Wednesday I got a load assignment, pick up 12 reusable shipping fixtures, 8 jet engine inlet cowling shipping tools (14 feet wide) and 4 jet engine thrust reverser shipping tools (12 feet wide), at the Boeing assembly plant in Everett, Washington, and deliver them to Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, Kansas, where the parts are manufactured. Wide loads are good because they pay extra, and at 14 feet the load is usually a cinch to move, being just under the maximum width allowed on the interstate with minimal limitations. Pretty much load and go.

Except when there is construction or other issues that require leaving the interstate to keep rolling.

Like this trip.

A landslide on Lookout Pass in Montana, at milepost 7 on I-90, closed one direction of the interstate. Traffic was routed to one lane each direction on the opposite side, with a 10 foot width restriction.

My load was 14 feet wide.

So I had escorts take me North up US-95 from Coeur d'Alene to SR-200, then East around Pend Oreille Lake into Montana, then South on SR-135 to St. Regis, Montana at milepost 33 on I-90. I said goodbye to the escorts and continued East on I-90. (no escorts required on the interstate under 15 feet in width)

About milepost 72 just before Alberton, Montana, I see an orange sign that says, "ALL LOADS EXCEEDING 12 FEET IN WIDTH MUST TAKE NEXT EXIT".

What?

The sign is directing trucks with loads over 10 feet wide to pull off at a roadside picnic area to stage and wait. The plan is that every day at 8 AM Monday through Thursday all loads exceeding 10 feet wide will be escorted around the construction area.

There is one small problem.

It is Thursday afternoon, about 1 PM.

There is no way I am sitting at a picnic area without a place to eat, a proper bathroom or a shower until Monday morning at 8 AM.

Besides, I am supposed to be in Wichita Monday.

The permit guy had told me about the restriction on Lookout, so I expected that since he made no mention of any others I was good to go.

Guess he missed the one at Alberton.

Seems the Montana highway department is replacing a bridge deck, and traffic is reduced to one lane each way, and nothing over 10 feet wide will fit through. The width restriction is from milepost 77 to 85.

Nice.

So I call another escort service (from Missoula) and ask them to meet me at St. Regis. You know, mile post 33, about 40 miles West of where I had to exit.

I get back to St. Regis, well ahead of the pilot car, so I get some lunch. I'm just finishing lunch when the escort shows up. Good timing.

Off we go, North on SR-135 to SR-200, then East on SR-200 to US-93 which we follow South to Missoula and I-90 at milepost 96, well past the 10 foot width restriction for construction.

The following pictures are from the day's ups and downs. The first is when the escorts met up with me at Post Falls.


The first 50 miles or so were fairly routine, US-95 is mostly 2 lanes each direction all the way to Sandpoint, and when it is only 1 lane the shoulder is plenty wide.

At Sandpoint we turned East on SR-200. Again, most of that part of the route is wide and easy to run.

Then we passed through Clark Fork, Idaho, the last part of the detour with room to spare.


Things got real tight for a bit. You can see the front escort standing beside his pickup with a stop sign. After I popped into view he jumped back into his pickup and went to the next bit of narrow twisty road to block traffic.


Some places I had to straddle the centerline.


Then we arrived in Paradise, Montana. I really didn't want to go any further, but I have a job to do and a load to deliver in Kansas on Monday.




There is some every beautiful scenery in the Rocky Mountains.






We arrived in St. Regis, and I continued on what I thought would be an uneventful rest of the day.


So after an 80 mile Yo-Yo it was back to SR-135, and then SR-200, a stretch of road I have never driven. At least I am getting paid by the mile.


See the car? My front escort had a stop sign and ran ahead of me, blocking traffic in the stretches where traffic would not be able to safely pass. This idiot went around the escort and the stop sign. He had to turn around and go back. There is no way I'm backing up 78 feet of truck and trailer, with a 14 foot wide load on it, around twisty roads with no shoulders and rock walls on the side.


Finally the shoulder gets a bit wider.


I told Mrs. Racer we should sell our place by the river in Washington and move here.


Well I made it to Wyoming Friday morning, and today (Saturday) I am in Colby, Kansas, putting this post together. I hope you have enjoyed the pictures and reading the story of my adventures and detours.

[PJ1]

Well, I enjoyed it, Racer. A good story with good pics. And a good delivery, of course. It is a satisfying feeling when a plan comes together!

[wtlwdwgn]

Great story and with the pics I was able to follow along. At least you got to see some beautiful country instead of getting white line fever!

[RichardS]

Thanks for the guided tour, Racer. I followed along with Google maps and street view.

Richard.

[volley]

Thanks for sharing the story of your ride and the pics Racer! Great job:-)!!

[Kerrowdown]

=== Wide Load Detour ===

After reading your posts I always feel I've been there in the cab with you on the road trip, thanks for that.

[Racer X 69]

Well, I enjoyed it, Racer. A good story with good pics. And a good delivery, of course. It is a satisfying feeling when a plan comes together!

Thanks PJ!

Great story and with the pics I was able to follow along. At least you got to see some beautiful country instead of getting white line fever!

Thanks Steve!

And yes, even though I have only been at this for 5 years, running the same lanes time after time gets old quickly. I've logged just over a half a million miles in the past five years, and a large portion of it is in the Rocky Mountain states, primarily Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.

So these little detours can be a blessing in disguise, getting me off the beaten path. I also spied a number of places that I plan on returning to when I have time to stop and snoop around more.

Thanks for the guided tour, Racer. I followed along with Google maps and street view.

Richard.

Thanks Richard!

Following with Google maps, eh? I would imagine that if they have been through there recently the views would be close to what I actually saw.

Isn't technology great?

Thanks for sharing the story of your ride and the pics Racer! Great job:-)!!

Thank you very much Norbert!

After reading your posts I always feel I've been there in the cab with you on the road trip, thanks for that.

Thanks for the compliment KD, and you are welcome for the virtual tour!

[OrchidJulie]

Verrry interesting and educational, Racer, TFS! I have often wondered about the "escorts", whether they are with a rig all the way or not. You've just redefined "escort service" for all of us!

[Kerrowdown]

you are welcome for the virtual tour

Just virtual then, not the real McCoy if I was in the neighbourhood.

[normhead]

What a great story.... better than what passes as news, which seems to be every disaster that happens anywhere in the world.

[Racer X 69]

Verrry interesting and educational, Racer, TFS!

You are very welcome Julie!

I have often wondered about the "escorts", whether they are with a rig all the way or not.

Only where required, and it varies state by state, and province by province.

For instance, Idaho required a front and rear for this trip, Montana only a front.

If I had to do a similar detour in Kansas, none are required for loads 14 feet wide and under.

Don't ask me why there is not a national standard.

Oh, and they don't come cheap. The first detour was about $350 for each pilot, the second, with only one pilot was $150.

I had a similar load with a 2 lane road detour last April, starting in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and ending on I-80 at Rock Springs, Wyoming. Front and rear escorts, about 250 miles, $3,000 for the front and rear combined.

That was the trip where the early spring snowstorm caused the closure of every interstate, us highway and state highway in Wyoming for 4 days.

This one:

You've just redefined "escort service" for all of us!

I thought about that.

Sometimes they are called pilot cars. Like many things, there are multiple interchangeable terms to describe something.

Just virtual then, not the real McCoy if I was in the neighbourhood.

If you ever find yourself out my way, send me a PM, and we'll meet up. If I can, I will show you the world from my point of view.

What a great story.... better than what passes as news, which seems to be every disaster that happens anywhere in the world.

Thank you Norm.

Actually there was a recent natural disaster about 12 miles from my home. The mudslide in Oso, Washington, on the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. I live on the South Fork.

Every day the helicopters (both rescue and news) fly over the house on the way from the local airport to the site. A number of my co-workers were involved in volunteer help, searching for victims, and taking food and supplies to the people working there.

Almost every day we see or hear news of such things on the TV and radio, but because of the distance, it is somehow not real. For Mrs. Racer and myself this is so close that it has a very realistic dimension. Add to that we also have our home on the banks of the South Fork of the Stillaguamish, and there are thoughts about the possibility of similar events happening.

Fortunately the lay of the land where we are is not the same, so the chances of a similar event happening in our area are unlikely.

[Kerrowdown]

If you ever find yourself out my way, send me a PM, and we'll meet up. If I can, I will show you the world from my point of view.

Your just a "Gent" sir.

[Bob Harris]

What a great thread and your narrative is very educational to me and the photos made me see what your "view" is from the cab. On our travels in our 42' motorhome and towing a Jeep we have come upon many wide load trucks. I've learned to get out of the way, I've seen how you have to fight to maneuver around the many idiots out there on the road. We get all our diesel fuel in truck stops and I feel I have a certain kinship with the drivers as they have always been very polite and helpful. I'll add this photo, I'm sure you have been through this location or been in a predicament like this

[OrchidJulie]

What on earth is that? A propeller for a wind turbine?

I've seen some strange loads**, but that one nearly takes the cake!

**a year or two ago, on my commute home from work (a two-lane highway on the western edge of the metro area, Florida SR997) I saw a convoy of several flatbeds hauling very large olive drab rectangular boxes -- think about The Monoliths in the movie 2001 -- escorted fore, aft and in between by FHP troopers with lights blazing.

[DeadJohn]

What on earth is that? A propeller for a wind turbine?

Yes. I make a trip to Vermont each summer and I've seen those blades often. The actual installation process is impressive

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