It’s a classic cross country trek today, as we voyage from west to east over the course of 5 days. It’s 2813 miles between the two cities, and our pace will be about 67mph. Our 8 hour drives every day (for the first 4 days, anyway) will be about 535.8 miles. It’s December, so let’s hope the weather holds!
DAY ONE (Thursday)
Long days are ahead, and we will be losing hours as we had eastward. Day one will see us pass from Pacific to Mountain time, and also from damp to dry conditions. A bundle of energy is moving into the Oregon coast overnight, and some of the light rain and fog is going to linger in the Cascades as we start the day. If we climb high enough, we will probably see some flakes as well. The moisture looks to be trapped east of the Cascades, about as far east as Juntara. If we can make it to Juntara, we will make it to clearer skies. The crossing into Idaho will be fine, as will navigating the Boise area. The drive will end in Tuttle, in southern Idaho.
DAY TWO (Friday)
The system won’t maintain it’s energy as it presses eastward, partially because of the terrain, and partly because the stronger energy is consolidating southwest of Vancouver Island. Still, there may be some valley fog in Idaho, especially early, but northern Utah and southern Wyoming are under high pressure. The day will end in Elk Mountain, Wyoming.
DAY THREE (Saturday)
As we rest in Elk Mountain, the atmosphere will be churning in the Plains. An area of low pressure will begin to emerge in western Kansas and start pulling cooler air southwards and moist air to the north. We will be chasing the precipitation by late afternoon in Nebraska, and never quite catch it, but this development will introduce some chillier temperatures. Bundle up as we conclude the day in Pleasant Dale, Nebraska, just west of Lincoln.
DAY FOUR (Sunday)
False alarm, everyone! The wet weather and what not that had been feared is going to march further east much quicker than we will. Whew! This will be the most civilization we will have seen on this trip so far, as we will pass through Omaha, Des Moines, the Quad Cities and end up in Chicago by the time the day is in. It will have rained in Chicago in the morning, and who knows if that will lead to carry over traffic concerns, but if we get too exhausted, it’s all right because South Holland, just before the Indiana line, is our destination for the evening.
DAY FIVE (Monday)
It appears as the Plains are just fixing to be active this December. Low pressure is developing in the southern Plains (again) on Monday. It will be stronger and rainier than the previous version, and a little bit further to the east. Could we catch some of it? If we do, that would be bad luck, and also, we should get out of any rain before we reach South Bend. The drive through Ohio will be dry, and we won’t have any precip problems in Pennsylvania. Maybe a lingering spot of valley fog as moisture from the initial low works it’s way into New England, but otherwise it will be unseasonably pleasant in Lancaster as we arrive.
