi started to pull into his lane and ripped off the passenger’s side mirror of his Airstream. Past the construction, he pulled alongside the semi and motioned the driver to pull over. The driver shrugged at him and continued on. Eray took pictures of the truck & its license plates and wanted to know what he should do now, given that additional damage to the Airstream is unknown. My answer: hang up & call the Wyoming Highway Patrol at 911. Stay tuned!!
Wyoming Highway Patrol has us both pulled over just before the Utah line.
1030 MDT: MM 3 (Evanston, WY), just shy of the Utah state line. The Wyoming Highway Patrol pulled the truck over just in time! Eray is parked on the side of the road behind it. WHP is currently talking to the truck driver. Ed & Linda have caught up and pulled in between the truck and Eray’s Airstream.
Damage is to the passenger side concave mirror and bracing for the rear-view array which has been caved into the side of the motorhome. No apparent damage to the rest of the rig.
1052 MDT: Trucker has been ticketed for improper lane change. 3 different WHP officers questioned the trucker individually and Eray believes the trucker may have changed his story each time. Editor’s guess:WHP was checking the truck driver for being under the influence of drugs.
When asked to present his license, registration, & insurance card, Eray was told by WHP that his insurance card expired in February. After telling the officer he still carried insurance with the same company, the officer let it go. WHP is currently writing an accident report to give to both drivers, so it may be awhile before Eray gets back on the road. In the meantime, he has documented the damage with multiple photographs from several angles.
1121 MDT: Back underway. Utah State Line! Semi & driver are still back on side of the road with WHP.
1135 MDT: MM 185, pullover to rejoin Ed & Linda who stopped & waited for Eray.
1145 MDT: Back underway with plans to take the I-84, I-15 bypass around Salt Lake City.
1228 MDT: MM 91 on I-84, 3 miles from the junction of I-15 south near Ogden, UT.
1306 MDT: MM 111, back on I-80 west, leaving Salt Lake City behind. 111 miles to Wendover, Nevada.
1355 MDT: MM 77, stopped at roadside gas station for a slice of pizza & a milkshake.
1416 MDT: MM 56. Crossing the Bonneville Salt Flats. Less than an hour to Wendover and return to Pacific time zone.
1445 PDT: MM 410, arrive at West Wendover KOA, Nevada. Full hookups! Going to take a shower!!
1600 PDT, WENDOVER, NEVADA: One of our convoy of Airstreams took off 30 minutes early because they wanted to stop in Salt Lake City to shop, then head all the way to inside California. Myself and Linda & Ed Dodge planned on going to West Windover, NV today. I headed out 15 minutes before Ed and Linda, but we met up at the famous Little America hotel and restaurant, 30 miles west of Rock Springs where we had a wonderful breakfast.
I pulled out ahead of them as I travel a tad over what they like to drive. At mile marker 17/18, traffic just pulled away from a closed left lane and slightly inclined. I attempted to pass a semi truck on his left in the extreme left lane and as I was almost at his cab, he swerved into my lane. I saw him getting close and I moved a bit to my left but he kept coming and I felt the jolt and looked at my right exterior mirror: busted.
I immediately slowed down and he pulled back into his lane. I had no idea what damage he might have caused, so I made another run at passing him. When I got to his cab I looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders with a stupid look as if to say, well, so what?
I backed off and got his licence plate number, name of his company, and their 800 number. I was, by then, nervous as can be. I called my friend Lee who said call the WHP immediately. I did and gave them the information I had. By mile marker 3 (just a three more miles and we’d be in Utah) the WHP pulled the truck and myself over.
They questioned me and the truck driver. I saw him waving his arms all around as well as other hand gestures. The WHP came to me the 2nd time for my version of what happened. Then a supervisor pulled up and got involved. They questioned the truck driver 3 times, then came back to me and said they were going to issue the truck driver a citation for an illegal lane change. They filled out an accident report and sent me on my way. I will give this information to my insurance company.
One picture is of the Airstream, the truck, and the 2 WHP vehicles just after the WHP pulled us both over following my call to them reporting the hit and run.
Any interior damage?
The second other (above) shows how the mirror was pushed into the coach. Could more internal damage have occurred? Problem is, replacing it may be impossible and another matching set may have to be installed. That’s up to the insurance company.
