Other Tales From the Ritterverse

[zippe]

I like this mod too very much,was very lucky when I have seen the author makes an update for this truck
I have never driven an american truck, but if a 377 specialist like you say that the mod is great, that shows already what a great job the modder has done

[J. Ritter]

Thanks, zippe! It is a great truck. I like all of Jeff's mods because he does them right and doesn't take any shortcuts, so they always work well.

[J. Ritter]

KING COLUMBIA RIVER AND THE BIG GRAND COULEE DAM

Woody Guthrie eat your heart out...

TJ had made his way back to Oregon, and was loaded up at a farm south of the Dalles. They had a decent-sized processing/bagging facility on-site, and while they used distribution services, they also did direct sales to smaller grocers. TJ's load today was representative of the latter, as his trailer was loaded with bagged snacks, such as dried fruits and nuts, and was destined for a little hamlet and the foot of the Grand Coulee dam. He had been loaded the evening before, and he spent the night in their lot before heading out at around six in the morning.

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The sun was kissing the side of the elevators when TJ descended into The Dalles proper. He'd get on the interstate here and head east briefly.

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There was an accident involving another truck on I-84, and product was all over the freeway. TJ was glad it was not him, and was also glad that despite the severity of the accident, traffic didn't slow down too much. It could have been much worse! Past the accident, the road was wide open again.

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The run on the freeway was short lived, however. It was time to exit onto US Route 97. TJ would join other freeways later, but today was basically a zig-zag into the northern areas of Washington.

Goodbye Oregon, I'll see you again soon!
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TJ hit the scale after topping the Columbia River Gorge and passing by Goldendale. He scaled at just below 80k. "This is a lot of snacks for a tiny grocery store!"

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Though Yakima was a small city, it still had a bit of a visible skyline. 97 had turned into a divided highway, and soon it and TJ would merge onto Interstate 82 Northbound.

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After crossing dry canyons in the high desert, there was a brief merge onto I-90 in Ellensburg. TJ would exit just outside of town and "zag" north again.

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After taking Exit 106, TJ decided to fuel up. Much to his chagrin, he missed the entrance to the Love's. It wasn't too busy, however, so he managed to pull into the pumps the "wrong way" without a hassle. He hoped the trucking gods would forgive him for this transgression!

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The drive got more scenic as the road climbed this hills between Ellensburg and Wenatchee. The 475 CAT in this ride had been rebuilt before J sold it to TJ, and though it was "only" 475 HP, it had no problem taking on the eastern edge of the Cascades, and the engine brake had no problem holding everything back as he went down the other side.

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US-97 once again joined another divided highway, this time US-2. TJ would only briefly be on this stretch before taking off again. This time he would be "staying" on US Route 2, however. Grand Coulee wouldn't be too much farther away!

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The speed limit through here was 60, but TJ kept it at a more modest pace through the windy, curvy roads. He got a little "dam preview" before getting closer to the real thing!

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After passing through a hamlet at the top of the hill, TJ descended into the basin, the gigantic dam in front of him. He had seen it as a kid, but he appreciated the massiveness even more as an adult. What a feat of engineering! He noticed a rest area, and wondered if he could maybe sleep there when he was done. He was running out of drive time, and there were no real truck stops for miles.

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TJ bumped the dock, and was amazed this tiny place could take a 53' trailer full of goods. The stock room kids got him unloaded fast. While shooting the bull with the store manager, it was confirmed to TJ that he could indeed spend the night at the rest area up the hill, if he could fit his truck. "I would let you park here, but our lot is so small, I'm sure you understand."

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The day was done, and TJ was exhausted. He managed to park at the rest stop, though it was tricky pulling off a parallel park on such a slope. Even trickier would be attempting to sleep on such a slope. He made sure that he put the net up over his bed before knocking out! He actually had a load from this little berg tomorrow. Big-time hazmat from the mining company, apparently. That was tomorrow's worry, though. It was time to sleep, and the incoming rain would help make that a reality.

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[supersobes]

That's a beautiful combination! I love that truck! It looks fun to drive!

[J. Ritter]

Thanks Sobes. It's a blast to drive. If you ever go to the dark side and have a mod profile, I highly recommend it. It sounds great, too.

[BK Vissers]

Nice segment. Naturally I love that truck as I have one for myself. Third from last shot is my fav, looks cool climbing up from the bridge.

[J. Ritter]

Thanks BK. That one is one of my favorites, too. That one and the one leading to the bridge leaving Oregon.

I had more fun on that run than I've had playing ATS in a minute. I might stick with TJ for a minute. The dash computer bug and not being able to find the "right" load has been leaving me frustrated on the JRT side. Fear not, though! I'll get to missing that 389 real quick. Lol.

[SmokeyWolf]

I like the FLD myself out of all the truck mods.

[J. Ritter]

That's a great mod, Larry! I'm happy to see it was recently updated. It's on my priority list for a non-JRT story, aka this thread.

[SmokeyWolf]

Love the role play. Im tempted to start my own post here.